By Clint Fleury
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
TBnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY – Ontario’s MPPs are officially back at Queen’s Park for a new sitting of the provincial legislature, nearly five months after they broke for the summer and forestry was top of mind for the region’s leaders. Opposition member Sol Mamakwa, MPP for Kiiwetinoong, wasted no time in questioning […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

Mayors from across Ontario met at the Prince Arthur Hotel in Thunder Bay last week for the annual 2025 Ontario Big City Mayors Meeting where they took part in a roundtable discussion to develop policies, advocacy and partnerships. Ontario Big City Mayors (OBCM), from 29 cities with a population of […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative
Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

The Township of Ear Falls is the latest Northwestern Ontario community that will face the temporary closure of a mill. The town learned on Thursday that the Ear Falls Sawmill would close, and leave more than 160 workers without jobs. Interfor, which owns and operates the sawmill, announced temporary adjustments […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

Relieved Kap Paper employees will begin to head back to work in Kapuskasing as soon as next week. Intensive collaboration between the Ontario and federal governments resulted in the agreement to provide operational support to Kap Paper, as the mill works towards a long-term modernization plan. Kapuskasing Mayor Dave Plourde […]

‘By Jacqueline St. Pierre
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Manitoulin Expositor

ONTARIO —Across Ontario—and nowhere more visibly than in rural and Northern regions like Manitoulin—the face of health care is changing fast. The provincial government is moving to expand the powers of paramedics, pharmacists, psychologists, optometrists, and other allied professionals in what it calls an effort to provide “more connected and […]

By Allan Bradbury
Staff Writer
abradbury@fortfrances.com

A local children’s entertainment series is holding a fundraiser in an effort to make its shows free to all this year. Committee member Nadine Cousineau says that Kids & Company’s goal is to expose local children to the arts. “So Kids & Company’s goal is to foster an appreciation of […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

The picket lines are down, and more than 10,000 support staff from 23 colleges across the province, including Confederation College, will head back to work today. Labour negotiations continued until 3 a.m. Wednesday before a tentative agreement was reached, said Owen Smith, Confederation College’s support staff president for Local 731 […]

By Clint Fleury,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
TBnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY — City council’s quality of life standing committee would rather have the municipality operate the indoor turf facility, rather than have a private company take it over. “There is one thing that is an absolute no-go for me: I will not support a third-party for-profit carrier,” Coun. Andrew Foulds said […]

By Carl Clutchey
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

The proponent of a proposed peak-power plant that may be built in Shuniah says he remains confident the facility’s turbines could one day be converted to burn clean hydrogen. The company confirms the operation would initially run on natural gas, which critics say will add fuel to a global climate […]

By Clint Fleury,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
TBnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY – A request to spend an additional $2.5 million of city money on a new waterfront art gallery did not find approval at the committee level. In a 3-2 vote, the five-member standing committee on finance and administration did not endorse the recommendation at Tuesday’s meeting. Couns. Albert Aiello, Mark […]

By Steven Sukkau
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Winnipeg Sun

The Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF) is sounding the alarm over what it calls an “unlawful blockade” on a provincial highway leading to the east side of Lake Winnipeg, a move the group says is denying licensed hunters and anglers access to Crown land during moose season and, if left unchecked, […]