NDP could help keep the gun registry alive

Thunder Bay's MP won't be changing his position on the long gun registry.  Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton says enough votes will be coming from his party to potentially save the gun registry.  John Rafferty is not voting to keep the registry in place.  His office confirmed that he would not change his vote.

Transit negotiations continue

The Amalgamated Transit Union says negotiations are plugging along with the City.  President Charlie Brown says the city spent yesterday looking over their counter offer.  Both sides have provided each other with proposals, and another full day of negotiations is scheduled. If negotiations fail transit workers could strike as early as Friday morning.

More traffic infractions

Thunder Bay police continue to hand out tickets for a number of driving offences.  147 speeding tickets, 8 cellphone tickets, and 12 stop sign tickets were handed out.  On Monday, police also dealt with a car hitting a person and a small dog on a leash at the intersection of Balsam and Margaret Street.

Healthy living workshops this weekend

It's the fifth year for the Chamber of Commerce's Superior Living health wellness leisure expo.  This year's theme is improve your mind, body and spirit.  Chamber Spokesperson Nancy Milani says there's a need for this type of trade show.  Over 70 exhibitors are taking part in the healthy lifestyle tradeshow that runs Friday and Saturday.

New Scholarship at LU

Lakehead University will soon be offering a new scholarship for accountant students.  BDO Canada provided 80 thousand dollars for an endowment fund that will provide scholarships for students in need of financial assistance.  Dr. Bahram Dadgostar says they're happy to be able to offer the scholarship.  Successful candidates must maintain an 80 percent average and be involved in the community.

Mayoral Debate this Thursday night

Not everyone is signed up to take part in the Mayoral race debate Thursday night at the Lakehead Labour Center.  Keith Hobbs, Lynn Peterson and Frank Pullia are going to be in attendance.  Labour Council President Melanie Kelso says they're looking forward to talking about election issues.  Colin Burridge, Jeff Irwin and Brian Kwasny have not RSVP'd to the debates.

CAS unveils foster parent campaign

The push is on to get more families in the city to consider foster care. The Director of the Children's Aid Society, Rob Richardson, says it's a need that is almost always around.   He says they have children in their care that need permanent placement and those that can't be offered appropriate placement.    Richardson is hoping to attract up to 200 new foster parents.

Bike trail becomes part of national system

A new city bike trail is completed at Boulevard Lake thanks to the Trans Canada Trail Foundation.   City Park Planner Werner Schwar says the Foundation contributed over 60 thousand dollars.  The new 2 km section is now part of the Trans Canada Trail.  Cam Clark of the Trans Canada Trail Foundation  says his organization funded the trail as a way of reviving interest in the cross country system here.  

Police investigating City's third murder

The major crime police were investigating this morning was indeed the city's 3rd murder this year. Detective Sergeant Don Lewis says the incident happened at a high street residence just before 3 o'clock.  Lewis says a 25 year old man was found with injuries and was taken to the Health Sciences Building, where he was pronounced dead. Lewis says a 19 year old man has been arrested and has been charged with second degree murder.  The cause of death and the name of the deceased hasn't been released at this point.

Police make major drug bust in Strange Township

The combined forces organized crime unit has made another major drug bust in the region.  Officers searched a home in Strange Township last Wednesday and found over 300 thousand dollars in marijuana and three firearms.  One man has been arrested and will be in court in October.

City offers proposal to transit union

The city feels day one of talks with the amalgamated transit workers union went well.  City Manager Tim Commisso says they presented the union with a proposal and hope to hear back from them today.  Commisso reiterates that they are dedicated to reaching a resolution with the union and won't give up talks.  The strike deadline for the transit union is this Thursday.

Council wants Far North Act put on hold

The City of Thunder Bay is throwing its support behind a movement aimed at halting the Far North Act.  Recently area first nation groups, and northern business communities have asked the McGuinty Government to put the legislation on hold to accomodate more discussion.  Councillor Lynda Rydholm says they want to lend their support and take a stand for the smaller communities in the Northwest.  Council wants the government to withdraw the current legislation and work with first nations and Northern Ontario communities.

