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A Wawa firefighter's been promoted.
In their meeting this week, Wawa Municipal Council formally approved the appointment of Dustin Knee as a captain of the Wawa Volunteer Fire Department, filling a vacancy.
Council also approved the appointment of former municipal employee Rebecca Smit to the Wawa Cemetery Committee, also filling a vacancy.
Advance voting starts today, as Ontario's Election Day is just one week away.
Elections Ontario shows a number of advanced poll locations in the region, all depending on where you're eligible to vote: for Wawa, it's the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre; for Chapleau, the Municipal Office; for Dubreuilville, the Municipal Complex; and for White River, the Mountain View Complex - it's best to check where your advance poll is at elections.on.ca.
Polls are open from 10 am to 8 pm today, tomorrow, and Saturday.
There's still time to apply to vote by mail, as well, though the application deadline is 6 pm Friday, February 21st, and your completed voting kit must be received by Elections Ontario by 6 pm on the February 27th Election Day in order to be counted.
There are six candidates running in the Algoma-Manitoulin riding: project manager and community advocate Maria Legault for the Greens; four-term MPP Michael Mantha's running as an Independent; former Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe's running for the Liberals; Chapleau resident Sheldon Pressey for the New Blue Party; Thessalon Mayor Bill Rosenberg for the PCs; and Elliot Lake volunteer firefighter and paramedic David Timeriski for the NDP.
Wawa Municipal Council's given tentative approval for accessible playground equipment at the Upper Mission Park.
Following on discussions in previous meetings - particularly the February 4th Corporate Planning Committee meeting - Council was told there were over 300 signatures to a letter and subsequent petition in favour of "reinstating" the park - Mayor Melanie Pilon also read three letters on the issue, which emphasized the Municipality's obligation to maintain levels of service, pointed out some safety concerns regarding the Marina Park, and highlighted the benefits for tourism and resident attraction and retention - the letter writers were also given an opportunity to speak, reiterating their key points and saying they're open to work with Council and different options, but want a commitment to the park's future, also noting it is included within MPAC's property assessments.
Community Services and Tourism Director Alex Patterson then delivered a Council-requested report on the park, noting there's no single standard regarding number of parks per population - though Wawa is in the "high average" for parkland and number of parks per capita compared to nearby communities - but it also highlighted a lack of an "accessible" park and that residents may be willing to travel to one, if available, breaking down a wheelchair accessible option or a "sensory" focused option that would fit the $50,000 budget previously proposed, particularly as some local businesses have offered to donate aggregate to help, and emphasized a willingness to work with residents on "value-added" items outside of the playground equipment.
In the end, Council was asked to consider a resolution which agreed to include the project as "subject to funding" - whether by grant or a donation - in the 2025 budget and - if that is not successful this year - to "consider" it in deliberations for the 2026 budget.
Councillor Cathy Cannon - who'd previously emphasized she was "never against the park", just wanted to follow due diligence and was concerned about the cost for the Municipality - raised issues with the latter stipulation, seeking to have it removed, something backed by Councillor Mitch Hatfield, but that was voted down by Councillors Jim Hoffmann and Joe Opato and Mayor Melanie Pilon - a subsequent recorded vote saw the resolution passed along the same lines, with Cannon and Hatfield opposed and Hoffmann, Opato, and Pilon in favour.
Treasurer Manuela Batovanja had recommended earlier in their meetings that Council approve the 2025 operating and capital budgets in their next meeting - on March 4th - but not the rest of the 4-year plan outlined, instead discussing those further in meetings over the year.
The executive director of the National Council of Indigenous Midwives will carry the NDP banner for a local riding in the next federal election.
Canada's NDP has announced Laura Mayer as their candidate for Sault Ste. Marie-Algoma, the revised riding that will include the namesake city as well as the Highway 17 corridor, including Wawa, Dubreuilville, White River, and the north shore of Lake Huron to Elliot Lake.
Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing NDP MP Carol Hughes - who represents part of the future riding - has already said she isn't running for re-election after about seventeen years as MP.
Aside from serving with the National Council of Indigenous Midwives, Mayer is described as "a dedicated leader and proud Anishinaabekwe from Mississauga First Nation, committed to strengthening Indigenous governance, advancing community-led solutions, and fighting for policies that uplift working people", who graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School and is in her second term as a councillor for Mississauga First Nation - she's quoted as saying a key priority is health care accessibility, vowing to "fight to expand health care services in the North and ensure no-one is left behind".
Straight off the Family Day weekend, Wawa Municipal Council's holding a pair of meetings tonight.
First up is a Committee of the Whole meeting, which will include further discussion about calls to "reinstate" Upper Mission Park, as well as the 2025 operating and capital budgets, the Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee's request for an extended season at the Tourist Information Centre, the rezoning of commercial properties, and monthly reports from department heads.
