Big Changes For Canada Post

It's a new dawn for Canada Post.  Our national mail service provider is going to be phasing out door to door mail delivery for a third of Canadians who live in urban areas.  Over the next five years those people will be converted to so called  community mailbox delivery.    As well the corporation is increasing the cost of mailing a letter to 85 cents from 63 cents starting on March 31st.

Red Cross Working With CCAC

Thunder Bay's Red Cross Personal Support Workers are striking to back demands for a new contract. Red Cross Care Partners Spokesperson Tanya Elliott says they're keeping a close eye on the job action. Elliott says they will be finding other organizations who can provide care for their clients during the strike.

Matawa Holds Education Conference

Matawa First Nations are hosting an education forum this week. Topics up for discussion include what needs to be changed or added to the First Nation education system, and what systems are already in place that are working well. Matawa Ring of Fire Negotiator Bob Rae will be the guest speaker today and is expected to talk about what training needs to take place for area residents to take part in the mining project.

Doctor Shortage Included In Report

Northern Ontario's doctor shortage is drawing the attention of Ontario's Auditor General. In her annual report, Bonnie Lysyk says while the province has increased the number of physicians, only 5-percent are practicing in rural areas where 14-percent of Ontario's population live. Lysyk notes that locum doctors, meant to cover short-term vacancies in eligible communities, are instead being used for long periods of time. At the time of the audit, there were about 200 specialist vacancies in Northern Ontario, and a third of the hospitals had been using temporary physician services continuously since 2007.

NOMA Looking Forward To Future Meetings

Leader's throughout the region will get to discuss issues every three months with the provincial government.  Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association President Dave Canfield says the promise was made to some key figures at the Northern Leaders Forum.  Canfield says last weeks meeting opened up discussions on a variety of topics including forestry, infrastructure, and the Ring of Fire.

Rickford Announces New Fund

Businesses throughout the region could get some much needed help by the Federal government. FedNor Minister Greg Rickford has announced the Advanced Manufacturing Fund, which will spend 200 million dollars over the next 5 years. Rickford says he's focused on one industry close to home. He says 2 local companies are taking a serious look at the program.

Camping On Crown Too Long

An Ignace man is 400 dollars lighter in the pocket-book for leaving his camper on Crown Land too long. The MNR says it responded to complaints of a number of campers parked on Sturgeon Lake north of Ignace this past summer. Conservation officers posted notices that camping on crown land is limited to just 21 days. The MNR managed to track down the owner who didn't move his camper and Leon Ray was charged.

Hudak Wants Wynne To Take Action

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak wants to see Premier Wynne take action on the findings of the Auditor General.  In the 2013 annual report, Bonnie Lysyk found that more children with autism are waiting for government funded services than are receiving them. Hudak doesn't have much faith in the Premier following up on the report. Hudak held a news conference after the release of the auditor's report Tuesday in Toronto.

Dawson Road Fire Undetermined

Officials say they may never know exactly what caused a massive house fire on Dawson Road this week. Fire Inspector Paul Bureau says Sunday evening's fire scene was examined by the city and the Ontario Fire Marshal. Bureau says they examined the rubble but could not find a cause that means the fire is going down as undetermined He says however, they have ruled out arson as the cause, but he didn't explain why.

Hwy 17 Open Near Wawa

OPP say Highway 17 between Wawa and Batchewana is now open in both directions.  The highway was closed yesterday due to weather related conditions causing poor visibility.

Homecare Workers Poised To Strike

Personal Support Workers with Red Cross Care Partners, including 21 in Thunder Bay, plan to walk off the job tomorrow to back demands for a new contract. The job action comes more than a week after the members of the Service Employees International Union rejected a tentative contract with the agency. The workers are demanding improved wages and benefits.

Survey Shows Moderate Hiring Climate

On the local economic front, Thunder Bay area employers expect a moderate hiring climate for the first three months of 2014.   According to a survey by Manpower, 10 per cent of employers surveyed plan to hire extra workers while almost three quarters plan to maintain their current staff.

