2025 – It’s a beautiful morning in Kenora and the Lake of the Woods region with skies mostly clear and the kind of forecast that could convince you summer has arrived early temperatures are sitting comfortably at 11.8°C Expect the mercury to soar to a sizzling high of 27°C this afternoon—ideal for a lakeside walk or the season’s first ice cream cone Winds are currently out of the south-southeast at 15 km/h but will shift southwest and pick up speed reaching 20 km/h and gusting up to 40 km/h as the day unfolds Visibility is a crystal-clear 32 km—perfect for soaking in those scenic views Barometric pressure is steady at 101.4 kPa and rising Winds from the south at 20 km/h will calm down late this evening giving us a peaceful night under the stars If you’ve been holding out for that first patio dinner brings a bit more of a springtime attitude check with a 30% chance of showers during the morning and early afternoon Don’t worry too much—sunshine returns later in the day and winds will shift dramatically to the northeast at 20 km/h You’ll definitely notice the difference in feel Tuesday night cools off considerably with a clear sky and a low of just +3°C—quite the contrast from Monday’s almost summer-like sizzle promises full-on sunshine with a high of 18°C and a calm evening low of 7°C It’s a classic northern Ontario spring combo—cool mornings Thursday looks to hold onto that calm and sunny trend as well The historical high for May 5 in Kenora was a sweltering 29.6°C set in 1987 while the record low chills at -6.1°C back in 1967 we’re brushing right up against the warmest this date has ever seen—truly a sun-lover’s delight Wardrobe Wisdom: It’s tank top weather today With cooler air blowing in Tuesday and Wednesday mornings getting downright brisk Kenora Weather Trivia: The Lake of the Woods region sees more than 2,200 hours of sunshine annually—making it one of the sunniest spots in all of Northwestern Ontario It’s easy to see why it’s such a summer hotspot Armenio Ferreira of Leamington pleaded guilty to hunting at night having a loaded firearm in a vehicle and hunting big game without a licence He was fined $10,000 and received a two-year hunting suspension Michael Cabral of Leamington pleaded guilty to hunting at night and careless hunting He was fined $7,500 and was given a two-year hunting suspension Both men are also required to complete the Ontario Hunter Education Course before being able to purchase another hunting licence conservation officers conducted a deer decoy operation on Tri Lake Road near Nestor Falls Approximately 30 minutes before legal hunting time a vehicle attended the decoy location and illuminated the decoy with the vehicle headlights Both men exited the vehicle and discharged their high-powered rifles a total of seven times down the road at the decoy Ferreira placed his loaded firearm back in the vehicle Further investigation revealed that Ferreira had also harvested an antlerless deer in 2021 in the Nestor Falls area but had used a Wildlife Management Unit 7B tag that was only valid to be used for an antlerless deer harvested in the City of Kenora Justice of the Peace Daphne Armstrong heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice Image by svklimkin from Pixabay and website in this browser for the next time I comment You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Kenora—Kiiwetinoong 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 157 of 157 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 157 of 157 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Kenora—Kiiwetinoong Melillo has 13,087 of 26,778 votes (48.87%) is in second place with 9,408 votes (35.13%) and Tania Cameron Melillo has represented the riding since 2019 Kenora—Kiiwetinoong used to be named Kenora The riding’s boundaries were updated for the 2025 federal election 7,475 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here The Kenora Catholic District School Board (KCDSB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kylie Hughes as the new Superintendent of Education This appointment follows the selection of Jamey Robertson as the Board's next Director of Education Kylie Hughes has been a dedicated member of the KCDSB community since August 29 she has served in a variety of leadership roles Kylie has demonstrated a strong commitment to Catholic education and fostering a deep sense of belonging within every school community she has served "Kylie Hughes brings a proven commitment to Catholic education and a genuine passion for helping every student and staff member reach their fullest potential," says Nicole Kurtz and dedication to building welcoming and supportive learning environments make her an excellent leader for this role We are blessed to have her continue her journey as Superintendent of Education and I am looking forward to witnessing the impact her leadership and vision will have across our schools and communities Kylie will oversee system-level portfolios She will also play a key role in advancing pathways for First Nation and success for all learners across the Board "I am truly honoured to be selected as Superintendent of Education with the Kenora Catholic District School Board I look forward to working closely with our Principals and with Jamey Robertson in his new role as Director of Education faith-filled school communities where every student