Bearskin Mourns Loss Of Pioneer

The City is mourning the death of a prominent local businessman.  Harvey Friesen passed away suddenly on Sunday in Palm Springs, California at the age of 65.  Friesen was well known in Thunder Bay as President of Bearskin Airlines, which he co-owned with his brother Cliff.  Despite selling Bearkin in 2011 to Exchange Income Corporation, the Friesen brothers continued to run the airline.

ONWA New ED

There's a new Executive Director at the Ontario Native Women's Association.  Erin Corston is filling the spot left behind by Betty Kennedy.  Kennedy is staying in the organization and will lead the newly established Ontario Native Women’s Charitable Foundation.

Corpus Christie Tops

The Fraser Institute is releasing its Elementary Schools report card.  Report Card Co-Author Peter Cowley says there have been some significant improvements among schools in Thunder Bay but notes one noticeable difference.  The top ranked elementary school was Corpus Christie with 7.7 out of 10.

WDO Looks At T.Bay Recycling

It's not bad, but it could be better.  Ontario Waste Diversion says in 2012, Thunder Bay residents recycled about 19-percent of all residential waste that would have ended up in the landfill.  OWD Chief Executive Officer Michael Scott says it's not surprising to see.  Scott says increased education and development of depots for such things as electronic equipment can help drive up the numbers.

Domtar Disappointed

Domtar says efforts to keep its Dryden mill competitive have suffered a setback.  The company is reacting to a Council decision to increase the large industrial tax rate from 853-thousand dollars to nearly 2-million dollars.  The company calls the move disappointing.

Hebert Likes Solid Waste Plan

City Councillor Larry Hebert likes the proposed Solid Waste Management plan.  Hebert is excited about finding a new way to deal with the tonnes of cardboard businesses are looking to get rid of.  The plan will be brought to City Council tonight for discussion and will come up for a final vote in the Spring.

Updates On BMX & Tunnel

City Council is going to deal with a couple of dormant issues at their meeting tonight. The Parks Division will tell councillors about the state of the BMX racing complex.  Organizers with the group had asked for the City's help in creating a new training centre, but have since stated that they're happy with the improvements that have been made to their current location.  Meanwhile, staff will also update council on concerns over the Expressway tunnel in the area of Hinton Avenue and County Boulevard.  It was originally thought that the tunnel was a factor in break-ins to homes in the Grandview area, but police have since confirmed their isn't a link to those crimes and the tunnel.

LU Scavenger Hunt Starts Today

Lakehead, along with twenty other Ontario universities are launching an online scavenger hunt today. Student Ambassador Erica Sawula says students can really benefit from taking part.   Each university will submit one clue throughout the month that has to do with research currently happening at the school.

Hobbs Wants Cuts To Budget

Mayor Keith Hobbs would like to make some cuts to the 2014 budget.  Hobbs says he has his eye on sustainable grants that are given to community groups.  Hobbs would like to see a lower tax levy than the proposed 2.1 percent.

NOSM Vacancies

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is looking to fill a couple of openings on their Aboriginal Reference Group.  They are looking for an aboriginal youth and an aboriginal health-care professional. Volunteers provide insight, direction and guidance to the Dean over a three year term.

Sportsdome Evacuation

Fans and players alike were given more excitement than they bargained for today at the Thunder Bay Sportsdome. A ball struck a light and caught fire, it was put out by two volunteers one of which is being treated for smoke inhalation. Roughly three-hundred evacuated the dome. When fire fighters arrived it was just a matter of ventilating the complex.

Walk For Memories

The 20th Annual Walk for Memories fundraiser is taking place throughout the day at the Inter-City Mall. The walk began at ten this morning and will include events held throughout the day. It is being hosted by the Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay, today's goal is to raise fifty-thousand dollars.

Black History Month Gala

The Third Annual Black History Month Dinner and Awards Gala is being hosted this evening by the Caribbean and African Multicultural Association of Thunder Bay. Spokesperson Jessica Walker says this years theme is 'Umoja' meaning unity. Over Three-hundred are expected to attend.

Lyceum Theatre Up For Sale

The City is selling the old Lyceum Theatre on Cumberland, and for a cool 113-thousand dollars it can be yours. Councillor Larry Hebert says he hasn't seen any solid interest from a buyer but notes there have been some groups looking at it. There is work that needs to be done to the buildings roof also, mould in the interior needs to be removed. The city is selling the building after seizing it from the previous owner for not paying taxes.

