Erin Michalski holds a Pilates class in PAC Studio 1 every Friday at 4 p.m.

With the studio packed full of eager and seemingly returning students, the energy and range of ability levels were all present.

Instructor Michalski sets the tone of her Pilates classes with light, fun music, to which the exercises are intentionally paced in a seamless rhythm.

Just like other UW fitness classes, it starts with a light warmup, focusing on your body as you inhale and exhale.  

At first, I thought the movements were too simple. From the lineup of movements Michalski called “Playful Pilates,” all we needed was the mat. However, with basic exercises like planks or scissor kicks, Michalski asks the class to make micropulses with targeted muscles while holding a position, allowing the tension and burn to be felt. She offers variations to either increase or decrease the difficulty. Adding the repetition of the micropulses made the simple movements increasingly effective and difficult. 

In a more difficult move, Michalski instructed the class to perform seatbelt pushups, in which your arms are crossed with the top arm across your chest, using it to push your body up, and the other arm hugging your abs. 

A more fun move to stretch your spine, she instructed students to roll up on their backs with legs in the air or snug to the body.

It was the first time Leah Greaves, a graduate student pursuing her master’s in sociology, attended Michalski’s Pilates class. “Amazing class. I think Erin [Michalski] is such a bright and energetic person. It made me want to try harder. It was very easy to follow and inviting for all levels. And I did feel the burn; it was great,” she said.

Though less strenuous than other classes, this class is a great way to get your mind off stressors and move your body with joyful instructions. It also provides a great repertoire of effective movements that can easily be done at home without any equipment. The movements feel more beginner-friendly, but if you have the time, repeated sets of the micromovements can definitely improve strength and overall conditioning.

Michalski has been teaching at UW since 2022, with experience as a Pilates instructor dating back to 2019. Her favourite part of teaching is the positivity and energy that comes with it. She instructs another Pilates class at 10 a.m. on Thursdays and a barre class at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

MINTO – The Town of Minto and Niagara-on-the-Lake received a joint inaugural Rural Ontario Inspiration Award for a shared equipment leasing model.

Presented at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference by Minister Lisa Thompson on Jan. 19, the award included eight recipients in separate categories.

The two parties won the award based on their Municipal Shared Equipment Model. 

“This was a model that was born out of necessity,” Minto CAO Gregg Furtney told the Community News. “It is another tool in a municipality’s toolbox.”

The model facilitates equipment-sharing among municipalities and government agencies (conservation authorities, utilities, school boards, universities and colleges) by way of short-term leases that last less than a year.

“Its primary goal is to enable organizations to lease under-utilized assets to one another, thereby optimizing resources, reducing expenses, generating new revenue and fostering collaboration in the public sector,” Furtney said.

According to Furtney, the initiative was developed to address several challenges faced by municipalities and institutions including:

• struggling to receive capital money for projects and the replacement of aged equipment;
• taxpayers desiring the same or better level of service without increased taxes;
• combating rising tax levies;
• high cost of new equipment and long lead times for delivery;
• difficulties in acquiring good used equipment;
• the fact that equipment is sometimes seasonal and often sits idle in yards; and
• ongoing economic/political unrest (tariffs, cross-border concerns), coupled with significantly increasing operating/capital costs. 

One of the model’s benefits is the ability to generate new revenue streams by monetizing under-utilized equipment/assets. 

For example, Niagara-on-the-Lake leased its motor grader to Minto while the town leased its tractor to Niagara.

“This turns an asset into an investment with a return on investment,” Furtney said.

Other benefits noted include:

• maximizing use of existing resources and lowering costs;
• extending the life of an asset and earning revenue; and
• exploring new and collaborative models for better utilization of funds and equipment, acting as “stewards.” 

The model includes a range of equipment such as motor graders, tractors, street and parking lot sweepers, wood chippers, mowers, vacuum trucks and trailers, backhoes, skid steers, forestry equipment, trackless units, lifts and equipment attachments. 

Asked how the partnership between the towns developed, Furtney said the reasoning is “quite simple.”