That'll be followed by a regular meeting of Council, including resolutions to designate an area for victims and survivors of crime, appoint a member of the Wawa Cemetery Committee, approve a staff recommendation to purchase a 2010 Ford F-750, appoint a new Wawa Volunteer Fire Department captain, and approve the staff recommendation for accessible playground equipment at Upper Mission Park.
The meetings are set to be held back-to-back, starting at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers - they'll also be livestreamed through the Municipality's YouTube channel.
A local health unit's warning of "increasing cases and outbreaks of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness".
Public Health Sudbury and Districts - whose coverage area includes Chapleau - notes higher levels of sickness reported for influenza and "enteric illness" in child care settings, long-term care, retirement homes, and the broader community, saying it's "likely due to norovirus", though the health unit also warns respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 and RSV also continue to circulate.
It's urging precautions such as staying home and self-isolating if sick, waiting for fever & symptoms to improve for 24 hours - 48 hours with gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea - wearing well-fitted mask if you must go out for testing/medical care, and to cover coughs or sneezes, thoroughly wash hands often, use alcohol-based hand rub if handwashing not pushing, and consider masking up in crowded indoor public settings even when not sick.
P-H-S-D further recommends keeping vaccinations up to date for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.
Chapleau Town Council's holding a special open meeting tonight - as they undergo a training session on conflicts of interest and more.
The Township says Mayor Ryan Bignucolo gave "consent to this open meeting based on the provision of a legal opinion on Conflict of Interest and Training", with tonight's agenda noting Council will hear from John Hart of Ritchie Ketcheson Hart & Biggart LLP about the role of Council, mayor, and staff, as well as what is conflict of interest, who declares a conflict, how to avoid a conflict in bidding processes, and "what about subcontractors" while Integrity Commissioner Antoinette Blunt will discuss how Council provides direction to staff.
Open to the public, the meeting will be held at 6:30 pm tonight in the Civic Centre Boardroom.
Festivities are ramping up for Chapleau's "Taste of the North" Winter Carnival.
While carnival skating and the school broomball tournament were held earlier this week, more events are happening today, including more carnival skating, senior's cards and dinner at the Legion, a businesses and organization bonspiel hosted by the Chapleau Curling Club, and the Chapleau Arctic Watershed Snowmobile Club Annual Torch Light Parade at 6 tonight, followed by the lighting of the carnival bonfire at the Recreation Centre, then a mini 4-on-4 hockey tournament.
Events will continue through Sunday, including the carnival curling bonspiel and hockey tournament, and magic show Friday night.
A full schedule of events is available through the carnival's Facebook page.
Chapleau's Club Maria Chapdelaine is preparing for a "Cultural Day" early next month.
Sylvie L. Rousseau explains the purpose of the event.
Rousseau outlines how it works.
Rousseau says a "wide big range of people" are interested.
The Cultural Day will be held Saturday, March 1st from 11 am to 4 pm at the Community Hall.
A couple local school boards are adjusting their PD Day schedule, due to the provincial election.
The Algoma and Huron-Superior Catholic district school boards have announced that Election Day - Thursday, February 27th - will be a Professional Development Day, so students will not attend school that day, though they will return for classes on Friday the 28th before heading into the weekend.
To make this possible, the English public and English Catholic boards have cut the PD Day scheduled for March 28th, so students will have a regular school day then.
Time is running out to provide input on the Municipality of Wawa's proposed operating budget.
Presented to Council early this month, the draft document proposes a 4% tax levy increase plus a 2% capital levy, which Treasurer Manuela Batovanja emphasizes is intended only for capital projects.
Batovanja outlines the increase in tax bills expected.
Batovanja notes increasing operational costs and necessary capital work will also mean a rise for water and sewer services.
The full budget presentation can be viewed on the Municipality's YouTube channel, or the municipal website, wawa.cc - input will be accepted until tomorrow, with plans for the budget to come up for a vote in the next Council meeting next Tuesday, February 18th.
Chapleau Town Council won't be meeting tonight.
The regular Council meeting that was scheduled for tonight has been cancelled, with Council now set to next meet in two weeks, on Monday, February 24th.
No explanation's been given for the cancellation.
Wawa Municipal Council's considering a request from residents of the Upper Mission to "reinstate" the Upper Mission Park.
A group of residents from the Michipicoten River Village attended last night's Corporate Planning Committee meeting, with Becca Smit outlining their request for the return of playground equipment, at minimum, but also putting forward a proposal tor further revitalize the spot, adding not just accessible play equipment, but also an outdoor seating area with pavilion, a mix of raised and accessible community garden beds, a volleyball court, and a gravel area that could have picnic tables in the summer or potentially be turned into an outdoor skating rink in the winter.
This comes after municipal staff proposed adding Upper Mission Park to this year's capital budget - putting it as "subject to funding" this year, seeking a $50,000 grant, and if unsuccessful, take that much from reserves next year - something which was questioned by some Councillors, with Councillor Cathy Cannon - herself a Mission resident - questioning the need for it, given the new park at the marina - councillors also raised questions about the cost, whether the municipality could afford to put money toward such a cause and whether that amount would be enough, anyway.