RV ban by-law shot down

The City of Thunder Bay won't pursue a by-law banning overnight parking of RV's at local retail stores. Councillor Ian Angus introduced the resolution, but didn't receive enough support from his fellow councillors. Councillor Robert Tuchenhagen is against the resolution. Angus is worried the overnight stays in store parking lots is taking away money from RV parks and city owned campgrounds.

Multiplex gets good and bad reviews

The Multi-plex received a mix of good and bad reviews from the Thunder Bay public.  Two reports on public consultation sessions were presented to city council last night.  Margaret Wanlin is with Northern Insights and helped conduct the poll of high school, college and university students.  Wanlin says the students wanted to make sure the facility would be bus accessible, in a good neighbourhood and have plenty of parking.  The next stage of the multiplex consultation process is a feasibility study.

Thunder Bay cyclists hit the pavement

The City of Thunder Bay loves it's bike lanes. That's the message from Active Transportation Manager Adam Krupper. Bike lanes were painted on Court street this past spring and in May alone 124 cyclists used the freshly painted lanes. In July, 709 cyclists took to the streets. That's a 67 percent increase. Krupper notes 74 percent of cyclists are men and only 26 percent are women.

Library use up since 2002

Thunder Bay's library branches are seeing an increase in usage.  Chief Libarian Gina La Force provided a report on library use for 2009 at city council last night. La Force says online and in person visits are on a steady rise.  Since 2002 library use has risen seventy percent.  La Force says their libarians and staff have answered almost 94 thousand reference questions.

Roberto learns how to save a life

City council learned first hand how to save a life last night. Councillor Aldo Roberto took part in a CPR and public defibrillator demonstration. It's part of Superior North EMS coalition project to increase survival rates from sudden cardiac death. Chief Norm Gale says they want to train the public in CPR and public access defibrillators. Gale says if bystanders can help with CPR and public access defibrillators they could save an extra six lives each year.

City's 2009 report released

The City of Thunder Bay is reviewing its key accomplishments from 2009.  City Manager Tim Commisso provided council with the 2009 annual report at Monday night's meeting.  Some of the highlights include how the city improved its economy, lifestyle, enviornment and governance.  The city generated almost 437 million dollars which is 7 million dollars less than 2008's revenue.  Meanwhile, the city spent 427 million dollars which was a 2 percent increase in 2008's expenditures.

Marlborough Street parking discussed

A Marlborough Street resident spoke his mind at City council last night. Paul Belluz is concerned about the parking on the street and the crowding around the Corpus Christi School. Belluz wants a three way stop added, and sidewalks built along both sides of the road. Belluz adds the school's "Kiss and Ride" system doesn't accomodate the 300 students attending Corpus Christi.  City administration has said council could put the sidewalks on a wish list for future construction upgrades.  Administration will study the area and report back to council at a future date.

Candidates list certified

Thunder Bay's returning officer is busy at work getting ready for the upcoming municipal election. The candidates list for council, mayor and school boards has been certified. John Hannam says they're getting their voting sites ready. Hannam says there are fifty candidates running in the municipal election for mayor and council.

Culture Plan Open House

The City of Thunder Bay is still working on its culture plan.  A series of open houses were held earlier in the year and another is set for September 23rd.  Spokesperson Leah Bailey says the plan is taking shape and is set to be completed in the new year.  Bailey adds they're going to showcase their work during "culture days" which will be held the weekend of the 24th to 26th.

Police pull missing man's body from lake

The body of a Duluth man has been pulled from the waters of McAree Lake in Quetico Provincial Park. Rainy River OPP had been searching for Darrell Cellers who had gone missing in the area since September 9th. Investigation revealed that Cellers had been travelling through the park when hs canoe overtuned during windy conditions. A post mortem exam proved Cellers drowned.

Thunderwolves finalize 10-11 roster

The LU Thunderwolves hockey team has finalized its roster for the upcoming season. The T-Wolves will carry 24 players including 14 forwards, 7 defence men and 3 goalies. 13 players are from Northern Ontario, 9 of those are from Thunder Bay. The home opener is set for October first when the University of Ottawa Gee Gees visit for a two game series.

