New school for Attawapiskat

Relief for the troubled Attawapiskat First Nation. The Federal Government has awarded the construction contract to build a new school to Manitoba-based Penn-Co Construction. Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development John Duncan says Penn-Co has extensive experience working with remote First Nation communities on the construction of large facilities.The 58-hundred square-metre school will accommodate 540-students from Kindergarten to Grade 8 and is scheduled to open during the 2013-2014 school year.

Greenstone launches website and survey

The Municipality of Greenstone is hoping for big results from its new look website.  The site, http://www.investingreenstone.ca/, is designed to help businesses and investors get the information they need on the community.  The website also helps to promote mining and exploration in the region.  Included in the site is a survey which is a coordinated industry effort to encourage graduates, skilled workers and others remain in the Greenstone region and possibly attract skilled workers back.

Declare, Declare, Declare

People continue to lie about their purchases at the Pigeon River Border. Two Canadian residents are in trouble after importing a vintage car that was purchased online. The importer swore they paid 8 thousand dollars for the vehicle but after closer examination border agents found they actually paid 12 thousand. The man was forced to pay over 2 thousand dollars in penalties. Had he declared the vehicle at its proper value he would have only paid around 200 dollars in taxes.

KI rallies in Toronto today

The Big Trout Lake First Nation are rallying in front of the world's leading mining convention today.  They'll have 100 supporters in Toronto today.  They claim God's Lake Resources proposed gold mine will desecrate their sacred burial grounds.

Impaired driving collision

Thunder Bay Police are charging a man with impaired driving and various traffic act offences after a bumpy ride this morning. Witnesses say the vehicle was travelling at a high rate of speed, crashed through some construction pylons, went through a hole dug by a road crew, over a snowbank and struck a building on Simpson Street. He's also charged with dangerous driving.

2012 Budget is in the books

This year's city budget increase is a bit lighter than what we were expecting.  Council approved the budget last night but after Councillor Marc Bentz put forward a motion that prevented the hiring of 5 full time city employees.  The savings should amount to a bit more than 200 thousand dollars and dropped the tax increase from 2.67 to just under 2 and a half.  Councillor Trevor Geirtuga says its time the city decided whether they want to invest in infrastructure or invest in human resources.  The average home will now pay just over 60 dollars more this year in taxes.  

Council is looking at a Master Transit plan

The city has a new Master Transit Plan in the proves. Council approved in principal the 3-5 year plan that calls for a major transit terminal in the intercity area that comes with a price tag of around 7 million dollars. The plan also will keep using the Water Street terminal unless future development forces the closure of that terminal. There will also be 3 major transfer points in the south core, Lakehead University and Confederation College. The consulting firm who helped develop the plan, predicts a 25 percent increase in ridership over the next 5 years. The plan will also call for the end of HAGI transit and instead it would become part of City Transit. It will come back to council June 4th.

The city will be holding onto the Whalen Building

Our Municipal Leaders have decided to hold onto and improve the Whalen building.  Council voted in favour of a recommendation that will see the city spend over 9 million dollars over the next 20 years in capital improvements to the building.  Councillor Rebecca Johnson voted against the plan saying that money could be better spent on other projects instead of propping up a 100 year old building.  Administration predicts that keeping the building will bring profits to the city through taxes and leasing out office space. 

Council approves changes to waterfront deal

Despite a deputation speaking out against the proposed changes, City Council has approved the changes to the waterfront deal with the developers. One woman spoke out against the deal saying council is treating the developers differently than others in town. She referenced the proposed Marriott Hotel near the Superstore which will pay for its own parking lot while the waterfront hotel will now see the city pave the parking lot there and then lease it to the developer. Administration said the difference is the Marriott is on private land while the waterfront is on city owned land.

City hands out Green Awards

The City handed out the municipal Green Awards at Monday night's meeting. The awards were handed out to the Regional Health Sciences Centre, Superior Collegiate, Ecole Catholique Franco Superieur and the OLG Casino. The winners were recognized for successful waste reduction and other environmental successes.

Clement makes funding announcements

FedNor Minister Tony Clement is rolling out funding for Tornado Medical Systems.  Clement was in the City today and provided over 363 thousand dollars towards a device that will analyze breast tumor tissue.  Clement also announced over 300-thousand towards Lakehead University's North American DNA database project.

Rescue on the harbour

Two people are safe after they were spotted on the breakwall Monday afternoon. Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue took their air boat out to the site after they were spotted walking on the rocks. It turns out it was a couple of tourists from Quebec who were sight seeing and didn't realize it was against the law to be out on the harbour ice.  They were not charged.

Another bizarre court appearance for Barry McQuaker.

