Sign in Join now, it's FREE! To read Jerry Shields' full weather forecast and for timely updates, please click here Northern OntarioNewsMan charged with obstructing peace officer, litteringBy Dan BertrandPublished: May 04 Sault police report huge budget deficit for 2024 ADVERTISEMENT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved An end date is set for the search for Sault Ste We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentHugh Stevenson’s successor should be selected by late June, Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board heard Wednesday. Deadline for applications is May 16. Applicants will be vetted and background checks done, said chair John Bruno. Interviews will follow. Stevenson led the police department since 2018. He resigned in late March to become the Conservative candidate in the recent federal election. Stevenson placed second to Liberal incumbent Terry Sheehan. transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Marie Police officers attended a residence to investigate a reported domestic disturbance between a man and woman “As the officers were arriving in their cruisers standing by his vehicle parked on the roadway by the address cut his neck and repeatedly stabbed himself in the chest before collapsing to the ground,” the report said “The officers radioed for paramedics to attend The man was transported to hospital and treated for a neck laceration and superficial chest wounds.” Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries including a review of video footage of the incident Director Joseph Martino felt the investigation should be discontinued.  it was plain and obvious that neither officer did anything that could conceivably attract criminal liability in connection with the man’s self-inflicted injuries; the man was alone responsible The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of police and other peace officers that may have resulted in death sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.  All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians Northern OntarioNewsSault man stabbed himself as police responded to a domestic disturbance, SIU concludes By Darren MacDonaldPublished: May 05, 2025 at 1:37PM EDT TORONTO — The last girl set to face trial in the deadly group attack of a homeless Toronto man pleaded guilty to manslaughter Wednesday making her one of seven girls to plead guilty to a lesser charge in the case one of eight teen girls accused in the 2022 death of 59-year-old Kenneth Lee was scheduled to go on trial on a charge of second-degree murder this week Lee was in a downtown Toronto parkette with a friend when they encountered a group around midnight according to an agreed statement of facts read in court Lee died after he was swarmed by a group of teens The fatal group attack was captured on security video and the footage served as a central piece of evidence in a trial for another of the girls Police arrested eight girls between the ages of 13 and 16 in the hours that followed his death and charged all of them with second-degree murder Seven of them have since pleaded guilty to lesser charges — five to manslaughter one to assault and one to assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon One girl is awaiting a verdict later this month after concluding a judge-alone trial She tried to plead guilty to manslaughter but her plea was rejected by the Crown The girl who pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Wednesday was 14 years old at the time of the incident The agreed statement of facts prosecutors read in court said the girl "hit At no point during the attack on Lee was the girl in possession of a knife or any other weapon The statement also said the girl knew that the risk of bodily harm was an "objectively foreseeable" consequence of the group assault citing the blood "clearly observable" on Lee's face During the trial for the girl who is still awaiting a verdict court heard that an autopsy found that Lee died from shock due to blood loss after he was stabbed in the heart Court heard during the trial that he also had a smaller stab wound that did not contribute to his death as well as a range of bruises and other injuries A paramedic who arrived at the scene shortly after the attack testified at the trial that neither paramedics nor Lee realized he had been stabbed until after he collapsed He ultimately died on the operating table at St Michael's hospital in the early hours of Dec The girl who pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Wednesday is set to be sentenced at a later date the Crown and the defence made sentencing submissions for another of the girls who pleaded guilty to manslaughter be handed a sentence of 15 months probation That sentencing decision is expected later this month None of the accused can be identified because they were minors at the time of the incident This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5 Check out Village Report - the news that matters most to Canada, updated throughout the day.  Or, subscribe to Village Report's free daily newsletter: a compilation of the news you need to know Subscribe With their 2025 development camp in the books it was a weekend that left a mark for management and the coaching staff of the Soo Greyhounds The two-day camp wrapped up Sunday at the Northern Community Centre scrimmages and fitness testing for the 41 players in attendance Asked what stood for him over the course of the camp Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis spoke Sunday of “how comfortably a lot of the guys really settled in together.” “It’s always a good sign,” Raftis added “Sometimes we look back and we hear guys do their graduation speech about meeting guys at development camp and kind of becoming real tight from that It was great to see a lot of the ‘08’s together and then to ‘09’s all kind of mixing together and seeing that chemistry lead on the ice.” Greyhounds coach John Dean added that he found it “really neat how quickly the guys’ real personalities come out.” “It just takes a little bit,” Dean added I love the fact that we bring back players that played in the league last year (Carson Andrew and Brady T They give the new guys an idea of what’s to be expected and also make them feel a little bit more comfortable and give them an idea of what things look like in Sault Ste you always see the progression of personalities and then their skill starts to show off a little bit more as they’re more comfortable.” Dean said he was impressed with what he saw in the two-day camp that wrapped up Sunday afternoon “We had a generous amount of skill out there,” Dean said guys got more comfortable and looked a lot better This is for these guys to feel comfortable and get used to the city and see our program.” the Greyhounds 2025 development camp stood out for another reason as well “Just looking top to bottom through the two lineups here this weekend it's one of the best camps I've been involved with in terms of a development camp,” Raftis said “It's really exciting leading into the summer and just seeing the excitement with a lot of the guys and the high tempo that went over that 48 hours was really encouraging to see for what's coming.” Sunday morning saw the players go through fitness testing at the GFL Memorial Gardens prior to taking to the ice at the NCC “It’s more just to see where guys are at because when you’re dealing with 16- and 17-year-olds I find that you have to get used to taking them,” Raftis said “Not to say that you’re just mastering the test but it’s not just what you’re training with in the summer guys will send in their reports and they know what we’re kind of looking for.” Raftis added that the tests give the team a starting point to evaluate with the players “Especially those ‘09’s that we just drafted,” Raftis said “You can see the ‘08 group that did it last year at development camp and then training camp you can start to see how they’re developing on that side of it.” Raftis said the team does expect some signings to come from the camp signings of players selected in the 2025 draft have been slow to trickle in since the draft just three players selected in the opening round have been signed by their respective clubs including Brayden Bennett The Spirit have also signed second round pick Drew Roscoe and third rounder Levi Harper while Sudbury also inked second round pick Vladimir Provorov The CHL was the only development hockey league in the world to feature one player on eight of the 10 participating countries at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship 25 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players proudly won gold as Canada topped the podium at the 2025 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship by defeating Sweden 7-0 in Saturday’s final in Frisco The victory gave Canada consecutive gold medals at the IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship for the first time in their program’s history Ivankovic led all netminders in goals-against average (1.05) and shutouts (2) during the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship Canada’s blueline contributed 12 goals at the U18s led by Villeneuve (4G-4A in 7 GP) and Smith (4G-1A in 7 GP) who both recorded four goals in seven games the most of any defencemen in the tournament Canadian captain Cootes (6G-6A in 7 GP) led the team in scoring with 12 points through Canada’s undefeated run to a second straight gold medal Ivankovic and Martin (3G-8A in 7 GP) were named to the Media All-Star Team Although his country fell short against Canada in Saturday’s final, Swedish forward Filip Ekberg (Ottawa 67’s / OHL) put together an impressive performance in Texas as he was identified as the MVP and the Top Forward of the 2025 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship Leading the tournament with 18 points (10G-8A) in seven games Ekberg established a new single-tournament record for points by a Swede at the U18 World Championship by besting the previous mark of 16 In addition to being one of three CHL players to be selected to the tournament’s Media All-Star Team Ekberg’s 10 goals were the most of any player at the tournament and now stand as the most-ever by a Swede at this event Earlier during the day, Blake Fiddler (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL) and the United States earned bronze by defeating Slovakia 4-3 in overtime Fiddler registered a pair of goals and added an assist over his seven games at the tournament 27 players from the CHL proudly took home medals at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship (see complete list below) including 13 from the Western Hockey League (WHL) 10 players from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and four from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) A total of 37 CHL players participated in the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship (see complete list below) which was the most of any development hockey league in the world The CHL was the only development hockey league in the world to feature one player on eight of the 10 participating countries at the tournament showcasing the league’s global impact and commitment to developing elite talent There were also nine CHL skaters eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft who competed in the tournament including seven members of Team Canada (Carels Following Canada’s gold medal victory on Saturday, Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs / OHL), Tyler Hopkins (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL), Alex Huang (Chicoutimi Saguenéens / QMJHL), and Cameron Schmidt (Vancouver Giants / WHL) joined Ivankovic Erie Otters (OHL) defenceman Matthew Schaefer and Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) forward