ISSUE #78

Good morning,

We made it to another Friday. Congrats everyone! I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thank you SO much for reading 🙂 

In today’s issue, we cover:

• NDP’s costed platform announced 🇨🇦

• Daily Poll -Strong agenda or no?

• Declare your boulevard gardens now 🌻

• Victoriavill demo within budget 🦺

• Missing person search ended👮

• CN to fix collapsed bridge 🛤️

• Drug raid nabs three suspects 

• Things to do this week 🗓️

• House of the day - Shuniah area bungalow 🏡

- Marcus Luft

Election

NDP Costed Platform

The NDP focuses on tax reforms, taxing the rich, and funding additional programs.

Details include:

• Net increase of $48 billion to the federal deficit over 4 years

• Tax reform ensuring no nurse, teacher, tradesperson etc., should pay more tax than a billionaire

• Boost employment insurance payments funded by tariffs on American goods

• $7 billion over 4 years for mental-health coverage

• Train 100,000 tradespeople to help build more homes

• Require other levels of government to put in place rent controls and prohibit measures such as renoviction if they want access to federal housing funding

• Tax wealthy individuals with more than $10 million in holdings to generate $22.7 billion this fiscal year, scaling up to $25 billion 3 years later

Let us know what you think below!

Daily Poll

Today’s question is:

Wednesday’s Results:

You can download the full results (including comments) here in an Excel file (email addresses have been removed for anonymity).

Municipal

Declare Your Boulevard Gardens

I know it doesn’t feel like it, but according to the city, the growing season has nearly started.

And if you plan on having a boulevard garden, you need to declare it now to the city.

Passed back in February, the boulevard garden and maintenance bylaw requires homeowners, property owners, and tenants to complete a declaration before they start turning soil and planting things.

You can fill out the form online here, or, you can do it old-school style and head to the first floor of City Hall and fill out a paper form.

Municipal

Victoriaville Comes in Within Budget

City officials were nervous while awaiting the results of the bids to demolish the Victoriaville Mall.

But they ended up being pleasantly surprised.

The lowest offer came from Finnway General Contractor Inc at $18.4 million + HST.

The forecasted cost was $17.9 million plus a $1.3 million contingency.

Barring any surprises, demolition should begin later in May or early June.

Crime

Missing Person Found Deceased

32-year-old Randall Jack went missing in October of 2024.

Thunder Bay Police have been searching for Jack since November of last year.

Sadly, on Wednesday, TBPS issued a news release saying that Jack is no longer the subject of a missing person investigation and it is now a private matter between investigators and family.

Jack was from Big Grassy First Nation but had been living in Thunder Bay for about 20 years.

Transportation

CN To Fix Collapsed Bridge

CN is going to be installing new lift towers that will allow the Five Mile Bridge on Rainy Lake to be reopened.

The bridge was closed last August after it collapsed.

The incident impacted boat traffic beneath the bridge and shut down rail traffic for a month while CN implemented temporary repairs after receiving emergency approval from the federal government to do so.

The railway has now been approved to install new lift towers, which will complete the repairs, open the original tracks again, and allow marine traffic to resume.

The goal is to have the repairs completed by June 1.

Indigenous News

Drug Raid Nabs Three

Nisnawbe Aski Police Service recently arrested three suspects in Webequie First Nation.

The arrests were the result of an ongoing investigation by the NAPS Intelligence Unit for possible drug trafficking.

The police search resulted in a quantity of suspect cocaine, oxycodone pills, cash, and paraphernalia being seized.

Two from Webequie First Nation and one from Pikangikum First Nation were arrested.

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

April 25

Mark Potvin and Mike Carson Live at Monty’s Joint
Live blues/jazz music
Monty’s Joint - 513 Victoria Ave E
6pm-9pm
$ FREE

Women of the Fur Trade
Live theatre
Magnus Theatre - 10 Algoma St S
7:30pm
$25-$50

Acoustic Night
Live acoustic music
Norteños Taqueria
7pm-10pm
$ FREE

Cambrian Players Improv Show
Live improv show - comedy improv troupe (18+ recommended)
Cambrian Players - 818 Spring St
7:30pm-9:30pm
$10

Emo Night: Warped Tour Tribute Show
Live musical performance of all your favourite emo music
Black Pirates Pub - 215 Red River Rd Suite 101
9pm
$10 at the door

Blood Red Moon
Live metal/rock musical performance
The Foundry - 242 Red River Rd
10pm
$5 at the door

Coyote Switchblade and Psycho Therapy
Live hard rock/punk music (Ramons tribute band)
Wayland Bar & Grill
10pm
$5 at the door

School’s Out White Out Party - 19+
White attire event featuring DJ SUPA in support of LUNA and FOBSA Lakehead Organizations
NV Music Hall - 228 Red River Rd
10pm
$10 

Karaoke

• The Hodder - 481 Hodder Ave
  9pm

• The Social - 1047 Dawson Rd
  9:30pm

• The Bar - 863 Red River Rd
  10pm

• The Waterhouse - 9 Cumberland St S
  10pm

April 26

Vinyl Saturdays
Come listen to your favourite tunes on vinyl
Red Lion Smokehouse - 16 Cumberland St S
3pm-9pm
$ FREE

Women of the Fur Trade
Live theatre
Magnus Theatre - 10 Algoma St S
7:30pm
$25-$50

Blacklight Paint Party: Aries-Taurus Edition
Paint party under black light on an 8X10 canvas, with DJ Copic taking over after 9pm when the paintbrushes are put down
Pocketchange - 234 Red River Rd
6pm-9pm (Paint Party - all ages welcome)
9pm (Afterparty starts 19+)
$30

Candlelight Concerts: Queen vs ABBA
Listeso string quarter play your favourites from Queen & ABBA
St. Paul’s United Church - 349 Waverley St
7pm
$35-$53

TBSO Pops - A Trip to Broad with Badanai Theatre Co.
Experience Broadway with the TBSO and Badanai Theatre’s production of “The Music Man” inspired by the grandeur of Kennedy Centre performances
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium - 1 Paul Shaffer Dr
7:30pm
$25-$50

Daniel Moroz Memoriał Scholarship Fundraiser
3 bands, plus prizes & funds raised go to SCVI student scholarships
eVents - 201 South Syndicate Ave
8pm
$10 at the door

Rum Ragged
JUNO award nominees Rum Ragged, live folk music performance
Italian Cultural Centre - 132 Algoma St S
8pm-10pm
$40

Candlelight Concerts: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons
Listeso string quarter play your favourites from Coldplay & Imagine Dragons
St. Paul’s United Church - 349 Waverley St
9pm
$35-$53

Iconica 2 Drag Show
Live drag queen & king performance
Black Pirates Pub - 215 Red River Rd Suite 101
9pm
$15-$20

StripperMania 3: All Stars
Live adult performance 19+
Centrefolds Showbar - 802 Memorial Ave
10pm
$ FREE

Karaoke

• Westfort Prosvita - 721 Gore St W
  8pm-12am

• Howl at the Moon - Sober Karaoke - 8 Cumberland St S
  9pm
  $5

• The Hodder - 481 Hodder Ave
  9pm

• The Social - 1047 Dawson Rd

• Red Lion Smokehouse - Live Band Karaoke - 16 Cumberland St S
  9:30pm-11:30pm

• The Bar - 863 Red River Rd
  10pm

Home of the Day

21 Melvin Ave.

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

2+1 bedrooms
2 bathroom
1,200 sqft

$409,900

Refreshed bungalow in the Shuniah area.