feels a true sense of belonging and purpose It's a privilege to walk alongside our students working together to help every student grow in confidence The Kenora Catholic District School Board congratulates Kylie Hughes on her new role and looks forward to the leadership and vision she will continue to bring to our schools The President of the Board of Directors of Collège O'Sullivan de Montréal, Ms. Joanne Rousseau, is pleased to announce the... It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem Sign In Register KENORA – Eric Melillo has been re-elected for a third term in Kenora-Kiiwetinoong With all 157 polls reporting on the Elections Canada website well ahead of Liberal Charles Fox’s 35.2 per cent and New Democrat Tania Cameron’s 13.7 per cent on the ballot for the Green Party of Canada People’s Party of Canada candidate Bryce Desjarlais and Independent candidate Kelvin Boucher-Chicago each had less than one per cent Newswatch reached out for an interview but Melillo was not made available just as he was not made available for interviews throughout the 36-day election campaign This is Melillo’s third election triumph after being elected and re-elected in 2019 and 2021 in Kenora The riding’s boundaries changed somewhat after the 2021 election and it was renamed Kenora-Kiiwetinoong Melillo’s party biography describes the Lakehead University alumnus as a “strong representative” for Kenora-Keewitinoong who has championed “critical infrastructure projects meaningful supports for Indigenous communities and … better economic opportunities for all.” a Bearskin Lake First Nation member and former Nishnawbe Aski Nation grand chief said he “really enjoyed” being the Liberal candidate “I got to meet a lot of my old friends,” he said He said his campaign included visits to the Kasabonika Lake Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug and Sandy Lake First Nations communities he served when he was NAN grand chief The Conservatives ran an effective campaign wherever I went in the municipalities there was a lot of support for Eric in the First Nation communities there was support for Tania – and Fox said he hopes to see in the region “a discussion amongst all the parties to look at commonalities and where can we agree to work together and where can we agree to disagree.” This was a fourth time as an NDP candidate for Cameron a member of Niisaachewan Anishinabe Nation who is chief executive officer at Wiigwas Elders and Senior Care in Kenora She previously ran for the orange party in the 2008 and 2011 federal elections “Obviously I’m disappointed with the results,” Cameron said We live in a democracy and the people have chosen “I believe I did the best I could and I logged in the mileage and put in the steps and met a lot of people and had great discussions on the doorstep But I’m still proud of my campaign.” “I guess I did get the message out there,” Boucher said of his own campaign But he added that he has seen little progress on what matters most to him over the years “especially in regards to the homeless people.” The campaign period “was a little too short before adding that he was happy to help spread the party’s conservative message the Liberals had 153 of 338 seats in the House of Commons – the most of any party With five seats added in boundary redistribution this election was for 343 seats nationwide Melillo will remain a member of the Official Opposition as the Liberals won a near-majority in the House of Commons to remain the governing party With counts reported at nearly all polls nationwide at 11 a.m Elections Canada's results page had the red party leading with 168 seats to the blue party's 144 Voter turnout across Canada was about 67 per cent Kenora–Kiiwetinoong covers a vast area stretching north to Hudson Bay and includes the cities of Kenora and Dryden seven other municipalities and dozens of First Nations Melillo’s support at the polls has grown with each election He first got elected with just 34 per cent in 2019 then raised his support to 43 per cent in 2022 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The riding of Kenora-Kiiwetinoog is one of the largest in terms of land mass in the country about a third of the entire province of Ontario It’s also considered a swing riding by the Assembly of First Nations First Nations voters could sway who is sitting in the next Parliament This is the third federal election that Tania Cameron is running in as an NDP candidate Then she decided to work for Elections Canada also helping to “Rock the Indigenous Vote” in 2015 one of 38 First Nations in the riding – and of those – about half are fly in only “Thirty-five will have polling stations I hope There’s a lot of issues when it comes to trying to represent not only the first nation needs that currently exist but also in the towns and municipalities that have infrastructure needs they need improved access of funding to health care education and of course that’s federal transfer funding right,” she tells APTN 57 per cent of eligible voters came out to vote But Cameron said that number could have been higher Cameron wrote a five page letter to Elections Canada saying voter suppression was happening in her riding She wrote about a breakdown between First Nations communities and the local returning officer Cameron said some of the fly-in reserves did not have polls and four