Caleb Desnoyers as the only players to ever win gold for Team Canada at the U17s Team Canada was led by two-time Stanley Cup champion and Guelph Storm head coach Cory Stillman (Guelph Storm / OHL) He was joined by associate coach Travis Crickard (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL) assistant coach Mathieu Turcotte (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL) and goaltending consultant Dan De Palma (Kamloops Blazers / WHL) Canada has now won six gold medals at the IIHF U18 World Championship (2003 in addition to one silver (2005) and four bronze (2012 37 CHL PLAYERS COMPETED AT THE 2025 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP The Soo Greyhounds Hockey Club today announced the dates and requirements for all season ticket pick-ups and general admission sales.Season…  The Soo Greyhounds have acquired defenceman MIKE LOOBY from the Brampton Battalion in exchange for a third round pick in…  The Soo Greyhounds selected two players in the first round of Thursday's Canadian Hockey League Import draft involving teams in…  Former Soo Greyhound forward Doug Shedden has been named the new head coach of the American Hockey League's St 2003 the Soo Greyhounds welcomed back one of their own as former Hound Denny Lambert was named… Morgan is an example author of everest news Little Kickers have four different soccer classes each tailored to a different age group we have two core beliefs that we take into every session we believe in something we call “Play not Push” We want to give children a positive introduction to sport as a whole so they’re more likely to stay healthy and active throughout their lives Coached in the right way it can stimulate imagination and aid early development skills such as learning colours and numbers following instructions and playing as a team It’s an approach that has bagged us numerous awards and helped us expand globally over the last 20 years We’re continually improving and updating our classes based on feedback and input from child health specialists as well as our network of over 2,500 soccer coaches worldwide If you’d like to know how Little Kickers started you can read more about us here To find out about our tailored soccer classes: Register here For more information contact Little Kicker Sault Ste Marie – 705-805-1775 or email gergis@littlekickers.ca Two local boxers are returning to Sault Ste The Algoma Thunderbirds announced Thursday In the biggest game of the season for these determined young men in the NOJHL The high school soccer season in Sault Ste and website in this browser for the next time I comment To provide multimedia sports coverage that celebrates the successes of teams and athletes in and from Sault Ste Marie and Algoma To use our platform to build a sense of community around sports in the Algoma region with an emphasis on our shared humanity and to give back to the community through student internship opportunities Saultsports.com is an independent news organization owned and operated by Jay Houslander and Kerilyn Trudel-Houslander under the TruHous Media umbrella Click one of our contacts below to chat on WhatsApp Social Chat is free, download and try it now here! More than 250 municipal leaders from across northern Ontario are set to gather in North Bay tomorrow as the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) hosts its annual Northeastern Ontario Municipal Conference The conference begins Monday at the Best Western Hotel with an opening ceremony. The event will bring together mayors and senior municipal staff to discuss the most pressing issues and opportunities facing the North The Next 100 Years, pays tribute to North Bay’s centennial while casting an eye toward the future of northern Ontario Delegates will participate in workshops and sessions focused on regional issues including power generation and transmission The conference will feature updates from the Government of Ontario including participation from seven members of Premier Doug Ford’s Cabinet FONOM President Danny Whalen highlighted the significance of this strong provincial presence noting that it reflects the increasing recognition of morthern Ontario’s priorities at Queen’s Park.  Minister of Economic Development and Trade will be honoured with the FONOM Executive Award "for his time as mayor of North Bay and steadfast commitment to northern Ontario." The highly anticipated Minister’s Forum will provide a direct dialogue between municipal leaders and provincial ministers President Donald Trump says it is "highly unlikely" the United States would ever use military force to annex Canada though he maintains he will continue to push to make Canada the 51st state In a wide-ranging interview on NBC's "Meet The Press" which aired Sunday Trump said he wouldn't rule out military force against Greenland but he didn't see it happening with Canada "I think we're not going to ever get to that point," Trump said we need that for national and international security." Trump's remarks come as Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to have his first face-to-face meeting with the president this week in Washington in which the countries' trade war will be the top topic of conversation Trump called Carney "a very nice man" and that he congratulated the prime minister on his election victory during their call last week so that's going to make things a little bit difficult "But he nevertheless had a victory and he's a very nice man was negotiated during the first Trump administration At the time Trump called it the best deal ever and Canadian officials declared it a victory for Canada but after Trump's return to the White House it quickly became clear the president intended to rattle the continental trade pact Canada and Mexico were hit early with tariffs the president linked to the flow of fentanyl and people across the borders government data shows a tiny volume of fentanyl is intercepted at the U.S.-Canada border Both countries were also hit by Trump's steel Speaking with reporters in Ottawa on Friday Carney said he would be working to get the best deal for Canada Asked by "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker whether Trump will talk to Carney about becoming the 51st state Trump replied he'll "always talk about that." We subsidize Canada to the tune of $200 billion a year," Trump said the United States' trade deficit with Canada was $63.3 billion in 2024 imported $412.7 billion of Canadian goods in 2024 They do all of their business practically with us," Trump said imported more goods from Mexico and China than it did from Canada in 2024 Canada represented 12.6 per cent of all U.S Canada exported 75.9 per cent of its goods to the U.S All they have to do is free it up from the environmental lunatics -- With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone in Washington This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4 your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature.  Every Sunday morning, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead On the show today is reporter Jack Hauen, who tries to do justice to Premier Doug Ford's now-viral "rant" against "terrible terrible bleeding-heart judges." (If you missed it SEE: Doug Ford's judges 'rant' again sparks fears over judicial independence Hauen also breaks downs the Ford government's “tough-on-crime” proposals aimed at protecting families supporting human trafficking victims and bolstering Ontario's court system One more thing: Budget Day has been set for May 15 COLUMN: Retired judge objects to premier's 'rant' on judiciary Looking for back episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find those HERE Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates lobbying activity and regulatory proposals The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites The Algoma District School Board has seen enrolment increases over the past several years due to students and their families from around the world resettling in the Sault Brazil and Mexico and others have given the ADSB an increasingly multicultural character Superior Heights Collegiate will be celebrating its multicultural student body by holding its third annual International Festival from 5 p.m The admission by donation event will include live cultural performances and food prepared by the Superior Heights Bistro and Foods classes The full text of a Superior Heights news release follows:  Superior Heights Collegiate and Vocational School is proud to announce its 3rd Annual International Festival come-and-go event is open to the public and promises to be an evening of celebration and connection—showcasing the incredible diversity within the school community 'Unity in Diversity,' the International Festival invites guests of all ages to experience a vibrant and inclusive cultural journey Attendees will have the unique opportunity to 'travel around the world' by visiting interactive booths featuring 22 different countries each one created and hosted by students from Grades 7 through 12 Visitors will receive a special 'passport' upon arrival to be stamped as they tour each country Superior Heights is home to over 65 International students from across the globe and offers a full range of ESL programming and Multilingual Language Learner (MLL) support The school takes great pride in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all students Leading these efforts is Melissa Santa Maria the ESL teacher and MLL Instructional Support teacher at Superior Heights Her passion for helping students thrive has helped the program grow and flourish She emphasizes that events like the International Festival provide students with a valuable platform to share their culture and feel a deeper sense of belonging within the school “Seeing our students proudly share where they come from and what makes their cultures special is incredibly powerful,” says Mrs “It’s a night that reminds us all of the strength in our diversity and the joy of coming together as a community.” The festival will also feature live cultural performances throughout the evening Superior Heights choirs and a Punjabi dance performance by one of Superior Heights’ own students Guests can look forward to tasting traditional foods from around the world prepared by the school’s Bistro and Foods classes Additional activities will include kids’ crafts with all proceeds supporting a local charity and United Heights the school’s newly formed multicultural club Superior Heights invites everyone in the community to attend and celebrate the richness of cultures represented within its walls Whether you're a returning visitor or a first-time guest the 3rd Annual International Festival promises an inspiring and memorable evening Algoma University will temporarily suspend first-year admissions to five undergraduate programs in an effort to strengthen the institution’s long-term financial sustainability according to an internal memo obtained by The Sault Star We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe five low-enrollment programs that will be paused are geography, history, music, sociology, and visual arts. As of April 28, only 18 students had accepted offers to these programs, based on data from the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre. This decision follows recommendations from the Ontario Auditor General’s 2022 Value-for-Money Audit on university finances, which looks at the financial contributions of each of its academic offerings. A 2024 follow-up report criticized the university for making “little to no progress” in determining whether programs could be restructured to provide a net-positive financial return. “This decision was not easy, nor was it taken lightly,” wrote interim president and