Mayor's Monthly Newsletter - November 2026

Whitby has a new Council following the municipal election on Oct. 26. Whitby Council has nine members -- the mayor, four regional councillors, and four local councillors.

Your 2026-2030 Whitby Council is:

• Mayor: Elizabeth Roy
• North Ward Regional Councillor: Rhonda Mulcahy
• North Ward Town Councillor: Jay White
• West Ward Regional Councillor: Deidre Newman
• West Ward Town Councillor: Matt Cardwell
• Centre Ward Regional Councillor: Niki Lundquist
• Centre Ward Town Councillor: Bob Baker
• East Ward Regional Councillor: Steve Yamada
• East Ward Town Councillor: Victoria Bozinovski

The inaugural Council meeting for the new term will take place Nov. 16.

Learn more about Council at https://www.whitby.ca/town-hall/mayor-and-council/

Find information on upcoming Council meetings, as well as meeting minutes and agendas at https://www.whitby.ca/town-hall/council-and-committee-meetings/

Join us for a National Indigenous Veteran’s Day Ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 11 a.m. at the Brooklin Cenotaph/Brooklin Community Centre and Library, 8 Vipond Rd. This event is being coordinated by Whitby’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, with guidance from Elder Tom Cowie of Hiawatha First Nation, a respected Knowledge Keeper and veteran. 

Attend one of three Remembrance Day ceremonies in Whitby on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.

• Whitby Cenotaph, 109 Dundas St. E. hosted by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 112
• Brooklin Cenotaph, 8 Vipond Road, hosted by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 152
• Intrepid Park, 2008 Boundary Rd., hosted by the Canadian Armed Forces 

You can also support the Royal Canadian Legion year-round by making a donation at https://www.legion.ca/donations or by becoming a member.

Did you know any Canadian over the age of 18 can join the Royal Canadia Legion? Membership is free in 2026 to celebrate the Legion’s 100th anniversary. Join at one of Whitby’s two local legion branches or online at https://www.legion.ca/join-us

I’m excited to share that Operation Cozy Toes is back for 2026!

I launched this initiative in 2024 to collect warm socks for people in our community experiencing homelessness -- and in 2025 it expanded to include collecting toy donations for CTV’s Toy Mountain in support of the Salvation Army.

This year, we will once again be collecting cozy socks and new unwrapped toys.

Donation barrels will be available from Nov. 2 to Dec. 4 at the following locations:

• Jacked Up Coffee, 132 Brock St. N.
• Vintage 905, 108 Dundas St. W.
• The Souk, 113 Brock St. S.
• 8-Bit Beans, 100 Brock St. S.
• Marito’s Coffee & Things, 105 Mary St. W.
• Whitby Town Hall, 575 Rossland Rd. E.
• Whitby Public Library – Central Branch, 405 Dudas St. W.
• Whitby Public Library - Brooklin Branch, 8 Vipond Rd. Brooklin
• Whitby Public Library – Rossland Branch, 701 Rossland Rd. E.
• Whitby 55+ Recreation Centre, 801 Brock St. S.
• Whitby MP Ryan Turnbull Constituency Office, 400 Dundas St. W, Suite 105
• Wellings of Whitby, 368 Taunton Rd. E.
• Salvation Army Whitby, 710 McQuay Blvd.

If you’re able to, please consider donating to help brighten the holidays for those in need in our community. 

This is my monthly shoutout to those who make Whitby proud. If you know a person, group, or organization that has accomplished something noteworthy or is helping to make Whitby a better place, email follertj@whitby.ca

• Congratulations to Angela Brandon, who recently marked her retirement from Whitby Fire and Emergency Services after 30 years. Angela was Whitby’s first female fire suppression firefighter. Thank you for being a true trailblazer, mentor, and role model and for your dedication to keeping our community safe.

• Shout out to 13-year-old Whitby resident Kamryn Gobeil, author of the newly released children's book “I Can Feel This Way and Do It Anyway." She will host an official book launch and signing party at the Brooklin Community Centre on Nov. 5 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

• Thank you to our amazing community partners and the many residents who generously volunteered their time to plant hundreds of trees in Whitby in September and October. This included a tree planting at Fallingbrook Park and mini forest plantings at Windsor Bay Park and Central Park. Thank you to Little Forests Durham and LEAF for organizing the events and for your ongoing work to support Whitby’s urban canopy

In October, I had the honour of helping to celebrate the 175^th anniversary of Whitby Fire and Emergency Services.

Back in 1851, Whitby’s first volunteer fire brigade was formed by people who wanted to help keep their neighbours safe. Whitby has changed a great deal since then. So have the demands on our firefighters. But that commitment to helping others is still at the heart of what they do.

Residents had the opportunity to celebrate Whitby Fire’s 175^th anniversary at a special event as part of Doors Open Whitby on Oct. 17. We also unveiled the design for Whitby’s new Fallen Firefighter Memorial, which will be built at Civic Park, behind Town Hall.

