News

Candidates Address Homelessness

All candidates in northwestern Ontario were asked by the CBC how they planned to address the homelessness and opioid crisis.

There are at least 550 people experiencing homelessness in Thunder Bay. Heading toward Manitoba, 500 people are known to be homeless in the Kenora District.

Homelessness in northern Ontario has grown 4X faster than in non-northern communities in the last 8 years.

Regarding the opioid crises, Thunder Bay district has the highest opioid-related death rate in the province, 5X higher than the provincial average.

Subsequently, these are very important election topics for our neck of the woods.

The candidates, covering Thunder Bay-Superior North, Thunder Bay-Atikokan, Kenora-Rainy River and Kiiwetinoong, were given a deadline for their reply. Those who responded by that deadline are below:

Thunder Bay-Superior North:

• Lise Vaugeois (NDP) - more provincial spending on housing and social services, higher social assistance rates, rent controls, harm reduction services

• Brian Hamilton (Liberal) - more affordable housing, release-from-custody strategy to support inmates, more detox and addiction services, peer support programs

• Ruck Dumas (PC) - clearing encampments, supporting province’s youth wellness hubs, homelessness and addiction recovery treatment hubs, homelessness prevention program

• John Northey (Green) - no response by deadline

Thunder Bay-Atikokan

• Kevin Holland (PC) - clearing encampments, support for provinces’s youth wellness hubs, homelessness & addiction treatment hubs, homelessness prevention program

• Stephen Margarit (Liberal) - more affordable/transitional housing, mental health care, higher ODSP rates, detox centre, harm reduction & post-treatment services.

• Judith Monteith-Farrell (NDP) - more harm reduction services, supporting housing, support for shelters, housing benefits, renter protections, higher social assistance rates

• Eric Arner (Green) - no response by deadline

Kenora-Rainy River

• Greg Rickford (PC) - clearing encampments, support for provinces’s youth wellness hubs, homelessness & addiction recovery treatment hubs, homelessness prevention program

• Anthony Leek (Liberal) - supportive housing with wraparound services, support for front-line workers, rent controls, resolving Landlord and Tenant board issues

• Rudy Turtle (NDP) - harm reduction & wraparound services, treatment, more supportive housing, housing benefits, renter protections, higher social assistance rates

• John Redis (Green) - no response by deadline

Kiiwetinoong

• Sol Mamakwa (NDP) - harm reduction, wraparound addiction services, supportive housing, housing benefits, renter protections, addressing overcrowded homes in First Nations

• Waylon Scott (PC) - clearing encampments, support for province’s youth wellness hubs, homelessness & addiction recovery treatment hubs, homelessness prevention program

• Carolyn Spicer (Green) - rural health-care investments, mental health care coverage, traditional healing, shelter beds, more provincial spending on housing/social services

• Manuela Michelizzi (Liberal) - candidacy was announced after the response deadline

Daily Poll

Which party will tackle homelessness/opioids best?

66% of you said you would not watch the Junos. However, the feedback on our local teacher being nominated was extremely positive 😍 

Today’s question:

Family Day

What’s Opening & Happening Today

Most businesses might be closed today, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to do!

Here’s a run-down of what’s going on for Family Day:

• SnowDay on the Waterfront - free event running from 11am-4pm at Marina Park

• Ice fishing will be free with no fishing license or Outdoors Card required from Feb 15-17 (catch and size limits still apply)

• Canada Cames Complex is open today from 12pm-5pm

• Volunteer Pool is open today from 1pm-4pm for Family Swim

• Churchill Pool is open today from 1pm-4pm

• Scotties Tournament of Hearts has 12 games scheduled today

• Fort William Historical Park is hosting its annual Voyageur Winter Carnival from 11am-5pm

For more details, including links to some of the events listed above, click the button below.

Recreation

Winter Games Creates Legacy Fund

City Council has voted unanimously to take $233,000 of revenue from the 2024 Ontario Winter Games and create a legacy plan for future sports events.

The city received $1.5 million from the province for hosting the games. However, there was a caveat that $100,000 of that be spent on legacy sports projects.