vice-chancellor Donna Rogers in the memo. “Low-enrolment programs create long-term financial risks for universities, including reduced funding for student services, research grants, and faculty development.” Those already enrolled in the affected programs will continue their studies without disruption, with full access to courses and academic support. No layoffs will occur as a result of the decision. Prospective students who had accepted offers have received personalized communication from the university, along with alternative program options and assistance from the registrar’s office. Rogers emphasized that the move is not a program cut or suspension — decisions which fall under the authority of Senate — but a temporary measure designed to allow departments to reflect on program design and future viability. The board of governors approved the pause earlier this year as part of the university’s broader commitment to sustainable academic programming. Discussions with impacted departments are ongoing, with a focus on collaborative solutions. “We are deeply grateful to all faculty and academic leaders for their partnership in this important work,” Rogers wrote. Marie border crossings are on the decline – with newly released data for April showing over a third less traffic at the international border compared to last year along with President Donald Trump’s repeated ‘51st state’ rhetoric towards Canada the most recent data furthers a burgeoning trend that has seen border traffic drop by greater and greater proportions since February – the first full month after Trump took office there were 59,625 total vehicle crossings – a drop of 13.5 per cent compared with 2024 – and in March there were 56,441 crossings for a year-over-year drop of 29.9 per cent with 50,937 total vehicle crossings – a staggering drop of 35.5 per cent compared with April 2024 traffic has plummeted 19.6 per cent so far in 2025 compared with the same timeframe last year Traffic among all categories dropped over the course of April – including a 9.7 per cent drop in commercial trucks – but the hardest hit category was full-fare passenger cars which fell by 44.1 per cent compared to April last year the impacts of dwindling cross-border traffic are beginning to be felt in Michigan “What I worry about is the businesses,” said Linda Hoath executive director at the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau but we have no projections on what it's going to do.” Hoath said she’s heard concerns from a variety of businesses about what decreased border traffic could mean for Sault “The businesses I've talked to have concerns because we're so close … to cross the border to us is nothing “It's pretty important that we have that cross-border (travel).” Though Hoath hopes to see more Canadians support businesses in Sault she also sympathized with why many are opting not to travel stateside “I totally understand where they're at,” she said you know – that we can't believe what is happening “We want all of us to feel comfortable going both ways.” A 27-year-old man is facing drug and weapons charges after an arrest over the weekend a 911 caller reported a person with a weapon in the 300 block of Bush Street Marie Police Service arrived on scene and found the accused Police say a search of the accused found a pocketknife and approximately eight grams of suspected fentanyl Brent Boissoneau was arrested and charged with: The accused was held in custody pending a bail hearing None of the allegations have been tested in court and Boissoneau is considered innocent until proven guilty.  It wasn’t the usual parade for air cadet Rowan Christenson.   who serves as a Warrant Officer First Class with the 155 Borden Gray G.C was presented with a King Charles III Coronation Medal at the cadets’ annual review held at the Sault Ste “I just found out on the parade square today but I’m honoured,” Christenson told SooToday The Coronation Medal commemorates the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III as King of Canada on May 6 2023 and is awarded to individuals who have made a significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province Very few cadets were selected from across Canada,” said Capt. Steve Mullins of 155 Borden Gray G.C She's a very well-rounded citizen and an amazing candidate for this award She's very confident in the things she does.” The medal was presented to Christenson by Alan Fell of the 432 (Algoma) Wing Royal Canadian Air Force Association and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25.  Fell was awarded a King Charles III Coronation Medal for his services to aviation in March joined the air cadets program at the age of 12 “I’ve learned a lot of skills,” she said “I've learned everything you could probably imagine for a basic learner in aviation I was part of the marksmanship team so I learned how to shoot and improve my aim I’ve learned the discipline and organizational skills that I need I'm using my time management skills,” Christenson said She plans to study sociology at university in the fall To mark the first anniversary of the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 the United Kingdom issued more than 400,000 coronation medals 4,000 of which will recognize members of the Canadian Armed Forces Nominees for the medals were selected for their long service and good conduct as a volunteer or member of an organization for having demonstrated high professionalism or for performing a deed or activity that brings great credit to Canada Progressive rockers Derev are coming to Sault Ste It’s part of a tour to support the band’s newly released first full-length album Troubled Mind a follow-up to their 2021 debut EP Leap of Faith “This album is very personal and introspective,” said the band in a news release “It’s full of memorable songs and parts to listen to and digest both from a musical and lyrical perspective Every song tackles a different state of mind and takes the listener into their thoughts of a mental state that they can relate to.” “As this one marks our second official release we think the fans will be excited about hearing what Derev still has to offer They’re in for a crazy ride full of energetic ups and heartbreaking downs.” Derev will be making a stop at Soo Blaster on May 23 From crafting and activities running until 3 p.m. to a Mother’s Day card-making station where heartfelt messages take flight there’s something for every young imagination don’t miss the paper airplane shooting spot—because what’s better than crafting your own aircraft family-friendly fun fly by—drop in and make some memories No registration required – just drop in contact Children’s Services at the James L One person is facing charges of littering after police received a report that someone was loitering It happened in the 700 block of Queen Street East at 1 p.m Marie Police say people at that location refused to identify themselves “The accused was issued a ticket for littering under the Environmental Protection Act,” said police in a news release officers learned the name of the accused and determined they were wanted for failing to comply with an appearance notice.” None of the allegations have been tested in court and the accused is considered innocent until proven guilty Peacefully at the Sault Area Hospital at the age of 83 Predeceased by her son Christopher Leclair Daughter of the late Selina and Ernest Dallaire Survived by her sisters Willene Page and Fay Miller Predeceased by her siblings; Ernestine O'Donnell Valentine will be remembered by Keith Miller She will also be missed by her special long-time friend sitting out back and going on picnics with Lyle and her sister Fay at the park cremation has taken place and there will be no services The family would like to thank the Sault Area Hospital staff on 3C Memorial donations may be made to the Sault Area Hospital Renal Care Fund or the Cardiac Care Fund More In Memoriam > Following reports by the province’s Auditor General Algoma University is hitting the brakes on five low-enrolment programs in the coming academic year – a move that will impact 18 prospective students According to an internal memo shared with SooToday the board of governors has “approved a time-limited one-year pause on first-year admission intake” into its Geography and Visual Arts programs following recommendations from the Auditor General’s reports The university was included in the province’s 2022 Value-for-Money Audit which brought forward a recommendation – among many others – to evaluate the financial contribution of its programs and consider restructuring to “ensure the long-term sustainability” of the university’s programming A follow-up report in 2024 determined the university had made “little to no progress” on this front wrote interim president and vice-chancellor Donna Rogers “The (Auditor General) noted that Algoma U had made little to no progress in determining whether there are programs that could be restructured to provide a net-positive financial contribution to the university and little to no progress in implementing changes to make these programs sustainable,” Rogers wrote the university is pausing admission five programs for the coming year which will impact 18 prospective students who have accepted offers to the affected programs nor was it taken lightly,” Rogers wrote the reality is that low-enrolment programs create long-term financial risks for universities including reduced funding for student services Continuing to offer under-enrolled programs without careful review can jeopardize the institution’s long-term stability Rogers said affected students will have the option to pursue another area of study at the university “Affected prospective students have received a personalized letter with an offer of admission to another academic program aligned with their original choice along with an invitation to explore other pathways at Algoma University,” she wrote “Our registrar’s office will work closely with them to ensure they feel supported and valued as they consider their next steps.” and fourth years of study in the affected programs will not be impacted “with full access to the courses and academic support they require.” absolutely no layoffs will occur as a result of this temporary pause,” she added Rogers stressed the temporary pause is “not a program cut or a program suspension,” but “an opportunity to give departments the time and support needed to thoughtfully reflect on program design and long-term sustainability The Auditor General’s 2024 follow-up report tracked the university’s financial management efforts on 57 recommended actions along with the efforts of Nipissing University and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities It found Algoma University had fully implemented 33 per cent of the recommendations and will not be implementing four per cent of the recommended actions The full Auditor General’s report may be found here. we announce the peaceful passing of Jennifer at the Sault Area Hospital on Thursday Cherished daughter and friend of Carlo and Pauline We take great comfort knowing that Jennifer is now reunited with her brother Nicholas uncle Eugene and uncle Andy. Beloved granddaughter of Andre Briand late Francesco Florio and the late Ida Florio Friends and family are invited to attend a Celebration of Jennifer’s life in the Lower Lounge at Northwood Funeral Home Cremation and Reception Centre (942 Great Northern Rd Memorial donations to the Algoma Residential Community Hospice (ARCH) would be greatly appreciated by the family It seems Saultites were interested in reminiscing about bygone days long before our Remember This column began The Sault Daily Star (later becoming The Sault Star) ran a recurring column entitled “I REMEMBER WHEN.” On Friday the