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Time's running out for Wawa residents to have their say on a "refresh" of the Municipality's Strategic Plan.
CAO/Clerk Maury O'Neill explains everyone's encouraged to participate in the process.
O'Neill notes there are a few options.
The survey's open until next Friday, June 23rd, with O'Neill expecting the "engagement process" on the Strategic Plan to end with a draft report in August, leading to adoption of the updated plan in September.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting just one since Monday - in the eastern Sudbury District - with known "active" cases dropping slightly, to fifteen, including three in hospital.
The neighbouring Porcupine Health Unit appears to show a jump of 27 cases, though it doesn't show any currently in hospital.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit's only reporting eight over the last week - down from the previous - though the number in hospital is up slightly, to six.
A local mine's marking a major milestone.
Argonaut Gold says its Magino Mine achieved its first gold pour yesterday, adding that "process plant ramp-up remains on schedule with commercial production expected in the third quarter" of the year.
Located near Dubreuilville, Magino is Argonaut's first Canadian operation, intended to lead the company into being a "low-cost, mid-tier North America gold producer", as it's expected to produce 72,000 to 81,000 ounces of gold this year before reaching 148,000 ounces in 2024, its first full year of production.
Argonaut is also "pursuing growth opportunities", with a twelve to fifteen month exploration and reserve development program set to begin at Magino in the third quarter, to convert open pit resources to reserves within the current resource pit cone, as well as test deep underground high-grade targets and open pit targets along strike west of the current deposit, while it reviews "mill optimization and expansion opportunities" to potentially raise throughput rates and increase annual production.
Forest fire activity was fairly quiet across Northern Ontario Wednesday.
Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's showing no new fires in the Northeast, though there were 24 still "active", including the "Wawa 3" or "Depew Fire" east of White River being held at 6678.1 hectares in size - south of Trent Lake and Round Lake, and five kilometres northwest of Duffy Lake - while the "Chapleau 3" fire east of Chapleau remains 3916 hectares in size, located two kilometres south of October Lake and 2.5 kilometres west of Vichaw Lake - though it's still listed as "not under control", the Ministry notes minimal fire activity over the past couple days, and the blaze has not grown in size for a few days.
Implementation orders restricting travel near those fires still remain in place.
The Northwest saw three fires over the last day, leaving it with 39 "active", eleven "not under control".
The fire hazard is low for most of the Northeast, rising to moderate or even high for some areas between Marathon, Hearst, and Smooth Rock Falls, going north, while the Northwest is predominantly high with some areas of moderate hazard.
Despite the improved weather and progress on some fires, the Restricted Fire Zone implemented by the province remains in force for the entire fire region of Ontario, suspending burning permits and banning all open air burning.
Chapleau's found a temporary top administrator.
Mayor Ryan Bignucolo says Council's approved plans for a fill-in Chief Administrative Officer.
Mayor Bignucolo says he can't announce the name quite yet, but plans to do so soon.
The Township launched a search for a new CAO last month, to replace the outgoing Denis Duguay, who was hired in late September after a nearly eight month search for someone to fill the role - the Township had spent much of the preceding two years searching, with Duguay's predecessor serving roughly three months, from October 2021 until the end of January 2022, after a search that was started in October 2020.
Highway 101 remains closed between Wawa and Chapleau after a culvert collapse.
While 101 closed between Highway 651 - the Missinabie turnoff - and Highway 129 - at Chapleau - shortly before 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, Ontario's Ministry of Transportation says work to repair the culvert damaged by the washout at Highbrush Lake began Wednesday, though it has not given a completion timeline for the emergency roadwork.
Superior East OPP suggested Tuesday night that the closure could last "a few days".
The Algoma District School Board's approved a balanced budget for 2023-24.
In their final meeting of the current school year, trustees approved the $192,376,978 - an increase of more than $9.6-million from the previous year - with the board saying it reflects the needs of the system, including supports for the well-being of students and staff, per the Board's strategic priorities.
