Volunteer firefighter training happening this weekend

If you see fire fighters out in full force this weekend it doesn't necessarily mean there's a fire. Thunder Bay is playing host to the Ontario Fire College's fire fighter survival, search and resuce, and fire supression course.
Volunteer firefighters from O'Connor, Gillis, East Gorham, Lappe, and other townships are being taught a number of important skills. There will be live fire situations using a fire tower, vehicles, roofs and flammable materials.

Summer HST tolls on First Nations land

A number of First Nations communities are preparing to impose toll fees on traffic passing through their territories over the HST. Anishinabek Nation Chiefs meeting at Fort William First Nation endorsed a resolution directing their bands to begin advertising their intentions for this summer. Native leaders want a point-of-sale tax exemption now given to aboriginal people extended when HST kicks in July 1st.

FedNor cash injection for Thunder Bay

There's FedNor money coming to Thunder Bay. Kenora MP Greg Rickford has announced 1.1 million dollars worth of federal tax dollars for 5 areas. Lakehead University will use the money to build a lab to work with LED lights.  Confederation College gets funding to improve its Geographic Information Systems.   The Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund receives money to provide business loans.   The Northwestern Ontario Development Network will be able to continue to coordinate economic development in the region.   As well, 5 organizations in the city get funding to hire interns.  Critics have said the Harper government is backing away from FedNor, but Rickford says the announcement states otherwise.

Good economic news may be in store

There's a major announcement Monday morning at the Bombardier plant. The company plans to release some news that an official says will be very nice for the city. The news will involve a plan that they say will help shape public transit in the Great Toronto Area and Hamilton. At the announcement will be the president of Metrolinx in Toronto. That's the public Authority that manages transportation in the GTA-Hamilton corridor. Also on hand will be the president of Bombardier Transportation in North America. Add to that list, Ontario's Minister of Transportation Kathleen Wynne and our local MPP's. No one in any official capacity is willing to confirm what the announcement will be about

CMHA receives provincial praise

The Ontario Health Quality Council is praising the local chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Alpha Court, the CMHC, St. Joseph's Care Group and the Health Sciences Centre combined their services. Executive Director Maurice Fortin says their intake and referral process is a provincial success story. The Thunder Bay Mental Health Case Management Intake Collaboration ensures clients tell their story once rather then multiple times to different case workers.

Chamber and NAN see eye to eye on Far North Act

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce and NAN are taking the same stand against the province's Far North Act. Chamber President Harold Wilson says the Chamber supports the Nishnawbe Aski Nation recent criticism of the Act and supports their call against restricting development that would benefit the First Nations communities. The bill is currently winding its way through Queens Park.

Thunder Bay's Pagoda is 100 years old

Thunder Bay's Pagoda is 100 years old this week. It's the oldest operating tourist bureau in Canada and a Thunder Bay landmark. The word pagoda was used to describe a small ornamental building and was desighned by local architect H. Russell Halton.

City tourism boss touts web portal

What activities best decribe your experience in Thunder Bay?  The city has launched the new web portal and marketing program "My Tbay" where residents can share their photos, video and stories about Thunder Bay.  Tourism Manager Paul Pepe says people can upload their experiences to the portal or facebook.  The best photo of Thunder Bay will win a prize, to enter log onto www.mytbay.ca

Another robbery at Mac's Convenience Store

Yet another Mac's Mart robbery is under investigation. It's the sixth one since May 22nd. Police say this time the store at 340 North May street was robbed when a man brandishing a knife walked in just after 2 Friday morning. He ran off with cash and cigarettes. No one was hurt.

Hospital angioplasty given high marks

A panel of experts is giving the Angioplasty Program at the Health Sciences Centre it's stamp of approval. The panel calls it a model program. That's welcome news for the hospital's Lori Marshall. She says it means that after reviewing everything about the program they are saying that it's "second to none." The panel says the quality of care at the Regional matches anything you would find in Canada

Money promised for 2nd cath lab

There are smiles all around at the Health Sciences Centre. The provincial government is confirming it will fund the construction of a second catherization lab. MPP Bill Mauro says it's a major committment. He says the McGuinty government is contributing 8 and a half million dollars towards the 12 million dollar construction project. The new lab is expected to be up and running next year.