Barry McQuaker remains in the legal system as he looks to gain his freedom.  The 55 year old McQuaker is serving a short sentence for threatening and assault and was in court today to deal with a peace bond which would put extended restrictions on who he is allowed to see and where he can go. As was the case with his last court appearance in February, McQuaker didn't have a lawyer and displayed an erratic behavior. He came precariously close to justice Dino DiGuiseppe finding him in contempt of court. McQuaker is due back in court April 20th. He spent time in jail in the 1990's after admiting to cremating and buring the remains of his 12 year old son Jason.

Public school board pans rankings

The Lakehead Public School Board is less than thrilled with the latest Fraser Institute rankings of elementary schools.  Director of Education Cathy Seminieuk says they're not investing in the ranking system.  Seimieuk takes issue with the fact that the Fraser Institute didn't include all of their elementary schools in their rankings.

Mathieu Da Costa exhibit on now

City hall just got more colourful.  The Mathieu Da Costa Exhibit is on now and the 16 works of art were created by youth from across the country.  The City is one of 8 in Canada that were selected to host the art exhibit.  The free exhibit will be in the City Hall lobby until Friday.

Fire at Vickers Street North home

Fire officials will be investigating the cause of a 2 storey house fire on Vickers Street.  Crews were called to the home last night and District Chief Jon Swaggert says thankfully no one was home at the time of the fire.  The fire was contained to the back of the home on the first floor.

Ignace gets Mayor back

Ignace Council is going back to a familiar face as Mayor.  Council has agreed to appoint Lee Kennard as Mayor, citing the significant cost of a by-election as one of the reasons behind the decision.  A delegation asked Council to put Kennard back in the top position, citing his huge electoral win last October and his strong performance as Mayor.  Kennard resigned on January 27th, but had a change of heart 5-days later. Council legally deemed the position open, prompting a debate on what should happen next.  He will be sworn back in as Mayor on March 13th.

Arctic air above Thunder Bay

Arctic air is settling over Thunder Bay today causing the cold temperatures.  Our Meteorologist Bill Laidlaw says the cold air will eventually let up bringing warmer weather.  Laidlaw says it's not unusual for temperatures to be minus 20 one day and in the plus temperatures the next.

Province withdraws land near KI

The Provincial Government is keeping some land around the Big Trout Lake First Nation off limits from mining projects.  The First Nation had asked for a moratorium on mineral exploration and development.  God's Lake Resources holds a mining lease and mining claim in the area of Big Trout Lake but their existing leases and claims are not affected by the withdrawal.

LU Basketball team gets wildcard spot

The Lakehead Thunderwolves are off to Halifax after receiving a wild card spot in the Men's Basketball CIS championships. Lakehead received the at-large berth following a vote by a committee of CIS coaches. The Thunderwolves finished atop the OUA West standings with a 20-2 record before being upset by Ryerson, 86-70, in the conference semifinals.

Local Canspell winner Jacklyn Spithoff

Crestview Public School student Jacklyn Spithoff is off to the Canspell National Finals in Toronto.  She won the local spelling bee over the weekend and will represent Thunder Bay and District in Toronto at the end of March.

Woman in hospital after accident

A 25 year old woman is in hospital after she was hit by a vehicle on Saturday.  Police were called to the intersection of Red River Road and Highway 11/17 for an auto pedestrian collision around 9:30 Saturday night.  The woman was sent to the hospital with serious injuries and is said to be doing better.  Charges are pending and the investigation is continuing.

Arrests on South Brodie Street

A 30 year old man from Fort Hope and a 28 year old man from Webequie were arrested early this morning on South Brodie Street after police responded to an assault in progress. One of the men is said to know the victim. The two are charged for robbery and both will be appearing in court today.

Fraser Institute Report

It's a mixed bag for Thunder Bay's 39 elementary schools. In the Report Card on Ontario Elementary Schools 2012, The Fraser Institute ranks half of them at or above the provincial average; the other half falls below. Spokesperson Michael Thomas says low rankings alert officials and parents that something needs to be done.

Wildlife Feeding Prohibition By-Law

The City of Thunder Bay wants to remind citizens of the new Wildlife Feeding Prohibition By-law which was passed on February 27th and is now in effect. The By-law outlines the dangers of feeding deer which includes an increase in unpredictable and aggressive behaviour of the animals, increased chances of car collisions, and the spread of infectious diseases among deer, wildlife, and humans. Anyone found not obeying the by-law will receive a Provincial Offences Act ticket or summons to attend Court along with a possible fine of up to $5000.

Ignace Mayor Reinstated

The township of Ignace has reinstated mayor Lee Kennard after town council endorsed and approved a 3-1 vote. Kennard resigned on January 27th due to personal reasons but withdrew his resignation five days later. Kennard is expected to be sworn back into office on March 13.

