Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
Region’s province-leading case count prompts new public health order
The Greater Sudbury region now has the dubious distinction of having one of the highest COVID-19 case counts in Ontario, even as provincial numbers are dropping. The rapidly rising case count prompted the region’s medical officer of health, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, to issue a new order around self-isolation in an effort to stop this new spread of the novel coronavirus. The new class order is enforceable by law. In a news release this morning, Sutcliffe said the local pandemic trend is a “signal” to take action. “While the province of Ontario is seeing improvements in COVID-19 case counts, trends in Greater Sudbury are going in the opposite direction. We are currently a COVID-19 hotspot, with a case rate that is among the highest in the province,” Sutcliffe wrote. “These trends signal a call to immediate action. “Now is the time for each of us to assess our individual actions and decisions and ramp up COVID-19 precautions — layer on the protective measures such as vaccination, masking, distancing, working from home, and importantly, staying home when even mildly unwell. We have the power in our hands to turn this around. She continued, saying the number of cases without any identifiable source of exposure is particularly worrying. “Locally, no single setting or sector is driving the current increase. The number of cases without any known source of exposure has increased over the last few months, which indicates a worrying trend of community spread of the virus,” Sutcliffe said.
Premier in Greater Sudbury for closed event
Premier Doug Ford is visiting Greater Sudbury this evening for a fundraising event that is closed to the public. Minister Greg Rickford confirmed the news this afternoon at a press conference announcing millions of dollars from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation to a number of local businesses. Other news outlets have reported Ford is expected to endorse the Sudbury riding’s candidate in the next provincial election.
Facebook rebrands as Meta to emphasize ‘metaverse’ vision
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company is rebranding itself as Meta in an effort to encompass its virtual-reality vision for the future — what Zuckerberg calls the “metaverse.” Skeptics point out that it also appears to be an attempt to change the subject from the Facebook Papers, a leaked document trove so dubbed by a consortium of news organizations that include The Associated Press. Many of these documents, first described by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen, have revealed how Facebook ignored or downplayed internal warnings of the negative and often harmful consequences its social network algorithms created or magnified across the world. Zuckerberg says he expects the metaverse to reach a billion people within the next decade. The metaverse, he says, will be a place people will be able to interact, work and create products and content in what he hopes will be a new ecosystem that creates millions of jobs for creators. The announcement comes amid an existential crisis for Facebook. It faces heightened legislative and regulatory scrutiny in many parts of the world following revelations in the Facebook Papers. In explaining the rebrand, Zuckerberg said the name “Facebook” just doesn't encompass everything the company does any more. In addition to its primary social network, that now includes Instagram, Messenger, its Quest VR headset, its Horizon VR platform and more. “Today we are seen as a social media company,” Zuckerberg said. “But in our DNA we are a company that builds technology to connect people.” The name of the Facebook social network will not change.
Pope’s visit to Canada 'can be an important step in the process of reconciliation and healing' says local Bishop
Bishop Thomas Dowd of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie says he is "thrilled" at the news that Pope Francis has indicated his willingness to visit Canada to meet with Indigenous peoples. “This is welcome news from the Holy Father” said Bishop Dowd, “I was very happy to receive this news.” Dowd said the news was encouraging given that the Pope’s presence in Canada “can be an important step in the process of reconciliation and healing.” The official Vatican statement says that the Pope’s intention to visit Canada comes as a response to an invitation from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the date of the visit is yet to be determined. A planned delegation of Indigenous survivors, Elders and youth will be traveling to the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis from December 17-20. Dowd says he hopes that the December meeting between the Pope and the planned delegation will help guide Pope Francis for his visit to Canada.
Laurentian’s redevelopment officer suggests a sell-off of school’s greenspace is unlikely
The chair of Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury says comments made last week by Laurentian University chief redevelopment officer Lou Pagnutti regarding the university’s greenspace are “encouraging.” In July, the firm Cushman and Wakefield was selected to review Laurentian’s real estate holdings. This situation has many Sudburians worried that Laurentian may sell off some of the greenspace surrounding the university to developers. But comments by Pagnutti at a Laurentian senate meeting last week indicate he doesn’t personally see this happening. He said he did not see the university getting rid of the greenspace so beloved by the community. Though he did not officially confirm, he did note that even zoning issues would make selling the space difficult. “I would, and this is a personal opinion, I'd be surprised if there was a dramatic change in the greenspace,” Pagnutti said. Naomi Grant, co-chair of Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury, whose group has been involved in the campaign to protect Laurentian’s greenspace, said Pagnutti’s comments show these efforts are making a difference. “He’s not the one undertaking the real estate review, and it’s not an official stance. But it still shows they’re aware of how the community feels about the space, and they’re aware. It will make it very difficult for rezoning.”
Mayor invites city council to return to Tom Davies Square
Mayor Brian Bigger has invited Greater Sudbury city council to return to council chambers for hybrid in-person and virtual city council and committee meetings. The public, meanwhile, will have to wait a bit longer until they receive their invitation. Bigger pledged the invitation at the start of Tuesday’s city council meeting, saying that although rising COVID-19 numbers remain a concern, now’s the time for city council to return if they so choose. A handful of the city’s elected officials had previously indicated to Sudbury.com that they are supportive of a hybrid model. Some events, such as the Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival, planned for Nov. 4-6, have also adopted a hybrid model to accommodate pandemic concerns. “The province has also recently created a framework and a calendar for a return to normal,” Bigger told his colleagues. “The way we’ve been working together has been successful and our hybrid model allows councillors to be here, at home or in any space where they can communicate clearly, understand and be understood.”
Arrest made in June’s fatal Espanola hit and run
The Manitoulin OPP have made an arrest in the case of a hit-and-run that claimed the life of an 18-year-old pedestrian on June 12. At 12:49 a.m. that day, Manitoulin OPP said officers were dispatched to the report of a person walking on the roadway of Highway 6, but by the time officers arrived in the area north of the Spanish River bridge, just outside Espanola, they found the body of a person lying in the southbound lane of the highway. The body was later identified as 18-year-old Sky Sagassige from Sable-Spanish River Township. OPP said their investigation led them to Hamilton, Ont. On Oct. 26, officers travelled to Hamilton and arrested a 35-year-old man. He was charged with failing to stop at an accident that resulted in death. The man was released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court Justice in Espanola on Dec. 6.
Mix of sun and cloud, high of 10 today
Friday will dawn cloudy, but expect the skies to clear slightly as afternoon approaches, giving way to a mix of sun and cloud. The high will be 10, with a UV index of two, or low. Friday night, the skies will be clear and the temperature will dip to two.