Only one acclaimation in Shuniah

The election list is official in the Township of Shuniah. The community has certified it's list of 7 candidates. That includes two candidates for Reeve and 5 ward candidates. Alana Bishop will get to represent Ward 2 because she is the only candidate to register and is therefore acclaimed.

Gillies council all acclaimed

Residents of Gillies Township won't have to worry about going to the polls on October 25th. The certified election list shows all council candidates, including Reeve Rick Kieri have been acclaimed.

Chamber and NAN to protest together

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation will be shoulder to shoulder this week. Chamber President Harold Wilson says they'll be protesting at Queens Park together against the Far North Act. Wilson says joining forces with NAN shows the north is united against a piece of legislation that is detrimental to the region. The protest will take place on Thursday.

Four survive plane crash

4-people from Red Lake walked away from a plane crash about 27-miles east of Pickle Lake. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre reported that the aircraft went down in the bush last Friday afternoon.  OPP say the plane stopped at the Pickle Lake Airport to fuel before heading to Kashchewan.   However, shortly after take-off the pilot experienced engine trouble and was forced to put the aircraft down. Two of the four occupants of the Northern Water Works Sales and Consulting plane were treated for minor injuries.

PC's take on Libs on Far North Act

The provincial Conservatives are bashing the McGuinty Liberals for the way they are handling the Far North Act. The act is expected to be passed this week. PC Northern Development Critic Randy Hillier says the fact the government cancelled public hearings shows they aren't listening. He says the Liberals are ramming the new law through.

Police investigating sudden death in Cat Lake

The OPP are investigating after a man died in police custody in Cat Lake. Officers were called to the community nursing station Thursday night and were confronted by Romeo Wesley. The officers got into a struggle with the man before arresting him. Shortly after he was arrested Wesley was pronounced dead.

Hotel-condo land size reduced

The waterfront land that is being sold for a condo and hotel development is now smaller. Waterfront Manager Katherine Dugmore says the 2.65 acre parcel has been reduced by about half an acre because the larger area wasn't required for the projects. Dugmore says the financial hit will be minimal and that the loss could be recovered during site preparation.

Bear killed by police

Thunder Bay police were forced to kill a bear Saturday night at a Ridgeway Street address.  The bear was found in the back yard of a residence.  Police had to shoot the bear when it became dangerous.

City to meet with transit workers tomorrow

Representatives from the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union 966 and the city will sit down Monday for the first time since the union's August 29th strike vote.


The union, which represents the city's transit workers, has voted 96% in favour of strike action. The earliest the union can legally strike or take other job action is September 17th— a deadline that is fast approaching.


Union president Charlie Brown says he hopes the two sides can have a productive meeting.

Local firefighters remember World Trade Center

This morning, local firefighters took a moment to remember fire and rescue     workers  who lost their lives responding to the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

Thunder Bay firefighters lowered station flags to half mast, dressed themselves in full gear, and brought out a truck with it's emergency lights on. 

Dave Grant of  Thunder Bay Fire Rescue says the same memorial gesture was performed at fire stations across Canada and the U.S.

Last minute candidates enter election

Nominations are now closed for the October 25th municipal election. City Clerk John Hannam says the next move is to make the list official. Some highlights from the last minute include a sixth candidate for Mayor, Colin Burridge, and one withdrawal, Sargon Khubyar from Northwood. Also added Friday were Laury Alexander in Red River Ward, Robin Rickards in McKellar, former councillor Bill Scollie in Neebing, Frank Armiento in Northwood along with Chris Watkins in McIntyre and Tyler Woods in the At-Large category.

Tainted burgers not in Thunder Bay

The Health Unit is letting people know that there have been no cases of e-coli found in hamburgers sold in Thunder Bay.  The Ministry of Health is reporting four cases of e-coli found in Leadbetters Cowboy beef burgers.  The local health unit has been contacting food vendors about this product, and it has not yet been identified in local food stores.

There will be a Tighe in Shuniah race

There is now a race for Reeve in Shuniah Township. Retired business person Peter Tighe is going up against incumbent Maria Harding. Tighe believes it's time for a change. Tighe says he wants to work with all levels of government to promote Shuniah.

