Stay up to date with what’s happening in your community.
It turns out Wawa Municipal Council's meeting another time before the end of the year - tomorrow.
While last week's meetings - the first of the term - were scheduled to be the last of 2022, a special meeting's been called for 6:30 pm Tuesday night, with a single item on the agenda: the Capital Budget.
Open to the public, the meeting will be held in Council Chambers, and broadcast on the Municipality of Wawa's YouTube channel.
Organizers are preparing for a special edition of Chapleau's ice fishing derby.
Organizer Luc Tessier explains the Rotary Club of Chapleau's readying the milestone Chapleau Pike Ice Fishing Derby.
Tessier acknowledges there is one major change for the year.
Tessier assures there's a silver lining to it.
The Rotary Club of Chapleau's 25th annual Chapleau Pike Ice Fishing Derby will be held Saturday, February 11th.
The Municipality of Wawa's looking for volunteers to sit on a few boards or committees.
As committees of Council share the same term as Council, a new term is underway, requiring Council to fill those committees - that's prompted a call for volunteers: five for the Cemetery Committee; five for the Public Library Board; seven for the Heritage Committee; seven for the Age-Friendly Committee; seven for the Marina Committee; and six for the Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
Those interested should submit a letter of interest indicating why they wish to join the committee and/or skills and abilities they have to offer, by emailing slord@wawa.cc by 4 pm Tuesday, January 3rd - for more information, call Sue Lord by the end of the week at 705-856-2244, extension 221.
Chapleau staff of Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry are thanking the community for supporting their annual food drive.
Friday's event at the Chapleau Valu-Mart was able to raise 570 food items and over $700 in monetary donations, all donated to the Sacre Coeur Church.
Organizers particularly highlight the support of the Valu-Mart for hosting them and supporting the drive, as well as Rick Smith at Miss Muggins for his support, including donating food and beverages for the day.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 46 since Wednesday - 40 in Greater Sudbury, three in the broader Sudbury District, and three in the Manitoulin District - pushing known "active" cases up to 224 - 37 in hospital, three in ICUs - with thirteen "active" cases in the northern Sudbury District - the communities aren't specified, but the region includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations.
Chapleau staff of Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry are giving back to the community today with a food drive.
They'll be set up at the Chapleau Valu-Mart to collect non-perishable food and monetary donations, which will go toward the local Sacre-Coeur Church.
The food drive runs from 9 this morning until 2 o'clock this afternoon.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's reporting seventeen since Tuesday - eleven in the Sault Ste. Marie area, four in Central and East Algoma, and two in the Elliot Lake area - though known "high risk active" cases are down slightly, to 65, with ten in hospital, two in ICUs.
Meanwhile, more COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed in a neighbouring region.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit's reporting two, bringing its death toll to 130, though it is giving no further details.
It's also reporting 143 new cases over the last week, down from the previous week - it no longer reports "active" case counts, but shows seventeen in hospital.
With Christmas a week away, Wawa residents are being encouraged to celebrate the holidays, as Santa's back in town.
Municipal Recreation Coordinator Stacey White explains that - after two years of "stationary parades" - tonight's Santa Claus Parade is a return to tradition.
Once the parade arrives at the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre, there'll be some festivities, with Hot Chocolate with Mayor and Council.
White also suggests - after watching the parade - checking out participants in Wawa's annual Festival of Lights, since it wraps up this weekend.
The Santa Claus Parade starts at 6 pm tonight, with the Festival of Lights, running from 6 pm to 9 pm every night up to - and including - this Sunday, December 18th.
The Wawa Public Library's set to wrap up a silent auction this weekend.
Noting the library's trying something new to raise money for "the little extras" they'd like to get, CEO and Head Librarian Sue Jarrell explains the library's trying something new, with a few items up for bid.
The items can be viewed and bids placed at the library until 2 pm Saturday.
Multiple charges have been laid after a commercial vehicle was spotted failing to stop for a stop sign in Dubreuilville.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police have tweeted that an officer on patrol stopped the commercial vehicle after observing it go through the stop sign, leading to a charge for that, as well as failing to complete inspection report and daily log.
