Stay up to date with what’s happening in your community.
Staff from Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources office in Chapleau are thanking the community for helping those in need.
The Chapleau MNR held its annual food drive yesterday, and organizers say they met their goal of filling up the box of a truck with donations, and raised $825 worth of Valu-Mart gift cards.
Conservation Officer Melissa Fairbairn reminds the drive is their way of giving back.
The donations go toward the Chapleau Pentecostal Church Food Bank.
The recipient has been announced for Wawa's annual Civic Achievement Award.
Mayor Melanie Pilon formally announced during last night's Council meeting that Dorothy Egan will receive the honour, touting her efforts as a volunteer.
Mayor Pilon thanked Councillors Jim Hoffmann and Cathy Cannon for reviewing the nominations and selecting Egan as the recipient - the mayor also invited everyone to an award presentation ceremony, to be held Thursday, January 8th, at 2 pm.
The Wawa Christmas Hampers are set to go out.
Hamper Fund President Richard Watson highlights some of what's included.
The hampers are set to be delivered starting at 9 am tomorrow.
The Wawa Public Library's wrapping up a week-long silent auction.
CEO and Head Librarian Sue Jarrell outlines a few ways to bid before it closes.
Jarrell notes bids will be accepted via Facebook, email, or at the library until 5 pm tonight.
Wawa Municipal Council's approved the ongoing limited predator control hunt in town for another year.
Council approved the continuation in last night's regular meeting, after Charlie Todesco outlined some details of the effort during the Committee of the Whole meeting, explaining that 2 coyotes were observed last year - one at the golf course, the other at the snow dump, the latter getting away as cold weather hampered efforts - while no wolves were observed at the designated locations, though two were killed in the area surrounding the municipality in other hunting activities.
Todesco noted there has been a "marked increase" in wolf sightings over the summer and fall - including with a pack of four observed in town - and he noted they'd received complaints in the Mission area, leading to discussion about adding a spot in that area where they could conduct the predator control hunt to address the concerns.
Mayor Melanie Pilon did ask whether the Municipality has an animal feeding by-law, with Assistant Director of Protective Services Kevin Sabourin noting there is one in place.
The by-law was passed by Council in March 2023, with Sabourin explaining at the time that it was meant to address a number of complaints and curb the presence of predators.
In place since the start of 2017, the limited predator control hunt is restricted to a select group of hunters approved by Council in their by-law and to select locations within the community, from half an hour before sunrise to no later than 9:30 in the morning within a specified season, essentially mid-November to the end of March.
A Wawa school's thanking the community for its support of a recent fundraiser.
St. Augustine French Immersion Catholic School Principal Nadine Cartledge says the bottle drive held earlier this month was "a huge success".
Cartledge thanks Wawa and surrounding area for the generosity.
Cartledge highlights some other supporters.
Wawa Municipal Council's holding its final pair of 2025 meetings tonight.
First up is a Committee of the Whole meeting, which will include a presentation about the results of the 2024-25 predator control hunt, plus discussion about monthly reports from department heads, the annual accessibility report, a report on Wawa Transit operations, the proposed budget process and schedule, and public comments on the Strategic Plan.
That'll be followed by a regular meeting of Council, including resolutions to again authorize the discharge of firearms for predator control - the Municipality's allowed a limited predator control hunt since the start of 2017 - as well as adopt the annual accessibility report, back FONOM's call for "nation-building improvements" to Highways 11 and 17, approve the choice of recipient for the Civic Achievement Award, accept a resignation from the Cemetery Committee, and push a January meeting date a day - Council will also go "in-camera" for a closed session to discuss a legal issue about an offer to purchase property.
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.
Chapleau staff of Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry are giving back to the community today with a food drive.
Conservation Officer Melissa Fairbairn says explains they're accepting donations to support families in need during the holiday season.
Fairbairn notes a modest goal.
The food drive runs from 10 this morning until 3 o'clock this afternoon, at the Chapleau Valu-Mart.
A little time remains businesses interested in competing in a local contest.
The Wawa Adult Learning Centre's reminding tomorrow is the deadline to enter their 2nd annual Wawa Window Wonderland Contest, and Digital Literacy Facilitator and Office Administrator Kaitlin Dube encourages businesses to decorate and enter.
Dube notes prizes will be awarded, with people able to vote on the entries through the centre's Facebook page, after tomorrow's deadline.
Wawa Municipal Council's meeting a day early to discuss Wawa's housing needs.
A special meeting's been called for Monday, December 15th, with the sole item on the agenda being a delegation from Charles Cirtwill - the President and CEO of the Northern Policy Institute - about the Wawa Housing Needs Assessment.
Open to the public, the meeting starts at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon, in Council Chambers, on the main level of the Municipal Building.
That's just a few hours before the Municipality's "Public Consultation Session" about the draft Wawa Housing Report, which will start at 6:30 pm, in the same location.
A regular meeting of Council will be held the following night, at 6:30 pm Tuesday, December 16th.
Wawa's struck a deal regarding administration of its "Municipal Accommodation Tax".
