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Chapleau's starting to plan for Canada Day.
Mayor Ryan Bignucolo says the annual celebrations were discussed in the recent Chapleau Town Council meeting.
Bignucolo notes it'll be a busy start to the summer, with the drag races set to be held two weeks later, from July 14th to 16th.
Wawa mixed curling's wrapped up its season with Tom Terris' team finishing the second round atop the standings with seven wins, followed by Joe McCoy's with six, then Chris Buckell, Dave Hall, and Tom Fahrer's teams with five each, Peter Stoycheff's with two, and Brandon Smit and Anya Switzer's teams with one each.
Team Terris had come in second in the first round - from November to mid-January - while Team Fahrer led that round.
Wawa's curling season wraps this weekend, with the 73rd Men's Bonspiel.
Chapleau Council's moving forward with a few projects.
Mayor Ryan Bignucolo says Town Council's authorized a purchase order for a new front-end loader refuse truck.
Bignucolo also notes Council's approved the re-issuing of tender documents for the Elgin Street sanitary sewer line replacement.
Mayor Bignucolo says Council's also looking into ways to address nuisance pigeons in the community.
Wawa's curling rink will be busy this weekend with the annual Men's Curling Bonspiel.
President Jim Hoffmann explains several curlers will take to the ice in the 73rd annual event - the first since 2019.
Hoffmann says "nobody will go home empty-handed" with prizes not just for the top teams, but also many door prizes - and he thanks the many sponsors who make that possible.
Games begin at 7 pm tonight with play continuing Saturday, wrapping up with the championship game at 2 pm Sunday afternoon - everyone is welcome to watch over the weekend.
Wawa's curling season is coming to a close, after the men's and ladies league playoffs concluded last night.
In the Men's League, Team Tom Terris may have ended the regular season atop the standings, followed by Tom Fahrer's team, but Fahrer's team claimed victory in the playoffs - mirroring last year's results - with Team Eric Mitrikas the playoff runnerup.
It was a similar story for the Ladies League, Barb Leschishin's team finished atop the standings for the regular season, followed by Denise Bussineau's, though Bussineau's team claimed victory in the playoffs, with Wendy Bonitzke's team the runnerup.
The Mixed League wraps up games tonight - they do not have playoffs like the other leagues - with the local curling season concluding this weekend, with the 73rd annual Wawa Men's Curling Bonspiel - the Ladies' Bonspiel was held last weekend.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting is nineteen since Monday - eleven in Greater Sudbury, seven in the broader Sudbury District, and another in the Manitoulin District - though known "active" cases stayed at 95, with fifteen in hospital - half of what was reported on Monday.
There are no longer any "active" cases listed for the northern Sudbury District (which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations).
The neighbouring Porcupine Health Unit's reporting thirteen cases over the last week - up from the previous week - it no longer breaks that down by region nor reports "active" case counts, but does show three currently in hospital, the same as the last several weeks.
Local MP Carol Hughes is giving a mixed review for the Liberal government's new budget.
The Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing New Democrat is taking credit for many measures in the budget tabled Tuesday.
Among the pieces Hughes touts as NDP priorities brought in after Liberal resistance are the 27% reduction in interchange fees Visa and Mastercard charge small businesses, and the continued rollout of a national dental care plan for families earning less than $90-thousand - it rolled out last year for those under the age of 12, but will expand this year to cover up to age 18 plus seniors and those with disabilities.
Hughes attributes much of the gains to the Liberal/NDP supply-and-confidence agreement, and dismisses questions about whether tensions between the two parties means an election call nears.
While Hughes says the Liberal budget doesn't go as far as the NDP would like, she says the Conservatives would not have offered these supports and raises concerns a Tory government might dismantle them, if elected, so she doesn't see a reason to reject the budget.
Among those other priorities Hughes looks to push on is the opioid crisis - noting there was some support in the budget, but more is needed - as well as a promised pharmacare program, drinking water for Indigenous communities, and a 10% increase in GIS, though she also lauds funding for made-by-Indigenous housing and vague plans for a Red Dress Alert similar to Amber Alerts, but for Indigenous women rather than children.
Algoma District School Board is expecting more students next school year.