“My colleague in Niagara-on-the-Lake is a long-time friend,” Furtney said. “I was born, raised and spent much of my early career in the Niagara Region.”

The two used to work together at the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and stayed in touch.

His former colleague now works in Niagara in the public works department.

“I also spent several years in public works before becoming CAO in Minto,” he said. “The idea for this model grew naturally out of those conversations.”

Furtney noted the distance between the towns is about two and a half hour.

“While that distance presented some logistical challenges, we were able to work through them successfully,” he said. 

Ideally, the model would operate within local hubs of neighbouring municipalities.

“This pilot has shown that equipment can also be transported efficiently over longer distances when needed,” Furtney said. 

Furtney suspects Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae shared the model with Thompson and her office. 

“We are very grateful to MPP Rae for doing that,” Furtney said.

With the voting period opening up tomorrow, it’s time to get acquainted with the students running for the 2026-2027 WUSA Board of Directors. There are 15 candidates listed and 10 spots on board.
Voting can be done on vote.wusa.ca starting tomorrow until Feb. 5 at 11:59 p.m. 

Arin Dayal
Dayal is a fourth year honours arts and business student, with a major in economics and minor in computing. His top three priorities include predictable international student tuition, fiscal resilience amid Bill 33, as well as housing transparency and safety.
“The student government already has many passionate students with political mindsets, and we need that energy. But we also need technical mindsets,” Dayal said in an email to Imprint. “While I don’t claim to know every historical detail of WUSA, I know how to make systems work. I have a technical mind — numbers speak to me.”

Arya Razmjoo
Razmjoo is a fourth year legal and communications studies student who served as WUSA vice president from 2024-2025, and director from 2025-2026. His top three issues include expansion of the Bomber (more space, functional charging ports), expanding WUSA events (more free food, more exciting trips) and pushing for more affordable food on campus.
Ramzjoo is running with team Horizon.
“WUSA manages roughly $7 million annually and more than $30 million in total funds. It is one of the largest student associations in North America,” Razmjoo said. “Team Horizon has the experience and platform to address real systemic issues and make campus cheaper, better run, and more memorable for students.”

Becky Chen
Chen is a first year student in honours arts and business. As a director candidate, her goals include creating a recharge space in the SLC with soft lighting and comfortable seating to support commuters and off-campus students between classes, working to ensure campus walkways are cleared quickly by working with the Region of Waterloo and the City of Kitchener, and expanding access to 24-hour study spaces by keeping SLC lounges open around the clock and opening more lecture halls during exam season. As a candidate for Senate Undergraduate Student At-Large, she aims to advocate for no weekend exams and reduced textbook costs through the promotion of open educational resources and expanded library reserves.

Iman Khan
Khan is a fourth year political science student who is serving on WUSA’s board of directors for 2025-2026. Her top issues include ending punitive renege policies, university divestment from Israel, and better degree planning support.
“I have consistently advocated for justice, transparency, and ethical accountability, including supporting divestment efforts,” Khan said. “I am committed to making co-op policies fairer, strengthening academic support systems, and all students on campus are heard and represented in every decision.”
Khan is running with team Horizon.

Jacob Lewis
Lewis is a third year student in mechatronics engineering. His top priorities are advocating for stronger provincial funding for universities, recognizing that issues like rising food costs, high tuition, and inadequate winter maintenance are rooted in chronic underfunding, and will actively oppose further cuts. Lewis also plans to stand up for co-op students, acknowledging that co-op is central to Waterloo’s identity but that students often face challenges such as unreliable systems like WaterlooWorks and restrictive policies, and he will push for a more fair and student-centered co-op experience. In addition, Lewis will work toward greater transparency and accountability within WUSA by ensuring students have a clearer understanding of how their fees are spent and by advocating for stronger oversight and responsibility from the WUSA Board of Directors.
“I am not just campaigning on the ‘right ideas’, I am campaigning on a strong record of success and experience advocating for the needs of students in large, complex organizations, as I hope to do with WUSA,” Lewis said.

