News

Shebandowan Lake Fights Power Lines

Shebandowan Lake camp owners are taking the fight to Hydro One in an attempt to stop the building of the Waasigan Transmission power line.

The issue in question is the allowing of the high-voltage power line to go through Shebandowan Lake’s Three Mile Bay, which is home to several remote camps.

The claim is that the variance goes against the existing Shebandowan Lake Management Plan and puts the health of the wetland at risk.

The MNR says Hydro One was granted the variance because there will be negligible impact on the Shebandowan Lake Management Plan.

The project is a $1.2 billion development that will transmit 350 megawatts of electricity (enough to power Thunder Bay twice), to areas west of the city.

The camp owners are hoping the Ontario Land Tribunal will grant them a hearing.

The NIMBY battles continue.

Daily Poll

Should Hydro One Be Able to Build?

The results of the poll asking which party will best handle the homelessness & opioid crises are:

• PCs - 41%

• Liberals - 28%

• NDP - 28%

• Green - 3%

Today’s question:

Housing

McIvor Court Residents Fed Up

The residents of McIvor Court have had enough.

Voicing their concerns over what has been happening at the apartment complex, the residents held a rally to get the attention of the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB), which owns and operates the building.

Residents say they’ve long been upset with the criminal activity occurring in and around the facility, but the recent homicide that occurred there was the last straw for many.

Residents say it’s a nightly occurrence to hear loud disturbances and to encounter people sleeping or using drugs in the building’s stairwells.

The TBDSSAB says that on-site security is there for 12 hours during the night. But they say the issue isn’t necessarily people breaking in, but rather, trouble tenants that the city faces legal hurdles to evict.

Despite the fresh attention, it doesn’t sound like there are any quick fixes, and the problems have been growing over the last decade.

Transportation

Kasper Bus Lines Invests in Depot

Riding the bus throughout northwestern Ontario is going to be a bit of an upgrade.

Kasper Transportation is investing $600,000 to renovate its terminal located at 947 Memorial Ave.

Kasper says the new facility will be passenger-focused, with a comfortable indoor waiting area, dedicated customer service section, digital ticketing, real-time schedule data, and parcel service.

The goal is to have the renovations done by the end of April.

Kasper Transportation currently has scheduled routes for:

• Thunder Bay/Winnipeg via Sioux Lookout;

• Thunder Bay/White River;

• Thunder Bay/Longlac;

• Winnipeg/Balmertown

Crime

Crash Leads to Impaired Charge

Falling firmly into the how-not-to-be-sneaky column, a Thunder Bay man has been charged with impaired driving after colliding with, wait for it… a police cruiser on the city’s north end.

To add insult to injury, the marked cruiser was on patrol near Balmoral and Oliver when it was struck by another vehicle around 8:30pm.

While speaking with the man driving the bumper car, officers determined he was impaired and charged the 20-year-old with the operation of a motor vehicle while impaired with a blood alcohol level concentration over 80.

Sigh.

Industry

Thunder Bay Pulp & Paper New CEO

K. William (“Bill”) MacPherson officially took over Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper as CEO on February 10th.

MacPherson most recently served as VP of paperboard manufacturing for Graphic Packaging International. Before that, he was managing director at Mercer International, Canada.

The famous Thunder Bay mill has promoted itself as an independent mill affiliated with Connecticut-based Atlas Holdings since 2023. It previously operated under Bowater and Resolute Forest Products banners.

The mill is considered a leading product of northern bleached softwood kraft and northern bleached hardwood kraft pulp, paper, newsprint and secondary forest products.

For the sake of Thunder Bay and an industrial icon, good luck Bill!

Indigenous News

3rd Annual Powwow a Huge Success

This year marked the third iteration of the Family Day Powwow and organizers consider it to have been a massive hit.

Having started at the Heritage Building, then moving to the Victoria Inn, and now this year at the CLE’s Coliseum Building, the event draws participants and spectators from Thunder Bay and beyond.

The event is free and features sacred pipe ceremonies, an Indigenous craft fair, grand entry, a feast, and giveaways.

The organizers encourage not just First Nations people, but all people to come and learn about Indigenous culture.

Based on the growing success, mark your calendars 363 days from now to attend!

Things to do This Week

Events In and Around the City

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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