first I Remember When article was published The caption read: “Mayor Dawson Recalls How Prin Bassingthwaighte Used Strap On Him.” The column’s preamble stated: “Mayor James Dawson has contributed a very interesting collection of gleanings from his recollections of early days in the Sault to start off the Daily Star’s ‘I Remember When’ Column.” Marie he remembered from the previous century His musings included “when the district from Queen Street West to the rapids was a succession of splendid trout streams before the construction of the International Bridge” and “when Lieut marched his twelve red coat volunteers down Queen street with his old iron cannon Mayor Dawson concluded his reminiscences with a final memory “And when James Bassingthwaighte was principal of the school and gave me a good licking with a rubber strap Gimby submitted his own lengthy ‘I Remember When’ column beginning with his arrival in the Soo in 1879 on the St “Our boat did not call at Canadian Soo They were building a ship canal there at that time It was made mostly of wood…Soo Michigan just then was a lively village but my impression of it was not favourable Gimby further recalled that on the day he arrived in Sault Ste he was able to walk “the whole village on foot by 7 p.m He would not stay in our little town for long telling The Sault Daily Star that he “decided after wandering around for the day that the sidewalks were too few and too dangerous…and the village was too small for me to open up my carpet bag and become a citizen of Sault Ste Gimby would return to the Soo twenty-two years later as he recalls in his I Remember When column He decided to stay as “the little uninviting hamlet in the bush had grown to be a prosperous town of about 10,000 happy people.” Campbell also ‘remembered when’ on July 14th James Curran…He was sitting on a packing box at his print shop….on East Street on the site which is now occupied by the Bell Telephone Company.” inserted his version of that same remembrance below Mr so that I could not have been sitting on it It was my brother Jack who was sitting down the Bell Telephone Building is next door…I distinctly remember you standing around watching me work because it irritates me to work if anybody else is idle and when you are the editor of the paper featuring the I Remember When column there were many I Remember When columns as well as advertisements from The Daily Star asking to hear from the adult citizenry of Sault Ste The requests appearing in the paper would include a sample and a form that could be cut out This form started with the words “I REMEMBER WHEN” and ended with a place for Name and Street Address “I Remember When Toronto sent us 1,200 soldiers to quell the paper mill riot in 1903 and I heard Mayor Plummer ask the colonel what he came to town for The conversation took place on Huron Street the old Algoma Inn on Hudson Street was commandeered by the town to house and feed the lumberjacks who came after their pay.” Long before social media and digital news sources Saultites found a way to reminisce about the good ol’ days through newsprint Our current Remember This column is in good company with the bygone ‘I Remember When’ articles the Soo will continue to learn about its past with yet another new medium for news Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here "They don’t shout or complain — they just whirr." That’s how JJ Hilsinger describes the vital chemistry analyzers that keep Sault Area Hospital's lab running around the clock Donna and Mary Hilsinger are helping lead the charge The trio has pledged to match every donation made toward these critical instruments until June 30 “Their long-standing commitment to community is inspiring," Teresa Martone executive director at the Sault Area Hospital Foundation said of the Hilsingers. “Thanks to their matching offer Donations can be made at www.sahfoundation.com/match and at the SAHF office at the hospital weekdays from 8:30 a.m You can learn more about the pledge in the following news release: Donna and Mary Hilsinger are calling on you to help them fund two chemistry analyzers for the Sault Area Hospital (SAH) Laboratory Donna and Mary have pledged to match every donation made toward these critical instruments — dollar for dollar — until June 30 That means any donation made toward the laboratory this spring will be DOUBLED thanks to their generous pledge The laboratory at SAH supports testing across the entire Algoma District performing over 2 million tests every year — and over 870,000 of them use chemistry analyzers SAH has two chemistry analyzers that are the backbone of the lab The analyzers perform some of the most common and critical tests: they check organ function Donna and Mary learned the critical role these analyzers play in the lab they wanted to help understanding how important it is to “Have a Stake” in local healthcare As a Cabinet Member on the New Hospital Campaign JJ was the architect of the “Have a Stake” initiative that saw campaign donors receive a stake that they could display in their front yards to show their support Donna served on the Gala Committee that helped establish the Sault’s first radiation bunker bringing more cancer care to our community They all believe it is important that our community have a stake in our hospital “We all need to visit the hospital during our lives and the lab at SAH is crucial for patient support myself — they don’t shout Our hospital can’t go without them,” shared JJ Hilsinger Donna and Mary for their continued support of the hospital,” said Teresa Martone “Their long-standing commitment to community is inspiring Please join them in supporting the purchase of these critically important pieces of lab equipment.” and Mary have stepped up to provide this match we can’t meet this goal without the support of our community Make a gift before June 30, 2025, to double your impact and fund this essential equipment for Algoma District. Donations can be made at www.sahfoundation.com/match and at the Sault Area Hospital Foundation office inside SAH (Monday to Friday TORONTO — Toronto police say they have charged a 17-year-old with two counts of first-degree murder after a double shooting in April They say officers responded to a call in the city's Riverdale neighbourhood for gunshots around 11:15 p.m One man was pronounced dead while the second was taken to hospital Police say the teen appeared in court on Saturday for a first appearance The teen's identity is shielded by the Youth Criminal Justice Act Whether you’re into retro video games the Quattro Hotel and Conference Centre was the place to be on Sunday afternoon Hundreds filed into the hotel’s conference hall for the Collector-Con event which boasted dozens of vendors selling a wide array of collectible items “It's just all pop culture related things that people really enjoyed this kind of thing,” said organizer Michael Turcotte.  There's so many negative things going on in the city (so) it's nice to see some positive things for the youth and families.” The annual event has run for the past 6+ years and organizer Michael Turcotte said it’s always been a hit with the public “It's always been busy since the beginning which we're grateful for,” Turcotte said Children under 10 can enter the show free of charge Marie officials have learned that the Sault Ste Marie Police Service has gone over its 2024 budget It is believed the overage is approximately $2.5 million “I was informed of the budget overage in late February by the Police Services Board Chair," said Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker in an email to SooToday late Thursday.   "City staff are working closely with Sault Police Services to determine a path forward and what went wrong,” Bruno was not available for comment Thursday It is believed the overage is due to a number of factors “Policing costs are rising for municipalities across Ontario and it sounds like a number of issues and incidents combined to create the problem,” Shoemaker said Answers regarding the overage are set to be brought to the Police Services Board April 30 and then to Council on May 12 “We’re going to find out the full scope of things over the next several weeks,” Shoemaker said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre spoke at length about catch and release laws and the opioid crisis during a large 'Canada First' rally Tuesday in Sault Ste Marie – in support of local candidate Hugh Stevenson At least 1,000 people packed into The Machine Shop in the Canal District for the rally causing some traffic headaches before and after the event Organizers estimated the crowd was 'almost 2,000 people' but could not provide an exact count Rallygoers passed a number of protesters who were on the property to oppose the visit by Poilievre The crowd at Tuesday's event likely represents the largest political rally held in the Sault in recent memory National and local media outlets covered the rally but neither Poilievre nor Stevenson took questions during the event Poilievre has scheduled a press conference in the Sault for Wednesday morning reminding the crowd that he spent seven years as chief of police in the Sault after a 30-year career with the Ontario Provincial Police He abruptly stepped down from the role as chief two days before the 2025 campaign kicked off on March 23 "Do you know what that experience taught me I've never seen things so bad in my seven years of policing "I've never seen so much violence and chaos on our streets I've never seized so many guns and drugs nightly I've never seen so many lives lost tragically to overdoses," he said "I put the blame squarely at the feet of the Liberal Party It wasn't this way before the Liberals came to power," he added Stevenson then introduced the Conservative leader's wife, Anaida Poilievre "We are at a crucial time where we must decide whether we're going to elect the same Liberal team that has left us with a weakened economy and vulnerable in the face of the threat of Donald Trump – or are we going to elect the Conservative government to put Canada first for a change?" she asked before introducing her husband as the next prime minister of Canada and warned of the effects he said would occur if an industrial carbon tax was implemented under the Liberals "The Canadian steel making companies simply will not be able to compete with American and Chinese steelmakers who have no carbon tax at all Both Trump and Carney want to attack Canadian steel — one with taxes and the other with carbon taxes The treatment of 50,000 people living with addiction and tougher penalties for drug dealers were additional campaign promises Poilievre shared with the crowd on Tuesday "We're only going to give the money to those organizations that have a track record of success We will pay those organizations for keeping people off drugs Although Poilievre spoke about the opioid crisis and crime he made no mention of intimate partner violence despite the Conservative leader making a policy announcement promising tougher penalties on Friday in Trois-Rivières Members of Angie's Angels — a group formed after the horrific mass murder in the Sault in October of 2023 — were in attendance at Tuesday's rally hoping to hear more from Poilievre on his campaign promise of tougher penalties for intimate partner violence offences the signs and a photo of murder victim Angie Sweeney were temporarily taken away from the trio and were not allowed to be displayed during the rally Stevenson was chief of police at the time of the mass murder, and rejected calls for him to resign in response to the way his police service handled a 911 call made by Angie the day before she was killed Instead, Stevenson put in place a project in which every intimate partner violence call made to the Sault Ste Renee Buczel said she reached out to Stevenson's campaign on Friday the same day Poilievre made the policy announcement on intimate partner violence but she had not received a response by the time of the rally.  