The CEO of the Northern Diabetes Health Network says
the Ontario Auditor General's report needs to include more context over
allegations her agency spent provincial dollars where it shouldn't have. CEO
Susan Griffis says the report took issue with the 40 thousand dollars in travel
expenses. The report also says the organization spent money in ways that
contradicts the rules for public sector expenses. Griffis says as soon as the
Ministry of Health alerted them of this fact they made immediate changes.
The Provincial Government is extending it's Northern Industrial Electricity Rate. The program will now be available for another three years and will provide a lower costing electricity rate to mining and forest industry companies. Resolute Forest Products Spokesperson Roger Barber says things would be grim for his company if the Province didn't decide to extend the program. The province is putting 360 million dollars into the three year program.
A Northwestern Ontario MP wants to give the Royal Canadian Legion easier access to funds for repairs to their buildings. Thunder Bay-Rainy River's John Rafferty is proposing the federal government set up an infrastructure renewal fund that would match whatever dollars the Legion's can raise for upgrades. Rafferty made his request in a motion put forward in the House of Commons earlier this week.
The executive director of Nature
and Outdoor Tourism in Ontario is stepping down. Doug Reynolds says that the
outdoor tourism industry is taking quite a hit, and that NOTO is going through a
restructuring process. Reynolds adds that times are tough. Reynolds will
remain as director until the end of January.
A year after making their first appearance on the list for Top 40 Research Hospitals in Canada, Thunder Bay's Health Sciences Centre has moved up in the rankings. Last year was the first time the hospital appeared on the list, at #40. This year, it moves up to #37.
Around
100 medical students and health professionals are expected at a special
reception next Friday at the Superior North EMS Station. Organizer
Cheryl Armstrong says they like to change the location of the reception
every year to highlight new health care facilities. The reception will
run from 12 until 2 at the Superior North EMS Headquarters.
A report on keeping Marina Park
open past the 11 o'clock curfew is coming before Council in the New Year. Parks
Manager Paul Fayrick says it makes sense to allow people into the waterfront
area past 11 because of the new restaurant Bight which is open well past the
park's closing. Councillors will consider the recommendation at its January
14th meeting.
Council is going to decide Monday night whether or not to bring handi-transit services under the umbrella of City Transit. Staff are recommending the City not renew it's contract with HAGI Transit when it expires next December. Transit Manager Brad Loroff says if council approves the move they would take over in 2014. The Amalgamated Transit Union President and the HAGI Transit President are expected to speak about the issue as well at Monday night's meeting.
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| Frank Vantroba |
A text from a student riding the bus across the James
Street Swing Bridge this morning helped to save the life of a deer. That text
to his parents alerted the Fire Department of a deer that fell through the ice
on the Kam River. Platoon Chief Joe Grzelewski says they put a rope around the
deer and pulled it to safety. He adds the deer was pretty tired from treading
water and holding onto the edge of the ice. Grzelewski adds the deer was alive
when they released it and stands a better chance of survival now that its out of
the water.
It's back to the classroom today for 500 public school elementary teachers in Thunder Bay after their one day strike yesterday. They were trying to bring attention to their concerns over government legislation they feel is taking away their collective bargaining rights. There's no word on whether there will be another strike before the Christmas break or not.
Aquatech Dewatering, a mining
related company plans to set up shop in Thunder Bay this spring.
The Leader of the NDP is weighing in on the findings of Auditor General Jim McCarter. McCarter released his annual report on Wednesday and showed that the waiting lists for long-term care homes have tripled since 2005 and that last year 15 per cent of patients on a waiting list died before getting into a home. Andrea Horwath says that's not surprising. Horwath says having the report in black and white will help the opposition push the Provincial Government to make changes to alleviate long term care waiting lists. Meanwhile, Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro says it's now important to make sure the government takes actions on the suggestions from McCarter.
A multiple vehicle accident has closed Highway 17 West of
Kenora. O.P.P say the accident occurred before noon today at Highway 17 and
Inglis Road. Constable Dave Cain wants to warn drivers about conditions in the
area and to avoid the highway if possible.