The local English Catholic school board's starting its holiday break early - because of a cyberattack.
The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board says it's currently recovering from a "cyber-incident" that first came to its attention this morning, prompting them to immediately take steps to secure the board's network and retain expert assistance, with the board now "in the process of investigating and understanding the full impact of this incident".
It is, however, affecting the communication systems in the board's schools - including telephones and PA systems - so the board sent students home for the remainder of the day, cancelling classes for the rest of the week "to ensure the health and safety of everyone" - as the Christmas break was set to start this weekend, that means classes won't be resuming until the new year, on Tuesday, January 3rd.
The board's website is also not operational because of the attack, so it will instead be communicating with employees and families through its school messanger platform and social media, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
It also acknowledges the "significant privacy concern", vowing to provide updates and share more information when available.
Wawa's hospital foundation is congratulating the winner of its first ever 50/50 draw.
Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation Vice Chair Lorraine Pihelgas notes the campaign's concluded for now, with the draw made this morning.
Pihelgas notes tickets for the next 50/50 raffle will be available January 10th, with an early bird draw on January 30th and the proper draw in mid-February.
Noting the raffle supported the ongoing "One for the Dunn" campaign, Foundation Chair Susan Switzer reminds the "Wish" campaign - also supporting "One for the Dunn" - is still underway, and going "really well" so far.
Switzer emphasizes there's still time to donate, as the holiday mailout campaign ends January 7th.
A Calgary man's been confirmed as the deceased in a single-vehicle collision south of Chapleau earlier this month.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say 51-year-old Abdul Hashmi was pronounced dead at the scene, after his northbound SUV left Highway 129 near the intersection with Highway 667 - about 40 kilometres south of Chapleau - entering the southbound ditch late on the afternoon of December 4th.
He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
The investigation's ongoing, with assistance from the Northeast Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team.
Impaired driving charges have been laid after a domestic dispute in Wawa.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they were called to the incident on Joliet Street late the night of December 6th, with investigation determining one of the involved parties had driven a vehicle while impaired by alcohol.
That led to charges of operation while impaired - alcohol and drugs and operation while impaired - blood alcohol concentration (80 plus) against a 27-year-old from Wawa.
Police will not be releasing their name, due to the domestic nature of the incident.
They're set to appear in Wawa's Ontario Court of Justice next month.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 68 since Monday - 56 in Greater Sudbury, eleven in the broader Sudbury District, and another in the Manitoulin District - pushing known "active" cases up to 219, including thirteen in the northern Sudbury District (Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations), up from Monday's eleven.
It's holding an "appointment only" COVID-19 vaccination clinic at its Chapleau office today, for those at least twelve or older - book through the provincial system or call the health unit.
North Algoma's moved to appointments rather than clinics - in Wawa, call the local Algoma Public Health office; in Dubreuilville, the Dubreuilville Medical Centre; in White River, the Northern Neighbours Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic.
The Wawa BIA could be disbanding in the new year.
During last night's Committee of the Whole meeting, Wawa Municipal Council was apprised of a letter from the BIA, informing the municipality that its board had passed a resolution recommending dissolution of the Business Improvement Area due to a shrinking business community and especially volunteer base, which has made it difficult for the organization to form a board and meet quorum for its meetings.
CAO Maury O'Neill explained that the Municipal Act would require the Municipality to give BIA members - businesses along Broadway Avenue and much of Mission Road - 60 days notice if they're planning to disband it, allowing those members time to respond.
O'Neill also noted a review's underway for the BIA's assets - mainly the Christmas lights and BIA banners - but it's believed the organization has sufficient funds to wind up operations, so the current recommendation for next year's budget is not to levy funds for the BIA.
Asked who'd be responsible for the lights, banners, and planters without the BIA, O'Neill explained that would fall to the Municipality, which has already been covering much of that anyway, with contributions from the BIA, though she noted that's something Council would need to decide whether they want to continue.
Council appeared in favour of the dissolution, though no formal vote was taken.
