APH & PHSD Report New Cases Over Weekend

COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise across the region.

Over the weekend, Algoma Public Health added 52 in the Sault Ste. Marie area plus three in Central and East Algoma, bringing it to 1439 total, with 263 "active", including five in hospital.

It's also warning of two possible "low risk" exposures: at the New American in the Sault between 11 am and 6 pm December 3rd and at Wacky Wings in the Sault between 10:30 am and 6 pm last Thursday, December 9th.

Meanwhile, Public Health Sudbury and Districts added 22 cases in Greater Sudbury, four in the broader Sudbury District, and four in the Manitoulin District, bringing it to 4275 total, including 379 "active".

Wawa Red Apple Toy Drive for Christmas Hampers Far Exceeds Goal

An effort to support children this holiday season far surpassed its goal this weekend.

Wawa's Red Apple Store wrapped up its Toy Drive with a "Fill a Sleigh Day" on Saturday, and manager Josee McCoy thanks the community for its support, meeting its goal.

Wawa Fire Chief Kevin Sabourin says local emergency services were happy to contribute to the "Fill a Sleigh Day", calling it a great success.

Including an anonymous donation, $8555.25 in donations were raised during Saturday's event, for a total of $12,032 over the campaign - the donations go to the Wawa Christmas Hamper Fund.

Chapleau Council to Discuss Filling Vacancy & Setting 2022 Fees

Chapleau Town Council has a busy night ahead - including discussions about how to fill a vacant seat and setting fees for the new year.

In addition to determining how to fill the vacancy left when Deputy Mayor Rick Smith resigned in October - Council must decide whether to appoint someone to the seat or declare a by-election less than a year before the October municipal election - tonight's regular meeting agenda includes by-laws setting the 2022 rates for refuse collection, water, and sewage services, as well as implementation of the Municipal Accommodation Tax.

The meeting will be held in Civic Centre Council Chambers, with the public able to attend - following COVID-19 measures such as masking and physical distancing - starting at 6:30 pm.

TBDHU Confirms 68th COVID-19 Death, More Cases Across Region

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit's confirmed its 68th death related to the illness, just a week after its 67th.

It's also reporting eleven new cases in the Thunder Bay area and another in an unspecified "district community", though it has also removed one from the case count due to data quality checks, bringing the health unit's total to 3751, though the number "active" is down to 114, with three in hospital.

Meanwhile, Algoma Public Health's added thirteen cases in the Sault Ste. Marie area and another in the Elliot Lake area, bringing it to 1384 total, though the number "active" is down to 257, with five in hospital, also down from the previous day.

It's also warning of potential "low-risk" exposure for those who attended the Thessalon Memorial Community Centre last Friday, December 10th, between 6:30 and 7:30 pm.

The health unit's also declared three more outbreaks at Algoma schools - Thessalon Public School, Ben R. McMullin Public School, and Superior Heights Collegiate and Vocational School - leaving the health unit with ten "active" outbreaks, most in Sault Ste. Marie.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts has added 17 cases in Greater Sudbury, another four in the Sudbury District, and fourteen in the Manitoulin District, bringing its total to 4247, with 367 "active".

The health unit's showing thirteen "active" outbreaks, all in Greater Sudbury.

The neighbouring Porcupine Health Unit's reporting thirteen cases in the Cochrane, Matheson, Iroquois Falls, and Smooth Rock Falls area - and another in the Timmins area - bringing it to 2296 total, with seventeen "active".

Order Deadline for Wawa's 3rd Ice Candle Celebration Day

Time is running out for those hoping to participate in Wawa's third annual Ice Candle Celebration Day.

Noting today is the deadline to order ice candles, Heather Rainville reminds the event's meant to honour loved ones.

Rainville notes order forms were mailed out, but can also be found on the municipal website or at the Municipal Office - they must be submitted by the end of the day.

The event will be held at Woodland Cemetery on Sunday, December 26th, at 4 pm.