Not satisfied with seemingly being ignored by Stevenson and his staff, Buczel and fellow Angie's Angels members Lindsay Stewart and Angie's brother Brian Jr were able to appeal to Poilievre directly seconds before he boarded a chartered bus to leave the event A party staffer then took down information from the group members local Liberal incumbent Terry Sheehan was asked if his party's leader Mark Carney would be visiting Sault Ste "He's always welcome," responded Sheehan Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is bringing his campaign tour to Sault Ste He will be speaking to supporters at The Machine Shop on Tuesday April 8 News of the event — A “Canada First Rally with Pierre Poilievre” — was posted tonight on the Facebook page of local Conservative candidate Hugh Stevenson Tickets to the rally are available HERE Poilievre, who last visited the Sault in January 2024 is locked in a tight two-way election race with Liberal Leader Mark Carney A poll released this week by Innovative Research has the Tories at 38 per cent of the vote to the Liberals’ 37 per cent while Toronto Star polling shows Carney’s party on track to win 182 seats in the House of Commons compared to 134 seats for the Conservatives Along with Stevenson, the local federal candidates in the riding of Sault Ste Marie—Algoma are incumbent Terry Sheehan (Liberal) Laura Mayer (NDP) and Harry Jaaskelainen (People’s Party of Canada) Federal election campaign signs for Sault Ste Marie - Algoma Liberal candidate Terry Sheehan and NDP candidate Laura Mayer were vandalized overnight Sault Police informed both candidates’ campaign offices Saturday morning and the damaged signs were replaced by Liberal and NDP campaign workers Signs bearing Sheehan’s name were sprayed with obscenities and posters with portraits of Prime Minister Mark Carney were blacked out with spray paint at Sheehan’s campaign office at 618 Queen St Obscenities were also sprayed on Sheehan signs on the Pim Street traffic island the corner of Church Street and Wellington St and the corner of Trunk Road and Black Road At least three of NDP candidate Mayer’s signs were sprayed with slogans - one at the Pim Street traffic island and others at the corner of Bay and East Streets and the corner of Pine Street and MacDonald Avenue “It's troubling,” Sheehan told SooToday We haven't seen something like this in Sault Ste This is stuff you see in the United States The damage done to campaign signs has not discouraged Sheehan or his campaign team I think this is redoubling our resolve to stand up and be Canadian to stand for the values that represent us as Canadians NDP candidate Mayer was assisting her campaign workers replace damaged signs this morning We deserve a campaign that is focused on real issues real dialogue and respectful debate,” Mayer told SooToday Mayer said that there have been “a lot of negative and very disrespectful” comments made against the NDP and Liberals in Sault Ste “People are running in good faith as candidates to do better for their communities and I don't think this (vandalism) has any place in a democratic society This is not something that should be accepted especially when it’s done under cover of night It's not a very effective intimidation tactic We'll continue with the campaign,” Mayer said Both campaigns said Sault Police are investigating Damaging or removing election signs is illegal and may result in charges under the Criminal Code or the Canada Elections Act The Elections Canada list of confirmed candidates for Sault Ste The Sault Police Service says the operator of the motorcycle involved in Wednesday's collision was taken to hospital with serious injuries The collision appears to have occurred at the corner of Queen Street East and Amber A bystander said it happened around 2 p.m. involving a motorcycle and a sport utility vehicle Queen Street East is closed between River Road and Kerr Drive for what appears to be a serious collision that happened shortly before 2 p.m A bystander who arrived at the scene shortly after the crash told SooToday a motorcycle and a sport utility vehicle were involved Debris litters Queen Street East starting at Amber where the collision appears to have taken place SooToday has reached out to police for more information.  This story will be updated as more information comes in but there’s a lot that comes of it for Ontario Hockey League teams development camp has become an opportunity for prospects to learn about the organization and set a standard after a long season The team kicked off their 2025 camp Saturday with practices and a scrimmage at the Northern Community Centre and it was a day that general manager Kyle Raftis said brought with it some nerves for the 39 players “It was good,” Raftis said of the opening day of camp “Because of the constraints on how long we can have the players here it's a really long first day and I find when you're working with guys that are the first time here It’s definitely something that you can see the nerves you could see a getting a little bit tired and they’re worn down.” With the camp coming on the heels of the recently completed seasons for the players Raftis added that the weekend continues to be about settling in with the organization as well “(You’re) not sure what their skating routines are at this time of year obviously you’re evaluating,” Raftis said it’s more so for them to come and get used to the staff and meet everybody and meet each other too we did interviews with them prior to the draft We checked in with those ‘08’s throughout the year and it’s good to see them all on the same ice together.” Raftis added that players attempting to make plays instead of just making the safe play was a positive “Sometimes you see a lot more pucks bouncing off sticks or guys just trying to make safe plays,” Raftis said “A lot of guys were trying to make plays “It’s something that I always find the second game is really a lot better when guys have the chance to kind of reset and get focused for it,” Raftis also said Raftis added that the expectation for Sunday’s scrimmage is in part “just setting a bar of where they’re at today.” “When we’re talking about where guys are at it’s more so building toward August,” Raftis said “A lot of it is just trying to identify areas that we think they need to focus on to make it count you can start to feel the sun coming out and summer’s coming It’s a good touch point for us and our staff to make sure that we get these guys the right guidance and make sure that everyone’s on the same page with their programs and how they’re going to build up their summers.” This weekend’s camp saw 16 of the 17 players selected by the Greyhounds in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection in attendance with third round pick Trevor Daley Jr The team also has 14 players from the 2024 draft in camp along with both players selected in the 2025 U18 draft and seven free agents Rounding out the camp are returnees Carson Andrew and Brady T With fitness testing on tap on Sunday morning the on-ice portion wraps up with a scrimmage at noon poet laureate capped National Poetry Month by urging Greater Sudburians to “get out of your comfort zone.” “I invite everyone to continue supporting local artists “Anything but staying at home watching Netflix.” Alex Tétreault is Sudbury’s eighth poet laureate and was invited to speak at Tuesday’s city council meeting — an annual tradition which marks the end of National Poetry Month The poet laureate typically reads a selection of poetry during their time at the podium Tétreault used his time to talk about the local arts community which he described as made up of “brilliant “We’re beyond lucky to have an artistic community not only contributing to the betterment of their craft but also making important personal sacrifices to ensure that Greater Sudbury is as vibrant a place as it is,” he said artists and educators who supported me every step along the way silencing my doubts and helping me find the courage to use my voice.” Local artists have overcome much through dedication noting that the artistic community is suffering stagnating funding and for a few years now the disappearance of post-secondary training for aspiring artists or wanting to work on stage or behind the scenes.” “accelerated a corrosion already underway.” Even so, he flagged several examples of recent artistic output, including the recent publication of a local poetry book titled “A Thousand Tiny Awakenings,” Blaine Thornton’s Mooncrater Theatre which recently held their first poetry slam and various other local efforts which have helped make Sudbury a creative centre when I think of dropping everything and hiding behind a standing desk somewhere until I retire I find strength in my community,” Tétreault said “They give me hope that together we can do anything.” making their way through the world and not being afraid of letting their freak flags fly.” A video of Tétreault’s full speech is available on the city’s website by clicking here Tyler Clarkre covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com A pickup truck crashed into the wall of a building on the corner of Queen St on Friday afternoon following a medical emergency involving the driver.  firefighters and paramedics responded to the incident which took place sometime before 3 p.m.  It's unclear if any injuries were incurred as a result of the collision.    Northern OntarioNewsSault man charged after repeated non-emergency calls to policeBy Dan BertrandPublished: May 04, 2025 at 1:10PM EDT Northern OntarioNewsMan facing impaired, dangerous operation charges after Sault crashBy Dan BertrandPublished: May 04, 2025 at 11:22AM EDT A 46-year-old faces multiple charges following an incident that took place earlier this week Marie police said officers responded to a call around 9 a.m yesterday of a break and enter in progress at a multi-unit residence in the 500 block of Queen Street West officers say they determined he didn't reside at the residence and the accused was attempting to steal from the unit The accused was arrested and found to be in possession of a reciprocating saw The accused was release on an appearance notice and is scheduled to appear in court on June 30 who coordinated this event, had the pleasure of providing Nancy Guzzo of Extendicare Mapleview with 130 bags that were sewn by 13 ladies who attended the special sew day “The residents really enjoyed meeting all the ladies and watching as pieces of beautiful fabric were sewn into the catheter bags,” said Guzzo “We really appreciate all of the work that the Guild does for our residents It was nice that we could provide them with a sewing space and some light refreshments “I was so surprised that they completed so many bags in the one day," Guzzo added.  "We were able to complete so many bags because many of our members helped out well in advance of the sew day," Young said "Lots of our members cut out the fabric and added the button holes ahead of time That made the sewing much easier on our sew day.” For more information about the Stitches from the Heart Quilt Guild or quilting in general, feel free to contact Donna St. Jules, Media and Community Relations at (705) 971-5479 or by email at [email protected] An upcoming production of Shakespeare's Macbeth is looking for actors for one of The Bard's masterpieces that mixes politics Unfathomable Horrors Productions is holding auditions on two dates this month a pair of Scottish generals encounter a group of witches who proclaim two things: that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor and that Macbeth will be king of Scotland "A loyal Macbeth initially waves them off as being insane however when the first prediction comes to pass and Macbeth is made the Thane of Cawdor he becomes infatuated with the prophecy," Unfathomable Horrors says in its description of the play An increasingly manic Macbeth shares this information with his wife and the two of them begin plotting to kill the king and have Macbeth reign over Scotland.  