It’s been recommended the city divvy up the funds as follows:

• $15,000 to PRO Kids

• $10,000 to Special Olympics Thunder Bay

• $75,000 to the City’s Community, youth & Cultural Funding Program (CYCFP)

• $123,000 put into an event hosting reserve to bid, host and support future major sporting events

The games had a local economic impact of $5.6 million.

Crime

Robbery Suspect Arrested

A man has been arrested and charged after using a knife to rob a local business in the Intercity Area.

The incident occurred on February 7th in the 700 Block of Fort William Road.

A man entered a business and stole merchandise while brandishing a knife.

The 38-year-old was arrested on Wednesday and charged with robbery and breach of probation.

Education

St. Ignatius Cheer Takes Silver

The St. Ignatius High School cheer team took second place in the WSCC Medium Varsity division at the International Cheer Union World School Cheerleading Championships last week.

The new championship includes schools from over 10 countries around the world.

Previously it used to just be private clubs, gyms or national team representation.

The Medium Varsity Division focuses on all-girl teams with 12-16 member squads.

The event took place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

Congrats!

Indigenous News

Oshki-Wenjack Helps Students Thrive

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Insitute, has opened up its doors and is sharing how it has helped and supported indigenous students.

The institute partners with colleges and universities to help offer programs in health, early childhood education, business, mental health, and social service worker programs, along with a bachelor of social work.

The programs encompass understanding the Indigenous culture and focus on smaller class sizes and inclusion of cultural values.

While most two-year programs are four semesters, Oshki-Wenjack might go five.

Students spend two weeks in person during a semester at the Thunder Bay campus. Then five weeks online in the evenings, then back to two weeks in-person and finishing with five weeks back online again.

The results speak for themselves: the students have a higher graduation rate than the standard in Ontario.

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

V3nom
Live musical performance
Fort William Curling Club
Feb 17 @ 10pm
$ FREE

Nerd Nite
19+ live speakers discussing what they nerd out about!
Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.
Feb 18 @ 7pm
$ FREE

Colin James - Chasing The Sun Tour
Live musical performance
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
Feb 18 @ 7:30pm
$60-$70

Name That Tune…
Musical trivia
Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.
Feb 19 @ 7pm-9pm
$ FREE

Young Frankenstein
Live theatre
Paramount Theatre
Feb 19-22 @ 7:30pm
$28

Taylor Swift Interactive Night ft The Selfies
Collaborative live musical performance
The Study Coffeehouse
Feb 20 @ 7pm-10pm
$10

The New Canadian Curling Club
Live theatre
Magnus Theatre
Feb 20-23 @ 7:30pm
$25-$50

Karaoke
Live music
Feb 20

• Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5

• Howl at the Moon (sober karaoke)

• Norteños Cantina

• Polish Combatants’ Association - Branch 1

• The Alley

• The Waterhouse

Hill City Kinsmen 2025 Comic Idol
Live comedic competition
Da Vinci Centre
Feb 21 @ 7pm
$400

Acoustic Night
Live music
Norteños Taqueria
Feb 21 @ 7pm-10pm
$ FREE

Live at the Five ft CCR Band
Live music
Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5
Feb 21 @ 8pm
$15-$20

DJ Ducktails
Live music
Woodside Bar - Goods & Co.
Feb 21 @8pm
$ FREE

Viernes Cubano “Havana Latin Night”
Music & dancing
El Tres
Feb 21 @ 9pm
$10-$15

Karaoke
Live music
Feb 21

• Howl at the Moon (sober karaoke)

• The Hodder

• The Waterhouse

• The Social

• The Bar

Story Time with Thunder Bay Drag Queens + Kings & Crafting with Queens
Live stories and crafting
Mary J.L. Black Community Hub
Feb 22 @ 2:30pm-4pm
$ FREE

TBSO Pops - Jazz Journey
Live music
Italian Cultural Centre
Feb 22 @ 7:30pm
$25-$50

Musical Open House
Free musical performance for the community
Unitarian Place
Feb 16 @ 4pm-6pm
$ FREE

Karaoke
Live music
Feb 22

• Westfort Prosvita

• Howl at the Moon (sober karaoke)

• The Hodder

• Norteños Taqueria

• The Social

• The Bar

Home of the Day

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4 bedrooms
3+1 bathrooms
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Remodelled River Terrace home with pool, finished basement & 2 car garage