It includes continued commitments to supports for Instructional Leadership and the Board Improvement plan objectives of Well-Being, Achievement, and Engagement, plus supports for Special Education and Mental Health Programming, capital improvements in schools and upgrade of shop equipment, access to technology, and English Language Learner supports, plus enhancements to Early Years resources, equity and well-being supports, Indigenous Graduation Coaches, enhancements to and promotion of trades, program expansion for speciality and learning recovery programs, targeted supports for students, special education classes, counsellor resources, and re-engagement coaches, mental health resources, classroom resources for literacy and reading, and upgrades to servers, devices, and cybersecurity software.
The board also says staff are awaiting additional special project funding announcements and September 2023 enrolment figures, both of which could result in enhancements for the budget.
Highway 101 remains closed between Wawa and Chapleau due to a washout.
511 announced the closure shortly before 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, initially saying 101's closed in both directions from the Highway 651 - the Missinabie turnoff - to Highway 129 - at Chapleau - due to "maintenance operations", then "emergency roadwork".
Superior East OPP blamed a washout at Highbrush Lake - adding it's "expected to be an extended closure, lasting a few days, as crews work to repair the damage" - with the Ministry of Transportation confirming a culvert collapse is behind the closure, though repair work's only starting today as MTO staff and maintenance contractors were still assessing the site, and a completion timeline isn't expected until later today.
Pictures of the problem show the road heavily damaged on one side of the road, with cracks extending across.
Hydro One's taken over day-to-day operations for Chapleau Hydro, amid staffing shortages.
A joint release explains the move happened yesterday, with the Ontario Energy Board issuing Hydro One an interim licence to operate Chapleau Hydro's distribution business for the next six months, during which time Chapleau Hydro and the Township of Chapleau will "evaluate longer term options to continue to provide excellent electricity distribution services in Chapleau", expecting a "permanent solution ready to put in place at the end of this interim period" - Chapleau Hydro is noted to be "one of the smallest utilities in the province and, due to its size, it is challenged with balancing the ongoing regulatory requirements, attracting and retaining staff, and the need to make investments in the distribution system", so the Township is looking at the option of selling the distribution business "to ensure customers continue to receive excellent electricity distribution services"..
They emphasize no changes are expected for customers for now - noting Hydro One already services communities and businesses on the outskirts of Chapleau - with Chapleau Hydro still producing the electricity bill under current rates, while any service requests, billing inquiries, or outage reports are still directed to Chapleau Hydro at 705-864-0111.
Two people are facing charges after a drug bust in Chapleau.
Nishnawbe Aski Police say their Drug Enforcement Unit and the Ontario Provincial Police executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant last Wednesday, seizing a large quantity of drugs suspected to be methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and buprenorphine, as well as Canadian currency.
A 42-year-old from Chapleau and a 43-year-old from Fox Lake First Nation are each charged with seven counts of possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking and another count of possession of property obtained by crime under $5000 - they were subsequently remanded into custody, set to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Timmins.
Chapleau's Gold Rush Nationals Drag Race is staying off the track this year.
While preparations had been ramping up for the second annual event to be held July 14th to 16th - online ticket sales started last Thursday - the drag race committee and Luskville Speedway have announced it's cancelled just a month before it was to be held, promising all purchased tickets will be refunded and the event is scheduled to return next year, from August 16th to 18th, 2024.
They're citing the "devastatingly strong" wildfire season in Northern Ontario - which is expected to remain that way until the end of summer - which means the event's intended venue, the Chapleau airport, must instead be available and service uninterrupted since it's a central location for fire protection and a source of fire-retardant foam.
Mayor Ryan Bignucolo expresses understanding disappointment with the news.
Bignucolo expresses optimism for next year, noting - as the Committee also does - that airstrip repairs and concrete pad preparation are planned for when the airport has more availability, and encouraging people to look forward to the 2024 races as he does.
A Chapleau student's being honoured for commitment to her studies and school life.
Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon says Ecole secondaire catholique Trillium Grade 12 student Evangéline Barsalou "stands out as a determined and dedicated student...highly motivated and consistently invested a great deal of effort into maintaining her high academic performance while remaining humble about her achievements and successes", including showing "excellent leadership and interpersonal skills", taking part in volleyball and e-learning - which she has "mastered to perfection" - and recently took part in the Rotary Club's "Rediscovering Citizenship" initiative in Ottawa.