Facebook poll puts Event Centre in the North Downtown

A Magic 99.9 Facebook poll asking residents where they'd like to see the proposed Events Centre built is getting a lot of responses.  So far over 700 people have cast a ballot and the Waterfront is coming out on top with about 50 more votes than Innova Park.  Councillor Aldo Ruberto says despite the apparent near deadlock he doesn't think the location should be decided by a public vote because most people don't know all the sides of the proposal and therefore can't make an informed decision.  Ruberto thinks most of the people who voted for Innova business park aren't looking beyond parking. The Airport location received only about 20 votes. 

Feds cut summer job centre funding

It could be tougher for students to find jobs this summer.  The Federal Government has cut its funding for summer student job centre and according to the Chair of the Student Committee of the Thunder Bay Youth Strategy its going to be hard on both students and employers.  Colleen Peters says moving to a more online service sounds more efficient but will make it harder for students and employers to connect.  Colleen Peters says the loss of the job centre will force students to use the already over taxed adult job centres.

LU trimming Board

A new look is coming to Lakehead University's Board of Governors.  The institution has decided to trim its board from 30 members to 17.  Board Chair Colin Bruce says its in an attempt to become, leaner, more agile, more transparent and more accountable.  The changes will come into affect after September's annual general meeting.

Local business owner wins big

Thunder Bay's David Thomas has a bulging bank account now that he's won two million dollars in the Heart and Stroke Lottery. Thomas says he's been buying tickets for 10 years.  The 34 year old Thomas, who runs Salt & Pepper Catering, says he has no plans for  his winnings.

Teachers don't want to loose sick days

Sick days appear to be at the centre of negotiations between the Province and the Ontario Teachers Association.  The Head of the Lakehead Elementary Teachers Association Ellen Chambers says the province is trying to undo 20 years of collective bargaining by limiting teachers to 6 sick days a year.  Currently teachers can bank 200 sick days and then get them paid out.

Gliddy to stand trial in May

The dates are now set for another murder trial in Thunder Bay.  Two weeks have been set aside for the trial of 29 year old Thea Gliddy. She is the woman who is charged with second degree murder in the May 2010 death of 39 year old Randy Cromarty. His body was found in a room at old Inntowner Hotel, which doesn't exist anymore. Police say he was the victim of a serious assault. Giddy's jury trial will take place May 14th until the 25th.

Northern Committee passes

The goal of creating a new committee for Northern issues at Queen's Park has passed its first hurdle.  The motion received all-party support Thursday night in the Ontario Legislature.  Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says she proudly supports the bill saying communities in this region have wanted such a committee for years.  She hopes that the Standing Committee on Northern Issues can be created fairly soon to deal with concerns of local residents.

Angus talks economic development

Local residents are being asked what they think about a proposed regional economic development agency for Northwestern Ontario. Iain Angus was in Dryden recently to talk about the new initiative. Angus says this won't be just another level of bureaucracy. Angus says they want some feedback on the kind of board the new agency should have and who should sit on the board.

Job bank shut down

No word on when the federal government's job bank will return on-line.  The site was shut down because of what Human Resources Development Canada called a serious security issues limited to a few federal employee accounts.  Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty says it comes amidst jobs cuts at Service Canada.  Rafferty says the site being impacts both employers posting jobs and employees looking for work.

Fatal explosion investigation complete

The Ministry of Labour has completed its investigation into the fatal explosion at Terrace Bay Pulp; but the process has yet to be complete.  Ministry spokesperson Matt Blajer says the incident is still under review and that's all he can say.  In October of last year, a Terrace Bay Pulp worker was killed when a blow tank exploded.

Dryden fraud leads to charges

Dryden Police have charged a 34-year-old woman following a lengthy fraud and theft investigation.  Police say they received complaints from the Dryden Ski Club and the Shaw Walleye Masters back in December that one of their volunteers defrauded them out of a substantial amount of money.  Walleye Masters Committee Spokesperson Joe Barron says they are disappointed but are staying focused.  Dryden Police say Allyson Dunham faces 2-counts each of theft over 5-thousand dollars, fraud over 5-thousand dollars and criminal breach of trust.

Contract extension in Dryden

A good day for unionized staff at Community Living Dryden and Sioux Lookout.  The Communications, Energy and Paper workers Union says its 90-members have voted 100-percent in favour of extending their contracts by 29-months.  Spokesperson Stephen Boon says the relationship between the two sides has been relatively good, so the members agreed to forgo all aspects of the bargaining process and simply duplicate the previous negotiated wage increases from the last contract.  Staff will see a 4.75-percent increase over the course of the deal, which is now set to expire in September 2014.

