Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Tuesday morning.
Ontario signs $10.2 billion child care deal with federal government
Ontario signed a $10.2 billion child-care deal with the federal government Sunday that will cut child-care fees in the province in half by the end of the year. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford will announce the deal Monday in the Greater Toronto Area, according to sources from both governments with knowledge of the negotiations. They all spoke to The Canadian Press on the condition they not be named due to the sensitive nature of the talks. The Ontario deal is the last one needed to fulfil Trudeau's pledge to bring child-care fees down to an average of $10 a day in every province and territory by the end of 2026. The 2021 federal budget earmarked $30 billion over five years to set up a long promised, but never delivered, national child-care program. Ontario was holding out for more money and while they didn't get that, provincial sources say they secured more flexibility in when the funds are spent, which will allow them to hit the target of lowering fees to an average of $10 a day.
‘Insufficient grounds’ to proceed with charges against Vagnini
North Bay Police Service is not proceeding with a threats complaint against Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini. There are “insufficient grounds to proceed with criminal charges,” according to a media release issued today by North Bay Police Service. The police service was engaged by Greater Sudbury Police Services in order to “protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure objectivity,” since Vagnini was a member of the Greater Sudbury Police Services Board at the time. During their Feb. 8 city council meeting, the city’s elected officials voted to remove Vagnini from the police board in response to him neglecting to phone 911 after witnessing an incident at Memorial Park in which he said a woman “ran for her life.” He incorrectly believed that, as a member of the police board, he was unable to phone 911.
Read the full story on the Sudbury.com homepage.
Sudbury mines and service sector generates $3.3 billion in GDP for Ontario
The Ontario Mining Association (OMA) released a report showing the contribution of the mining sector to the provincial economy. The State of the Ontario Mining Sector, was published by the OMA in partnership with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. Ontario's mining industry contributed an estimated annual total of $7.5 billion to Ontario’s gross domestic product (GDP), $3.3 billion in wages and salaries, and sustained over 48,605 full-time jobs. The market value of the minerals produced by major mines in Ontario was $10.4 billion in 2019. Forty-one mining operations in Ontario contributed an estimated annual total of $7.5 billion to Ontario’s gross domestic product (GDP), $3.3 billion in wages and salaries, and sustained more than 48,605 full-time jobs. In 2019, the major mining companies provided direct employment in Ontario for more than 21,000 with more than $1.9 billion paid out in worker compensation. The report said the majority of mining's contributions to the economy emanates from the Sudbury region with total annual economic contributions in 2019 of approximately $7.5 billion in gross output and $3.3 billion in GDP. The Sudbury Basin is home to eight base metals mines are some of Canada’s oldest and deepest mines.
Banyan fire: Neighbour reports trouble hearing alarms during fatal weekend fire
The smell of smoke hangs like a pall over the 99-unit Banyan Apartment building at 1525 Paris Street, the site of an early morning fire on Sunday that displaced the residents of the burned unit, and later led to the discovery of an elderly couple found deceased after the fire was extinguished. The investigation will now be handled by GSPS and the Fire Marshal. GSPS spokesperson Kaitlynn Dunn said police were called to assist with scene control at the fire. “Around 3:20 a.m. on March 27, we were called to assist with scene control at a structure fire on Paris Street as City of Greater Sudbury Firefighters were currently on scene of a fire at an apartment building,” Dunn stated. “Around 11 a.m. we received a call regarding two sudden deaths in the same building on Paris Street. An 85-year-old man and an 81-year-old woman were located deceased in their unit by City of Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services.” Dunn stated the detectives from the Major Crime Section of the Criminal Investigation Division would be “working in collaboration with the Ontario Fire Marshall’s Office in order to determine a cause of the fire and with the Coroner’s Office in order to determine the cause of deaths.” The post-mortem exams will be conducted by the Coroner’s Office in Sudbury on March 29. “The investigations into the incidents are ongoing,” she stated.
Weapons seized during emotional distress call on Sunday
A man in emotional distress led police to seize a semi-automatic rifle, two full magazines, a “substantial amount of ammunition,” two conducted energy weapons, a baton and brass knuckles. This, according to a release issued by Greater Sudbury Police Service. A 35-year-old man was arrested as a result of the incident, which took place on Spruce Street shortly after 7 p.m. on Sunday. Police were told that the man had been in an altercation with someone inside the home and that he had a firearm and a conducted energy weapon. The alleged target of this altercation fled the home before phoning police, leaving the suspect alone in the residence. Police officers contained the residence and their Emergency Response Unit arrived to begin communications with the man inside the home. As a result of tactical and communications and de-escalation techniques, police report that the man surrendered himself and was taken into custody without incident. The man faces numerous charges.
Feds commit another $2B to provinces to address health backlogs caused by COVID-19
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says the federal government will commit another $2 billion to help provincial health systems work through their surgical and diagnostic backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The money, included in the newly tabled Bill C-17, follows a $4-billion top-up to the federal health transfer last summer and is expected to be a one-time payment, distributed equally based on population. Throughout the pandemic hospitals across the country had to delay non-emergency procedures to make way for urgent COVID-19 cases. That has led to delayed care for millions of Canadians, on top of already lengthy wait lists for many procedures and diagnostic tests. In a report released last month, the Ontario Medical Association estimated the pandemic had delayed 21 million patient services in that province alone, including surgeries for preventative care, cancer screenings and diagnostic tests.
High of 0 today, but bitter wind chill this morning
Well our lovely Northern Ontario spring continues today. Expect sunny skies, but the temperature will not climb above zero. Plus, a northwest wind of 20 km/h will bring a bitter -23 wind chill in the morning before lightening in the afternoon. Tonight, the temperature will drop to -8 with increasing cloudiness.