Registration Deadline for Wawa Santa Claus Parade

As Santa Claus nears Wawa, organizers of the local Santa Claus Parade are reminding time's almost up to enter a float.

Noting it will again be a "stationary parade" in the MMCC parking lot - like last year - Municipal Recreation Coordinator Stacey White encourages those interested to sign up, emphasizing "the more, the merrier".

The email address is mcoe@wawa.cc, or call 705-856-2244, extension 240.

White also reminds the annual Festival of Lights is also underway, running from 6 to 9 every night up to - and including - Sunday, December 19th, with maps available on the Wawa Recreation Facebook page or at the community centre.

Wawa's Santa Claus Parade is next Friday, December 17th, from 6 to 8 pm.

Toy & Food Drives for Wawa Christmas Hamper Fund This Weekend

Wawa's emergency services and others will be out in the community this weekend, to raise support for an annual tradition helping the needy in the community.

Fire Chief Kevin Sabourin explains the firefighters are participating in the annual "Fill A Sleigh Day" tomorrow, supporting the Christmas Hamper Fund.

Sabourin notes the firefighters are also involved in a food drive on Sunday.

The Christmas Hampers - a service provided in the community for over 60 years - offer the less fortunate "all the fixings for a Christmas dinner", presents for kids, and a little more - and Hamper Fund President Richard Watson notes the group welcomes volunteers to help with set up and sorting at the Community Centre on Sunday.

The "Fill A Sleigh" event runs from 11 am to 2 pm tomorrow, with the food drive from 10 am to 1 pm Sunday.

PHSD Expanding COVID-19 Restrictions Amid High Case Rates

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is expanding its COVID-19 restrictions.

Citing "persistently high and growing...case rates" - the health unit surpassed 4000 cases since the pandemic began on Saturday, less than a month after reaching 3000, with more than a quarter of its total cases in the last 30 days - as well as concerns about the omicron variant, the health unit says - starting Saturday - it's expanding restrictions that had returned to Greater Sudbury across the Sudbury and Manitoulin Districts, reinstating capacity limits and physical distancing requirements, strengthening masking requirements at organized public events and proof of vaccination requirements for those participating in organized sports at indoor facilities, and requiring people work remotely unless the nature of their work requires them to be on site.

At the same time, it will also: limit social gatherings and organized public events to ten people indoors or 25 outdoors; strengthen requirements for basic public health measures like masking, physical distancing, active screening, and contact tracing; strengthen requirements for safety plans for all businesses and organizations; require food and drink establishments to reimplement some protections from "Step Two" of the province's reopening plan, including no buffets and ensuring patrons generally remain seated; extending physical distancing requirements for some activities at indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities to three metres; and prohibiting team sports or games that may result in personal contact unless modified to avoid such contact, with limited exceptions.

In addition, starting next Wednesday, December 15th, it'll require proof of vaccination for those 12 and older for all "non-essential" businesses and organizations where it's currently voluntary under "Step Three" rules, such as personal care services, indoor recreational amenities, museums, galleries, and science centres.

APH & PHSD Report New COVID-19 Deaths, But Declining Active Cases

Two more COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed in the region.

Algoma Public Health's confirmed its seventeenth - just over a week after its sixteenth - though it is giving no further details, citing "respect for the family".

This comes as it's confirmed ten new cases in the Sault Ste. Marie area, one in Central and East Algoma, and another in the Elliot Lake area, bringing it to 1370 total, though the number "active" is down to 262, with six in hospital, also down from yesterday.

It has declared three more outbreaks at Sault Ste. Marie schools in recent days, leaving the health unit with eight "active" outbreaks, four at schools in the Sault and another at a child care centre in the city.

Meanwhile, Public Health Sudbury and Districts has confirmed its 43rd death related to the illness - the fourth this month and the third this week - though it is similarly giving no details, with figures only showing it was in Greater Sudbury, like all other deaths for the health unit.