Barsalou's set to pursue studies in social sciences at the University of Toronto next year.
More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the region.
Algoma Public Health's reporting sixteen new cases over the last week, a jump from the previous week - nine in the Sault Ste. Marie area, six in the Elliot Lake area, and one in Central and East Algoma - doubling known "high risk active" to ten, with two in hospital, one in an ICU.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts reported no new cases since Friday, with known "active" cases dropping from 44 to sixteen, including seven in hospital, one in an ICU.
Highway 101 remains closed between Wawa and Chapleau due to a washout.
511 announced the closure shortly before 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon - initially saying 101's closed in both directions from the Highway 651 turnoff to Hawk Junction to Highway 129 at Chapleau due to "maintenance operations", then "emergency roadwork" - though Superior East OPP say it's because of a washout at Highbrush Lake, adding it's "expected to be an extended closure, lasting a few days, as crews work to repair the damage".
Pictures of the problem show the road heavily damaged on one side of the road, with cracks extending across.
Highway 101's closed between Wawa and Chapleau due to a washout.
While 511 only says 101's closed in both directions from the Highway 651 turnoff to Hawk Junction to Highway 129 at Chapleau due to "emergency roadwork", Superior East OPP explain it's because of a washout at Highbrush Lake, adding it's "expected to be an extended closure, lasting a few days, as crews work to repair the damage".
Pictures of the problem show the road heavily damaged on one side of the road, with cracks extending across.
Charges have been laid over a pair of incidents in Wawa.
Superior East Ontario Provincial Police say they were notified of a break-and-enter to a Third Avenue residence late Friday morning, leading to the arrest of a 67-year-old Wawa resident on a charge of break, enter a dwelling house.
He was released from custody with a July court date, but - shortly before 6 Saturday night - officers on general patrol on Broadway Avenue observed him breaching release conditions, leading to his arrest on charges of obstruct peace officer and failure to comply with release order.
The accused has been remanded into custody, pending a bail hearing.
Highway 101's closed between Wawa and Chapleau for maintenance work.
511 says 101's closed in both directions from the Highway 651 turnoff to Hawk Junction, to Highway 129 at Chapleau for what was initially showing as "maintenance operations" and is now listed as "emergency roadwork".
There is no estimated time for when 101 will reopen.
Highway 101's closed between Wawa and Chapleau for maintenance work.
511 says 101's closed in both directions from the Highway 651 turnoff to Hawk Junction, to Highway 129 at Chapleau for unspecified "maintenance operations".
There is no estimated time for when 101 will reopen.
The cool, wet weather helped temper forest fire activity in the Northeast.
Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's reporting there were no new fires reported Monday, but there were still 28 "active", including the "Wawa 2" - or "Crocker Lake" - fire under control west of White River at 105 hectares in size, the "Wawa 3" - or "Depew" - fire east of White River now being held at 6678.1 hectares in size, and three fires in the Chapleau district, all considered "not yet under control": "Chapleau 3" southeast of town at 3916.9 hectares in size; "Chapleau 6" northwest of town at 1229 hectares in size; and "Chapleau 4" far to the northeast is 4 hectares in size.
There are still implementation orders restricting travel in the area of "Wawa 3" and "Chapleau 3", the latter including parts of the Dore Road - or Foleyet Timber Road - as well as the Jerome and Mallard roads, north of the Sultan Industrial Road.
The fire hazard is low locally, with some medium, high, even extreme hazard further north, while Northwestern Ontario - which had 40 "active" fires as of late Monday, with six fires reported that day - was predominantly high to extreme hazard, with moderate to the east.
A Restricted Fire Zone remains in place for the entire fire region of Ontario, banning open air burning and suspending burning permits.
Anglers, volunteers, and anyone interested is being encouraged to attend a major meeting later this month.
The Wawa Ice Fishing Derby's annual general meeting will be held at 7 pm Thursday, June 22nd, at the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre - organizers emphasize everyone's welcome to "come be a part of the largest ice fishing derby in Northern Ontario".