A joint release from the Municipality of Wawa and the Superior East Community Futures Development Corporation says they've entered into an agreement for the CFDC "to act as a third-party entity responsible for receiving and administering 50 percent of eligible [MAT] funds", with "an experienced MAT Committee [to] be formed consisting of Motel and Short-Term Accommodation operators, representatives from the tourism sector, and a municipal appointee", while the funds are "used to support tourism-related activities, marketing campaigns, and infrastructure improvements that benefit both residents and visitors".
Wawa Municipal Council approved the MAT - a 4% surcharge on stays at hotels, motels, airBnBs, and Bed and Breakfasts - in September 2024, but delayed implementation until April 2025 - per provincial rules, half of the funds go to Municipal coffers but can only be used for "tourism-related purposes", while a 3rd party entity needed to be selected for the other half.
The Superior East CFDC serves the same role for Chapleau's Municipal Accommodation Tax, as approved in September 2022.
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a fatal snowmobile collision in Goulais River.
Sault Ste. Marie OPP say they responded to the "serious" single motorized snow vehicle collision around 11:15 pm Tuesday night, with the driver - a 50-year-old from Goulais River - pronounced dead at the scene.
The OPP North East Region Traffic Incident Management and Enforcement (TIME) team are assisting with the investigation.
Local hockey players and first responders will hit the ice tonight to help those in need - and honour a popular local figure.
While the annual Chapleau Huskies versus Chapleau Emergency Services game was already scheduled to be held tonight, organizers have announced it will also serve as a memorial game, honouring U18 Huskies Coach - and Trillium French High School teacher - Dom Thibeault, who passed away on Saturday.
Attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food items or cash donations, which will be donated to the Chapleau Food Bank, on behalf of the Thibeault family.
The game runs from 7 pm to 9 pm tonight, at the Chapleau Recreation Centre.
The Wawa Public Library's putting a few items up for auction.
CEO and Head Librarian Sue Jarrell outlines a few ways to bid in the annual silent auction.
Jarrell notes bids will be accepted until 5 pm next Wednesday, December 17th.
New leadership's been chosen for the Algoma District School Board.
Trustees have elected First Nation trustee Elaine Johnston as chair, replacing Sault Ste. Marie trustee Jennifer Sarlo, who'd been chair since 2011 and will stay on as a trustee.
From Serpent River First Nation, Johnston - who has been Vice Chair the last three years - has served on a number of committees - including Audit and Finance and Operations and Budget - and is currently chair of the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Trustee Council of the Ontario Public School Board Association - she'd previously chaired the Elliot Lake Hospital Board and was Chief of the Serpent River First Nation, as well as Vice Chair of the North Shore Tribal Council.
Trustees also picked a new Vice Chair, Greg Bowman, and electrical planner for Wesdome who has been Sault Ste. Marie Ward Three trustee since 2018 - he's served on the Parent Involvement and Awards Nomination committees, chaired the Operations and Budget committee, served as the board's voting delegate and a director of the Ontario Public School Board Association, and as Northern Ontario's representative for the association's Program Education Working Group.
The roles are elected yearly, around this time of year.
A group of local passenger train advocates are holding a major meeting tonight.
The Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains is holding its annual general meeting at Sault Ste. Marie's Civic Centre from 7 to 9 tonight, with members of the Mask-wa Transportation Association Inc. Board as guest speakers, to discuss efforts for the "Bear Train" proposal for passenger train service between Sault Ste. Marie and Oba Lake, which has been supported by CAPT.
People can also attend via Zoom, but must first email linda.savory-gordon@algomau.ca
A local health unit's reminding parents to keep their kids up to date on immunizations for preventable diseases.
Noting "approximately 3800 students" in elementary and secondary schools across its region have missing or overdue vaccines according to the provincial immunization database, Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reminding parents to: check immunization records; vaccinate if necessary; and update their information with Public Health.
It warns it's starting to review immunization records for the 2025-26 school year, and - as Ontario law requires students under the age of 18 to either have up-to-date immunization records or a valid exemption in order to attend school - those without could soon be suspended until updating their records or they obtain an exemption.
After a weather-caused rescheduling, the Wawa Public Library's hosting a new session of a well-received event tonight.
Johanna Rowe will be holding a new "Coffee and Culture" event, "revisiting the history of the Michipicoten Post and its amazing legacy that we continue to celebrate to this day".
Everyone's welcome to attend the event, which starts at 6 pm tonight - coffee and tea will also be offered.
A week after poor weather postponed the event, some Wawa students will be out in the community tonight to collect bottles.
St. Augustine French Immersion Catholic School Principal Nadine Cartledge explains tonight's bottle drive.
Cartledge notes you can help with the collecting.
Assuming the weather cooperates, the bottle drive runs from 5 pm to 8 pm tonight.
With the holiday season here, residents of the Wawa area are being asked to help support the local hospital through a special one-day initiative.
Noting today is "Giving Tuesday" - a response to "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" - Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation Chair Susan Switzer outlines a few options to support the Foundation.
Switzer notes a goal for the initiative.
Coordinator Isabeau Allard says people can expect to see the Foundation out for Giving Tuesday.
Currently, the Foundation is raising funds for new hospital beds for the acute and long-term care areas.
This comes just ahead of the Foundation's holiday season Wish Campaign, which is set to launch this Friday.