The memorial will feature a bronze sculpture of a kneeling firefighter at the centre of a circular plaza.

It will be a place where families and colleagues can come to remember, and where residents can pay their respects and learn about the people who helped protect our town.

We’re very grateful to the Government of Canada for supporting this project with $135,000 in funding and I look forward to gathering with the families of our fallen firefighters for a formal unveiling in spring 2027.

This monthly feature highlights fascinating people, places and events from Whitby’s past, courtesy of local history buff Wade Szilagyi. He is the founder of the 25,000-member Vintage Whitby Facebook group and has supported heritage projects for the Town of Whitby as well as the Whitby and Brooklin Legion branches.

Did you know that 110 years ago this month Whitby was the scene of one of the most unusual and tragic railway accidents in its history?

In the early morning hours of November 2, 1916, a freight train of nine cars and an engine was travelling east along the Canadian Pacific Railway line toward the junction with the Grand Trunk line that ran north to Port Perry. As the train approached the switching tower, a critical mistake set disaster in motion. The switchman on duty accidentally opened the derailing switch on the CPR track rather than on the Grand Trunk line. Within moments, the train left the rails.

A protective railing prevented the locomotive from plunging down the embankment, but the tender overturned, and several freight cars derailed violently. Some cars tipped onto their sides while others smashed into a nearby farmer’s fence, leaving a tangled heap of wreckage beside the tracks.

The cargo made the accident especially heartbreaking. The train was transporting mules -- about twenty in each car -- destined for overseas military service during the First World War. When the cars overturned, the animals were thrown together in the wreckage. Many were killed instantly, while others were badly injured and had to be humanely put down. The loss in livestock alone was estimated at more than $1,500, a considerable sum at the time.

A CPR wrecking crew arrived later that day and worked for hours to clear the line and rescue surviving animals. Some frightened mules escaped into nearby fields before they could be recaptured.

The dramatic scene drew many curious Whitby residents, some of whom photographed the wreck. A few of those images survive today in the Whitby Archives, preserving the memory of a little-known but remarkable moment in the town’s railway history.

In remembrance of this event, 12^th Whitby Scouts helped establish the "Mule Train Wreck Trail," a pathway that traces the area near the accident site. This trail serves both as a historical marker and a recreational path, allowing visitors to reflect on the past while enjoying the natural surroundings.

Whitby residents have a new sub sandwich destination! Jersey Mike’s Subs recently opened at 80 Thickson Rd. S., serving made-to-order fresh sliced and fresh grilled subs with premium meats and cheeses piled high on bread baked in-store each morning. The restaurant is known for its high-quality ingredients and subs prepared right in front of its customers. Cold subs can be ordered “Mike’s Way,” with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, signature spices and “The Juice”—a blend of red wine vinegar and olive oil that gives each sub its distinctive flavour.

“We’ve been eager to expand in Durham Region and are thrilled to open in the great town of Whitby,” says Ken Otto, CEO of Redberry Restaurants, based in Mississauga, which operates Jersey Mike’s locations across Canada.

In addition to is subs, Jersey Mikes is known for giving back to the communities it serves, conducting grand opening fundraisers and on-going support to local organizations everywhere it opens. 

The Whitby location celebrated a grand opening on Sept. 30 that included a 10-day fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Canada, raising $3,293 to help grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses.

The Whitby fundraiser was part of a commitment Jersey Mike’s has made to Make-A-Wish Canada, pledging to raise $1 million for the organization by 2030.

Since 2024, the company has already raised more than $300,000 for Make-A-Wish Canada. Every year, Jersey Mike’s also holds its March Month of Giving, taking donations all month long for its chosen charities and culminating with its “Day of Giving” when local Jersey Mike’s restaurants give 100 percent of the day’s sales -- not just profit -- to designated local charities.

The Whitby Jersey Mike’s location employs 34 team members who are looking forward to meeting the community, whether visiting for a quick lunch, dinner for the family, catering for an upcoming gathering, or just stopping by to say hello.

The restaurant is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Orders can be placed in-store, through the Jersey Mike’s app, at jerseymikes.ca or through participating delivery services.

On Sept. 12, our community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the new Fieldgate Sports Complex, Whitby’s most significant recreation investment to date.

You may already know that this facility features Durham’s largest pool, a twin-pad arena, multi-purpose gymnasium, lit pickleball, tennis and basketball courts, Whitby’s first multi-purpose artificial turf field, a playground, skatepark, pump track, and more.

What you might not know, is that it was built with sustainability in mind.

The complex is designed and certified to both LEED Gold and Zero Carbon Building standards through the Canada Green Building Council.

It’s the first facility in Canada to combine a twin-pad arena, double gymnasium, and large aquatic center while achieving both certifications.

In addition, the Fieldgate Sports Complex is the first facility in Whitby built to achieve Tier 3 of the Whitby Green Standard, demonstrating how the Town is leading by example and applying its highest sustainability standards to its own infrastructure.