Katherine Wang
Wang is a second year environment and business student. Her top priorities include advocating for more quiet study and social spaces on a campus, building a degree tracking tool to help with course selection, and revitalizing spaces around campus.
She is currently Co-President of the Environmental Students Society and skating coach at the Kitchener Waterloo Skating Club.
Wang is running with team Horizon.

Mark Jejeran
Jejeran is in his second year of geography and aviation, however he plans to transfer to science and aviation at the end of term. His top priorities include improving campus events and reopening spaces like the Bomber, strengthening how WUSA programs are communicated, and exploring an airport shuttle for aviation students, informed by student feedback, research into successful event models at other universities, and ongoing collaboration with student groups, creators, tech students, faculty, and local officials.

Mathi Parthasarathy
Parthasarathy is in his first year of honours biology. His top three issues include transparency, collaborative leadership, and turning student feedback into action.
“I’m running because student leadership should reflect the everyday student experience,” Parthasarathy said in an email to Imprint. “I care about building a WUSA culture that feels accessible, warm, and connected to the students it represents.”

Muhammad Kanji
Kanki is a third year chemical engineering student who is serving on WUSA’s board of directors from 2025-2026.

Mujtaba Haider
Haider is in his fourth year of health studies. His priorities include making campus food taste better and cost less, building a better campus vibe by making WUSA services and spaces feel student-first, and pushing back on fee hikes by demanding real transparency from the university.
Haider is running with team Horizon.

Noor Blaggan
Blaggan is a fourth year nanotechnology engineering student. One of his top issues include expanding the Bomber (including student access to the patio) as well as to make it more lively with trivia nights, bar nights and battle of the bands. He would like tenant’s insurance to be added to WUSA’s insurance and make course ratings available to the public for future students.
Blaggan is also passionate about ensuring that the university diverts from Israel.
“I have a deep love for the community I’ve built around Waterloo, and with that love I found it imperative that the university I fund with my tuition isn’t using my money to fund genocides, war crimes, and climate catastrophes around the world,” Blaggan said. “The main initiatives I’d like to mention is forcing the University to disclose its investments across nearly all mediums, from its pension to endowment funds with the help of other student groups across campus.”
Blaggan is running with team Horizon.

Omar Gaballa
Gaballa is a second year honour physics student. His top three priorities are pressuring admin and WUSA to see through divestment and ESG policy in alignment with BDS and eco-justice, continuing to fight back against police surveillance of students on and off campus, and bring in rent-tracking to keep predatory landlords accountable.
“During my time at UW I’ve had the opportunity to meet/work with many passionate student and community advocates, people who deeply care and strive for change,” Gaballa said. “Long paragraph short, they inspire me to put my best foot forward and do the same. Something I feel confident I can do on board.”

Patrik Buhring
Buhring is a fourth year student in math and computer science. His issues include fighting against program cuts and reductions for long-term security, an expanded, lively Bomber, and clear, useful and updated degree planning tools to replace UW Flow.
Buhring has experience advocating for students by being vice president of academics for MathSoc. He is running with team Horizon.

Remington Aginskaya-Zhi
Aginskaya-Zhi is a fourth year math and mathematical physics student who was WUSA’s Vice President from 2025-2026. Their top three priorities include a rent tracker to display increases in student housing costs, tenant insurance, and renegotiate UPass.
“From clubs and MathSoc council and Board to WUSA Vice-President, I know the university’s bureaucracy inside and out,” Aginskaya-Zhi said in their WUSA profile. “As WUSA VP, I travelled to Ottawa to advocate for funding for student housing as part of Build Canada Homes, and I serve as Board Director of the biggest student housing co-operative in North America.”
Aginskaya-Zhi is running with team Horizon.

Veertej Sehdave
Sehdave is in his third year of statistics. His priorities include fee transparency and accountability, protecting students from unjustified increases, and clear, student facing communication.
“As the current MathSoc President and ex-ICSN Coordinator, I have been actively involved in student life since first year and understand how WUSA decisions directly affect students,” Sehdave said. “While I am not driven by politics, I am driven by results.”

DRAYTON – Drayton resident J.P. Fillion has travelled over 6,000km to Milan, Italy to carry the Olympic torch on behalf of Canada. 