Board projections expect 6743 students for Junior Kindergarten through Grade 8 - which would mean 296 classes requiring 296 full-time equivalent teaching staff - that's up from projected enrolment for this past September, by 119 students, six classes, and six full-time equivalent teaching staff.
As for secondary students, the board's expecting 3536 - a rise of 55 compared to last September, mainly in Grade 9, even after the board predicted last March that it would be welcoming its largest Grade 9 class in fifteen years - that means 284 full-time equivalent teachers, up by six.
Superintendent of Education Joe Maurice noted there'll also be a need for continued investment in Indigenous studies and language courses, as well as continued support for multilingual learners - with more coming in - and ongoing special education needs, too.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's reporting 42 in the Sault Ste. Marie area, thirteen in Central and East Algoma, eleven in the Elliot Lake area, and one in North Algoma (which includes Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the Michipicoten and Missinabie Cree First Nations) - though known "high risk active" are down to 85, with seven in hospital, three in ICUs.
Another COVID-19 death's been confirmed in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting is 208th - the 181st in Greater Sudbury - it last reported a death nearly three weeks ago.
The health unit's also reporting thirteen new cases since Friday - twelve in Greater Sudbury and another in the broader Sudbury District - though known "active" cases have dropped to 95, with 28 in hospital.
There are no longer any "active" cases listed for the northern Sudbury District (which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations).
Injuries have been reported after a tractor-trailer flipped in the Agawa Bay area.
The collision closed Highway 17 south of Wawa just before noon on Sunday, and the highway remained closed until about 7 that night, as the commercial motor vehicle was blocking the roadway and had spilled its load, identified only as "grocery items" - some traffic disruption should be expected in the area, however.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police also confirm the driver was taken to hospital with "non-life-threatening" injuries.
The cause of the collision's not yet known, and it's unclear at this time whether it will lead to any charges.
Michipicoten First Nation's election is now in the books - with a single new face among the mostly returning councillors.
An official statement confirms that incumbent Chief Patricia - or Pat - Tangie was elected for her third term, with six councillors: incumbents Linda G. Peterson, Irene Armstrong, Evelyn Stone, Christine Lewis, and Sandra Donney-Fraser, joined by new councillor Chad Edgar, who'd also been in the running for mayor.
Inauguration Day will be next Monday, April 3rd, with a ceremony at the band hall at 5 pm - to attend, contact executive assistant Ellen Mackenzie by emailing executiveassistant@michipicoten.com or call 705-856-1993, extension 214.
Chapleau's getting ready for the fire season.
The Township's reminding permits are required and valid from April 1st to October 31st, and can be obtained for $23 at the Township Office or by e-transfer to payment@chapleau.ca - further details can be found on the Township's website.
Ontario's "Sunshine List" is continuing to grow.
The list documenting the salaries of Ontario public sector workers who made at least six figures in salary and taxable benefits last year neared 267,000, up about 23,000 from the previous year, with many additions in the health sector.
Once again, Ontario Power Generation dominated the provincial list, with the top three spots, including CEO Kenneth Harwick, who received over $1.73-million total.
There are some locals, including Wawa's CAO, Maury O'Neill - who saw nearly $136-thousand in combined salary and benefits - while now-retired Clerk Cathy Cyr made the list for a second year with more than $127-thousand, and Infrastructure Services Director Dan Beach made it for the first time, with more than $102-thousand total.
Also on the list is Chapleau Treasurer/Deputy Clerk Les Jones with more than $117,000 in combined salary and benefits, while Dubreuilville CAO/Clerk Shelley B. Casey made it on with nearly $116,000, joined by the town's Infrastructure Superintendent, Francis Dechamplain, with nearly $113,000.
Wawa's Lady Dunn Health Centre has sixteen names on the list - including CEO and Director of Patient Care Kadean Ogilvie with nearly $161-thousand, down from the previous year - while Chapleau Health Services has thirteen names on the list, including CEO Dawn Morissette with nearly $158-thousand.
