Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Tuesday morning.
More than 20 school bus route cancellations in effect this week due to impacts of COVID
There are more than 20 active bus route cancellations in the Greater Sudbury area either due to driver shortages and COVID-19 exposures, according to the Sudbury Student Services Consortium. There are also 104 active cases of COVID-19 in area schools, along with seven active school outbreaks, and one active school bus outbreak.
Ontario detects Canada's first two known cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant
Ontario detected Canada's first two known cases of Omicron on Sunday, a new COVID-19 variant of concern that has led to a slate of new border restrictions around the world. Both cases of the variant were found in the Ottawa area in people who had recently travelled to Nigeria, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said in a joint statement with the province's top public health official, Dr. Kieran Moore. "Ontario is prepared and ready to respond to this new variant. Our hospital and intensive care capacity remain stable and the province continues to report one of the lowest rates of active cases in the country," the pair said. They said Ottawa Public Health is conducting "case and contact management" and the patients are self-isolating, while the province is testing all eligible positive COVID-19 samples to determine their variant.
Valley East sports complex just one of many tough sells in upcoming budget talks
Among the wealth of demands facing the city’s elected officials during 2022 budget deliberations will be the long-talked-about Valley East Twin Pad Multipurpose Sports Complex. The $29.2-million project has been bandied about for a few years and has been included as one of 28 business cases that city council will debate during three consecutive nights of budget deliberations beginning Monday night. “It’s a big project, it’s a bad time,” Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan said. “I don’t know how many of the projects are going to be picked up this year.” Although Kirwan’s ward is south of the proposed site, near the Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre, he tends to represent it alongside Ward 6 Coun. Rene Lapierre because residents from both wards frequent the area. While very much supportive of the twin pad arena, whose construction would eat up eight of the 28 acres of available city land (the balance of which would be developed into a trail and outdoor skating path), Kirwan said that 2022 might not be the best year to proceed. “You almost have to say no to everything,” he said, pointing to the 4.7 per cent increase city administration has already proposed. By declining a 1.5 per cent special capital levy increase city administration proposed, which Kirwan said city council is likely to do, they’ll be able to pare it down to a 3.2 per cent increase. However, many of the business cases up for debate carry tax levy impacts that would notch the increase even higher.
Nickel Belt MPP again tables bill to fix gaps in Northern Ontario 911 system
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas is reintroducing a bill to the legislature she says will save lives by ensuring that every Ontarian has access to 911. The bill has two main goals. The first goal is to do away with 1-800 numbers in case of emergency, and change to 911 everywhere in Ontario. The technology exists, it is cheap and has been done in most other provinces, she said. Secondly, the bill will give the Ombudsman the responsibility to investigate complaints against the 911 system. “We have an opportunity to save lives,” said Gélinas in a news release. “Most people believe that in case of emergency you can call for help by dialing 911 no matter where you are in Ontario.” Unfortunately, every year people find out the hard way that many Northern Ontario communities do not have access to 911. “Instead people need to remember a 1-800 number that differs across regions. So people in distress call 911, and hear that the number is not in service. They call the operator who tells them to dial 911. This has had fatal consequences. Not one more person in Ontario should die because they do not have access to 911.”
Sudbury Wolves fall 4-2 to visiting Barrie Colts
Coming off a Friday night win over the Mississauga Steelheads, the Sudbury Wolves had a bit of momentum heading into their Sunday afternoon contest against the visiting Barrie Colts. The Colts took an early lead, but Sudbury rallied in the second to to go up by a goal, 2-1. However, the Colts would find their feet again in the third and put two away to win the game, 4-2. With the loss, the Pack’s record falls to 8-13-1, good enough for ninth place in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the Niagara IceDogs. Overall, the Wolves sit in 18th place in the OHL standings. The London Knights lead the league with a record of 15-4-1. The Wolves are back in action on Dec. 1 when they travel to Sault Ste. Marie to take on the Greyhounds.
David Murray’s fraud trial to resume in May 2022
It will be well into the New Year before the fraud trial resumes for Ecolife Home Improvement owner David Murray. New dates in 2022 were set in court last week. They are May 17, 19, and 30, and then June 2 and 9. The trial started March 8 this year. Dozens of complainants are testifying in the trial, the majority of whom claim they lost thousands of dollars after hiring EcoLife to do renovations at their respective homes. The trial was originally supposed to take 15 days in total, spread out over a period of time and hear from more than 40 witnesses. The trial has been taking place virtually since it started in March. Murray, 48, faces 35 counts of fraud over $5,000 dating back to May 7, 2016, and running through to March 28, 2019. The total of the alleged frauds is estimated at $800,000. Murray is represented by Antoine-René Fabris of Elliot Lake.
Mild temperature with light snow for today
Expect a cloudy day today but mild temperatures. Today’s high is -1 with a 60-per-cent chance of periods of light snow beginning in the morning. Wind will be from the southwest at 20 km/h. Expect a wind chill this morning of -9 and this afternoon of -4. Tonight, the mercury will dip to -10 with flurries.
