Irene MacKenzie loves libraries. So it’s only fitting the Fort Frances native, who now lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake, had her first limited edition print reproduced from her watercolour painting of the now closed Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library—the first public library in Canada. And even moreso that one of those 500 prints is […]
Local News
The passing of the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act—expected to happen as early as this spring—will mean people living in Rainy River District will have to acquaint themselves with a whole new set of political players on the federal stage. Robert Nault, the current MP for Kenora-Rainy River, has said he […]
While Mayor Dan Onichuk’s suggestion to start council meetings at a standard time for the benefit of the public was approved back on Jan. 12, council held off on passing a bylaw to put that policy into place Monday night after Coun. Roy Avis voiced a concern over the in-camera […]
As Fort Frances struggles with its 2004 budget, the Northwestern Health Unit is asking the town to foot a 36 percent hike in its per capita levy this year. Council received notice at its regular meeting Monday night that at the Jan. 15 meeting of the health unit’s board, it […]
Local MP Robert Nault said he’s pleased with the direction in which Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) is moving despite the new minister’s announcement to scrap the controversial First Nations Governance Act that was introduced when Nault held that portfolio. “I think that the announcement was a very positive […]
Town council agreed Monday night to extend the existing garbage collection contract with Asselin Transportation and Storage Ltd. for an additional nine-month period. This contract is at a rate of $14,025.36 (plus GST) per month. The previous rate was $12,800/month. Council also agreed to a recommendation by Operations and Facilities […]
Ten adventurous students from Rainy River District will be heading out to Costa Rica in March—but this trip down south is no holiday. With the assistance of Canada World Youth, an organization that helps organize informal educational trips for young people around the world, the students will spend 13 days […]
A five-year project to improve Northwestern Ontario’s access to the latest technology in telecommunications was completed last month—and the region already has begun reaping the benefits, said project manager Jim Green. “Our project started out by recognizing there was no competitive broadband in the region,” he explained. “The objective was […]
What do the new Wal-Mart store (which opens tomorrow), Canadian Tire, and other Fort Frances businesses along King’s Highway west of McIrvine Road all have in common? They’re all located on land that once belonged to the Biddeson family—one of the town’s founding families. Bruce Biddeson, now in his 90th […]
Council received the 2004 operating and capital forecast report last night—a document showing a projected operating shortfall of $2,792,030, which translates into a 67.5 percent residential tax increase if town council and management don’t make some serious changes in the near future. “This package is essentially the beginning of a […]
As council works to establish the 2004 budget, Fort Frances appears to be on hard times—with a possible residential tax increase of 67.5 percent in the year ahead if council doesn’t make cuts and hike fees, Mayor Dan Onichuk warned this morning. Details of what the town is up against […]
After first opening the doors to “David’s Deli” back in May, 2002, the Joy of Life Fellowship Church here has tried to see that no one goes hungry for at least a few days each week. And if the number of people who come out for the free meal are […]
