Mission Terminal expansion

Grain silos at Mission Terminal are currently at capacity but there's relief on the way with the help of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.


The terminal will be getting three new storage bins within the next couple of weeks.

The provincial government is contributing a million dollars towards the expansion through the fund.

Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro was on hand for the announcement yesterday and says that Mission Terminal is an asset to the area and the expansion will help provide jobs.

Wind Park Review Update on Monday night

The city expert reviewing the wind park project will provide an update to city council Monday night. Dillon Consulting will be speaking about the status of its review of the proposed Big Thunder Wind Farm on city lands.  Council wants to know how much it would cost to move the turbines to a new location.

New Chair for LU Board of Governors

Newspaper publisher Colin Bruce is the new Chair of the Lakehead University Board of Governors. Bruce says the board has several challenges facing it in the next year. He says on the top of that list will be meeting and delivering a balanced budget.   Bruce calls the appointment one of the greatest honours he's ever had

LU students to vote on bottled water

Lakehead University Students will be asked to take an environmental stand on bottled water. Student Union President Mike Snodden says a referendum will ask students to recommend that bottled water not be sold on campus.   He says there are two reasons for the move, one is that water is a basic need and we shouldn't have to pay for it, and secondly, we need to break our addiction to plastic.   The referendum will take place next month.

LU President plans activites for swearing-in

The new President of Lakehead University is making sure his installation day next month is an event. Brian Stevenson says it will include a series of activities surrounding his swearing in. One is a conference on the role of the University in the economic development of Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. The second is a breakfast meeting with Lloyd Axeworthy who will discuss First Nations, Metis and Inuit in higher education. The so called "24 hours of activities" takes place November 4th and 5th.

NOMA conference wraps up

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association has wrapped up its fall conference in Thunder Bay. President Anne Krassilowski says she was pleased with the Premier's attendance, and feels he heard their concerns about the Far North Act and future economic opportunities in the area.  Krassilowski feels the conference was a success and delegates left with new economic development ideas.

NOMA hears from panelists

How does Northwestern Ontario get their voices heard at Queen's Park?  That was the topic of a panel discussion at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association conference. Director of Ontario Chambers of Commerce Ian McCormick, Columnist Christina Blizzard and Past President of the Ontario Associated Community Futures Development Corporation Bill Spinney were panelists.  All three of them said NOMA needs to focus on one or two issues, solve them and then move on. The 2 day fall conference wrapped up on Friday afternoon.

McGuinty leaves hospital crisis to locals to solve

Premier McGuinty isn't making any promises to help dig the Regional Hospital out of it's gridlock crisis. Speaking in Thunder Bay on the issue, McGuinty is satisfied the situation is under control, with the Local Health Integration Network being "all over this".  McGuinty says the government is providing all local agencies with the policies and funding to see the problem through.

Howarth brings HST fight back to the Lakehead

The Provincial government is getting more heat about the HST. NDP leader Andrea Horwath was in Thunder Bay today visiting with a local family who is worried about the HST's impact on their living expenses. Horwath met with Fred and Carol St Jean and says its a similar story for many across the province.  Horwath says removing the HST from Hydro will save Ontarians hundreds of dollars each year.

Organizations join to help prevent child abuse

It's Child Abuse Prevention month. The Children's Aid Society is one organization which sees a lot of abused kids. Executive Director Rob Richardson hopes people will be on the watch for children who may be victims.  Dilico Anishinabek Family Care is also taking part in this months campaign. Director Susan Verill says its a problem

New hospital prez takes over during crisis

The new president of the Regional Health Sciences Centre has her work cut out for her. Andre Robichaud is dealing with a hospital in gridlock because it can't free up needed beds. She notes most of the work to try to solve the problem is already underway. She says all she can do now is to support the partners and make sure there is a long term plan to address the crisis.   Robichaud says she dealt with similar problems while working in New Brunswick.

NAPS seizes more Oxy

Nishnawbe-Aski Police continue to intercept illegal shipments of OxyContin. They say recent seizures took place in 3 northern First Nations communities. They confiscated over 46 thousand dollars worth of the highly addictive opiate. In total, 3 people are facing charges.

Rafferty introduces FASD bill

MP John Rafferty has introduced his second Private Members' Bill on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The Thunder Bay Rainy River MP is calling on the Federal Government to develop a national strategy on the issue.  The bill, C-569 will not be debated before the next election.

Kaszicky named Ring of Fire Coordinator

The new Ring of Fire Coordinator feels she has a good working relationship with area first nations.  Dr. Christine Kaszicky was the assistant deputy minister of Northern Development and Mines; during the time members of KI First Nation were sent to jail over a mining dispute.  Kaszicky says she's learned from that incident.  Kaszicky starts her new job on October 25th and will spend her time between Toronto and the North.  An office with a director and some staff will be set up in Thunder Bay.

McGuinty says Far North Act a good balance

Premier Dalton McGuinty is defending his government's Far North Act. Numerous groups including business and First Nations organizations are condemning it. However McGuinty believes there will be ways to work around any concerns.  McGuinty says the act is the way to balance development and conservation in the north.

McGuinty defends choice of co-ordinator

Premier McGuinty's choice for Ring of Fire co-ordinator is getting some heat. There is concern that as Assistant Deputy Minister at the Mines Ministry, Christine Kaszycki, was there when KI First Nations protesters were jailed. McGuinty calls it a learning experience for her. McGuinty says Kaszycki has the qualifications for the position.

McGuinty speaks at NOMA Conferece

Premier Dalton McGuinty spent his time in Thunder Bay promoting the Ring of Fire. McGuinty says there's great potential in the region's far north. The Premier also announced that Dr. Christine Kaszycki is the new Coordinator for the chromite deposit initiative. Meanwhile, Progressive Conservative Critic Randy Hillier is surprised by the appointment saying he thought they were going to hire someone from the outside and fresh. Hillier is critical of the fact that Kaszycki was an Assistant Deputy Minister in the Ministery of Northern Development and Mines.

Accused killers make second court appearance

Two teenage girls charged with second degree murder are due back in court in one month. It's in connection with the city's 4th homicide of the year, the beating death of a 16 year old girl from Sachigo Lake. Her body was found in a wooded area behind Wentworth Crescent on September 24th..   The accused 14 and 15 year olds, made a brief appearance in Youth Court in Thunder Bay Thursday. Their case was put over until October 28th.

Northern Communities need to re think economic development

Northwestern Ontario communities need to rethink the way they carry out economic development.  Brock Dickinson is an economic development consultant and spoke at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association Conference.  Dickinson says Northern communities need to revamp their economic development skills since most of their tools and programs are decades old. The fall NOMA conference wraps up Friday afternoon.

NOMA fall conference underway

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association's fall conference is underway in Thunder Bay.  Premier Dalton McGuinty will be speaking to the crowd in a few hours.  NOMA President Anne Krassilowski says they've asked McGuinty to attend their meetings two times in the last four terms of government.  Krassilowski adds his visit today is a sign of his committment to hearing their concerns.  McGuinty will be the lunch hour speaker at the NOMA conference today, he'll also be speaking to residents this afternoon applying for the Northern Ontario Energy Credit.