In her presentation, Smit emphasized that it would be an investment in tourism and park user safety - noting some concerns about the location of the marina park - but it would also be maintaining existing levels of service for the municipality, suggesting that - were the funding available for restoring a park, it would have gone to the Upper Mission rather than the marina, which was upgraded due to private funding exclusively for that purpose - this led to continued back-and-forth between Cannon and Smit, with Cannon seeking data to back up the case for the Upper Mission Park and questioning whether the residents had attempted fundraising, with Smit responding that this is about the Municipality fulfilling its duty to residents, maintaining one of its parks and existing levels of service.
Acting Mayor Jim Hoffmann cut off the discussion, assuring that Council would consider the request and seek a staff report on the proposed project, then make a determination at a future date.
Public input is currently being accepted on the proposed 2025 operating - and capital - budget until February 12th, expected to be brought to Council for a vote the following Tuesday, February 18th.
Wawa Municipal Council's holding a pair of meetings tonight.
First up is a Committee of the Whole meeting, which will include a delegation from residents of the Upper Mission on Upper Mission Park - which has been discussed in multiple recent meetings, with Councillor Cathy Cannon questioning the need for it, given the new park at the marina - followed by discussion on the marina divestiture, an airport capital purchase, the purchase of a long stick excavator, the Community Improvement Plan financial incentive, and designating a portion of Lion's Beach for victims and survivors of crime.
That'll be followed by a regular meeting of Council, including a resolution to accept a resignation from the Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee, and by-laws for agreements for the marina divestiture, as well as adopting a new Municipal Alcohol Policy.
The meetings are set to be held back-to-back, starting at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers - they'll also be livestreamed through the Municipality's YouTube channel.
A local health unit's warning parents to keep their kids up to date on immunizations for preventable diseases.
Algoma Public Health says it has reviewed records for all students under the age of 18 attending school in the Algoma district, and will be sending out letters to parents and guardians in Algoma whose child does not have up-to-date immunization records, either because they haven't received an update or because they're overdue for one or more vaccines.
Ontario law requires youth under age 18 to have received certain vaccines or have a valid exemption on file or be suspended up to 20 days, which would continue to happen if the information's not received.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts issued a similar warning last month, noting over 6200 students in its region had overdue vaccinations, per records.
Local New Democrats will choose their representative in the ongoing provincial election tonight.
The Algoma-Manitoulin Ontario NDP Riding Association says they're holding a contested Candidate Nomination Meeting, with two potential candidates: Laura Owl, a member of the Sagamok Anishnawbek with an undergraduate degree in Psychology, and a Masters in Management, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship; and David Timeriski, an Elliot Lake resident who's been a volunteer firefighter, paramedic, and handi-lift transit bus driver.
Whoever is chosen will replace incumbent MPP Michael Mantha as the NDP candidate, as Mantha was removed from the party caucus in April 2023 - he is running for re-election as an independent, while former Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe is running for the Liberals, and Thessalon Mayor Bill Rosenberg's running for the PCs - other candidates have yet to be announced, with the filing deadline 2 pm February 13th.
The ONDP nomination meeting will be held via Zoom at 7 tonight.
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's visiting the Sault today.
Singh's itinerary includes a stop in Sault Ste. Marie along with Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske and United Steelworkers National Director Marty Warren to speak about "fighting for Canadian jobs".
He's also visiting the steel mill, holding a call with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, and attending a meet-and-greet at the airport around 2:30 this afternoon.
Chapleau's airport was top-of-mind for Chapleau Town Council earlier this week.
Mayor Ryan Bignucolo notes Council discussed the Chapleau Airport Facilities Assessment in their regular meeting.
Mayor Bignucolo says Council also gave the go-ahead for the Gold Rush Nationals Drag Race to return to the airport.
While a first edition of the "Gold Rush Nationals Drag Race" was held in 2019, it hasn't been held since - the last attempt was in 2023, but it was cancelled just a month before it was to be held, amid a "devastatingly strong" wildfire season, which is also why the event has been moved to the third weekend of August, in hopes to avoid that.
Wawa seniors are being offered a chance to have a bite to eat and learn about an important topic next week.
The Wawa Goose Seniors Centre is hosting its monthly Lunch and Learn next Thursday, February 6th, starting at 11:30 am, this time featuring Jessie Labonte as guest speaker, to talk about the Age Friendly Committee - it also offers pizza, coffee or tea, and dessert, sponsored by the Wawa Pharmacy.
Tickets must be purchased by Monday, February 3rd, at the Wawa Goose Seniors Centre.
Chapleau Town Council's approved increases to some key rates.
Mayor Ryan Bignucolo says Council approved the across-the-board changes for water and sewage services and refuse collection in their meeting this week - though he notes they're far less than recommended by staff.
Mayor Bignucolo explains the decision stems from concern for residents.
Mayor Bignucolo notes Council also agreed to adjust cemetery service fees.
As the 2025 budget isn't finalized, it's not known how tax rates may change.