“I feel extremely honoured,” said Fillion, who was to take part in the torch relay on Feb. 2 ahead of the Winter Games in Milano Cortina Feb. 6 to 22.

“At one point in my life, after an accident which injured my back, I couldn’t walk for several months … Now, I’ll be making the walk of a lifetime.”

He was selected as a torch bearer after colleagues encouraged him to apply through the Games’ official website.

An accomplished cyclist and dedicated supporter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Fillion was born with pulmonary stenosis, a congenital heart defect that restricts blood flow from the heart to the lungs. 

He had open-heart surgery to correct the condition at the ages of two, 18 and, most recently last February, in his mid-40s. 

“When I was 10 years old the cardiologist explained (that) without my open-heart surgery at two years old in the 1980s, I wouldn’t have lived beyond 13 years,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Fillion has used his love for cycling to raise funds and awareness for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Over the last three years, he has worked tirelessly to cycle the equivalent distance of a cross-Canada trek. 

This year he set an even more ambitious target: to reach 50,000 metres in cycling elevation gains – equivalent to nearly six Mount Everests – by the end of this summer.

“I’m in my mid-40s and in the best shape of my life.,” Fillion said.

“I never started this journey expecting accolades. I thought it would be great to raise money for charity and give back since I was going to bike anyway.”

He added, “It’s kind of spiraled into daily biking/exercises, tens of thousands of dollars raised for Heart and Stroke while also becoming the team captain, winning a Fat Bike, being selected for the King Charles III Coronation Medal and chosen to carry the Olympic torch in Italy.

“My friends and family are very excited and proud of me. They have all responded much more excitedly than I anticipated, wanting to know when they can maybe catch a glimpse of me on TV, which in turn has upped the excitement on my end,” said Fillion. 

“I let them know I’ll be easy to spot – I’ll be the one walking with the torch.”

OTTAWA – Fergus Senator Rob Black has put his name behind a call from the Red Chamber to Prime Minister Mark Carney for a ban on sports betting advertising.

A November letter calls on the federal government to give the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission power to ban advertising for gambling apps and websites, similar to a ban on cigarette advertising.

Black said he's supportive of his colleagues' push on the issue and signed on to show his support. He called the amount of advertising for sports betting "ridiculous."

The letter, originally signed by Charlottetown Senator Percy Downe and Waterloo Senator Marty Deacon, has garnered dozens of signatures since being released last year.

The letter states the relaxation of sports betting legislation in 2021 has allowed for "a deluge of advertising for sports betting" platforms preying on "vulnerable people."

It adds, "A decision by Parliament helped create this problem, which means further action might minimize the damage that is already being done."

The letter cites a 2024 CBC report suggesting that up to one-fifth of televised sporting events contain ads for gambling sites.

"It is reaching the point where the ads are competing with the actual event, rather than supporting it," the letter states.

The letter adds the scale of money at stake endangers the integrity of the sports, citing a betting scandal that rocked the NBA last year after 34 people were charged in gambling schemes, including former Toronto Raptor basketball player Jontay Porter.

The senators say they are opposed to sports betting platforms profiting from the exploitation of "human weakness."

Black joins 41 other senators who signed on to the letter.

Ghiselle Poblete

♦

This past weekend, fourth-year point guard Ghiselle Poblete earned her first Athlete of the Week award. With 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, she played a decisive role in maintaining the Warriors’ lead in the Battle of Waterloo. She shot 6-13 from the field and 2-4 from deep, averaging 12.9 points per game this season. The Warriors are now one win away from taking home the Battle of Waterloo trophy, while holding down a spot in the OUA playoffs.

As top point getter of the night, the team’s offence was dictated by her pace. During the Battle of Waterloo, the Warriors stuck to what they do best: a fast, aggressive playstyle, anchored by rebounds and pushing transitions.

Living up to their gold-blooded standards, the team maintained their energy for the full 40 minutes. The loss of a teammate due to injury only fuelled them to play harder, culminating in a 68-64 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks.