Figures also show 37 new cases in Greater Sudbury, another four in the Sudbury District, and nine in the Manitoulin District, bringing its total to 4212, though the number "active" is down slightly, to 363.

The health unit's showing eleven "active" outbreaks, all in Greater Sudbury, including multiple schools and various workplaces.

Dubreuilville Lions Club Thanked for Donation to Local School

A Dubreuilville school's thanking the local Lions Club for supporting students.

The Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon - and specifically École St-Joseph - is extending "many thanks" to the Dubreuilville Lions Club for donating $2000 to be used toward the purchase of items for special needs, toys and games for recess or physical education, or other accessories that can be used by students.

According to the board, some of the items available because of the donation include snow shovels, molds to cut blocks for snow forts, rubber bands, and a new basketball net for the schoolyard, which will be installed in the spring.

APH & PHSD Report New COVID-19 Cases

More COVID-19 cases have been been reported in the region.

Algoma Public Health's confirmed 31 in the Sault Ste. Marie area and another in Central and East Algoma, bringing it to 1358 total, with 271 currently "active", ten in hospital.

It's also warning of potential "low-risk" exposure for those who attended the Dollarama in Sault Ste. Marie's Market Mall between noon and 1 p-m on Monday, December 6th.

Meanwhile, Public Health Sudbury and Districts added fourteen cases in Greater Sudbury, and twelve in the Manitoulin District, bringing its total to 4162, though the number "active" is down to 375, after spiking above 400.

The health unit is holding an "appointment only" COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Chapleau Recreation Centre today.

ADSB Keeps Chair & Vice Chair

The longtime chair of the Algoma District School Board is staying in the job.

Sault Ste. Marie Ward One trustee Jennifer Sarlo - who's been chair since 2011 - was acclaimed to the role in the board's inaugural meeting last night, while Central Algoma trustee Brent Rankin's staying on as Vice Chair, a role he's held the last two years.

Rankin particularly thanked Wawa's own Russell Reid (the trustee for North Algoma and Chapleau) for his nomination.

Reid was confirmed as the board's appointment for director to the Ontario Public School Boards' Association Board of Directors, as well as a voting delegate in the association's 2022 annual general meeting.

Harte Gold Enters Creditor Protection

The owner of White River's gold mine has entered creditor protection amid a "stalking horse" bid for the company.

Harte Gold filed for an Initial Order under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act yesterday, with the Ontario Superior Court granting that, as well as an initial advance of $400,000 under a financing agreement announced at the same time as the filing - that agreement would see Harte loaned up to $10.8-million to continue operations at the Sugar Zone Mine.

While announcing the filing, Harte also announced it had entered into a subscription agreement with a numbered company that is a wholly-owned but indirect subsidiary of Silver Lake Resources Limited, with plans to seek approval for a sale and investment solicitation process using that agreement as a "stalking horse" to provide interested parties the opportunity to submit superior proposes - if that bid wins out, the numbered company would become Harte's sole shareholder, though Harte warns there won't be recovery for holders of existing equity interests unless the successful bid "provides significantly higher value" than the subscription agreement, which it calls the "culmination" of Harte's Strategic Review Process.

Hornepayne Mayor to Represent OPCs in 2022 Ontario Election

Hornepayne's mayor will carry the Progressive Conservative banner in next year's provincial election.

The Ontario PC Party's announced Cheryl Fort has been nominated as their candidate for Algoma-Manitoulin, noting she's the second female Indigenous mayor to be elected in Ontario, having served as Hornepayne's mayor since 2018, two years after the CN Rail locomotive engineer was elected to the town's council.

She'll face off against NDP incumbent Michael Mantha - who's represented the riding since 2011 - and Manitoulin Health Centre CFO and VP of Corporate Services Tim Vine, who was announced as the Liberal candidate over a year ago.

Harte Gold Files for Creditor Protection

The owner of White River's gold mine has filed for creditor protection amid a "stalking horse" bid for the company.

