Stay up to date with what’s happening in your community.
VIA Rail's planning a gradual return to its normal schedule - just ahead of the summer.
The passenger rail service says its trains will be back to normal service by the end of June, starting by returning the cross-country "The Canadian" train to two full frequencies on April 29th, with the local Sudbury to White River corridor to return to three full frequencies on June 14th.
The board of Wawa's hospital is set to hold its monthly meeting.
The Lady Dunn Health Centre's board of directors is meeting by videoconference at 7 tonight.
For more information, call 705-856-2335, extension 3210.
Wawa Municipal Council's set to establish an Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee as it holds a pair of meetings tonight.
First up is a Corporate Planning Committee meeting, including presentations from Community Living Algoma and about the recent drinking water incident, as well as discussion about a request for municipal representation on the "Michipicoten Standing Advisory Committee", a first quarter financial review, ADSAB apportionment, and rules for "lame duck" Council, given the municipal election campaign is set to open May 2nd.
That'll be followed by a regular meeting, which includes a resolution to appoint a representative to the Michipicoten committee, as well as by-laws delegating authority amid a Lame Duck Council, adopting a policy on land acknowledgements such as for Council meetings, and establishing the Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee, a move meant to make up for the decision to cut ties with the Wawa Economic Development Corporation.
There's also two "in-camera" items, both legal issues: one relates to integrity commissioner advice about a committee or board member, the other an application under section 357 of Ontario's Municipal Act, which gives municipalities authority to cancel, reduce or refund taxes based on specific criteria.
The meetings will be held back-to-back, starting at 6:30 pm tonight.
Local police will be watching for proper seatbelt use over the coming long weekend.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police Constable Ashley Nickle explains the local detachment is conducting targeted enforcement - checking to ensure all occupants of vehicles are wearing seatbelts, to enhance traffic safety and reduce the number of injuries or deaths on roads - as she notes a lack of proper seatbelt use is an ongoing issue across the province, one of the "Big Four" problems targeted throughout the year.
The Easter Long Weekend Seatbelt Campaign runs from Good Friday through Easter Monday.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's added 42 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, six in Central and East Algoma, four in the Elliot Lake area, and another in North Algoma - which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations - leaving it with 411 known "active" cases, 22 in hospital.
Meanwhile, Public Health Sudbury and Districts has added 167 since Monday - 149 in Greater Sudbury, eight in the Sudbury District, and ten in the Manitoulin District - with the number "active" jumping to 476 - including seven in the northern Sudbury District, which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations - with 31 cases in hospital, three in ICUs.
The health unit's holding an appointment only COVID-19 vaccination clinic at its Chapleau office today.
Chapleau's "Municipal Accommodation Tax" may be implemented this fall.
While implementation has stalled since it was approved by Council last April - needing a by-law to confirm details - Mayor Michael Levesque says there was movement forward at this week's meeting.
If implemented, the tax would be a four percent surcharge for hotels, bed and breakfasts, or AirBnB-style rentals - half of the money would go to tourism, the rest to maintenance of structures that may drum up tourism.
Changes appear to be on the way for Chapleau's specialized transit bus service - but one appears to have stalled.
Chapleau Town Council discussed two aspects of the service in this week's meeting, including the replacement of what Mayor Michael Levesque describes as the "old, unreliable" bus the Township currently owns, though he says that's hit a speed bump.
Council similarly put operation of the transit service out to tender, but Mayor Levesque believes the Township will be going a different route.
While the current contract's expired - extended month-by-month amid the COVID-19 pandemic - Mayor Levesque is unsure when the Township would be looking to take over the transit operation, saying only it will happen "in time".
Algoma Public Health's reporting more COVID-19 cases.
The health unit's added 66 cases - 55 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, six in the Elliot Lake area, and four in Central and East Algoma - leaving it with 400 known "active" cases, including 21 in hospital, three in I-C-Us - all up from the previous day.
A walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic's being held for those five and older at Wawa's Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre from 4 to 7 this evening, while Public Health Sudbury and Districts will hold an appointment only clinic at its Chapleau office tomorrow.
Chapleau's renewing recruitment efforts for a new top administrator.
