News

College Fundraiser Sets Record

Confederation College set a record this year for their annual Stock the Bank fundraiser.

They raised over $65,000 for scholarships, bursaries and their student emergency fund.

$25,000 of that specifically went to the student emergency fund. The fund supports food and security initiatives for students.

The fundraising efforts also brought in 3,700 non-perishable food items, and 200 kitchen and self-car kits to help supports students.

The College created teams and challenged them to raise funds, with the winning team getting $150 donated to a charity of their choice, and gift cards as prizes.

Students are especially vulnerable to rising food prices, so a big heart-felt thank you from Thunder Bay Digest to everyone involved in this record setting event.

PS - this is the 19th year for this fundraiser, and all-told it’s raised over $260,000 to support students. Simply amazing!

Daily Poll

Online or in-person?

Well Monday would have made 78% of you happy, as that’s how many said they prefer a white Christmas over a brown or green one! Woohoo snow!

2 weeks left for shopping so I’m curious: do you shop online, or in-person?

City Hall

Parking… for Free?

Well here we go… another week, another parking story 🤣

But this one has a bit of a twist.

City Council at last nights meeting dropped a pleasant surprise on us:

City Manager, John Collins, said Thunder Bay residents are going to be getting a reprieve on parking this Christmas season, with free parking scheduled to start December 16.

The announcement was long on feel-good, short on details. Meaning, we don’t know anything else about this.

But! More details to come soon. This was part of a larger discussion around the parking enforcement hours.

That’s something no one is happy about, so perhaps this is a bit of a carrot…?

Health

Mental Health Addition

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre will be creating a new space to support residents and families dealing with mental health issues and addictions.

The new space will be accessible via the ER, and is part of the province’s broader plan to expand healthcare coverage and address gaps in the system.

The province has committed $3.8 billion over 10 years to increase help for mental health and addiction related needs.

The new space will provide privacy for patients to be assessed by doctors and nurses. The expansion will also provide additional programming and care planning.

Arts

Breaking Down Barriers

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is bravely taking on a very important topic with a new exhibit entitled: Breaking Through the Shadows: Voices of Change in the Community.

The exhibit is extremely powerful and comes with a content warning. It aims to help reduce the stigma surrounding addiction, support healing and to help humanize the loss of loved ones.

The exhibit features painting, story telling, poetry and upcycling from several projects led by the Drug Awareness Committee and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.

The display is free for the public to view and runs until January 5th.

While many of us have wonderful experiences around the holidays, it is also a time of extreme hardships for others. This display is an important reminder of that.

Police

Deputy Chief to Continue

Deputy Police Chief, Ryan Hughes, has been reappointed for another 2 years by the Thunder Bay Police Service Board.

Hughes has been a Thunder Bay Police officer for 26 years, and has served in the Deputy Chief role since 2019.

Hughes was suspended in 2022 as part of an investigation but was reinstated in 2023.

Congratulations to Deputy Chief Hughes, I’m sure you’ve got your worked cut out for you!

First Nations News

Search for Missing Person

A ground search is being organized here in Thunder Bay for missing Sandy Lake First Nation resident, Deborah Anishinabie.

She was last seen in the early hours of Thursday in the 100-block of Simpson St.

Deborah is described as a 41 year-old Indigenous female, 5’1” tall, long black hair, brown eyes, and tattoos on her left shoulder and both arms.

For more information, or to find out how you can provide information if you have any, please click the button below.

Get Your Christmas On 🎄

Get Ready for the Fatman Coming Down the Chimney!

30+ Pop-Up Vendors - Goods & Co. - Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22

Santa Visiting & Photos - Vanderweese - Dec. 14, 15, 21, 22

Pet Pics With Santa - Intercity Shopping Centre - Dec. 7, 14; 4pm-6pm
* proceeds to local rescues

Santa Photos - Intercity Shopping Centre - Nov 16-Dec 24
Monday - Friday in November 3pm-7pm
Monday - Friday in December 11am - 7pm
Saturday - 10am - 6pm
Sunday - 11am - 5pm
Dec. 23 - 10am - 8pm
Dec. 24 - 10am - 2pm (he’s gotta get back to the North Pole!)

Breakfast With Santa - Thunder Bay Country Market - Dec. 14; 8am - 10am

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

Elf: The Musical
Musical stage production
Magnus Theatre
December 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 (show times at 2pm & 7pm - check with Magnus for your preferred date)
$25-$55

Lakehead Choral Group Christmas Concert 2024 ‘Comfort & Joy;
Musical performance
St. Agnes Church
December 11 @7pm-9pm
$10 - $20

Hot and Dirty Bingo: Christmas Edition
Bingo - not for the prudish
Pocketchange
December 11 @ 8pm

Thunder Bay’s Community Nutcracker
Musical theatrical production
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
December 13, 14 @ 6pm (13th); 1pm & 6pm (14th)
$35

Christmas Dinner & Dance
Group & Small Business Dinner & Dance networking event
Slovak Legion
December 13, 14 @ 6pm
$55

TBSO Candlelight - Christmas at the Fort
Live musical event
Fort William Historical Park
December 13 @ 7:30pm
$75

Fort William Male Choir: Prelude to Christmas
Live musical event
Hilldale Lutheran Church
December 13, 14 @ 7:30pm (13th); 1:30pm (14th)
$15 - $30

Holiday Concert with Rodney Brown
Live musical event
Waverley Public Library
December 14 @ 2:30pm-3:30pm
$ FREE

Ukrainian Celtic Christmas!
Ukrainian Christmas concert
Urban Abbey
December 14 @ 7pm - 9:30pm
$20

Christmas with The Selfies
Live musical performance
Norteños Cantina
December 14 @ 10pm
$5

Christmas With Johnny Reid
Live musical performance
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
December 15 @ 7:30pm
$72

In the Christmas Mood - Roy Coran Big Band
Live musical performance
Italian Cultural Centre
December 15 @ 2pm
$35

Home of the Day

412 Fraser Rd.

(Realtors if you want your home featured - send us an email: [email protected])

4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
3,971 sq ft

$1,295,000

5 acres, in-floor heating, attached & detached garage. Built in 2014.