Minor Injuries In Smash Up

Police say there are only minor injuries following a three vehicle smash up on the Thunder Bay Expressway from this morning.  The collision took place at around 8:15 between Oliver Road and John Street Road.  It involved the cab of a transport truck, an SUV and a station wagon.

Highway 502 Open

The OPP have re-opened Highway 502 between Dryden and Fort Frances.  The highway was shut down earlier this morning due to a jack-knifed tractor trailer unit.  There were no injuries.

Dawson Heights Raises Concerns

City staff are hoping to address the concerns of a resident about the proposed expansion of the Dawson Heights subdivision.  Darlene Fedorchuk owns property that neighbors the proposed 25 new lots and is worried people will trespass.  Staff are considering putting up signage saying that the land is private property as away to ease Fedorchuck's concerns. Council will vote on the expansion project at their January 13th meeting.

Council Round Up

City Council is putting Councillor Ken Boshcoff's name in the hat for the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.  They will be putting the at large member's name forward to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario for consideration for nomination for the MPAC board.  Meanwhile, City Council is sticking with the status quo for the time being when it comes to parking at the new consolidated courthouse.
Staff were looking as removing a taxi stand to make room for more parking but now they are considering moving a bus stop to help accommodate for more parking spots. Any changes to parking won't take place until after the City gets a better feel for how many spots will be needed once the court house is open.

New Street Names

Get ready to take a drive on Oasis Lane, Vista Lane, Allure Lane and Inspiration Lane. Those are the names that are being approved for the private roads located within the Terra Vista Development near Beverly Street. The lanes are not municipally owned and will provide access from Beverly to the new townhouses and apartments being built in the area.

Chair Acclaimed To Learning Foundation

Two familiar faces are back at the head of the Lakehead Learning Foundation.  Clint Harris and Sue Peever were acclaimed as Chair and Vice Chair at the foundation's annual general meeting.  The foundation was created in 2003 to provide support for students such as field trip fees, team and uniform fees and emergency shelter.

Big Lots Closing T.Bay Store

Thunder Bay's new Big Lots store is going to close it's doors in the near future. The parent company of Liquidation World announced it's closing 78 stores across the country and its head office in Brantford, Ontario. The former Liquidation World store officially opened its doors under the big lots title at the end of October.

NAN Wants Far North Act Scrapped

The provincial government is downplaying First Nation demands to scrap the Far North Act. Natural Resources minister David Orazietti says first nations are buying with more than 30 communities already participating. Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Harvey Yesno says the legislation is too restrictive and limits opportunities for development.

Bisson Not Happy With Results

NDP MPP Gilles Bisson isn't pleased with the outcome of the recent Northern Leaders Forum in Timmins. Bisson says not much has changed for the daily lives of northerners following last week's meeting.  Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle defends the gathering. Gravelle calls the meeting a historic event.

College Gets Cash For New Program

The province is giving some money to Confederation College to start a new program for expectant mothers.  President Jim Madder says they're currently working on the curriculum for the new "Maternal Care" program.  Madder says they're teaming up with First Nation health care organizations to develop the program that they hope to offer in the fall of 2014.

Province To Maintain Caramat Road

The community of Manitouwadge has its road problem resolved.   The road to the landfill has not been plowed or maintained because of  bureaucratic red tape.    In the legislature Transport Minister Glen Murray said the province is coming to the rescue.   He says the MTO will be opening Caramat Road, maintaining it and working with the the community to repair the full length over the coming months.  The closure of  forced the township to suspend garbage collection.

Housing Numbers Down

As the year winds down the number of new houses being built in Thunder Bay is slowing.  The latest government statistics from Canada Mortgage and Housing show that compared to last year there's been a drop.  Warren Philp is CMHC's local number cruncher and says the drop is about 15 per cent

Morning Mishap

No one is hurt following a single vehicle collision on Water Street and Villa this morning at around 9:30.  Officials say that an SUV knocked down a light pole and rammed into a building.  It's unknown why the driver lost control.

