By Liam Oliver Neilson
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
lneilson@fortfrances.com

Fort Frances Town Council has approved the Fort Frances Lakers Junior A hockey team and the Border Skating Club to move forward with a “straight swap” of dressing rooms, bringing a resolution to concerns that have been ongoing for more than a year. The Lakers currently have a dressing room […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

More than 350 municipal leaders, administrators, government representatives and business partners are heading home with renewed energy and focus on municipal resilience as the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) conference and annual general meeting concluded Friday. The three-day conference, which took place in Thunder Bay this week, was centred on […]

By Clint Fleury
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
TBnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY – The province’s plan to consolidate 36 conservation authorities into nine has received royal assent. “The bill that included the amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act passed third reading yesterday and has been given royal assent this morning, so it is now official,” Todd McCarthy, minister of the […]

By Michael Bennett
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Ridgetown Independent News

The Ontario government is easing alcohol regulations in provincial parks, just in time for the opening of the 2026 camping season. Alcohol is no longer restricted to individual campsites, as adults are now allowed to responsibly consume their favourite beverages in most staffed provincial park areas, including picnic areas, beaches, […]

By Maya Ekman
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
NWOnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY — The Ford government says it plans to fast-track construction of a new transmission line between Dryden and Red Lake. The project is a “key-priority” as the Red Lake district is anticipating a 525 per cent increase in demand for energy, said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

Tbaytel released its 2025 Report to the Community, with its theme, Investing in the Everyday. The report highlights Tbaytel’s 2025 achievements and financial performance, which returned $23.1 million in dividends to the City of Thunder Bay. These funds help reduce local property tax bills by approximately 8.1 per cent. Also, […]

By Allan Bradbury
abradbury@fortfrances.com

Toronto-based soul and roots performer Sandra Bouza is starting a tour that will see her play shows from Sault Ste. Marie all the way to western Saskatchewan and back east into Quebec, and she’s got a stop planned for Fort Frances. Bouza, pronounced Bo-zah, says a lot of her music […]

By Allan Bradbury
abradbury@fortfrances.com

Chris McKhool – 7x Canadian Folk Music Award winner, 2026 JUNO nominee for Children’s Album of the Year, and one of the country’s most beloved family entertainers – will be undertaking an eleven-date northern Ontario tour in celebration of his long-awaited new album Little Leaf. Stopping in Fort Frances on […]

By Mike Stimpson
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Snnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY —The annual Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) conference is “very important for the region,” NOMA president Rick Dumas says. “Obviously, NOMA’s been doing this for many, many years — or decades, for that matter,” Dumas, who is also mayor of Marathon, said on the first day of the […]