Local News from Across the Rainy River District
THUNDER BAY — There were no substantive changes to the city’s 2026 operating budget, but plenty of conversation on funding safety and security programs, in the first of two budget review meetings Monday. A majority of city departments presented their budgets and took questions from council, but the debate focused on a […]
Property taxes in Fort Frances will be going up a hefty 3.7 per cent this year as costs for services the town is legally mandated to provide have shot up 7.9 per cent compared to 2025. The operating budget, approved at Monday’s Town Council meeting, rose to $25.3 million from […]
Emo will be getting more than $1.4 million from the province to upgrade its wastewater treatment equipment, Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford announced on Jan. 22. The investment is part of $700 million in provincial funding announced last week to assist 127 municipalities and First Nations communities in upgrading and […]
Last week the Ministry of the Attorney General announced that four new judges have been appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice to serve across Ontario, including one in Ontario’s northwest. Justice Archana Arun Medhkar comes to Northern Ontario from India by way of a long career in Toronto, according […]
Mitaanjigamiing First Nation will be getting $4.2 million in funding towards critical water infrastructure upgrades for its water treatment plant. Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford made the announcement on Jan. 22, 2026. According to the province, the investment comes from the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s (MHIP) Health and Safety Water […]
When the SIJHL’s top players take to the ice Feb. 6-7 in Dryden, Fort Frances Lakers will be well represented, with seven players across the two teams and an assistant coach behind the bench as well. Five members of the Lakers, goaltender Brady Cates, defenseman Zak Green, and forwards Pierce […]
Thunder Bay Ironworks #759 Trade School was built two years ago, a building for iron worker apprentices. It was an immediate decision from not only president B.J. Sault, business manager Adam MacGillivary, and the many ironworkers who knew him, that the trade school should be in memory of Russ MacDonald, […]
An increase in the number of grants available, more stringent requirements and the complexity of applications for both federal and provincial grants has prompted the town to consider searching for a full-time grant writer explicitly for that purpose. “Currently, grant applications, reporting, and financial tracking are distributed across staff who […]
The McIrvine outdoor ice rink will be covered with a roof later this year at a cost of $994,000 that will help reduce snow removal costs and increase its availability to skaters and other users. However, the rink in the east end of town won’t be receiving the same treatment […]
Billet and family weekend started with a bang as a penalty-filled game made its way to overtime with the Lakers pulling off the victory against the Kam River Walleye on Friday, January 23, 2026, followed by another the next night. The Lakers hit the road tonight for three in a […]
A busy Fort Frances Town Council meeting on Monday night saw councillors deliberating on matters from fire-protection grants to a motion to reconsider the fate of Sunny Cove Camp for several hours. “The fire department has applied for the Fire-Protection Grant for 2025-2026 for personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect […]
Emergency repairs are under way at the Fort Frances water tower after a break in a recirculation pipe was discovered earlier this year. The repairs are expected to cost about $175,000, to be funded through the town’s water and sewer reserve. “The water tower recirculation line has frozen and split […]