weren’t sent enough ballots and had to close the doors early “I just went out and said it was voter suppression tactics Like how dare you take someone’s right to vote away “While there are some First Nations people that choose But for those that choose and don’t have access that was very disappointing,” she said The AFN considers it a potential “swing riding” because of the 62,000 people who live here A third of that population lives around Kenora “I was looking at my odometer and I am just over 2,600 kilometres of driving and 52 hours of drive time because this riding is so huge,” she said Onigaming First Nation up the Manitoba border all the way to Fort Severn and then comes down to Ignace and back here Pickle Lake but that’s on my list for next week.” Five other candidates are running for the same seat – two are First Nations men who are also from northern Ontario Liberal Charles Fox is a former Nishnabe Aski Nation leader In Kenora – there’s not a Liberal sign or riding headquarters in site Fox also did not respond to APTN’s request for an interview also did not make himself available to speak to us The other two candidates include Bryce Desjarlais for the People’s Party of Canada and Jon Hobbs for the Green Party While Hobbs admits the Greens are “not going to form government,” he said his party aligns with First Nations values as both “protect Mother Earth.” Now retired, Hobbs was once the CEO of the Royal Architectual Institute of Canada medical institutions and restoration in southern Ontario He said there is already a foundation in place for building a better relationship between Canada and Indigenous Peoples “I’m an architect and we gave our greatest medal the gold medal to Murray Sinclair for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” he said “And we really should finish the recommendations in his honour to see those through some are done but there is a lot more to do.” Hobbs said there are some immediate needs in the riding “Housing is always an issue; drugs is an issue,” he said “I don’t have the answer to that but we have got to work together Boucher-Chicago said he’s focussing his campaign on the community’s most vulnerable – relaying on his own personal experiences “I know all the ins and outs of what these people are going through,” he said I have a daughter that’s out here she’s been out here for I don’t know how long and I have many relatives and have seen many of them pass away.” Decision 2025 Bologna sandwiches, beaded earings and bannock: 3 Indigenous women hit the campaign trail  Boucher-Chicago said he’s choosing to be independent because most of the major parties have laws he can’t support. “I like to use my good friend John Rafferty, he was from Thunder Bay in 2007, I can’t remember the exact dates but he opposed the gun law registration and for opposing the gun law registration he was put in the corner and that ended his political career,” said Boucher-Chicago. Since the riding was created more than two decades ago, it has changed back and forth from Conservative to Liberal, with the Conservatives taking the riding the last three elections. Both First Nations candidates, Cameron and Boucher-Chicago know they are up for a challenge. Especially considering many of the communities they are relying on, they are having trouble getting into them. “I would like to fly out to the northern fly in First Nations but when we costed it out we are looking at about 42 thousand dollars,” said Cameron saying that should go to show that accessibility is a big challenge that citizens in the Kenora Kiiwetinoong riding face in their own daily lives. Her competitor, Boucher-Chicago is in the same situation. “I’m the little guy at the bottom of the food chain,” he said to APTN. Boucher-Chicago hopes to go to Sioux Lookout and Red Lake and canvass those towns and the First Nations around them, then where he can’t go, he’s relying on phoning communities and social media. “Can you imagine trying to fly to all those places, I don’t have a budget like any of the major parties. I basically have just enough to do flyers and signs.” Signup to our newsletter and receive this week's top stories every Saturday morning. It may be just 6.3°C this Sunday morning in Kenora, but don’t let that fool you — warmer days are already paddling their way toward Lake of the Woods. As of 6:00 AM at Kenora Airport, skies are mainly sunny, the breeze is drifting in from the east at 11 km/h, and the visibility stretches a crystal-clear 32 km. The barometric pressure sits at 101.6 kPa and is rising — always a good sign if you’re planning a day outdoors. Tonight brings more of the good stuff. Clear skies continue, the southeast wind will taper off late in the evening, and temperatures dip gently to a mild overnight low of 11°C. Perfect for a fire pit, a lakeside evening stroll, or simply cracking open the windows and letting spring drift in. If you liked today, Monday might have you reaching for your summer gear. Expect full-on sunshine, with temperatures soaring to a sizzling 27°C. Winds will pick up speed, blowing in from the south at 30 km/h and gusting up to 50, adding a summerlike energy to the air. It’ll be one of the warmest days so far this year — and yes, it’s still just early May! Monday night remains clear, though slightly cooler, with a low of 9°C. Enjoy it while you can, because a change is