ISSUE #83

Good morning,

The weather has been lovely the last few days! it’s too early to call it summer, but the long-range doesn’t look terrible - especially for May in Thunder Bay!

In today’s issue, we cover:

• Tariff relief money available 💵

• Daily Poll -Are you worried? 

• Shipping season under way 🚢

• Road closure season started 🚧

• Shelter site decided on - finally ⛺️

• Security camera request👮‍♂️

• Indigenous dancers heading to Toronto 

• Things to do this week 🗓️

• House of the day - Westfort - garage- hot tub 🏡

- Marcus Luft

Business

Trade War Assistance

Small businesses in Thunder Bay are going to be able to apply for some financial assistance in the face of the Donald Trump-led trade war Canada currently finds itself in.

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Community Economic Development Commission have teamed up to launch the Small Business Tariff Response Fund this week.

The fund will provide 15 eligible businesses with $7,500 in funding for projects they are working on that have a cost of at least $10,000.

The fund is open to small businesses that have 50 employees or less.

Businesses interested in applying, can do so here.

Daily Poll

Today’s question is:

Monday’s Results:

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

Transportation

Shipping Season Underway

The shipping season is underway at the port of Thunder Bay.

Yesterday morning there were four ships anchored outside the break wall, waiting for clearance to meet up with grain elevators. That’s on top of the six that are already berthed at an elevator exchanging cargo.

May is usually a busier month in the port as things being to ramp up again after the winter freeze.

While it’s not uncommon to see ships anchored, they generally only do so for a day or two, waiting their turn.

Here’s hoping that despite the looming financial uncertainty, the port of Thunder Bay has another banner year!

Infrastructure

Road Closure Season Has Started

Ahhh spring in Thunder Bay… where everything is brown, it smells a lot like dog poo, and road closures start for the upcoming construction season!

Up first is the Algoma and McIntyre Street area.

The city has announced they will be closing multiple sections of McIntyre for infrastructure repairs. The street is the last major road that needs to be upgrade for the Pollution Prevention and Control Plan.

The plan involves separating catch basins to avoid sewer overflows (I think we can all get on board with that).

The city expects it will take about a month. For all the details on Thunder Bay road construction and closures, click here.

Local

Shelter Site Selected - Finally

After months of debate, the city has finally selected its temporary shelter site.

Kam River Heritage Park will be the site of the city’s temporary shelter village, after an 8-5 vote by council.

It took six months to get here, and the delays with all the back and forth means the village won’t be constructed until the fall now as opposed to the summer as originally planned.

The big debate this time was the proximity to the railway and the safety concerns associated with that.

The city wants the public to be aware that this will be a controlled side. It will be fenced and there will be constant security there.

The debate in council might be over, but elsewhere I am sure it will rage on.

Crime

Security Camera Registration in Nipigon

OPP are inviting residents and businesses in Nipigon to take park in the CAMSafe program.

The program creates a database of residential and commercial security cameras, which allows police to see on a map where cameras are located.

Officers then can contact the owner to see if they can provide footage of an event.

Police are not able to access cameras or cloud-based footage storage accounts.

OPP already have this program in operation in Kenora, Dryden, Ignace and Sioux Lookout.

Indigenous News

Indigenous Dancers Hit the Stage in TO

Indigenous dancers from across northwestern Ontario are getting set to hit the stage in Toronto as part of the Outside Looking In’s 18th annual showcase.

This year will feature more than 100 dancers from across 14 Indigenous communities from Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Nunavut.

The showcase will fuse hip-hop and Indigenous cultures in a high-energy theatrical experience that takes audiences on an awe-inspiring journey of transformation and resilience at the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Chrysalis performing arts space.

The event is taking place tomorrow at Metropolitan University’s Chrysalis performing arts space.

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

May 7

Name That Tune - 90s Night
Live musical trivia featuring music of the 90s
Sleeping Giant Brewing Co - 712 Macdonell St
7pm-9pm
$ FREE

Danny Johnson’s Piano Bar
Live music - requests welcome!
Shooter’s Tavern - 377 Memorial Ave
8pm
$ FREE

Dayglo Abortions w/ Dirtnap + The Devil’s Punchbowl + Killer
Canadian punk legends performing live - all ages event
Black Pirates Pub - 215 Red River Rd Suite 101
8pm - 11:30pm
$20

May 8

Fay Gleeson Dance Centre - Three Cheers for 67 Years
Annual dance recital live performance
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium - 1 Paul Shaffer Dr
7pm
$22-$32

Celtic Night
Celtic jam session featuring Tbay Trad
Red Lion Smokehouse - 16 Cumberland St S
7:30pm-9:30pm
$ FREE

Open Mic Comedy
Live comedy performance
The Foundry - 242 Red River Rd
8pm-11pm
$ FREE

Karaoke:

• Royal Canadian Legion - Branch 5 - 229 Van Norman St
  7pm-10pm

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

• Norteños Cantina - 235 Red River Rd
  9pm

• Polish Combatants’ Association - Branch 1 - 209 Cumberland St N
  9pm

• The Waterhouse - 9 Cumberland St S
  10pm

• The Alley - 236 Cumming St
  10pm

• The Dragon’s Den - 1010 Dawson Rd
  10pm-2am

May 9

Young Elvis
Live Elvis cover band
Norteños Cantina - 235 Red River Rd
7:30pm-10pm
$5

Queen - It’s a Kinda Magic
Live Queen cover band - direct from Australia
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium - 1 Paul Shaffer Dr
8pm
$65

Neema Naz: My Estupid Life Comedy Tour
Live comedy show by Canadian-Iranian comedian Neema Naz
Magnus Theatre - 10 Algoma St S
8pm
$30

Fundraiser in Support of Keira Rooney
Live music, prizes, 50/50
eVents - 201 South Syndicate Ave
8pm
$10-$15

Blood Red Moon
Live rock cover band
Wayland Bar & Grill - 1019 Gore St W
10pm
$5

Country Night ft Pintail
Live country music
The Foundry - 242 Red River Rd
10pm
$5

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

• The Dragon’s Den - 1010 Dawson Rd
  10pm-2am

May 10

Zorya Ukrainian Dancer
Live dance performance
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
7pm
$30

Pat Burtscher Comedy Tour
Live comedy show
The Foundry - 24 Red River Rd
7pm

Viola Quintets: Mozart and Beethoven
Live stringed instrument performance
St. Paul’s United Church - 349 Waverley St
7:30pm
$15-$25

Rock Benefit to Help Bring Chris Home
Live rock cover bands to help raise funds to help bring Chris home from a Cambodian prison
New Newfie’s Pub - 126 Simpson St
8pm
$5 advance / $10 at the door

Karaoke:

• Howl at the Moon - Sober Karaoke - 8 Cumberland St S

• The Hodder - 481 Hodder Ave
  9pm

• The Social - 1047 Dawson Rd
  9pm

• The Bar - 863 Red River Rd
  10pm

• The Dragon’s Den - 1010 Dawson Rd
  10pm-2am

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

May 10

Dragons and Mythical Beasts - Ages 3+ (great for kids)
Spectacular full-sized puppet show, direct from London’s West End
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium - 1 Paul Shaffer Dr
2pm
$36-$59

Home of the Day

347 Francis Street East

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

1+1 bedrooms
2 bathroom
732 sqft

$369,800

Nicely remodelled, detached garage, fenced yard, hot tub included.