Growing up in Brampton, Poblete started dribbling on the sidelines of her older brother’s basketball practices at the age of three, continuing to get comfortable with the ball until she eventually made her first team in grade four.

“I’ve played every role that there is in basketball. I know how it feels to be a starter. I know how it feels to be someone on the bench or someone who doesn’t play at all,” she shares. “So I think that kind of shape[d] me [into] who I am now… and I appreciate everyone on the team no matter what their role is.”

Having recently returned to the team after a torn ACL, she recounted her experience going from a starter to not playing at all, and confirming her love of the sport along the way.

“You sit out for a whole year and people think that you just do nothing… but there’s so much work behind the scenes,” she describes. “You would be in the gym for longer than everyone else, just working on your knee. Every day while they’re on the court, you’re doing something else. And it gets lonely, but I think those are the moments that made me realize that I love basketball.”

When asked what kept her going even when she couldn’t see visible progress, she cited her faith and the people in her life. “They believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I thought, oh, I’m gonna come back and I’m gonna be washed. They believed that I would come back and be better than before I was injured.”

Mathias Onuska

♦

Third-year goaltender Mathias Onuska travelled to Ottawa to be recognized as a U Sports Top 8 Academic All-Canadian this week, meanwhile being bestowed with his second Athlete of the Week award back home in Waterloo.

Blocking 70 out of 73 shots across two games against the Western Mustangs and Toronto Varsity Blues, he posted a .956 save percentage and 1.50 goals against average. The Warriors secured back-to-back wins, defeating the Mustangs 5-2 and the Varsity Blues 2-1.

“I think it’s really a reflection of our team’s performance,” he says in reference to his Athlete of the Week award amidst the Warriors’ past two victories. “Our league is very competitive as a whole. On any given night, any team can really beat anybody. Both those teams are also in the pursuit of making the playoffs. So it was a really big test for us that if we wanted to be able to make the playoffs, we needed to win those games.”

The short-handed Warriors kept the games tied or at a one-goal advantage during critical penalty kills early in both games, giving them the momentum they needed to come out on top later on. They’re hoping to build off this confidence and maintain collective motivation as they head into their remaining six games, vying for a spot in the playoffs.

Onuska began playing ministicks with his older brother and sister at the age of six. Relegated to goalie because his siblings wanted to shoot on the net, he grew into the role and has stuck with it ever since.

After playing in the OHL for several years, he faced a big adjustment period upon arriving at university. Learning to balance school and sport, maintaining consistency and approaching things day by day paid off in the form of his Top 8 Academic All-Canadian award, granted to student-athletes who embody the highest standards of academic achievement and athletic excellence.

He takes the same play-by-play approach on the ice, drawing inspiration from his stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Getting to meet all those guys, [it was] kind of a once in a lifetime experience… it definitely gave me a lot that I could learn from in terms of the way those guys prepare for the game and go about their routine to be ready on the ice.”

“They never really got too emotional, up or down, during the game,” he reflects. “If something went wrong or something went right, they stayed even keel, which helped them focus on the next play, not really worrying too much about what’s already happening in the game, but what you need to do in any given moment.”

After enjoying a four-day week as a result of Monday’s campus snow day closure, now’s the time to dive into a weekend of art, winter thrills, and insights into the Winter 2026 Olympic Games!

Let’s kick off the weekend with some excitement that is sure to shake off any winter blues. UW’s Indonesian Student Association has organized a fun day of snow tubing at Chicopee Tubing Park. The fun runs on Saturday, Jan. 31 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and tickets can be purchased for $23.05 on WUSA’s events page. 

Keep in mind that transportation to and from the venue is not provided, so check in with your friends and see if you can plan a carpool. Be sure to plan to arrive early, as all participants and ISA Executives will be meeting together at the venue at 9 a.m. to complete a required Chicopee Tubing Park risk waiver and verification.

Make sure to bundle up for the adventure and get excited for a morning of thrilling winter fun with your fellow Waterloo Warriors!