coming. Tuesday takes a slight turn as a mix of sun and cloud moves in, along with a 30 percent chance of showers. Temperatures drop to a high of 16°C — still decent, but a clear step down from Monday’s sizzle. The night cools off significantly to a low of just +1°C. Wednesday brings a full return to sunshine, though the high settles at a more seasonable 14°C. It’s a gentle reminder that lake season is almost here, but maybe keep the wetsuit handy just a bit longer. Layer up this morning, but shed those sleeves by noon. Today and Monday both call for breathable clothing, sunglasses, and SPF. If you’re heading out on the lake or trails, a wide-brim hat won’t hurt either. Come Tuesday night, you might want to add a jacket back into the rotation. Did you know? On this date, May 4th, Kenora once basked in a record-setting high of 28.9°C in 2001 — just a hair warmer than today’s forecast. The coldest May 4th on record? A frosty -6.1°C in 1967. With today’s high hitting 25°C and Monday flirting with 27°C, it seems Kenora is channeling its inner July. KENORA – LAKE OF THE WOODS – WEATHER – The air is crisp but promising in Kenora this morning with the thermometer sitting at 4.6°C as of 5:00 AM at the airport The dew point sits at 0.0°C with a moderate humidity of 72% Winds are blowing in from the south-southwest at 17 km/h and barometric pressure is measured at 101.3 kPa and falling Visibility is an excellent 32 km—great views to match the great forecast Expect a high of 21°C with winds swinging from the southwest to the northwest at 20 km/h so break out the sunscreen and shades—it’s not just warm with the wind easing off and a pleasant low of 5°C Perfect weather for an evening by the lake or a peaceful bonfire Sunday kicks things up another notch with wall-to-wall sunshine and a daytime high of 24°C—ideal for patio breakfasts so don’t let the breeze fool you into skipping that SPF Sunday night will remain clear with a mild low of 10°C Expect more sunshine and another high of 24°C Monday night stays clear and slightly cooler with a low of 8°C Tuesday brings a subtle cool-down but still delivers full sun and a respectable high of 17°C That night will dip sharply to a low of -1°C so plan to tuck your plants back inside and keep an extra blanket handy Dress in layers this morning—a light jacket will do—but get ready to trade it for short sleeves by midday and even a wide-brim hat will be welcome accessories don’t forget the sun can reflect off the water Fun weather trivia for the day: Kenora’s highest recorded temperature on May 3rd was a steamy 29.4°C in 1952 but we’re definitely playing in the summer league you might have missed winter’s last whisper Kenora and the Lake of the Woods region are starting the day on a crisp note but don’t worry—warmer weather is already lining up to take the spotlight it’s a brisk 0.1°C at Kenora Airport with mainly clear skies and excellent visibility stretching 32 km Winds are currently from the north at 9 km/h but they’ll pick up from the northwest by late morning at around 20 km/h Barometric pressure is at a stable 101.7 kPa and rising—good news for those tired of grey skies The temperature will climb steadily to a pleasant 14°C Think light jacket weather by midday—layers that can easily be peeled off if the sun wins out it’s not out of the ordinary for Kenora in early May May 2 has reached a high of 26.6°C (set in 2001) and dipped to a frigid -9.5°C in 1992 we’re far from the coldest this day has seen—and we’re about to get significantly warmer Tonight brings just a few clouds and a shift in wind direction to the southwest at 20 km/h The low will be a milder 4°C—definitely trending in the right direction for a comfortable night under the stars Saturday starts with a mix of sun and cloud before clearing in the afternoon Southwest winds of 20 km/h in the early morning will calm down so you’ll want the sunscreen if you’re planning anything outdoorsy Sunday raises the stakes with full sunshine and a summerlike high of 24°C It’s shaping up to be a perfect day for hitting the lake or firing up the barbecue The night continues the clear streak with a low of 10°C Monday keeps the warm and sunny streak alive with another high of 25°C—more late-June than early May but temperatures stay mild with a low of 7°C bundle up this morning with a jacket and maybe a toque but be ready to shed layers by the afternoon Fun fact for the Lake of the Woods weather watchers: Kenora’s location near one of Canada’s largest freshwater lakes plays a huge role in moderating the region’s weather Spring warmth tends to ramp up quickly here once skies clear especially when the wind swings in from the southwest—bringing all that prairie heat right into lake country Kenora and the Lake of the Woods region are waking up to a damp and breezy morning as April makes a splashy exit it’s a cool 1.4°C under mostly cloudy skies with humidity at 63% and a steady wind from the south-southeast at 19 km/h The barometric pressure is 101.4 kPa and falling—an indicator that unsettled weather is moving in Showers are expected to begin early this morning and taper off near noon though there’s a lingering 40% chance of more showers later this afternoon Winds will pick up to 20 km/h from the south giving the day a breezy feel as temperatures climb to a pleasant high of 13°C you’ll want to think sunscreen if the clouds thin