Ogden Street House Fire

A mother and her two children are shaken up but safe following a fire at an Ogden Street home this morning. There were three pets inside the home at the time of the fire, two of which have died. The blaze was contained to a single bedroom and believed to of started from a candle.

Mill Gas Release Not Toxic

Officials are confirming this morning that a strong smell of gas that covered much of the city's south side Friday evening was not harmful. Thunder Bay Fire traced the smell to the Resolute Mill on Neebing Avenue. The Mill released the gas which was non-combustible and contacted the Ministry of the Environment before doing so. The weather is being blamed for how quickly it spread.

Mill Settlement Reached In Terrace Bay

The town of Terrace Bay and the AV Birla Group are now at peace. They've come to a negotiated settlement on tax payments.  Mayor Jody Davis says the deal is prefered to appealing a government tax assessment  on the company's mill property which could have cost the town much more.  Davis says under the deal the company will pay just over 15 million dollars a year in taxes from 2013 until 2016.

Pepe Disappointed In United Airlines

City tourism manager Paul Pepe says he's disappointed that United Airlines will end its daily direct flights from Thunder Bay to Chicago.   The U.S. company has announced that the service will end April 24th.   Pepe says it's not the end of the world. Pepe says the city will explore new marketing channels

Thunder Bay Above Provincial Average

The city of Thunder Bay is well above the provincial average when it comes to tissue donors with 44% of the population registered. Other communities across the region are patting themselves on the back as well with registration numbers above the provincial mark set at 24%.

Winter Roads Open

It's that time of year again the northern winter roads network is open. The provincial and federal government funded the ice road network that connects 28 First Nations.  Cold weather in December and January meant an early start to this year's winter roads season.

Murray Keeping Eye On Roads

The provincial government says its closely monitoring winter road maintenance of the province's highways this winter. Transportation Minister Glenn Murray acknowledges some contractors have been fined for not meeting snow plowing standards, and stronger action will be taken if his Ministry don't see significant improvements. Murray also inviting resident to call contractors and the Ministry if they have complaints about the roads.

Veterans Protest Office Closure



Frank Fox places
black wreath at VA office

The Veteran's Affairs office in Thunder Bay is closing today.  This morning there was extreme emotion at the office on Red River Road as veterans held a mock Remembrance Day ceremony complete with a wreath and poppies to commemorate the closure.   Also on hand was local veteran Roy Lamore who went to Ottawa and pleaded in vain with the minister Julian Fantino to keep this office, another others in the country, open.

United Airlines Pulls Out

Shocking news out of the Thunder Bay Airport.  United Airlines is ceasing its service between Thunder Bay and Chicago. They'll pull out of the local airport on April 24th of this year.  Airport Manager Ed Schmidtke says the City will still be connected to the US via Winnipeg or Toronto by Air Canada, WestJet and Porter Airlines. Meanwhile, WestJet's new Encore flights will depart from Thunder Bay four times daily to Toronto and twice to Winnipeg starting June 27th.

Uli Walthers Sworn In As 2014 Chair

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce is announcing Uli Walther as the 2014 Chair of the Board. Speaking at the Chamber's Annual General Meeting Thursday evening, Walther says one of the board's goals will be to see more of an impact from Aboriginal workers. Also at the meeting was First Nations Negotiator Bob Rae. Walther says having Rae speak at the event was a significant move in pushing the boards goal forward.

Vets Speak With Rafferty Over Office Closure

A memorial service is being held today over the loss of the city's Veteran's Affairs Office. Thunder Bay MP John Rafferty says after speaking with local veterans it is clear that they are not impressed with Minister Julian Fanitno's handling of the situation. Vets will now have to travel over twelve hours to the North Bay office where half of their case files are being sent. The other half will be sent to Winnipeg.

Rae Says Talks Ongoing

Talks between the Province and First Nations Communities in the Northwest are continuing to move forward.  Speaking in Thunder Bay Thursday evening, First Nations Negotiator Bob Rae says both parties have been focused on the needs of communities involved.  Rae adds that talks have been mainly kept out of the public eye out of respect for all groups involved.

New Garbage Plan

The City is going to get their first look at the draft solid waste management plan Monday night.  Coordinator Jason Sherband says one of their ideas include allowing co-mingled materials in the bins at the recycling depot. Another idea in the plan includes moving to a clear garbage bag program.

Police Looking Into Viral Video

OPP are looking into a viral video that shows a near head on collision on a winter road.   Sgt. Shelley Garr says they're following up on the chilling dash board footage.  Garr says they're trying to identify the driver of the offending truck and charges could be laid.  The video posted on youtube says the incident happened on Highway 11 past Nipigon.  Warning the video contains strong language.

