Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to get you started this Saturday morning.
Property owner not convinced New Sudbury neighbourhood right for homeless transitional housing
Although Greater Sudbury city council was unanimous in selecting a New Sudbury-area property for a transitional housing development to help people who are chronically homeless transition into permanent housing, that decision isn’t set in stone. As it stands, the city-owned Lorraine Street property, located west of the Notre Dame Avenue and Lasalle Boulevard intersection in New Sudbury, is slated for at least 28 transitional housing units. Property owner Ron Savage has already been expressing his concerns on social media. Savage owns a six-plex across the street from the development’s proposed location and learned about city council’s decision from a tenant, who in turn learned about it as a result of this week’s media coverage. Although “completely in favour of the program” in general, he said his gut-reaction opposition to council’s site selection is centred on his concern the project will negatively affect his tenants and devalue area properties such as his. He’s also not convinced it’s the right location for a facility. “All your services are downtown … and now you’re going to be hoping that they get the buses to get downtown?” he said. “There’s nothing around (Lorraine Street) unless you’re going to the taxation area or back to school.”
Arrests made in relation to weekend shooting on Lloyd Street
Arrests have been made in the case of a 53-year-old man who was shot on Lloyd Street on Aug. 14. The investigation led detectives with the Criminal Investigation Division to two men believed to be responsible for the attack. A 28-year-old man and a 36-year-old man have each been charged with attempt murder with a firearm, discharging a firearm with intent, pointing a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. The 53-year-old victim is expected to make a full recovery, GSPS said.
As new school year approaches, University of Sudbury still waiting on gov’t answers
The University of Sudbury is anxiously waiting on a commitment from the provincial government to gain access to federal funds that would allow the school to become an independent Francophone institution. The federal minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, Mélanie Joly, announced a $121.3 million investment over three years to support post-secondary minority-language education last week. This historic announcement acknowledges the importance of providing government funding to Francophone universities that would not otherwise be able to survive in the current economic and social climate, said a University of Sudbury release. But to gain access to these funds, the university needs the provincial government to agree to spend “a small sum” to administer the funds. “We want part of that money to flow through the community,” said University of Sudbury president Serge Miville. “If we don’t act on this, Sudbury is going to miss out on millions of dollars that would be put towards Francophone post-secondary education.”
NLFB presents 2 days of music in Bell Park Sept. 10-11
While so many have been craving the magic of live music, festivals and concerts, Sudbury’s Northern Lights Festival Boréal has been adapting and working to keep the spirit of live music alive. In September of last year, NLFB made Sudbury music history with the city’s first ever drive-in concert. After cancelling its traditional July event two years in a row, the veteran music and arts presenter is back with a 2021 festival event, held in its traditional home at Bell Park’s Grace Hartman Amphitheatre, Sept. 10-11. NLFB is announcing a two-day festival-style event of in-person, outdoor concerts. The lineup will include acclaimed headliners Dan Mangan and Jeremy Dutcher, as well as Tanika Charles, OKAN, Cindy Doire, Reney Ray, Dany Laj & The Looks, Frank Deresti & The Lake Effect, and more. Tickets are now available through Eventbrite.
Ontario Public Service employees will need COVID shot or regular tests
Ontario Public Service employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing for the virus. Treasury Board President Prabmeet Sarkaria announced the policy on Thursday, noting that details were still being finalized. He says the policy will involve regular testing for unvaccinated employees, including those who provide proof of a medical reason for not getting the shot. Other unvaccinated workers will need to take an education course on the benefits of immunization as well as regular testing. The policy will also apply to staff working in the offices of the premier and other cabinet ministers.
Former Sudburian living in New Zealand appreciates that country’s hard-line response to COVID-19
A former Sudbury woman, now living in New Zealand, is okay with the idea that her entire country went into lockdown in response to a handful of new cases of COVID-19. Amanda Valois was commenting this week as news agencies around the world reported that New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern imposed a full three-day lockdown Tuesday in response to one new case of COVID-19. Valois, who now lives in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, was born in Thunder Bay and used to live in Sudbury. Valois, who lived in Sudbury from 2000 to 2008, attended Laurentian University. She moved to New Zealand to pursue a PhD and has been living there since 2011, where she works as an environmental scientist. In an email interview, Valois said the COVID-19 approach in her new country is different, but seems effective. "I have been very impressed with how the NZ government has led the country through COVID. The approach, a strong quarantine system at the border, a few sharp, but short, lockdowns, has meant that I have been able to carry on relatively normally over the past 15 months; going to the gym, attending festivals, dining out, getting massages. It seems like a far more proactive approach and with better outcomes overall," Valois said.
Scorcher of a weekend is ahead
A scorcher of a weekend is ahead. Saturday it will be sunny in the morning and early in the afternoon, then a mix of sun and cloud with 30 percent chance of showers late in the afternoon. Risk of a thunderstorm late in the afternoon. High of 32 C. Humidex 40 C. Saturday night will be clear with a low of 18 C. Sunday there will be a mix of sun and cloud with a 30 per cent chance of showers. High of 27 C. Sunday night there will be cloudy periods with a low of 16 C.