out by midday Tonight brings mainly cloudy skies with another 40% chance of showers lingering in the air Fog patches are expected to develop overnight so keep that in mind if you’re on the road Winds will ease to light by evening after blowing steadily from the south through the day and the overnight low will be a cool but manageable +1°C fog patches will clear through the morning but skies stay cloudy with another 40% chance of showers Winds will shift from the northeast at 20 km/h late in the morning temperatures take a tumble to -4°C with a 30% chance of rain showers or flurries—a not-so-subtle reminder that winter isn’t quite done showing off Friday brings a better outlook with a mix of sun and cloud and a high near 10°C temperatures stay mild with a low of +2°C under cloudy periods Saturday is looking like the real spring breakthrough with a mix of sun and cloud and a balmy high of 18°C—the warmest we’ve seen in a while the warmest temperature recorded was 24.5°C in 1998 while the coldest dipped to -9.4°C in 1967 So today’s 1.4°C start isn’t record-breaking in either direction—it’s simply a reminder of how transitional spring can be in northwestern Ontario What to Wear: A waterproof jacket and layers are your best bet today and gusty winds might make it feel a little cooler than the forecast suggests Keep an umbrella handy through the afternoon just in case Did you know Lake of the Woods has more than 14,500 islands That makes it one of the most island-rich freshwater lakes in the world—and gives Kenora some of the most unpredictable microclimates in Ontario KENORA — Despite their loss in the riding Kenora-Kiiwetinoong candidates from the Liberal and New Democratic parties hope that their message is clear to the vast Indigenous population across the riding: that their voices matter candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada who won nearly 35 per cent of votes in the riding He hopes his relatively short campaign helped inspire Indigenous youth to take part in elections and to let their voices be heard.  I want to get them involved as much as possible in provincial and federal elections because we haven’t participated as much as we should Only about 30 to 35 per cent vote and if we can double that that would be awesome,” said Fox.  He said it was challenging running a campaign in so little time but he wants to impart a legacy of doing better for Indigenous people He feels there is a lot of potential for strong partnerships across all industries in the region and the barriers that exist in terms of cooperative arrangements and ventures are there,” he said “If we could provide a way of bridging those then this riding I think can do a lot of potentially major projects with real positive outcomes.” He said youth and Indigenous people can lead by example and create something that will not only impact the area’s economy Cameron travelled across the riding trying to send a message that Indigenous people can indeed Rock the Vote She garnered just under 14 per cent of the riding’s vote during last night’s election Cameron said she has kept solid data on First Nation community voting since 2008 and has seen an increase of voting over this time “I get the chiefs asking me about numbers about what the vote looks like,” she said “I have it all ready on a spreadsheet and can say ‘this is how your community votes these are the numbers.’ I love it and the chiefs rely on me to provide that information.”  Although it was a juggling act to run and keep up her Rock the Vote messaging I really like engaging with the voter and even just having those conversations of why people should vote the power that they have in their vote.”  Both candidates thanked their teams and voters for supporting them through the running process Three First Nations candidates ran for the Kenora-Kiiwetinoong seat Fox, Cameron and independent candidate Kevin Boucher-Chicago The riding covers a vast area stretching north to Hudson Bay and includes the cities of Kenora and Dryden Kenora and the surrounding Lake of the Woods region are waking up under mostly cloudy skies with a mild temperature of 5.0°C as of 5:00 AM according to observations from Kenora Airport The dew point is nearly identical at 4.6°C making the air feel damp and heavy—ideal conditions for lingering fog which is expected to dissipate later this morning and the wind is coming in from the east-northeast at 14 km/h The barometric pressure sits at 101.2 kPa and is steady But don’t get too comfy—there’s a 40 percent chance of showers this morning and a risk of a thunderstorm lurking in the wings Winds will increase to 20 km/h from the northeast as the day unfolds and the temperature is expected to peak at 10°C so keep that in mind if the sun makes an appearance between cloud breaks shifting from 20 km/h to light and variable so those tender garden seedlings will need to stay indoors or be covered to avoid frostbite kicks off a true taste of spring with mainly sunny skies and a high of 11°C which is still moderate but suggests that sunglasses and sunscreen should make a comeback in your wardrobe rotation Friday night will be clear with a low of +1°C “Let there be sunshine!” Saturday brings full sun and a high of 19°C—ideal weather for everything from lakeside strolls to yard work that finally doesn’t involve snow shovels Saturday night remains clear with a