While Mayor Michael Levesque told JJAM FM News last month that a candidate had been chosen, he says it didn't work out, so the Township's again calling for applicants.
Mayor Levesque also notes the continued search is also having an effect on preparations for the fall municipal election.
Nominations for the election are set to open May 2nd, with voting day on October 24th.
A local mine's officially broken ground for a major expansion.
Alamos Gold's Island Gold Mine held an official groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, marking the start of construction for its Phase Three expansion, which is expected to increase Island Gold's production by 70 percent, to an average of 236,000 ounces of gold a year with mining and milling rates rising from 1200 tonnes per day to 2000, once construction's completed in 2025.
The expansion also includes "upgrades to the crushing circuit, the addition of a second parallel ball mill, and a new elution and carbon-in-pulp circuit."
Ontario Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry Minister Greg Rickford was among the dignitaries in attendance, and - speaking with JJAM FM News ahead of the event - touted this as a show that "the North is open for business".
Rickford was also in Wawa earlier in the day to help cut the ribbon for the East-West Tie Line - the 450-kilometre transmission line from Wawa to Thunder Bay went into service March 31st - and announced a conditional grant of $15-million over four years for Wawa OSB to build the province's third oriented strand board manufacturing facility, expected to help satisfy growing demand for building materials in Canada and the US.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's added 110 since Friday - 85 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, fifteen in Central and East Algoma, and ten in the Elliot Lake area - that leaves the health unit with 391 known "active" cases, with twenty in hospital, one in an ICU.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts added 168 since Friday - 154 in Greater Sudbury, seven in the Sudbury District, and seven in the Manitoulin District - leaving it with 412 "active" - including seven in the northern Sudbury District, which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations - with 40 cases in hospital, two in ICUs.
The health unit's holding an appointment only vaccination clinic at its Chapleau office Thursday, while a walk-in clinic will be held at Wawa's Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre from 4 to 7 pm tomorrow.
The Ontario government's made a series of major announcements in the North in recent days.
Premier Doug Ford made a stop in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday to announce support for Algoma Steel through the revamped Northern Energy Advantage Program, and on Sunday revealed a $75-million plan for the revival of the Northlander passenger train, which would have sixteen stops from Toronto to Cochrane - a newly-announced extension from the original Timmins end-of-line, allowing connection to the Polar Bear Express from Cochrane to Moosonee.
More local announcements were made earlier today, with Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry Minister Greg Rickford explaining the first event - alongside Energy Minister Todd Smith - was celebrating the completion of a major project.
The 450-kilometre line from Wawa to Thunder Bay is mainly meant to support northwestern communities, but Rickford says it will support this region, too.
Rickford also explains he - and Minister Smith - made another announcement in town this morning, supporting a new OSB plant, calling it "a great day for Wawa".
While that funding - over four years - is conditional on certain key project milestones, though Minister Rickford says it's not regulatory.
Rickford does say the government's "confident" the milestones will be achieved and a "significant expansion" will happen, with Minister Smith suggesting Wawa OSB will benefit from special electricity rates for large Northern industrial customers.
The ministers were also in attendance for Alamos Gold's official groundbreaking ceremony for an expansion to its Island Gold Mine, which Rickford also touts.
Rickford touts Northern Ontario as "a destination and a starting point for so many resource products", adding the government wants to ensure communities are in "the best position possible to experience that growth and that prosperity".
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's added 36 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, six in the Elliot Lake area, and four in Central and East Algoma, leaving it with 441 known "active" cases, nineteen in hospital, one in an ICU.
Meanwhile, Public Health Sudbury and Districts has added 120 in Greater Sudbury, seventeen in the Sudbury District, and seven in the Manitoulin District, with the number "active" up to 416 - including five in the northern Sudbury District, which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations - with 40 cases in hospital, two in ICUs.
Chapleau's welcoming provincial support for delayed plans to upgrade the Recreation Centre washrooms.
The Township's announced it was successful in applying for a $150,000 Resilient Community Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, with the funds to be used for the renovation.
Mayor Michael Levesque told JJAM FM News last month that Council had approved plans to move forward with the work after receiving funding for it.