This comes just shy of a decade after then-Mayor Linda Nowicki pushed to dissolve the BIA due to inactivity, though she withdrew that when the organization elected a new executive and pushed to continue operations.
Time's running out for a fundraising effort supporting Wawa's hospital.
Today's the last day to get tickets for the Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation's 50/50 Draw, which Foundation Chair Susan Switzer says supports the "One for the Dunn" campaign, aimed at helping the local hospital to "go digital" along with 23 hospitals across northeastern Ontario.
In order to make the change, Switzer says there are a number of other pieces of equipment needed, which is what the Foundation's looking to address.
Tickets are available online until 8 tonight, with the draw to be held tomorrow morning.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's reporting 31 since Thursday - twenty in the Sault Ste. Marie area, nine in Central and East Algoma, and two in the Elliot Lake area - with known "high risk active" cases up slightly, to 66, with five in hospital, one in an ICU.
Meanwhile, Public Health Sudbury and Districts is holding "appointment only" COVID-19 vaccination clinics at its Chapleau office today and tomorrow, the latter for those at least twelve or older - book through the provincial system or call the health unit.
North Algoma's moved to appointments rather than clinics - in Wawa, call the local Algoma Public Health office; in Dubreuilville, the Dubreuilville Medical Centre; in White River, the Northern Neighbours Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic.
Wawa's new council will rotate the role of deputy mayor over its term.
In their meetings last night, Council approved a staff recommendation for each councillor to spend one year as deputy mayor, starting with the most experienced member - Councillor Mitch Hatfield - with the next - Councillor Cathy Cannon - to take over next November, then Councillor Joseph Opato in November 2024, and Councillor Jim Hoffmann in November 2025, serving until Council's term ends in November 2026.
Several past councils have rotated the role among members, and even did a shorter-term rotation over the last year, after Councillor Pat Tait - who was serving as deputy mayor - was appointed mayor.
The future of the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre's canteen is up in the air.
During their Committee of the Whole meeting last night, Wawa Municipal Council received a staff report outlining the last decade of canteen operations, including that the canteen was closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and remains closed with efforts to compensate with additional snack offerings at the bar or by opening the kitchen for certain large events.
Noting the canteen's long operated at a loss, the report outlines a few options: fully shuttering it; continuing with the current compensation efforts; putting out a request for proposals for an outside operator; or returning to the municipality operating it - the report recommends seeking an outside operator.
The prospect drew spirited debate, with Councillor Mitch Hatfield asking how much the canteen's costing - as its costs aren't separated from the rest of the MMCC, it's not quite clear, though it was estimated to be $20- to $25-thousand, which Mayor Melanie Pilon hit upon being equivalent to taxes collected from about eight houses, while CAO Maury O'Neill stated the community's subsidizing the MMCC substantially more than other communities do, with user fees only covering about ten percent of the costs for the facility.
Councillor Hatfield emphasized she disagreed with the staff recommendation - saying she'd received several calls wanting the canteen open - while Mayor Pilon spoke in favour of the "creative options" that have been offered so far - claiming if there was a large demand for the canteen, then it'd be making money - while Councillor Cathy Cannon said she was in favour of a canteen but acknowledged the Municipality may need to make cuts in some places, so she favoured the outside operator and suggested reconsidering the canteen if no-one came forward, though Councillor Jim Hoffmann - who said he was in favour of a canteen - said he'd spoken with someone with experience who was willing to run it - Councillor Hatfield asked if the Municipality would help with some of the costs, with O'Neill suggesting that could be discussed, depending on the RFP - Councillor Joseph Opato emphasized he wanted a canteen, whether it was run by the Municipality or someone else.
Concluding discussion, Mayor Pilon reminded Council that the Municipality has a vision of a sustainable community, warning "decisions like this" won't help with that, though Councillor Cannon disagreed, saying they're looking toward the future.
In the end, O'Neill noted staff could put out the RFP and report back to Council on the response in their next meeting - scheduled for January 10th - letting Council decide plans for the canteen at that time.