low of 9°C and Sunday keeps the sunny streak going with a high of 21°C That’s patio weather if we’ve ever seen it Kenora has seen dramatic swings in spring temperatures The warmest May 1 recorded in the area was 26.1°C in 1952 while the coldest dropped to a frigid -10.6°C in 1967 Today’s numbers are fairly moderate in comparison a gentle reminder that spring in Northwestern Ontario tends to keep us guessing A light waterproof jacket will serve you well today with the chance of morning showers and cool temperatures you’ll want to trade that coat for a T-shirt and maybe even some early-season sandals Did you know that spring thunderstorms in the Lake of the Woods region often track in from Minnesota That’s right—some of Kenora’s rumbles are courtesy of our neighbours to the south thanks to regional weather convergence over the lakes KENORA — The Liberal Party of Canada has its candidate in the Kenora–Kiiwetinoong riding a former Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Ontario Regional Chief will carry the Liberal banner in the federal election confirmed the decision in an email to Newswatch on Wednesday This won’t be Fox’s first time campaigning for a Liberal party; he ran for the Ontario Liberals back in 2018 in the Algoma-Manitoulin riding where he garnered about eight per cent of the vote Fox served most of his two terms as the regional chief for Chiefs of Ontario before retiring from that position in 2005 which represents 49 First Nations in Treaty 9 and Treaty 5 When running for provincial office in 2018, Fox said he has spent his life working to create opportunities for Indigenous communities and building bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people Kenora–Kiiwetinoong is a newly-named riding (it was known as Kenora prior to the federal riding redistribution process that was completed in 2023) and saw some of its borders with the neighbouring ridings of Thunder Bay-Superior North and Kapuskasing–Timmins–Mushkegowuk change in the far north It is the second largest Ontario riding by area at just over 256,000 square kilometres behind neighbouring Kapuskasing–Timmins–Mushkegowuk It has a population of just under 62,000 people so far Fox will be running against incumbent Conservative Eric Melillo Bryce Desjarlais of the People’s Party of Canada and independent Kelvin Boucher-Chicago KENORA — Two years after the death of an individual at Wauzhushk Onigum Nation police have laid a charge of second degree murder when OPP and Treaty Three Police responded to a call on Pow Wow Island Road to investigate a sudden death A 77-year-old man from Sioux Narrows Township was pronounced dead at the scene OPP announced the arrest of 45-year-old Ronald Stone from Wauzhushk Onigum Nation on a charge of second degree murder The accused is being held in custody pending a court appearance Police issued a statement expressing thanks to community members who provided information that assisted them in their investigation Kenora-Kiiwetinoong in northern Ontario is one of 36 ridings identified by the Assembly of First Nations as one where First Nation voters can influence the outcome Now we bring you some voters from the riding as they tell you issues that matter to them Signup to our newsletter and receive this week's top stories every Saturday morning KENORA — It’s been three years in the making but a new model of healthcare is coming to the Kenora area—created by Kenora medical professionals to suit the needs specific to the geographic demands for healthcare in rural Northwestern Ontario.  The All Nations Health Partners (ANHP) created the Rural Generalist Council Care model to help alleviate administrative demands on physicians create health equity and work towards better continuity of care across different services.  The province announced on Tuesday that it will be funding the new model “The model really is a bold new standard for rural health care delivery,” said Dr co-chair of ANHP Ontario Health Team Clinical Advisory Committee “It’s going to ensure that no matter where you live—whether it’s in a First Nation community or whether it’s in the City of Kenora—you’re going to have access to a primary care provider and high quality care that is proactive that is based on long term relationships and continuity of care Member of Provincial Parliament for the Kenora-Rainy River Riding Greg Rickford has been a part of this project for the past few years helping gain recognition for its need.  “It’s probably the most transformative service care delivery model that has ever existed in Northwestern Ontario and maybe northern Ontario at large,” he said.  It was his responsibility to help transfer the information to the Ministry of Health to communicate the need for a tailor-made solution for an area with great diversity He noted that filling in the gaps means having physicians available to travel to Indigenous communities and bring care to areas where travelling to meet medical needs is a major barrier Chief Darlene Comegan of Northwest Angle #33 one of the most remote parts of Treaty Three spoke about how unprecedented it is that family physician Dr Brad Kyle now provides service in her community “We’ve never had a doctor before and we’re very happy about it,” she said One of the key takeaways that transforms this model is how the structure allows doctors to serve under one contract rather than as many a half a dozen In September, hospital officials said the issue was an important contributing factor to a critical physician shortage that was threatening to shut down the emergency department The current multi-level contract system bogs down physicians’ time doing administrative duties rather than spending it seeing actual patients But it’s mutually beneficial as doctors will also be able to lighten their stress load work less hours and gain a better work-life balance It was noted that many doctors here can work the equivalent of two to three full time positions just to cover baseline services.  “It’s just gotten to the point right now where it’s out of hand and I really believe strongly that this is the way to go,” said Dr emergency physician and Chief of Staff at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.  The current system is also a barrier to physician recruitment It is confusing for new care providers to work out compensation provide care and navigate a lot of red tape at the same time Kenora is surround by Indigenous communities unincorporated rural areas and towns on the outskirts like Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls Providing healthcare to a vast and diverse area makes this region challenging to serve.  “We’ve had some challenges along the way but I think the main thing is that if we all work together we really can achieve anything,” said Dr The All Nations Health Partners includes organizations across Kenora including Grand Council Treaty Three Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig (WNHAC) and more KENORA – The address of the Kenora-Rainy River returning office for this provincial election is the same as last time: the Ukrainian Hall at 509 Fourth St That’s largely because “we don’t have a lot of options” in a small city like Kenora the electoral district’s returning officer but Wesley said she considers the building “a perfect set-up” for her staff’s needs We have a locked room for the financial office we can lock up the ballot boxes,” she said “It's got a large space in the back … so when things start to come in we can lock things up there and people can do the counting in private And we also have a downstairs spot that we do the training in.” an outside access ramp for people with disabilities and the building is an excellent site from which to run the election in this riding but one can already vote in-person at the returning office on any day until 6 p.m The Kenora office is open for advance voting 10 a.m Advance polls at various locations in the district – which includes Fort Frances Ignace, Dryden and many First Nations – will be held Feb Locations will be disclosed on voter information cards that will be mailed out later this month incumbent Greg Rickford (PC) is being challenged by Anthony Leek (Liberal) and Rudy Turtle (NDP) Voting is open to residents of Ontario who are Canadian citizens and 18 or older. The Elections Ontario website has answers to questions on voter registration KENORA — A multi-million dollar building in downtown Kenora will house a new Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig Aboriginal Health Access Centre (WNHAC) facility the province announced $28 million in funding to support the construction of the new facility at the site of the former Kenwood Hotel The new centre will house primary health care including foot care and dental hygiene – all in a culturally sensitive context with access to traditional healing "With approximately 15,000 registered clients the WNHAC team has a tremendous reputation for providing services at every step of the healing journey and our government is proud to support them in this legacy infrastructure project in downtown Kenora,"said Kenora MPP Greg Rickford in a written new release Deputy premier and health minister Sylvia Jones was also quoted: “Our investment to help build the new and improved Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig centre will connect more Indigenous people and families in the Kenora area to holistic culturally sensitive primary health care that better supports their physical Once complete, the new building will allow WNHAC to bring all it's programs and services under one roof. The organization first announced the plans for the new space in December 2022 the new centre is expected to improve timely access to high quality and Indigenous-led health care and reduce pressure on the emergency department KENORA -- The Kenora Islanders have suspended operations citing ongoing conflicts with the Superior International Junior Hockey League's board of governors Ownership made it clear they are hunting for a buyer to take over the team and aren't ruling out the possibility of the team returning to the now  seven-team circuit which has struggled mightily on and off the ice There have been rumblings for month about the team's viability ownership has maintained its intent to finish the season "This is a difficult and disappointing situation for everyone involved by addressing the league conflicts and fining the right buyer we are confident the Islanders will return to the ice with renewed energy and determination,' reads a quote posted to the team's official Facebook page Team officials said the decision was not made lightly but it was necessary to deal with challenges facing the team The Islanders ownership said they want to