NAPS arrest someone for fire

Nishnawbe-Aski Police have arrested a 13-year-old boy for allegedly starting a large fire at the Sandy Lake First Nation elementary school.  The February 19th fire caused extensive damage to Thomas Fiddler Memorial School.  Police arrested the young teen on Wednesday.  The boy has been charged with break and enter as well as arson.  He has been released on conditions and is due in Court on April 17th.  The school will be closed for the remainder of the school year due to the damage it sustained.

Mac's Mart robbed

Thunder Bay Police are looking for a suspect in an early morning robbery of the James Street Mac's Mart.  A man made off with a small amount of cash and cigarettes.  Police describe him as six feet tall with an average build.  He was wearing a white jacket with red on the shoulder.  The suspect's face was covered with black cloth.  Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

Gun range still on the drawing board

A new gun range in the city is still far from being a reality. City administration is to bring back a report on a request by the local Fish and Game Association. City Councillor Paul Pugh says he has his own concerns about the proposed gun range in the Government Road area. He's received phone calls from people worried about having a gun range in their neighbour and even possible health concerns. Pugh calls them serious issues that will have to be addressed. The Association is asking the city for over 600 thousand dollars to put towards the project.

Blues Festival line-up announced

The acts for the annual Thunder Bay Blues Festival are now confirmed.   Organizer Trevor Hurtig says it's going to be one of the best line-ups yet.  He says it includes the 2012 Grammy Award winning Tedeschi Trucks Band, .38 Special, Jonny Lang and Sass Jordan. Hurtig says tickets go on sale on Saturday morning at 9:30. The festival takes place the weekend of July 6th.

Tony Clement is coming to town

A Federal Cabinet Minister is making a stop in Thunder Bay.  Minister Responsible for Fednor Tony Clement will arriving in the City Monday Morning.  Members of his staff say he will be making a few announcements, including some through Fednor. 

Elections Canada stays tight lipped

Elections Canada says it will not comment on news that its investigators will be in the city next week as part of the so called robocalls scandal.  Reports indicate that they will be questioning staffers at a Thunder Bay call centre operated by Responsive Marketing Group which was hired by the Conservatives during the last federal election.  There are accusations that automated phone calls went out to Liberal supporters in various ridings announcing what,  in some cases were,  phony polling locations.

Fire Marshal looking into fatal Kenora fire

The Ontario Fire Marshal's Office is in Kenora looking into a fatal fire.  The Blaze happened at a house early yesterday morning and fire crews located a 56 year old man inside the residence.  James Rutherford has been identified as the deceased.

Premier would be open to events centre request

Premier Dalton McGuinty isn't closing the door to possible future funding for an events centre in Thunder Bay. Speaking in the city today McGuinty said his government will be open to any request and has a responsibility to give it careful consideration.  McGuinty says even in tough times the government plans to continue with infrastructure funding.  On other topics the premier said the government wants to continue to work with First Nations communities over Oxycontin withdrawal.  On the subject of a proposed two year wage freeze for the province's teachers, he hopes they will give it consideration at the bargaining table for the sake of saving jobs. 

Hobbs in Toronto

Mayor Keith Hobbs is in Toronto today talking with the Toronto Transit Commission's Karen Stintz.  Thunder Bay's Mayor plans to tell the TTC Chair thank you for listening to the City's concerns over the Bombardier light rail vehicle contract with Toronto.  He's also taking part in an International mining conference with Mining Services Manager John Mason.

Red Cross needs more volunteers

The Red Cross is expanding in Thunder Bay and Shuniah. 14 people were recently trained to work in emergency situations in the two communities and Spokesperson Rob Kilgour says more people are needed in Thunder Bay. There are over 20 volunteers and at least 80 are needed to deal with the volume of calls the Red Cross receives. Kilgour points to the recent fires in Shuniah township as to why there is a great need for the Red Cross and it's volunteers.

City and Fort William ready themselves for Ring of Fire

The City and Fort William First Nation are teaming up to create an action plan on how to take advantage of the Ring of Fire.  The plan encompasses the community's need for more industrial land, better infrastructure, and a workforce for future mining projects. Councillor Joe Virdiramo is defending their joint meeting with cabinet ministers at the Good Roads Conference saying money will eventually flow.  Virdiramo feels they had the Cabinet Ministers' ears and funding will eventually come to help with the Ring of Fire project.

Calls for CAO's firing

Thunder Bay's Rick Potter is in the hot seat. As the CAO of the province's air ambulance service, ORNGE, Potter has reportedly admitted he lied about his university credentials. Progressive Conservative critic Frank Klees says it's clear Potter must be fired.  Klees also says it was a mistake for Thunder Bay's Pat Lang to be appointed to the board at ORNGE since she has a past connection to Potter when she was Confederation College President and he was head of the College's Aviation Centre.