Dawson Road Blaze

There were no injuries following a huge two-alarm fire on Dawson Road.   The fire broke out early last night night at a home between Dog Lake Road and Shirley Road.  Five pumper trucks and over 20 firefighters battled the blaze, however the house was virtually destroyed.  Early indications are that the fire may have started in the basement of the residence.  

Dawson Heights To Be Expanded?

The Dawson Heights Subdivision that began in the early 1990's may be seeing some new life. Council will look over a Draft Plan tonight that would include the creation of two new streets and twenty-five dwellings that would fill in the space between Wardrope Road and Dawson. The development would mark the fourth and final stage of the Dawson Heights Subdivision

Whalen Building 100 Years Old

The City's Whalen Building is officially 100 years old.  2013 marks the anniversary of the the completed construction of the heritage building in the city's north core.  Andrew Cotter is the Chair of the Heritage Advisory Committee says it's a great structure. Cotter says they want to hold an anniversary celebration in the spring of 2014 because that's when the building's first tennants moved in.

City Council Preview

The City is considering extending the Community Improvement Plan for the Downtown Core areas and Simpson street Business Improvement Area.  It's been in place the past 10 years and is scheduled to end on December 31st.  City staff are recommending to council to keep the program with its financial incentives for businesses in place for another year.  Meanwhile, City staff are putting a couple of subjects that were set to be discussed this month on the back burner.  A report on what other communities are doing to deal with the number of pets a person can own is now going to be discussed in the New Year. Another report on what the City will do with the Royal Edward Arms in the future is now going to be discussed in the first half of 2014.

Give Back During Your Commute

Throughout the week passengers on Thunder Bay Transit will be encouraged to donate canned goods and non-perishables during their commute. Also, beginning on Thursday there will be a food drive at the Fort William Road Wal-Mart. The drive will last until Sunday December 15th.

Win A Harley Davidson

Tickets are being sold for the Motors and Muscles Raffle supporting the Our Kids Count community kitchen program. Gladys Berringer is Executive Director with the program and says this years goal of raising fifty-thousand dollars is based off of previous years success. This years grand prize is a 2014 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle the draw is being made during this summer's Rib Fest.

Christmas Cheer Stuff-A-Bus A Success

The Christmas Cheer Fund continues to provide for families in need during the holidays and yesterdays contributions promise to go a long way. The day long Stuff-A-Bus drive at the Real Canadian Superstore raised thirteen-thousand dollars and forty-thousand dollars worth of food. It took volunteers an hour and a half to unload the food.

Youth Services Plan Development

The City is moving forward on its Youth Service Plan that includes an increase in the amount of money provided to the Thunder Bay Boys and Girls Club. A final vote on the plan will be held in January. Councillor Joe Vidiramo says that he is excited to see how similar satellite programs have fared and what kind of impact they will have on the proposed youth centre on High Street. The plan also calls for extra funding for other city operated youth programs.

Renew Your Outdoors Card

Be sure to double check your Ontario Outdoors Card if you plan on doing any hunting or fishing soon. Renewals are being done across the region at Service Ontario Centres. It costs ten-dollars to renew your license, qualifying it for another three years. The Ministry of Natural Resources is reminding people that all profits are put towards wildlife and fisheries management.

Union Gas Contribution

Union Gas is providing the Fort William First Nation with three-thousand dollars to repair and upgrade their pow-wow grounds. The grounds were struck by vandals this past summer. The money was presented at a recent First Nations band meeting.

Food Recall

A food recall on Edelweiss Brand Fine Dark Chocolate is being issued by Health Canada. The chocolates are sold in Ontario and include unlisted milk ingredients. No illnesses have been reported.

Dryden Mayor Wants T.Bay Decision Reversed

The Mayor of Dryden is urging Canada Post to reverse a decision to move mail sorting services to Thunder Bay. Craig Nuttall has delivered a letter to Canada Post stating the area has seen a decline of service since the October move. Nuttall says they rely on the Dryden sorting service. Nuttall says he received a letter from in-town and it arrived three days after it was mailed.