Cause Of Weekend Fire Undetermined

The cause of a weekend house fire on Jean Street is in the books as undetermined.   City fire inspector Eric Nordlund says their investigation of the blaze has been hampered by conditions inside the vacant house. He says besides being damaged by the fire,  the house is covered by a tremendous amount of  ice inside and out. Nordlund says it appears someone may have been entering the house without the owners permission, but they can't say if anyone was inside prior to the blaze.

Humane Society Hires New ED

Thunder Bay's Humane Society is getting a new Executive Director.  They've hired Melanie Blanchette.  She has a law enforcement background and has volunteered at the local humane society in the past and another in Ottawa.

Minimum Wage Up To 11 Dollars

The Provincial Government is increasing the minimum wage from 10.25 to 11 dollars per hour. Thunder Bay MPP Bill Mauro says it's going to improve people's lives. Ontario is increasing the minimum wage from $10.25 to $11 per hour on June 1, 2014. The new rate reflects the rise in the Consumer Price Index since the last minimum wage increase in 2010.  The government will also introduce legislation that would tie future minimum wage increases to inflation and will see increases come into effect on October 1st.

Hull's Book Store Closing

Thunder Bay's Hull's Family Book Store is going to close it's doors on February 15th. It's part of a larger closure that will see it's parent store in Winnipeg close its doors as well. The owners say they can't sell enough books to stay open.

Sears Layoffs

Sears Canada won't comment on specifics about recent layoffs across the Country but does say Thunder Bay is included.  They say on average five positions were eliminated from each store including the one at the Intercity Mall. The eliminated spots were department heads.

OPP Take Stance Against Reckless Drivers

As Ontario suffers through one of the worst winters in recent history, the OPP are taking a hard stance with reckless drivers who are jeopardizing the safety of officers and other emergency personnel responding to collision scenes.  Three OPP cruisers have been struck by passing motorists since Monday, two of which happened on provincial highways. One OPP officer was taken to hospital after his cruiser was struck from behind while stopped behind a transport truck.  This past weekend, eight OPP cruisers were struck by passing motorists and two police officers received minor injuries.

Rickford Reacts To Trudeau

A move to change the political landscape in Canada has caught the attention of Kenora MP Greg Rickford.  The Minister of State is reacting to Liberal leader Justin Trudeau's decision to turf his senators from the Liberal Caucus.  Rickford says the move only means that the Liberal leader and his party continue to support an unelected and unaccountable Senate.

Paquette Shocked By Trudeau Decision

Lakehead University's Political Science Professor is adding her name to the list of political veterans who were shocked by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's decision to order his party's senators to sit as independents.  Laure Paquette says it worries her that some of the senators reportedly didn't know about Trudeau's decision before the announcement.  Paquette says it's good that the Liberal senators are freed from partisanship but that means nothing if the others don't break ties from the other parties.

Hobbs Proud Of City Finances

Mayor Keith Hobbs is ready to get the budget process going.  On Tuesday night, Council heard how the City will spend its money over the next five years.  Hobbs says he's proud of their finances.  On Tuesday next week the public will get their chance to speak to Council about their thoughts on the proposed 2014 budget.

Dryden Further In The Red

Its news that the taxpayers of Dryden did not want to hear.  The city  is now sitting with a 4-million dollar deficit in the 2014 budget year,  twice the amount first projected. Chief Administrative Officer Andre Larabie warns there will have to be cuts across the board.   Larabie adds a recovery plan is now in place and staff will be working with council for the next 5-weeks to find ways to cut without impacting the safety of residents and workers.

Osisko Taking Goldcorp To Court

Osisko Mining is taking legal action against Goldcorp.  Osisko alleges that Goldcorp misused confidential information prior to making a hostile take-over bid for the company. None of the allegations have been proven in court.  Goldcorp's offer is about 2-point-6 billion dollars, but Osisko calls it "opportunistic and financially inadequate." Osisko is also in the process of mailing its recommendation to shareholders, urging them to reject the offer.

Charities Get Money

Two local charities are getting money.  The Linda Buchan Centre is getting 15-thousand dollars from the local Shoppers Drug Mart. The money raised through the 12th annual Tree of Life campaign will be used to help purchase a digital mammography machine. Meanwhile, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra is on the receiving end of money from Autism Ontario.  The group presented the symphony with a thousand dollar cheque for their family concert series.