The number of local health unit employees on the list dropped, with twenty from Algoma Public Health - including now-retired Medical Officer of Health and CEO Dr. Jennifer Loo with nearly $185-thousand and her interim replacement, Dr. John Tuinema, with nearly $300-thousand - while Public Health Sudbury and Districts has 49 on the list, including Medical Officer of Health Dr. Penny Sutcliffe with more than $373-thousand, though that's less than half of the $808-thousand reported for the prior year.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting 20 since Wednesday - fifteen in Greater Sudbury, four in the broader Sudbury District, and one in the Manitoulin District - with known "active" cases up slightly, to 132 - still one in the northern Sudbury District (which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations) - with 32 in hospital.
Chapleau Town Council's set to meet tonight.
The agenda includes resolutions for appointment to the Chapleau Public Library Board, re-issuing tender documents for the Elgin Street Sanitary Sewer Line Replacement, and issuing a purchase order for a new front-end loader refuse truck, as well as a Committee of Adjustment item about an application for a zoning by-law amendment at 49 Mink Street.
Council will also discuss Canada Day, the train museum, the drag races, nuisance pigeons, airport de-icing, and this year's budget dates.
There are also two "in-camera" items, relating to the library board and Chapleau PUC.
The meeting will be held at 6:30 pm tonight, in Civic Centre Council Chambers.
Ballots will be cast this weekend for the Michipicoten First Nation elections.
Two people are in the running for chief - current Chief Pat Tangie and Chad Edgar - with nineteen up for six councillor positions, including Edgar, as well as current councillors Irene Armstrong, Sandra Donney Fraser, Christine Lewis, Linda Peterson, and Evelyn Stone, plus Dan Beaupre, John-Paul Chalykoff, Trevor Chenier, Denise Churchill, Janet Demary, Kenna DuFresne, Jeannette Lapham, Connie O'Leary, Laura Panhuyzen, Daniel Perrault, Mitchell Simon, Jim St. Germain, and Anais Tangie.
The election will be held Saturday, March 25th, from 9 am to 8 pm at the band hall.
Local school boards have confirmed their calendar for next school year.
A joint release from the Algoma District School Board, Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon, and Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l'Ontario outlines the 194-day calendar.
Much of it is the same, as all four boards start classes Wednesday, September 6th, while the last day for classes will be June 28th, 2024 - exams for secondary students will run January 26th to February 1st and June 24th to 28th.
The Christmas break will run Monday, December 25th through Friday, January 5th, while March Break will be Monday, March 11th through Friday the 15th for the ADSB - the other boards will start on Friday, March 8th -
There's also some differences for Professional Activity Days: as ADSB staff only return September 5th rather than the 1st like the other boards, there's an ADSB only PA Day on October 27th - the four boards otherwise share PA Days on September 5th and 29th, November 10th, February 2nd, April 19th, and June 10th.
Wawa's curling rink will be busy this weekend with the return of the annual Ladies Curling Bonspiel.
The first since 2019 - even touting the same "Fantastic Force" theme that was planned for the cancelled 2020 event - organizer Amanda Huff is positive about the return of the tournament.
Huff is happy to see more events at the arena over the weekend, suggesting it can mean more people coming out for all of it.
As for the bonspiel, Huff notes there will be quite a few teams.
The costume parade begins at 7 pm tonight, with the bonspiel running all weekend.
Wawa Municipal Council's holding back-to-back meetings tonight.
First up is a Committee of the Whole meeting, which includes discussion on the 2023 capital and operating budgets, fuel price concern, and monthly reports from department heads, as well as two "in-camera" items, both personnel issues about staffing.
That'll be followed up in tonight's regular Council meeting, which includes resolutions appointing members for the Wawa Municipal Fire Advisory Committee and approving the Five-Year Tourism Plan, as well as by-laws to adopt a policy on temporary outdoor patios, and taking measures to adopt the 2023 operating budget, which was first presented to Council a month ago - it proposes a 3.8% levy increase, which is expected to mean a roughly 3.6% rise for residential taxes - combined with increasing water and wastewater rates, it's expected to mean $12.98 more per month or $156 more over the year for the average household.
The meetings will be held back-to-back, starting at 6:30 pm tonight, in Council Chambers - they'll also be livestreamed through the Municipality's YouTube channel.