all run rampant on a crowned Macbeth as he feels evil is around every corner."   Auditions will be held at 121 Pittsburgh Ave (Sault Theatre Workshop’s Studio Theatre) "Absolutely everyone is encouraged to audition regardless of skill or experience," the play's organizers said If you cannot make audition dates, you can send a video of your monologue to [email protected] Macbeth will be performed during the opening week of September. Calvin Lane will direct and be assisted by Grace King We are currently seeking a stage manager for the production.  Auditions for Macbeth will begin with a brief warmup before solo performances actors will learn materials from the show including some minor blocking and speech Actors interested are asked to prepare a minute-long monologue that showcases their range of emotion and speech ability "It would give you an edge (though completely optional) to perform material either by Shakespeare or from the show."  Roles for lead performers include: Macbeth (The Thane of Glamis a woman who is hellbent on fulfilling the prophecy) The Weird Sisters (Three masters of the occult whose prophecies drive Macbeth’s ambition to new heights) brave Scottish general who does not believe in the prophecy) The roles for supporting characters are other people within the empire as well as various people around the surrounding villages Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to the White House on Tuesday for his first face-to-face meeting with U.S President Donald Trump since being sworn in on March 14 The two leaders are set to discuss Trump's trade war on Canada potentially setting the stage for negotiation of a new trade and security pact with the United States At a Friday news conference Carney was hesitant to talk about his specific strategy for dealing with Trump saying he would prefer not to negotiate in public.  But last week, during an exclusive interview with our Inside the Village podcast Carney did speak broadly about how he plans to approach discussions with his American counterpart.  “I say this often: we can't change President Trump," Carney told the podcast VIDEO: We ask Mark Carney if he would ever bring back the consumer carbon tax The prime minister repeated his belief that Canada's trade relationship with the U.S has been forever altered — and there's no going back.  "The President has slammed the brakes hard and wants to turn it around," Carney said "The question is: ‘How much integration do we want with the U.S. How much do we want to rely on trade with them "I think it's important to recognize that it's over," he continued it's going to go back to where it was before.’ No. The President has taken these steps and if you look at broader American business, he's got a lot of support This is the second time in several years that they've ripped up a trade deal with us Instead of expending so much energy on Trump Carney said he is focused on expanding trade with other countries while building a stronger economy at home He specifically pointed to his party's plan to double the rate of home building and spend more military procurement dollars on Canadian materials.  but I'm going to make it again: we can give ourselves far more than the Americans can ever take away," he said "We can more than cover what Trump tariffs will do to us negatively.” “The stronger we are at home — the more we have that plan — the stronger we're going to be negotiating with them," he continued "Because that allows us to walk away from the table when there's a bad deal and we're going to walk away from it.” You can watch the full interview HERE Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province Every episode can be found HERE Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected] not many NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) stories have two books written on them The back roads often take you to living history and historic stories sometimes have multiple interpretations Highway #650 ends about six kilometres from the last house and the Ontario Northland Railway tracks there are sturdy but rusting yellow gate posts surrounded by huge granitic rocks presenting a formidable barrier to entering On the north side of the road remains the discoloured white background and much faded light green trim but it’s the original sign which reads "ADAM’S MINE – NOTRE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION – PROPOSED REECYCLING & SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SITE" I wondered when the name’s possessive apostrophe was dropped for what was to evolve It most likely is the biggest NIMBY case study in northern Ontario and one of the same in Canada there have been two books authored on this environmental matter The Not In My Back Yard is a colloquialism signifying one's opposition to the locating of something considered undesirable in one's locale It seems to have appeared first in the mid-1970s when the organized environmental movement first appeared the Canadian Environmental Law Association and Greenpeace It will be 27 years since Notre Development Corporation received a permit The site is located approximately 10 km southeast of Kirkland Lake in the northwest quadrant of the Unorganized Township of Boston It was proposed that the site receive a maximum of 20 million tonnes of non-hazardous solid waste from Toronto over 20 years The iron ore deposit was originally discovered in 1906 there was little interest in iron ore as a result of the discovery of gold in the Timmins and Kirkland Lake mining camps The site saw renewed interest in the second half of the 1950s as steel production increased It was sold to Dofasco Steel of Hamilton in 1971 The mine was operated in tandem with the Sherman Mine in Temagami It closed in 1990 when the ore reserves that could be feasibly recovered were exhausted Before the mine had shut down production in the early 1990s waste management planners were examining its potential for a massive landfill with waste to be shipped north in sealed intermodal shipping containers by CN and Ontario Northland on a 700 km (430 mi) route It would be a municipal solid waste (MSW) facility on fractured bedrock using hydraulic containment and no landfill liner Notre Development's 1996 proposal involved a consortium that was known as Rail Cycle North, which included the mine's owner along with waste management companies Canadian Waste Services and Miller Waste Services, Ontario Northland Railway and CN There were many environmental assessments and studies on the viability of the pit holding Toronto’s trash won the provincial election and on April 5 provincial Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsay and Minister of the Environment Leona Dombrowsky introduced legislation (Adams Mine Lake Act 6 - Bill 49 - An Act to prevent the disposal of waste at the Adams Mine site and to amend the Environmental Protection Act in respect of the disposal of waste in lakes) which revoked all certificates and permits related to the Adams Mine proposal This had the effect of permanently killing the 1996 plan Although the south pit of The Adams Mine is full of water Dan Larocque from North Country Aerial in Haileybury was contracted to shoot some video of the mine in 2015 “At the time we were hired by a contractor that was looking at making unmanned underwater tech for the navy and they were exploring the option of using the pits there and at Sherman mine,” Larocque said Nothing came out of this, but here is your tour of the site You can see the south pit at the 30-second mark This is just a thumbnail sketch of a long story; chronologically it is a bit of a David and Goliath storyline Trashed – How Political Garbage Made the Unites States Largest Dump (2010) by a former owner of the mine Gord McGuinty, says the concept was an “environmentally sound and cost-effective solution to Ontario’s garbage crisis," and goes on to say "(that became a) botched billion-dollar contract His belief in the project stands as strong today as it did in 1989 when he and his business partner Maurice Lamarche stood at the crest of the pit that spanned 1,800 feet across and 600 feet deep astounded by its potential to create economic development in the area He said this is the true story of the Adams Mine landfill project the most environmentally sound and cost-effective solution to Ontario’s garbage disposal crisis and a world-class rail transportation opportunity was killed by political mismanagement by the City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario “The Adams Mine landfill survived fourteen years of environmental assessments and contract tenders five municipal elections and an international cross-border trucking dispute only to be trashed by the stroke of a political pen.” media and senior politicians – Dalton McGuinty Mel Lastman- set against the efforts of ordinary citizens striving to do the right thing for Ontario weave a disturbing tale of political garbage we never lost the support of the three ‘host community’ councils in Kirkland Lake (KL) “During one municipal election in KL the opposition got a question on the ballot – there was a referendum – we won 65 per cent of the vote to continue with the project and an environmental assessment There was actually a FACTS Committee of residents that ‘supported a fair assessment of the project.'” “I have used the term 'the silent majority' when it came to the project We worked at providing ongoing and accurate information to counter the ‘fake news.’ People listened more than you thought You have to fight for things on a day-to-day basis "The political courage of local leaders like Joe Mavernic – Mayor of KL deal with facts and not be intimidated by the environmental fringe (was remarkable) “The lack of understanding in the public that some politicians use environmental projects to ‘kick start’ their political careers Charlie Angus NEVER once visited the site or attended an information session David Ramsey supported the project for six years – then flipped during a provincial election,” McGuinty said accompanied by the comments of one who lived through the years of the process the long-standing MP of Timmins James Bay (now Kapuskasing—Timmins—Mushkegowuk now Conservative) has just retired from the House after 21 years His Adams Mine book is entitled Unlikely Radicals (2013) “It traces the compelling history of the First Nations people and farmers Anglophones and Francophones who stood side by side to defend their community with mass demonstrations and non-violent resistance,” opposing the mega project politicians and businessmen pushed for the Adams Mine landfill as a solution to Ontario’s garbage disposal crisis This plan to dump millions of tonnes of waste into the fractured pits of the Adams Mine prompted five separate civil resistance campaigns by a rural region of 35,000 in northern Ontario.” "I'm often asked the question, 'What got you into politics?' “I always think back to a cold October night in 2000 when I stood on a makeshift barricade on the Adams Mine Road But the people who were holding the line weren't radicals they were my neighbours - many of them senior citizens and farmers I had never considered a life in politics.. I realized that the people who should have been there to protect the public interest had sold us out." his narrative describes the challenges northern and rural communities face in organizing to challenge mega-projects In last week’s story about Matachewan, we found out citizens on a different scale do not have access to the mainstream media Many rural places are located far from the centres of power they cannot easily compete with those promoting multi-million-dollar developments Despite all of this Unlikely Radicals tells the NIMBY side of the story of how local socio-ecological knowledge mobilized a successful campaign in opposing the Adam’s Mine waste management project It is touted as a definitive resource for being an activist John Vantof has been the MPP for Temiskaming-Cochrane since 2010 He also entered politics because of the Adams Mine.  "They launched a lawsuit against the Temiskaming Federation of Agriculture when I was the President I ran in 2007 to get the provincial government to nudge the company to drop the suit I have not been in contact with them since," he recalled The Adams Mine is not really abandoned per se; it is gated The mine is currently owned by an American investor named Vito Gallo (V.G a national of the United States and the legal and beneficial owner of 100% of the shares of 1532382 Ontario Inc.) and was the subject of a NAFTA Chapter 11 arbitration between Gallo 2007) was that the Government of Ontario failed to pay proper compensation when it passed legislation that revoked the permits that it had previously granted for the site to be operated as a landfill See the final judgement the Tribunal issued its Award on Jurisdiction “The Tribunal found 'without hesitation' that there was insufficient evidence to show that the Claimant owned the Enterprise prior to the enactment of the AMLA and dismissed his claim the Tribunal questioned the lack of contemporaneous documents and found that a number of the corporate documents were backdated It also questioned the Claimant’s minimal involvement in the acquisition and management of the Enterprise.” Damages claimed $105 million CAD – the tribunal dismissed the claim and awarded $450 thousand USD in costs to Canada One of the investors of the numbered company is Mario Cortellucci (pg. 384, “Trashed’). He is mentioned many times in the book’s Index. You can Google him; he is a real estate developer (Cortel Group) affiliated with Premier Doug Ford’s government. See this NDP story and Minister’s Zoning Orders “Ask Mario Cortellucci about his involvement in 1532382 Ontario Inc and the attempt to sue Canada for $355 million." The front was Vito Gallo - a cousin of Mario's business partner He claimed to be a secret owner of the Adams Mine It was followed by a raina douris@RahRahRaina Jan and his outsized influence on Ontario and GTA politics who lives in Vaughan and ran as a far-right candidate for the Italian Senate back in 2018 - is a major Ford donor…”   Raina Douris is the host & writer of World Cafe is hosted and produced by Raina Douris in Philadelphia at WXPN presents interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists on National Public Radio Gallo wanted the entire hearing kept from the public…the only connection to the deal was that he was a cousin of Cortellucci’s partner “The tribunal marvelled that Gallo was unable to produce a single piece of paper to establish his claim that he was the owner of the mine site prior to the passage of the Adams Mine Act.” Charlie Angus went on to say, “There you have it - the last attempt to squeeze a buck out of the Adams Mine ended in a humiliating spanking before a NAFTA tribunal.” Mr. Cortellucci ran in an election in Italy in 2018. Italian citizens, representing the diaspora, living in the North and Central America region, elect two members of the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house) and one for the Senate positions reserved for Italian citizens living abroad. He was aligned with an 'Anti-immigration' policy ticket From a media story, campaign finance records published by Elections Ontario reveal nearly a dozen members of the wealthy Cortellucci family donated close to the maximum amount allowable under Ontario law in February to the Premier of Ontario’s leadership 2018 campaign – the family’s combined contributions add up to $11,100 The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario appointed Mr. Cortellucci to the York Region Police Services Board for a three-year term on October 22, 2022. You can see more of his bio at this link In this October 30, 2023, story on CBC by Mike Crawley, Developer guests at Doug Ford family wedding got fast-track zoning approvals from government Toronto's garbage is now primarily disposed of at the city-owned Green Lane landfill It is owned and operated by the City of Toronto as Toronto's main landfill located 200 kilometres (120 mi) west of the city so trucks continue to roll down Highway 401 West from transfer stations in the city we don’t entirely know what to do with our refuse It is rapidly running out of landfill space and the province doesn’t have a strategy to address this Municipalities are faced with this pending challenge of existing capacity (southern Ontario) projected to be exhausted within the next few years and the provincial government's change to the Environmental Assessment Act giving municipalities veto power over new landfill sites the Ontario Ministry of Environment received a report from two consultants examining Ontario’s landfill capacity needs That report concluded Southeastern Ontario would run out of currently approved landfill capacity as early as 2030 The consultants recommended that officials begin planning for the new capacity immediately A recent good example is the controversial proposal for a landfill near Ingersoll (London-Woodstock) The town announced in November 2021 that Walker Industries would no longer pursue the project due to ongoing public and municipal opposition and the Canadian Environmental Law Association The landfill proposal had faced significant resistance from residents and local councils citing concerns about potential environmental and health impacts So, the province is relying heavily on a small number of large landfills and exporting waste to the United States, making it vulnerable to capacity shortages and potential border closures. This, according to the Ontario Waste Management Association From this 2024 article written by an engineer: “Ontario sends a significant amount of waste to Michigan each year approximately 3.3 million tonnes of Ontario’s waste is exported to the United States and about 87 per cent of that ends up in Michigan landfills This means Michigan receives around 2.9 million tonnes of waste from Ontario annually.” the United States could prohibit Ontario waste from crossing the border and capacity could be exhausted even sooner Michigan is set to increase surcharges (“a $5 (USD) ton surcharge on all out-of-state waste that’s a surcharge of $7.86 Cdn per tonne.”). It will become cost-prohibitive A good northern Ontario example is in the Soo. To extend the life of the current landfill, the city exports an unknown quantity of solid waste to Northern Michigan. See page 47, 4.1.4 of Export of Waste Outside of Service Area in this 2024 report All municipalities are faced with extending the life of their landfills by investigating implementing and supporting programs to increase waste diversion through 3Rs initiatives I am identified in the ‘Trashed’ book on page 266 and the ‘Unlikely Radicals’ on page 57 there was a concept presented to the Toronto City Council proposing that a Canadian Environmental Solutions Centre be created in tandem with the operation of the landfill site The thinking was to educate people (“edutourism”) about reducing consumptive lifestyles (choices) – the 3 R’s the mega project operation would be used as a lifelong learning opportunity I recall presenting this at City Hall-Nathan Phillips Square I became the recipient of the political skills of then-Councillor Jack Layton my well-intended thoughts were torn to shreds by Mr and I was “hung and left out to dry,” walking out of the meeting room onto the plaza I learned what a real politician was like in the public arena There was a feeling that the tide was about to rise See the map showing where the Michigan (Detroit crossing) landfill sites are located the Green Lane Landfill (and how close people live to this site near London) We will eventually put waste into the ground near Ignace. Site selection has been approved The Township of Ignace and the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation have been selected as the host communities for Canada's deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel In the second-to-last paragraph of his book Charlie Angus referenced a letter from a constituent: “You can be proud of the people of Timiskaming Never underestimate the power of a people backed into a corner on their home ground.” He concurred “The Adams mine and the South Pit landfill sit just south of Kirkland Lake The landfill capacity keeps getting smaller The Adams mine and rail-haul remain a world-class waste management opportunity for Ontario and Canada The United States of America does not have to be Canada’s largest garbage dump.” 'May' and 'can' are modal or auxiliary verbs; they show possibility History can or may repeat itself on the back roads The Algoma Horse Association (AHA) is partnering up with local artisans for "The Algoma Roundup" fundraiser This fundraiser will help support riders in the association with show fees The Algoma Roundup baskets are on sale now, with a price of $80 per basket or two baskets for $150. A total of 50 baskets will be available and can be purchased here a local not-for-profit organization that strives for equine excellence and personal growth is pleased to announce “The Algoma Roundup,” a fundraiser that showcases local artisans The Algoma Roundup baskets feature carefully curated items “We are thrilled to share this fundraiser with our community Every purchase directly supports our dedicated riders and end-of-year prizes,” says Brianna Smith The Algoma Roundup baskets will be on sale April 30, 2025, with a price of $80 per basket or two baskets for $150. A total of 50 baskets will be available. Baskets will be available for purchase here Marie has been making headlines—and for good reason.  “As a real estate agent with deep roots in the Soo, I’ve seen firsthand how the city’s landscape has evolved, especially in the past year,” says local REALTOR® Kyle Scali.  “Whether you’re thinking of buying your first home or selling to make the most of your investment 2025 presents exciting (and profitable) opportunities for both buyers and sellers.” A quick look at the current market reveals that Sault Ste Marie has officially made its mark as one of Ontario’s most affordable cities even as prices continue to rise steadily.  According to the Sault Ste. Marie Real Estate Board the average price of homes sold in March 2025 was $346,247 The dollar value of all home sales that month was $42.6 million.  “This isn’t just a temporary spike in growth—it’s a reflection of the increasing demand and a shift in how Canadians view smaller cities like ours,” says Kyle “People are moving here for the lifestyle “People are starting to notice what we’ve known all along—Sault Ste Marie is a hidden gem,” says the REALTOR® “Combine that with low average home prices relative to the rest of Ontario and it’s easy to see why our city is becoming a magnet for both locals and out-of-towners alike.” your property may now be worth more than you think getting in sooner rather than later could mean securing long-term value The Sault still offers tremendous value compared to larger urban centres it’s still a great time to buy—as long as you’re prepared.  