To achieve net-zero operational carbon, the design eliminates fossil fuel use for heating, uses renewable energy, and reduces high global warming potential refrigerants.

To support its net-zero carbon operations, the facility incorporates geothermal heating and cooling, heat recovery, and on-site renewable electricity generation. The geothermal system includes 58 wells extending approximately 183 metres (600 feet) underground, while heat generated by the arena refrigeration system is captured and reused for water heating, spectator heating and other building needs.

On the roof, 688 solar panels generate clean electricity on site, helping reduce the facility's demand on the electrical grid.

Sustainability extends beyond the building itself. More than 1,400 trees have been planted across the site, and the development includes 20 electric vehicle charging stations, restored natural habitat, reduced light pollution and stormwater features that help manage rainfall while supporting local biodiversity.

The facility also includes emergency backup power to maintain critical building operations during outages, increasing resilience during severe weather and other disruptions.

We are very appreciative that the Government of Canada supported this project with $25 million in funding through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, in recognition of the facility’s sustainability features.

Learn more at https://www.whitby.ca/sportscomplex

Making a Difference is my monthly spotlight on local not-for-profit organizations, which are a critical part of our community. To suggest a not-for-profit to feature, email Jillian Follert at follertj@whitby.ca

Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Durham is committed to making sure children and youth in our community have the support they need to thrive.

Today, children are navigating a world of AI, social media, constant online connectivity, and exposure to information and pressures at increasingly young ages. From navigating online relationships and misinformation to understanding what's real and what's not, young people are facing challenges that even adults are still learning to navigate.

At the same time, concerns about youth mental health, social skills, and meaningful human connection continue to grow. More than ever, children need trusted adults who can help them think critically, build healthy relationships, make informed decisions, and navigate an increasingly complex world.

That's where mentorship comes in.

Through one-to-one and group mentoring programs, Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Durham connects young people with caring adults who offer friendship, guidance, encouragement, and a safe space to be themselves.

Whether it's learning to manage emotions, building confidence, developing healthy relationships, or simply having someone who listens, these connections can make a lasting difference.

Every year, we see the impact mentorship has on local children and families. But we also know there are many more young people in our community who could benefit from having someone in their corner.

As we approach the end of the year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Durham is asking our community to help them reach more kids.

Through the Holiday Spark Campaign, your donation helps provide mentorship programs and create more opportunities for local children and youth to feel supported, connected, and confident in themselves.

Whether you make a one-time gift or become a monthly donor, your support makes a meaningful difference right here in our community. Let’s make sure more local kids have someone in their corner.

Donate at https://durhamnorthumberland.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/holiday-spark/ or learn more about the organization at https://durhamnorthumberland.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/

• Councillor Niki Lundquist hosts the third annual Pumpkins in the Park on Nov. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Rotary Central Park, 900 Brock St. S. This free community event includes popcorn and hot chocolate, “Thriller” performed by Ana-Maria Dance Academy, a scavenger hunt courtesy of Durham Escape Rooms, Lynde House Museum, Whitby Town Criers, and more. Non-perishable food donations are appreciated. Help light up the night by dropping off your Halloween pumpkins at the park by 4:45 p.m.

• The annual Whitby Lights the Night holiday celebration takes place Nov. 27 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Whitby Civic Park (located next to Town Hall). Enjoy live music, festive treats, local vendors, family activities and – of course – thousands of festive lights. Learn more at https://www.whitby.ca/explore-and-enjoy/events-and-festivals/attend-an-event/whitby-lights-the-night/

• Whitby Courthouse Theatre presents “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” on stage from Nov. 5 to 21. Learn more and get tickets at https://whitbytheatre.ca

• The annual Durham Christian Homes Fall Market is Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 200 Glen Hill Dr. S. featuring baked goods, crafts, woodworking, and a café with coffee and homemade poffertjes.

• Christmas in the Village takes place Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at various locations throughout Downtown Brooklin with family activities including visits with Santa, crafts, and a scavenger hunt. Learn more at https://www.whitby.ca/explore-and-enjoy/events-and-festivals/attend-an-event/brooklins-christmas-in-the-village/

• Enjoy an all-ages Hanukkah Storytime on Nov. 28 from 10:30 to 11 a.m. at the Central Library, 405 Dundas St. W.

• The Downtown Whitby BIA Christmas Market is back on Friday, Nov. 13 from 4 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Celebration Square, 405 Dundas St. W. Explore local vendors selling handmade gifts, festive décor, holiday treats, and more.

Did you know there are two ways to subscribe to my monthly newsletter? Go to whitby.ca/subscribe to receive an email notification each month when the newsletter is published on whitby.ca -- or click here to subscribe via Constant Contact and get the newsletter right to your inbox.

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming up in my December newsletter:

• Upcoming Christmas, Hannukah, and holiday events in Whitby, including details on the Whitby Santa Claus Parade
• Updates on the timeline for Whitby’s 2027 Budget and how to share your feedback