Vets Fuming Mad At Fantino

Thunder Bay's Roy Lamore is joining other military veterans in calling for the resignation of Veterans Affairs minister Julian Fantino.   They're upset  Fantino didn't hold a serious discussion with them about the closure of Veterans Affairs offices across the country...Fantino admits he handled the meeting badly and apologized in the House of Commons.  The offices, including the one in Thunder Bay,  are slated to close on Friday

"Lazylegz" Speaks At Con College

Luca "Lazylegz" Patuelli is spreading his message of "No Excuses, No Limits" with students at Confederation College. Patuelli has a rare disorder called arthrogryposis that affects joint movement and muscle growth and through break dancing has been able to encourage others in achieving their goals. Patuelli has really appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show and will be touring the UK soon with his break-dancing crew ILL-Abilities.

Hyer Praises Trudeau Senate Move

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau's surprising move to remove all Liberal senators from his caucus  is getting the thumbs up from Thunder Bay MP Bruce Hyer.   The senators will now sit as independants.  Hyer calls Trudeau's move intelligent and progressive adding, it's a step in the right direction.   He's calling on the Harper Conservatives to do the same thing in the interests of Senate reform.

Trudeau Flip Flopper

Thunder Bay's MP John Rafferty says Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is a flip-flopper.  Rafferty is reacting to Trudeau's decision to order Liberal senators to sit as independents, even though Trudeau didn't vote in support of the NDP's anti-partisan senate motion.  Rafferty feels the Liberal leader is trying to distance himself from an upcoming report on senator expenses from the Auditor General.  In a news conference on Wednesday, Trudeau feels his decision will cut down on partisanship in the upper house.

Health Unit Looking At Options

Thunder Bay's Health Unit is going to take some time to come up with a new way of informing the public about local restaurant inspections. Right now if you want to know your favourite restaurant is doing you have to call the health inspector. Health Unit Spokesperson Lee Sieswerda says one option is to offer the results online but before they do that they'll undergo a feasibility study.

Director Retiring

The Lakehead Public School Board will be looking for a new Director of Education.  Cathi Siemieniuk has announced her intentions to retire effective this summer on August 31st.  Siemieniuk has been Director of Education since July of 2009 and has been an employee of the organization since 1978.

Bridge Gets Upgrades

The Swamp River Bridge just outside of the community of Shebandowan will be replaced in the Spring. The project is part of the province's Growth Plan for Northern Ontario and will create thirty-two new jobs.  The 3.2-million dollar contract has been awarded to LH North.

Forest Industry Rebound

The forest industry is expected to bounce back in a major way in 2014. That's according to the Ontario Forest Industry Association in its pre-budget forecast for the provincial government.  President Jamie Lim says with a little help from the province, thousands of good paying jobs could be created. Lim says the U.S. housing market is starting to recover, and there is an 8-trillion dollar global construction market that will be driving the forest sector over the next few years.

Walkers 900 Kilometers Away From Goal

A group of First Nation walkers are only 900 kilometers away from their journey to Ottawa.  They left at the beginning of January from Attawapiskat First Nation.  The three men are on foot and are hoping to encourage the Federal government to work on addressing several Aboriginal issues.  On Monday, the activists spent some time in Cochrane.

Unifor President In T.Bay

The Unifor "Rights at Work" campaign is in Thunder Bay today. Union President Jerry Dias spoke at the Hoito Restaurant about threats to basic labour rights and what unions can do about it.  Unifor is concerned about the Federal Government's Bill C525 which they feel will make it easier to decertify unions in the federal sector on the basis of biased voting rules.

Kenora Family Safe

For the second time this week, snowmobilers had to be rescued after being stranded in the bush in the Kenora area.  The latest incident took place north of Minaki after a family of four became stranded.  The OPP say the family, which included a 6 year old and a 10 year old had spent a week trapping in the Wingiskis Lake area.  On their way home over the weekend, one of their sleds broke down and another became stuck. Fortunately they had survival gear with them, and they managed to make a shelter, start a fire and had enough food for three days. Family members became concerned when they didn't return home, and contacted a local pilot. He managed to locate them safe and sound Monday morning.

Council Starts Budget Process

The City is kicking off a review of the 2014 budget.  A long term financial plan was presented to Council Tuesday night.  City Treasurer Carol Pollard says they had some unexpected challenges that have had a negative impact on the 2014 budget including increases in the emergency services budget, a decrease in child care revenues and a 25 percent increase in insurance premiums. Meanwhile, Pollard says in the future they hope to put 1.5 million dollars into the infrastructure fund in 2015, another 1.75 million in 2016, and 2.25 million in 2017.  Over the next five years the projected tax levy increases will range from 2.7 percent to 4.7 percent.