NOMA Leader At Northern Conference

Provincial cabinet ministers, municipal, business and aboriginal leaders are heading to Timmins to share some ideas on the Northern Growth Plan.  Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association President Dave Canfield admits they are a little disappointed at how long its been taking to get the Growth Plan off the ground. The Northern Leader's Forum will be a day long brain-storming session.

Montreal Massacre Service Today

The 14 women killed in the Montreal Massacre are being remembered today at Lakehead University. The day will be marked with speakers, poetry, a candlelight vigil and moment of silence. The ceremony gets underway at noon.

Pedestrians Get The Ok From CN

You can now walk on the James Street swing bridge.  CN Rail Spokesperson James Feeney says they've cleared the structure for rail and pedestrian traffic.  It could be three more months before vehicles are allowed back on the bridge.

Two Co-Chairs Of New Justice Group

The Provincial Government is appointing two people as Co-chairs of the new Aboriginal Justice Advisory Group. The group will examine issues affecting first nation residents in the justice system. Co-Chair Warren White is the Grand Chief of Grand Council Treaty #3, he's joined by Murray Segal the former deputy attorney general of Ontario and former deputy minister responsible for aboriginal affairs.

Hyer Going Green?

Independent MP Bruce Hyer could be getting chummy with his seatmate in the House of Commons. Hyer sits beside Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Thunder Bay MP's staff are not confirming a report this morning that he is considering joining the environmental party. Hyer is not available for comment today but staff say he will speak at a news conference on Friday, December 13th at 11 at the Finlandia Club.

Bridge To Remain Closed Indefinitely

CN Rail officials
wait for meeting at FWFN

The James Street bridge is not opening anytime soon.   Following a meeting with CN Rail officials,  Fort William First Nations Chief Georjann Morriseau was told that it will take at least three months to get a detailed consultants report on the safety of the fire damaged bridge for vehicle traffic and when it will open after that is anyone's guess.    Morriseau says she will now have to make arrangements for increased transit and emergency services to the community

LU Signs Deal With Alberta University

Lakehead University, the University of Alberta and the Italian Studies Institute are banding together to make it easier to study in Italy. A campus in Cortona is allowing students and alumni from both schools to study there. LU President Brian Stevenson says its about getting in touch with the city's Italian Heritage. The Institute is offering scholarships to interested students.

CCAC Launches Telehomecare

People living with chronic heart disease and other health related conditions can now get health care services from their home.  It's part of the Northwest Community Care Access Centre's Telehomecare program.  Spokesperson Marg Milani says they're looking for interested patients. Milani says patient information is logged every day on a tablet like device and a nurse monitors to see that everything is going well

Children's Aid Needs Help

A late start to fundraising is putting the Children Aid Society's Christmas Wishes Gift Tree campaign behind.  They've so far only raised 60 gifts, with 250 being this year's goal.  Executive Director Rob Richardson says they have gift trees at all three Walmart locations in the City.  Richardson says they'll be collecting gifts right up until Christmas Eve.

Rae Talks Positive About ROF

According to the First Nations negotiator for the Ring of Fire, the giant mining development will live on.   Speaking in Thunder Bay this morning Bob Rae said despite the decision by Cliffs Natural Resources to halt all work on the project, the valuable minerals aren't going away. Meantime,  Rae says negotiations are continuing on getting the best deal possible for First Nations from the development.   He says the mistakes of past mining deals cannot be repeated.

Highway 11 Open

OPP are opening several highways around the region.  Hwy 11 from Hearst to Longlac is now open. They've also re-opened a stretch of Highway 11 between Kapuskasing and Hearst.  There are no road closures west of Thunder Bay.

No School Buses Today

The overnight snow has forced the cancellation of all city and rural school buses this morning and this afternoon.  All school buses will not run today.  All city schools are open today, however all rural schools are closed.  So it is a snow day for all students who attend rural schools.  

South Side Stabbing

A 19-year old man is in hospital with non-life threatening injuries following a stabbing on the south side.  The victim was stabbed twice in the chest and suffered a punctured lung.  The incident took place outside a residence on North Vickers Street just before 2:30 this morning. Police have a 23-year old female in custody and she'll appear in court today on a charge of aggravated assault.