Mayor Levesque expects the work to be done by July - noting the upcoming high school reunion - but notes there would still be other washrooms available, so activities could still continue in the building while the work's ongoing.
The Township says the Rec Centre's renovation will “re-build” its capacity, including replacement of flooring and installation of hands-free equipment.
Local MP Carol Hughes is criticizing the federal Liberal government's plans to address climate change.
While Hughes concedes Canada's Liberal government has a "fairly ambitious" Emissions Reduction Plan, she says the details within it leave a lot to be desired if we are to cut emissions.
The Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing New Democrat also concedes the recent budget does make some positive moves, but criticizes one major focus.
Hughes says there are "better ways" of doing things.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the Emissions Reduction Plan the government's "boldest and most specific step yet" - adding "it's ambitious and it's achievable" - while the Conservatives say it shows the Liberals can't meet their climate goals and are attacking Canadian jobs "to miss even greater targets".
Chapleau Town Council will prepare for the fall election in a meeting tonight.
The agenda for tonight's regular meeting includes resolutions for the management of the 2022 municipal election, a trio of project scope changes and a contract change for various local infrastructure projects, the tender for the specialized transit busdiscussion about the Municipal Accommodation Tax, and discussion about the Municipal Accommodation Tax.
There's also an "in-camera" item relating to CAO recruitment.
The meeting will be held in Civic Centre Council Chambers at 6:30 pm tonight.
Local MP Carol Hughes is describing the Liberal government's new budget "a good start" with more action needed.
Emphasizing that "budgets are about choices", the Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing New Democrat says she's glad the NDP were able to push the Liberals into making "some positive choices".
Hughes particularly highlights plans for a national dental care plan for low-income Canadians, which was included in that Liberal-NDP agreement.
Hughes also notes the inclusion of a surtax on financial institutions that made huge profits amid the pandemic.
In line with that, Hughes does criticize some of the Liberal budget's plans for climate change, particularly money meant to support "carbon capture" - as she doubts its effectiveness and feels it would be better to focus on reducing emissions - and she notes some positive steps on housing - including a ban on foreign homebuyers, which she says the NDP have been pushing for - but believes much more needs to be done, vowing the NDP will push on that, as well as items such as support for the tourism industry, which has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, and national pharmacare.
The Municipality of Wawa's assuring chlorine concentrations are back to normal levels at its water treatment plant.
While an incident at the plant Tuesday evening resulted in elevated chlorine levels, the Municipality says - in consultation with Algoma Public Health - it can now announce those levels are back to normal at the plant, and are low enough in the distribution system that smell and/or taste should no longer be an issue.
While levels were higher than normal, the Municipality emphasizes they did not reach a level that posed a risk to health.
Another COVID-19 death's been confirmed in the region.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit's reporting its 85th, just four days after its 84th, though it's giving no further details.
It's also reporting 55 new cases - 29 in the Thunder Bay area, eighteen in unspecified First Nations communities, and eight in unspecified district communities - leaving it with 127 known "active" cases, 25 in hospital, nine in ICUs.
Meanwhile, Algoma Public Health's added 57 cases - 45 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, eight in Central and East Algoma, three in the Elliot Lake area, and another in North Algoma (which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations) - with "active" cases up to 442, including 19 in hospital - down slightly from the day before - five in ICUs, up slightly from the day before.
The Porcupine Health Unit's added 38 cases - twenty in the James and Hudson Bay region, six in the Timmins area, six in the Kapuskasing, Opasatika, Val Rita-Harty, Moonbeam, and Fauquier-Strickland area, four in the Hearst and Hornepayne area, and two in the Cochrane, Matheson, Iroquois Falls, and Smooth Rock Falls area - leaving it with 260 "active", twelve in hospital.
Wawa's welcoming federal support for the airport to recover from the pandemic.
The government recently announced $332,264 for the airport - a release from the Municipality says it will help with installation of energy-efficient LED runway lights, upgraded electrical connections, illuminated signs, and directional markers, with Mayor Pat Tait noting the runway lights were put into service in 1998, putting them at an age making it difficult to find replacement parts for needed repairs, while the COVID-19 pandemic caused airport revenues to drop more than $80,000 in 2020.
The project's expected to be complete by the end of May.
