News

Province Invests in Thunder Bay

The Government of Ontario is investing $366,248 through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund for two local businesses.

KBM Forestry Consutlants is receiving $340,764 to help expands its hangar at the airport and to hire additional staff (yay!)

Never heard of KBM? Me neither.

They provide aerial surveys and flight services for the forestry industry in Northwestern Ontario and Saskatchewan. They also provide aircraft maintenance services for small aircraft.

The second business to benefit is Embark Port Services. They provide sightseeing tours, check-in for disembarking cruise passengers as well as transportation to and from the airport.

They are receiving $25,664 to help enhance their services and to also hire new staff (yay again!).

Cruising is actually becoming a pretty important tourism component for Thunder Bay. Last year 17 cruise ships came and docked here.

Let’s try and show those disembarking passengers the best of Thunder Bay, ok..?

Community

Home Depot + Shelter House

The Thunder Bay Home Depot’s Orange Door Project launched this week.

The Orange Door Project raises funds to help youth in need. 100% of the proceeds are given to the Shelter House.

Last year the project raised $9,000. This year the goal is to raise between $11,000 and $12,000.

Donations can be given at the tills of Home Depot. However, it’s not just money they are willing to accept.

Donations of clothing and other items are welcome as well. Specifically, there is a need for socks and underwear.

The Shelter House has beds specifically for youths, and sadly they have a number of youths that stay with them regularly.

Donations aren’t just for providing beds. The Shelter House also plans on purchasing computers from the proceeds and donating staff time to help youths apply for jobs, find housing, complete school work etc.

So if you’re at Home Depot this holiday season, buying stuff for your warm, safe, comfortable, home (guilt trip working…?) considering throwing a few dollars towards Project Orange Door.

Books

2 National Literary Awards

Local author Jean E. Pendziwol and Montreal-based illustrator Todd Stewart are racking up the national notariety!

On Wednesday the Canada Council for the Arts awarded them a Governor General’s Literary Award in the Young People’s Literature/Illustrated Books category.

And just two weeks ago the pair took home the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award in a competition administered by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.

The book in question you ask?

Skating Wild on an Inland Sea.

The book describes the experience of two children skating on Lake Superior and the haunting singing that occurs as the ice exapands and contracts.

Pendziwol has been short-listed before for an award, but this is the first time she’s won.

And she’s not resting on her laurels after this win. Her next book is due out in the Spring of 2025.

(I wonder if Thunder Bay Digest will ever win an award…. undoubetdly not!)

You can buy the book locally via Entershine Bookshop at the link below.

Crime

Assaulting an Officer

Frimly in the ‘dumba*s’ file’, a 30 year-old man has been charged with assaulting a police officer.

I simply don’t understand how it’s ever assumed doing that is going to improve your situation, or get you out of it…

Anyhow… officers were responding to a call for a group of people refusing to leave a property. When they got there they found one individual had an outstanding warrant.

During the arrest, the accused resisted arrested, assaulted the office, and was found to have a concealed weapon. On top of that they were in breach of probation.

The accused is being held in custody after their bail court hearing.

Hopefully the officer is alright.

City Stuff

Reduced Parking Hours

Fresh off the heels of me telling you that the city isn’t interested in reviewing the parking situation, Councillor Brian Hamilton is proposing to do just that.

(Anytime you want to win public support, do something around parking that makes it either easier or cheaper!)

While he’s still working on the details, Councillor Hamilton has indicated he’s expecting it to call for the current enforcement hours of 7am - 9pm to be reduced by 2 to 4 hours.

As previously reported, businesses are saying the new policies are impacting their business (and just for transparency sakes - Councillor Hamilton does own a coffee shop in the busy Bay & Algoma area…).

Looks like the parking wars are set for a new battle shortly.

First Nations News

Food Sovereignty

It can cost upwards of $500 for a bag of groceries in Ontario’s far northern Inidiginous communities.

Feeling enough was enough (and who can blame them), the Wiiche'iwaymagon buying group signed an agreement last December to work together to reduce the cost of food for northern communities.

There are 13 sigantories to the agreement and together they are buying food in bulk to bring down the food purchasing price. The program is also being supported by the Nutrition North Canada Harvests Support Grant and Community Food Programs Fund.

The project covers 200,000 Indigineous people across more then 40 communities.

The goal is to not only reduce the cost of food, but to make healthier food more available.

More communities have expressed interest in joining the program.

The more volume, the cheaper the pricing. Hopefully the momentum continues!

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

Carrie: The Musical
Based upon Stephen King’s debut novel, Carrie. Content warning: contains strong language, violence, death, religious abuse, bullying, visible blood, and mentions of sexual assault
November 13, 14, 15 - 7:00pm - Paramount Theatre
$20

Jazz & Old Fashioned Fridays
Spectacular scenery, smooth jazz, crafted cocktails and food.
November 15 - 6:00pm - Anchor & Ore in the Delta Hotel
$ Free

Sober Dance Party Fridays
DJ. Dancing. Sober event.
November 15 - 9:00pm - Howl at the Moon (Cumberland St)
$ Free

TBSO - Katherine Nemec
Vocal performance
November 15 - 7:30pm - DaVinci Centre
$26.84 (kids/students) - $53.09 general admission
Tickets

Bryan Callen Live
Comedy performance
November 16 - 7:30pm - Community Auditorium
$52 (starting at)
Tickets

Queens Fight Cancer
Charity Event
November 17 - 11:00am-7pm - Fort William Gardens
More Info

LAKEHEAD ATHLETICS:

Men’s Hockey vs Guelph - 7:00pm (Nov 15 & 16)
Women’s Basketball vs Guelph - 6:00pm (Nov 15)
Women’s Volleyaball vs Nipissing - 6:00pm (Nov 15)
Women’s Volleyaball vs Nipissing - 6:00pm (Nov 16)
Men’s Basketball vs Guelph - 8:00pm (Nov 15)
Tickets

Home of the Day

1914 Oliver Rd.

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

3 + 2 bedrooms
4 + 1 bathrooms
3,594 sq ft

$1,499,000

Includes 3,100sqft attached, heated garage, with a car hoist!