Jobless rate in City increase

Thunder Bay's unemployment rate saw a big jump last month. Our rate went from July's 5.7 percent to 6.6 in August. It still puts us well below the national average which rose to 8.1 percent last month, up from July's 8 percent.

Union rallies prior to talks

Striking medical school workers at Lakehead University are looking forward to next week. That's when bargaining continues to resolve their labour dispute. Union boss Yuk-Sem Won tried to rally the members today with reminders of why they are on strike and to stay united.  The union is upset the talks were held up for two weeks.

Specialist skills at high school

More Thunder Bay high school students will get a career edge with the expansion of the Specialist High Skills Majors program. Minister of Northern Development Michael Gravelle announced the expansion of the program on Friday. The secondary program helps students earn credits towards their high school diploma, gain sector certifications and gives hands on work experience. Superior Collegiate, St. Ignatius and St. Patrick High School are offering the new specialized courses in aviation and aerospace, arts and culture, health and wellness and transportation.

Caribou Ride for Northern Cancer Fund

380 cyclists will be taking part in the second annual Caribou Charity Ride on Sunday. The fundraiser is in support of the Northern Cancer Fund. 100 km route participants start the day at 9:30 at the Norwester Best Western, while 50 km route bikers start an hour later.

Sioux Lookout has youth hostel

The Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority officialy opened the doors to its new Hostel on Friday. The Hostel is spacious, modern and celebrates local First Nations culture and traditions. The 2-storey, 38-thousand square foot facility holds 100-beds, food services, a family lounge, games area and children's play area. Planning for the 14-million dollar Hostel began in June 2004 and Health Canada provided 10-million in funding.

Solar project for Pikangikum

The Provincial Government is spending nearly 22-thousand dollars to help two Northwestern Ontario camps go solar.  The Pikangikum First Nation's Whitefeather Waters Tourism Association is developing solar powered systems at the fishing and hunting camps.  The project includes installing solar panels, storage batteries and water pumps.  The move will modernize operations and reduce costs.

Highway upgrades announced

Another tender has been awarded for the upgrades being made to the Trans Canada highway.  Pioneer Construction won the 5.9 million dollar contract.  A section of Highway 11 east of Longlac will be paved.  40 jobs will be created through this project.

Housing starts up in Thunder Bay

Single detached housing starts are up in Thunder Bay. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation is reporting 35 units being built in August, up from twenty starts in August of 2009. Single family home starts were almost evenly split between McIntyre, Neebing and Red River wards. Meanwhile, the price of new homes fell 1.9 percent between June and July.

Go Green this weekend

Earthwise Thunder Bay wants you to go "green".  The first ever "Go Green" expo is being held this weekend.  Chair Ruth Cook says they'll be offering a number of environmentally friendly workshops.  Cook says they'll also hold an exhibit featuring local green companies.

Multiplex process rolls on

Over 800 people had their say when it came to the proposed Multiplex. The input from a series of preliminary consultation sessions on the multiplex will be presented to council Monday night. Most people polled were worried about the cost of the project and how many activities could be held in the centre. The next stage of the multiplex consultation process is a feasibility study.

Bike lanes popular

The City of Thunder Bay loves it's bike lanes. That's the message from Active Transportation Manager Adam Krupper. Krupper says they have hard facts proving the success of the new bike lanes. Krupper will be making a presentation to council Monday night.

Library use up

Things are moving along at the construction site of the Mary J.L Black Library.  That's part of a 2009 review on Thunder Bay's libraries that will be provided to city council on Monday.  Chief Librarian Gina La Force says they have positive news to pass on to council.  User rates are up once again at all library braches.  La Force notes 2010 is looking positive for the library as well.

OPP searching for missing man in Quetico Provincial Park

OPP are looking for a missing man in Quetico Provincial Park. Police say they received an emergency GPS locator beacon yesterday afternoon and have been searching McAree Lake for the man. The OPP's underwater search and recovery team has been called in.

Special Olympics get support

Local organizers of this winter's Special Olympics are over half-way to their 800 thousand dollar fundraising goal. Chairman J-P Levesque says they are working on added support for the games. The latest donation is 75 hundred dollars from Molson Brewery.