Thunder Bay's Urban Aboriginal Strategy is looking to the future. They held a brainstorming session Thursday and discussed what issues will affect First Nations people in the City in the coming years. Spokesperson Frances Wesley says they want more services for youth. Wesley says they also want to provide more welcoming services to First Nation families relocating in Thunder Bay.
The Salvation Army Christmas Kettle campaign needs your
continued support. Major Merv Halvorsen says so far they've raised just over
80-thousand dollars. Another 80-thousand dollars needs to be raised to reach
their 160 thousand dollar goal. You can donate to the Christmas Kettle campaign
up until Christmas Eve.
The United Way only has 2 more weeks left to reach it's fundraising goal of 2.6 million dollars. So far they've raised just over 1.6 million and there's another 955 thousand more that needs to come in. Several donation ceremonies are taking place Thursday which should help bring the fundraising total up.
Two people are survivors of a traffic accident near Nipigon yesterday that had them trapped in their vehicle for a time. OPP say the driver lost control on an icy stretch of Highway 17 and then rolled over a steep embankment. After two hours the 40 year old male passenger managed to free himself and helped the 65 year old woman who was the driver get out as well. A couple of road clearing workers managed to find the couple and take them to McCausland Hospital in Terrace Bay where they are recovering.
It seems the Provincial Government has changed its mind when it comes to the funding of the Police Bail Safety program. The program was set to expire at the end of this March, but now will run until the end of March 2014. Police Chief JP Levesque says it's music to his ears. The bail safety program allows an officer to alert domestic abuse victims when their abuser is being let out of jail.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation will be presenting badges to 5 new police officers on Friday. Graduating officers are Trent Abernot, Graham Cotter, Aaron Dodge, Evan Polini, and Peter Schoenfeld. The new police will work in the North West and North East Regions.
More accolades for Atikokan blues and jazz artist Sunday Wilde. A radio station out of the U.K. has Wilde among its nominees for best female blue acts in its year end awards. Area residents can vote by email your choice to studio@severnfm.com with a subject: blues awards.
The mayor of Fort Frances says the town is working diligently to minimize the impact felt by the indefinite idling of the kraft mill and a paper machine at Resolute Forest Products. Roy Avis says it includes forming a council sub-committee that look at the town's economic future under his direction. Avis says council's also had talks already with Natural Resources Minister Michael Gravelle; Northern Development Parliamentary Assistant Bill Mauro and company officials.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wants to add moose to the state's endangered species list. The moose population is declining in Minnesota, so the DNR wants to list the animal as a `species of concern.' The status wouldn't limit hunting. That would happen only if moose moved to threatened or endangered status.
Thunder Bay's Kelseys Restaurant is donating money from it's Movember campaign. They raised over 23-hundred dollars which will be used towards local organizations.
The politics of nuclear waste is not lost on the Nuclear Waste Management Organization as it searches for a host community for a disposal site for used radioactive fuel bundles . Spokesperson Mike Krizanc says recent public hearings held by MP Bruce Hyer on the subject are of interest to them and they'd like to speak with him to find out what he learned. Eight northwestern Ontario communities are now in the midst of learning about the project so they can decided whether they want the disposal site built in their town.
Lights will remain off in elementary schools operated by the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board today.A one day strike is taking place today by members of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario. Local Union president, Ann Saltel says their members will be gathering in Dryden today for a mass rally.The one day strike is against Bill 115, which imposes contracts on the teachers, and is supposed to take away their right to strike.
The Police Services Board is approving a decrease in it's 2013 budget. At Tuesday's meeting, members voted to cut around a 100-thousand dollars from the fiscal document. Chief JP Levesque says after the board passed the budget in November they went back and looked for more savings. City Council will look at the police budget in the New Year.
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Thunder Bay area employers expect an upbeat hiring climate for the first quarter of 2013, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. The survey reveals that 13 per cent of employers plan to hire between January to March, while 13 per cent anticipate cutbacks. Another 70 per cent of employers plan to maintain their current staffing levels while three per cent of employers are unsure.