reassure players this is a temporary pause "Further updates will be provided on our official social media channels and website as we work through this matter and transition the team to its next chapter." The Islanders are last in the SIJHL standings with a 2-28-2 record this season They were scheduled to travel to Oliver Paipoonge this weekend for games against the Kam River Fighting Walleye Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. KENORA — The sound of drums will soon be replaced by the sound of construction in downtown Kenora as a shovels hit the ground this spring on a new multi-million dollar health facility “We’re excited to announce a new facility that’s been long overdue for the Anishinaabe people of our territory and our region,” Charlene Mandamin Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig Aboriginal Health Access Centre (WNHAC) announced Thursday, that they're getting a new $28-million facility located at the corner of First Street South and Chipman Street the site of the old Kenwood Restaurant site that burnt down The new building will replace four plus locations around Kenora serving as many as 15,000 registered clients in the Grand Council Treaty Three Area “That excitement comes with enhancing our service delivery the we are currently providing," said Mandamin. "It’s a holistic health care system with emotional spiritual physical and having that opportunity has been a long time coming.” Not only will this put all their staff into one location to better serve the community overall health care experience and convenient access to primary health care services with a focus on early care rather than treatment when someone is already sick The new facility is a three-story building that will incorporate modern technology blended with traditional healing practices The idea for this project began in 2014 when it was clear that their services were quickly outgrowing their space Plans were drafted in 2023 but were redrafted when they realized that they had already outgrown that original plan. An expanded building plan was created Kenora MPP Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation was on hand to make the announcement that the Ministry of Health is funding this project By having more first line and preventive care available the centre will relieves some of the issues surrounding urgent reactive care he said “When (people) fall through the gaps whether they're First Nation or non-First Nation they wind up in an urgent care centre or an emergency room and that puts pressures and strains (on hospital services) You can see the effects as they reverberate out and make our health care system here more difficult than it should be,” he said Rickford noted that this project is a part of the plan to create a cohesive health care system in the area “What we strive for is to keep as many health care services right here in Kenora so people have to travel less recognizing the new physician services in surrounding communities means better health outcomes.” KENORA — Anthony Leek will be on the ballot for the Liberal Party in Kenora-Rainy River The former Emo resident now lives in Kenora and works for Seven Generations Education Institute as its Bachelor of Arts coordinator and in other roles This is Leek’s third time carrying the party flag He previously ran for the Liberals in 2011 Leek said Tuesday he’s “really passionate about politics in general “And so for me … if there’s an opportunity to get involved in the process again So that’s why I decided to put my name up again.” “We’ve been seeing a lot of underfunding going on even though budgets have been looking like it’s bigger,” he said Health-care funding is “just not being delivered properly to frontline workers,” and as a result people are not “getting the care that they need,” he said The economy and education are also very important whose educational background includes two bachelor of arts degrees from the University of Manitoba and an education degree from Lakehead University Leek was elected to two terms on Emo municipal council and president of the Rainy River District Municipal Association He has been working at Seven Generations for about10 years KENORA — A vital bridge in this Lake of the Woods city will have important work done on it in a few months Maintenance work on the Keewatin Channel Bridge is expected to take place in late summer or early fall A protective coating will be applied to the bridge’s underside for rust protection “For steel bridges,” the website says “this is regular preventative maintenance.” The province is providing $5.9 million for the bridge maintenance and improvement to the intersection of Lakeview Drive (Highway 17) and Minnesota Street near Norman Park Precisely how much the bridge work will cost is unclear He said the city “put out a tender and we have a general idea The city may have to cover some of the cost itself Kenora is also “going to be spending multiple millions” on some of its 20 other bridges The Keewatin Channel Bridge is “probably the most important bridge” in town It’s not far from “where property was just purchased for a new hospital hopefully to be announced at some point in the near future,” he said Kenora Chiefs Advisory announced last week the purchase of 118 acres from GreenFirst Forest Products for a future 81-unit hospital and a long-term care facility