Having your financing in place makes you a stronger contender Arrange your pre-approval early so you won’t have to worry about shifting interest rates and increased competition Know which neighbourhoods offer the best value and greatest potential for the future these would include areas like Queen Street East “A good REALTOR® doesn’t just show you homes—they help you understand value and avoid costly mistakes,” says Kyle If you’ve been debating whether or not to sell this could be the right moment to make your move Demand is high and buyers are hungry—especially for updated move-in-ready homes—and inventory remains low List now and capitalize on all the increased interest out there Start with presentation: your home needs to look as attractive and pulled-together in person as it does online and smart pricing can significantly boost your final sale price I provide these services as part of my listings to ensure your home stands out,” says the REALTOR® people are looking to settle into their new homes before the start of the next school year Spring and early summer are the hottest selling seasons of the year for this very reason Whether you’re buying your first home a personalized buying and selling strategy and top-tier marketing to get maximum exposure for your home “You don’t need to navigate this market alone and make a plan that works for you.” Call 705-297-5866 or connect with him on Facebook today A $100,000 feasibility study aimed at bringing a clinical campus of Northern Ontario School of Medicine University to Sault Ste Marie has identified three potential locations for the specialized facility "Three options for a location were identified and include Algoma Public Health and Sault Area Hospital," says Tom Vair the city's chief administrative officer "Based on the team's analysis and decision-making framework Algoma Public Health and Sault Area Hospital represent the two most viable options for a new facility," Vair said in a report presented this week to Mayor Matthew Shoemaker and ward councillors.  "This was directly attributed to Algoma Public Health offering the least capital-intensive construction/renovation process and a quicker implementation plan and Sault Area Hospital providing access to other hospital facilities with greater potential for future expansion." The feasibility study was funded with $75,000 from the city and $25,000 from Sault Area Hospital A local clinical campus is being sought to help address Sault Ste Marie's physician shortages and to improve access to health care in northern Ontario A primary care teaching clinic (PCTC) is considered the Sault's best bet for starting to address local health care issues It's a specialized facility within a health-care setting residents and health-care professionals with hands-on training.  "This model has emerged as the most appealing option through our investigations and discussions with NOSM U due to its ability to maximize the residents-to-physician ratio and generate a multiplicative effect," the feasibility study's authors conclude.  "The primary advantage of this model is its capacity to train multiple residents simultaneously in a supervised clinical environment enhancing hands-on experience and accelerating the learning process Training within an PCTC directly contributes to improved patient care by producing highly skilled physicians who enter the workforce more effectively By adopting this model and consistently producing qualified physicians the health-care system becomes more self-sustaining ensuring long-term stability and growth in physician count both on a gross basis and relative to corresponding growth in undergraduate learner intake." Vair says Shoemaker and city staff will work with NOSM U and local stakeholders "to advocate with the provincial government to advance this promising concept." The Toronto office of BDP Quadrangle was lead consultant on the project The following are remarks made by the feasibility study authors about the three possible locations in Sault Ste The first opportunity explores the potential of the existing Algoma Public Health building which offers approximately 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of available space for sublease The proposed vision for this option involves the renovation of these existing spaces transforming them from traditional office settings to medical office facilities This approach would allow for the establishment of a teaching facility within a relatively short timeframe particularly when compared to other alternatives clinical campus environment within a well-maintained building A key advantage of this option is the strong support from Algoma Public Health who is eager to maximize the utilization of its facilities the capital expenditure requirements for this project are comparatively low This opportunity would provide space for a single pod primary care teaching clinic with potential for future expansion of an additional pod on the second floor A potential challenge could be the co-location requirements depending on NOSM U's specific preferences This option offers several configurations within the existing floorplate that can accommodate the space requirements on both the first and second floors After discussions with the Algoma Public Health team it appears that a current vacancy on the first floor is the most suitable space The vision for the Group Health Centre property entails the potential demolition of the existing structure and the construction of a new This facility would not only replace the current building but also provide dedicated space for NOSM U’s programming One of the key advantages of this option is its unparalleled flexibility The available building lot is larger than required allowing for a design that can accommodate both immediate needs and future expansion in alignment with the Group Health Centre’s strategic goals the new facility could be integrated into a mixed-use development incorporating residential spaces for staff and the broader community The inclusion of residential units or other complementary spaces offers the opportunity to generate income streams which could be leveraged to offset both development costs and the required investment This approach would ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the project while enhancing the facility’s role within the community while the Group Health Centre has a master plan vision for the site this property can be developed independently and situated in the parking lot between the existing buildings The proposed vision for the Sault Area Hospital option involves the construction of an extension at the south end of the existing facility purpose-built structure would be designed specifically to accommodate the teaching and operational requirements of NOSM U's programming A significant advantage of this option is its seamless integration with the hospital allowing direct access to its extensive resources and enabling the new facility to leverage existing hospital infrastructure a key consideration for this option is its alignment with the hospital's overarching master plan The need for coordination with this broader framework introduces a longer timeline due to the additional planning hospital-imposed restrictions may limit the design flexibility and scale of the proposed facility which could influence its final configuration The adjacent graphic presents a preliminary layout for a four-pod PCTC highlighting the relative floorplate dimensions required for development at ground level the space could be constructed as either a two-pod or four-pod configuration with a two-pod footprint by utilizing vertical construction It is also worth noting that this building could be developed as a stand-alone structure at a different location on the property This approach may help streamline the planning process and facilitate faster project timelines the escalated construction cost for a clinical campus at Algoma Public Health is estimated at $15.9 million A clinic based at Group Health Centre would cost $42.2 million The study's authors sought input from NOSM, Algoma University Maamweysing North Shore Community Health Services "The completion of the feasibility study is an important first step to advance the development of a clinical campus in Sault Ste A Hilton Beach resident is facing impaired driving charges after a pickup truck crashed into a utility pole Marie Police were called to the 800 block of McNabb Street at around 10:30 p.m but they were able to identify a suspect and grounds to believe they were impaired by alcohol at the time of the crash Mcintyre Centennial Library will be celebrating Star Wars Day today the library is inviting kids and their caregivers to a drop-in event between 9 a.m The event will include Star Wars Minute-to-Win-It challenges The Draft EIS is expected to be published in the Federal Register on May 30 The Detroit District will conduct a 30-day public comment period (May 30 to June 30 2025) following the release of the Draft EIS “Public participation is an important part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to ensure a thorough environmental analysis consistent and well-informed decision,” Detroit District Commander Lt The Line 5 Tunnel Project is a proposal by Enbridge Energy Limited Partnership (Enbridge) to construct a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac in Lake Michigan The tunnel would house a replacement segment of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline which transports crude oil and natural gas liquids The Detroit District is reviewing Enbridge’s permit application (File LRE-2010-00463-56-A19) pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for a Department of the Army permit The public and concerned parties are welcome to provide comments on the Draft EIS via the Line 5 Tunnel EIS website or virtually at a date to be determined and announced All submitted comments are included in the Detroit District’s administrative record and considered in the preparation of the final EIS and other parts of the District’s review With the current timeline, the Record of Decision date is anticipated in fall 2025. The accompanying graphic shows the tentative timeline and can also be found online the Detroit District is processing the permit application using special processing procedures in compliance with Executive Order (EO) 14156 the President declared a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C § 1621) based upon the finding that the United States’ insufficient energy production and generation constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to our Nation’s economy Detroit District determined this permit request meets the terms of EO 14156 and is subject to special emergency permitting procedures to address an energy supply situation “The Detroit District continues to prepare an EIS and comply with all applicable legal and policy requirements including its federal trust responsibility to Tribal Nations and the National Environmental Policy Act,” Lt “These processes will inform the District’s permit decision.”  Questions can be directed to Detroit District public affairs at [email protected] leads a Jane’s Walk centred on waterfront wind chimes on Saturday Mary’s River Driver that he designed in 1990 We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle content High pressure slowly moves into the Sault region this weekend helping to transition the weather from cold and wet to sunny and warm we will see warmer-than-normal temperatures for early May that will likely continue into next week and possibly the middle of the month We might see a few isolated showers Friday morning but we should see some breaks in the clouds in the afternoon as daytime highs reach 8°C and the afternoon sun will help temperatures climb to 12°C and daytime highs continue upwards and reach 19°C