Harte Gold says it is filing an application to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for an Initial Order under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, while entering into a subscription agreement with a numbered company that is a wholly-owned but indirect subsidiary of Silver Lake Resources Limited.

According to Harte, if the court grants its request, it'll seek approval for a sale and investment solicitation process using that subscription agreement as a "stalking horse" to provide interested parties the opportunity to submit superior proposes - if that bid wins out, the numbered company would become Harte's sole shareholder, though Harte warns there won't be recovery for holders of existing equity interests unless the successful bid "provides significantly higher value" than the subscription agreement, which it calls the "culmination" of Harte's Strategic Review Process.

Along with that agreement, Harte's signed a financing agreement with the same company for a loan of up to $10.8-million - pending court approval - which would allow operations at the Sugar Zone Mine to continue until the transaction closes.

A subsidiary of Silver Lake's been acting as lender under certain debt facilities as Harte underwent a major cash crunch over the last year.

CSPGNO Announces New Director of Education

The local French public school board's announcing a new key executive.

The Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l'Ontario says Sébastien Fontaine will become director of education and board secretary in April, when Marc Gauthier retires from the dual role.

To assist with the transition, Fontaine - who is currently interim director of education for the Conseil scolaire Viamonde in southern Ontario - will actually start with the local board at the end of January, serving as associate director of education until Gauthier's retirement.

PHSD Reports 2 More COVID-19 Deaths, APH's Active Cases Down

Two more COVID-19 deaths have been been reported in the region.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts isn't giving any details about its 41st and 42nd deaths related to the illness - that brings the death toll over the last week to four, with the last reported on Friday.

The health unit also added 86 cases in Greater Sudbury, four in Sudbury District, and 47 in the Manitoulin District, bringing its total to 4136, with 421 "active".

It is holding an "appointment only" COVID-19 vaccination clinic at its Chapleau office today, and another at the Chapleau Recreation Centre tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Algoma Public Health's added twelve cases in the Sault Ste. Marie area and three in Central and East Algoma, bringing it to 1326 total, though the number "active" has dropped to 246 - the fewest in more than two weeks - including ten in hospital.

TBDHU Reports Omicron Presence, APH Reports More COVID-19 Cases

The Omicron variant's been confirmed in Northern Ontario.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit says four residents of the Thunder Bay area have been confirmed as having the COVID-19 variant, though it does anticipate four more will be confirmed for the variant in the coming days - they're all in the same household with a direct link to South Africa, and are now isolating, with the health unit assuring there's "no evidence of spread outside the household".

The health unit's also reporting 53 new COVID-19 cases in the Thunder Bay area over the weekend, and another in an unspecified "district community", bringing it to 3696 total, with 137 "active", including three in hospital.

Meanwhile, Algoma Public Health's added 30 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, bringing the health unit to 1311 total - though the number "active" is down to 317, with ten in hospital - while the Porcupine Health Unit's added one in the Timmins region, bringing the health unit to 2281 total, with six "active".

New CSC Nouvelon President & VP Elected

The local French catholic school board's chosen new top board members.

Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon says trustees have elected Sault Ste. Marie trustee Suzanne Salituri as President, after a year as Vice-President - she replaces Andre Bidal, who's been president of the board for the last eight years.

Replacing Salituri as VP is Louise Essiembre, a Greater Sudbury trustee since 2014.

They'll serve in the roles until their terms as trustees end late next year.

Chapleau Council Considers Funding Application

Chapleau Town Council's meeting late this afternoon to consider seeking funding for upgrades to the Water Treatment Plant.

A special meeting is planned with just a single item on the agenda: approving a funding application to the NOHFC's Community Enhancement Program for the Chapleau Water Treatment Plant Building Efficiency Upgrade - the application puts the value at $667,000, with the Township to contribute $167,000 from its Waterworks Reserve Fund and cover any cost overruns, should they occur.

The meeting will be held at 4:30.