If outdoor adventures in the cold aren’t quite your idea of a good time, not to worry! Also taking place on Saturday, Jan. 31 from 7 p.m. to midnight is The Brush Off, THEMUSEUM’s 13th annual live art-making event. This is a fundraising event in support of THEMUSEUM and will showcase artists painting in real-time, as they compete live as other artists. By the end of the night, all attendees will have the opportunity to vote on their top paintings.

After the voting, attendees can choose to participate in a bid and potentially bring one of these unique art pieces home during the silent auction.

This event is open to all ages, but participants are not advised to bring children under the age of twelve. The option to purchase alcoholic drinks will be available, so make sure to bring your ID if you plan to get a drink during the event. Tickets can be purchased online on THEMUSEUM’s website and cost $23.09 each.

Are you excited for the Winter 2026 Olympic Games? Have you been reflecting on how modern-day challenges can impact the successful continuation of the games? Whether you’re an avid sports fan or a thoughtful thinker, this weekend event is sure to be of interest. The UW Model United Nations (UWMUN) club is hosting an International Olympic Committee at the Quantum Nano Centre on Sunday, Feb. 1 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase online on the WUSA events page for $5 each.

The UWMUN invites students to join in for a simulation of the IOC, where they will be addressing questions like how to ensure the health of athletes at the Olympic Village, how delegates can reduce the risk of doping and fraud, and how today’s diplomatic realities coincide with upholding institutional neutrality at the games, to name a few.

GUELPH – Wellington County has officially approved its 2026 budget, including a 3.6 per cent tax increase – 0.1% higher than proposed earlier this month.

That means the average county homeowner will pay $742 per $100,000 in assessment this year – up $26 from 2025.

The budget, approved by council on Jan. 29, includes a revised tax levy requirement of $148.6 million and a 10-year capital plan totalling $686.6 million.

"Only one committee made a change [and] that was social services," said councillor Earl Campbell, chair of the administration, finance and human resources committee.

Earlier this month, the joint county-Guelph social services committee approved a monthly cap of 20 new households to receive rent support, up from a previous cap of 10, which added an additional $110,000 to the budget.

The county plans to spend $78.6 million this year on capital projects.

The roads department accounts for $58.3 million, social and affordable housing $6.9 million and ambulance services $3.67 million.

Big ticket capital projects include:

• $18.4 million for a new Erin works garage;
• $16 million for road construction;
• $14.5 million for bridge and culvert replacement/rehabilitation work;
• $6.9 million in repairs/enhancements in social and affordable housing units; and
• $2.57 million for a rooftop HVAC replacement at the Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care Home in Aboyne.

The county plans to cover the 2026 capital budget with reserves, subsidies, provincial and federal funding, and development charges.

The approved operating budget totals $387.8 million, roughly $600,000 more than proposed.

Forty per cent of the county's revenue comes from property taxes.

Councillor Mary Lloyd expressed reservations about the ambulance and garage portions of the budget.

"We have ... a very aggressive and financially high obligation with regards to the land ambulance program and the building of new stations," Lloyd said.

Noting "escalating costs" to build county garages, she said council has not yet received a "fulsome report on how we did on the Arthur garage in its serviceability in the last year and how it's working out."

The Arthur works garage had a budget of $16.8 million and the proposed Erin garage, to begin construction this year, is budgeted at $18.4 million.

Lloyd also noted the county is setting aside $6 million for an ambulance station.

"This gives me pause because I'm starting to wonder if we are making decisions on our capital budgeting that are either ... over inflated or ... under informed," she said.

Warden Chris White told Lloyd the capital outlay for ambulance stations is a guide.

"In terms of actually building the ambulance stations and their costs, none of that has been finalized," White said.

"There is an opportunity for the county to build them and then lease them back to the city."

But because the city is the service provider for ambulances, the county may not be building the stations at all.

"Before the first [one] is even built, it will come back to this council ... this budget is not calling for that. It's a placeholder," White said.

Campbell agreed with Lloyd about needing a more detailed report on the Arthur garage.

Once council approved the budget with no additional changes, White invited Campbell and treasurer Ken DeHart to the centre of the council chamber.

He gifted them T-shirts with the county's 10-year reserve and reserve funds forecast depicted on a graph, congratulating them on a "great budget and a great year."