Chatty drivers charged

Many drivers in Thunder Bay are still breaking the new cell phone law. Sgt. Glenn Porter of the city police says an enforcement blitz this week netted 25 chatty drivers. Porter says some of them had interesting excuses, like "I wasn't really talking, just listening. Do I still get a ticket?" or "The phone just rang and I was only telling them I couldn't talk just now." Police say they used a ghost car to nab many of the offenders.

Police track down B & E suspects

Two sixteen year old boys are in police custody after a couple of Thursday break ins. Police say they used a police dog to track down the two after a couple of stores in the Northwood Mall were entered. The dogs picked up the scent at the scene and tracked the suspected to a home on the 200 block of Kensington Avenue. Police say merchandise was found in the garage and police seized that as well. The two were charged with Break and Enter and one of them was also charged with Breach of Probation.

Shelter House needs food

Shelter House is sending out the S-O-S.   The homeless shelter needs food to sustain its program over the coming weeks.    It's now turning to the public and issuing a plea for donations.  Officials say that there is traditionally a lull in donations over the summer months.    Priority items include:  spaghetti sauce, sugar, salad dressing, meat, canned soup, canned fruits and vegetables and relish. 

Hockey celebs give their time to fight cancer

Thunder Bay's Jordan Staal is one of 32 hockey players taking part in the annual Freedom 55 Hockey Celebrity Golf Classic at the Whitewater Golf Course. It's all in support of cancer care in the region. Here Staal is signing his Pittsburgh Penguin's jersey for auction. In the past four years the event has raised more than 130 thousand dollars for the Northern Cancer Fund.

Treaty Three responds to shooting death

Grand Council Treaty 3 has identified the victim of Monday's shooting incident in downtown Kenora as 39-year-old Helen Proulx. OPP responded to a domestic dispute and an officer arrived and was confronted by a woman wielding a knife, resulting in shots being fired. Treaty 3 officials say Proulx was shot twice by an OPP officer. Treaty 3 questions the use of excessive force and notes Kenora is infamous for poor relations between law enforcement and First Nations people.  Chief Diane Kelly is demanding changes to the way investigations are handled regarding incidents involving Treaty 3 members.  Kelly adds that they want the SIU to conduct a transparent and procedurally fair investigation of the incident.

More work on Highway 11/17

More details are being released on work being done on Highway 11/17. Two new bridges will be built across the Mackenzie River in the Municipality of Shuniah.  Meanwhile, a five kilometre stretch of highway from Hodder Avenue east to Highway 527 will be expanded to four lanes. Other highway improvements will include the construction of a new interchange at Hodder and Copenhagen Road, a new intersection at Highway 527 and Spruce River Road, and the realignment of the Terry Fox Scenic Lookout Access Road.

Conversion of coal plant on track

The head of Ontario Power Generation says the public company remains on track to convert the Thunder Bay coal plant to natural gas. Tom Mitchell says there's been no change in plans and no delays. He says the overall timeline remains the same, to have the plant converted by 2014. Mitchell says they want to make the conversion in "a careful deliberate way, in order to do it safely" and consider "all the different options." He says the priority now is getting the Atikokan plant converted to burn a cleaner fuel then concentrating on Thunder Bay.

OPG plants trees

Visitors to Mission Island Marsh Conservation Area can thank Ontario Power Generation for some recent enhancements to the popular recreation area.  OPG recently funded 14 new trees which were planted near the pavillion this spring. The trees include seven Sienna Glen Red Maple and seven Clump White Paper Birch.

NAN communities need more time

Consultation sessions are scheduled to take place in remote first nation communities next week. The hearings are on the Ontario Government's far north act. Nishinawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy says they need more time to translate the far north document. The far north act recently passed second reading and is subject to further revision prior to the third reading which is scheduled to happen this fall.