Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are some stories to start your day.
Staffing issues spike Sudbury ambulance wait times
Hospital services in Sudbury are being put under additional stress because of the pressures of COVID-19, the fall flu season and the growing number of staff shortages, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). That was the message earlier today when OCHU/CUPE (Ontario Council of Hospital Unions & Canadian Union of Public Employees) and unionized members of Greater Sudbury Paramedics Service held a joint news conference in Sudbury. Bryan Keith, the president of CUPE Local 4705, representing paramedics, among others, said the current staff shortage is preventing local paramedics from being able to take more calls. "Paramedics in Sudbury have been adversely impacted by the staffing shortages in hospitals. It impacts paramedics’ ability to transfer patients in a timely manner, preventing them from going back out on 911 calls. This lengthens wait times at patients who require an ambulance, often in an emergency," Keith told reporters. He added that the local paramedic service has not kept up with the need for more staff. Keith said the Greater Sudbury Paramedics service is understaffed. "The other factor playing a critical role in ambulance response times is the understaffing of Paramedic Services. In Sudbury, staffing levels simply haven't kept pace with demand. In fact we actually haven't seen any increase since 2015," Keith said. "Demand for paramedics continues to increase rapidly. In the first five months of 2022, we have seen an increase of nine per cent call volumes, compared to the same period in 2021," he added. Keith said in the past two years, ambulance response times have gone up by almost 20 per cent. Read the full story.
Ward 5 candidates oppose transitional housing complex
The 40-unit transitional housing complex on Lorraine Street is progressing as directed by city council, though neither candidate running in the affected ward supports it. Both Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan and his lone political opponent, Michel (Mike) Parent, plan on siding with the group of neighbours who oppose the project. During a community meeting in October 2021, a group of neighbours expressed concern Lorraine Street in New Sudbury isn’t the right location for a transitional housing complex aimed at shifting the chronically homeless into permanent community housing. They argued a downtown location would be more suitable, where there are more services residents might need. Around this time, homelessness consultant Iain De Jong told city council a location outside of the city’s downtown core could work for a project such as this. Area residents were also concerned about what the complex might bring to their neighbourhood. In August, Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan was one of two councillors to vote against the city proceeding with the project’s $14.4-million design-build tender, joining Ward 11 Coun. Bill Leduc. The transitional housing complex is slated to be a 40-unit modular build with private units and shared amenities for programming on its main floor. The project is expected to be up for site plan approval and planning before the end of the year, with construction slated to begin in February or March, city manager of housing services Cindi Briscoe told Sudbury.com. Modular builds such as this go up quickly, so she’s anticipating it will open by this time next year. Learn more here.
Sudbury police nab violent robbery suspect after foot chase
A 24-year-old man accused of robbery made an unsuccessful attempt to flee on foot after Greater Sudbury Police stopped his vehicle Sunday night. Police say they stopped the man’s vehicle in the Mountain Street area at around 10:15 p.m. Oct. 16. The suspect was wanted for a violent Oct. 7 robbery. Once the vehicle was stopped, the suspect attempted to flee officers, but he was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit. Learn more here.
Loblaw freezes prices of all No Name brand products until Jan. 31, 2023
Canada’s biggest grocer is freezing prices on all its No Name products until next year as double-digit food inflation sends grocery bills spiralling. Loblaw Companies Ltd. said Monday it has locked in prices of the popular house brand, which includes more than 1,500 grocery items, until Jan. 31, 2023. In a letter shared with customers, Loblaw chairman and president Galen G. Weston said the price of an average basket of groceries is up about 10 per cent this year with some items like apples, soup and chips up even more. "Maddeningly, much of this is out of our control" as food suppliers pass on higher costs to Loblaw, he said. While the grocery chain is pushing back against unfair price increases, most are reasonable and stem from increases in suppliers' basic costs, Weston said. In an effort to help Canadians "hit the brakes on food inflation," Loblaw is locking in No Name prices and promising more deals in the weeks, he said. Read the full story on Sudbury.com's home page.
LOL Sudbury returns with comedian (and cook?) Ali Hassan
Marking the return of LOL Sudbury, lovers of food and fun will enjoy stand-up comic, actor, and “intermittent culinary connoisseur” Ali Hassan, who will be at Little Montreal On Saturday, Nov. 5 at 9 p.m., as part of his Does This Taste Funny? tour. The event follows Hassan’s appearance at the 9th edition of Wordstock Sudbury, and is billed as a stand-up performance that deconstructs a chef’s journey from food to comedy, reads a release from the comedy festival. Hassan’s comedy show draws from his 12-year-journey in and out of the culinary world. As a celebrated stand-up comic, actor, and radio host, known for film roles in Breakaway, French Immersion, and as the memorable Lebanese ‘Uncle Stevie’ opposite Sean William Scott, Jay Baruchel, and Eugene Levy in the hockey hit Goon. Also an author, check out Alli Hassan’s book, “Is There Bacon in Heaven?” Tickets go on sale Thursday, Oct. 13, and can be purchased at www.lolsudbury.com, at the LOL Sudbury Downtown Box Office (40 Larch Street -Unit 103), and over the phone (705)688-1234. Individual tickets cost $25, but bring your friends and you can reserve a table of four for $85.
Let’s eat! It’s apple season at the Azilda Greenhouses
Besides the vibrantly changing beautiful leaves of the trees, apples have become a familiar sign of fall at the Azilda Greenhouse, along Municipal Road 35. A wide variety of apples are available for sale in bushels, baskets and boxes at the storefront. Marian Damm, one of the operators of the greenhouse helps truck the apples in from the Niagara region. This is the first year she and some partners have taken over the ownership of the greenhouse. Damm said the previous owners also brought in apple varieties from down south and it's something the customers have grown to love and appreciate. Read the full story here.
Tuesday weather:
Tuesday will be cloudy with a 70 per cent chance of showers. Wind northeast 20 km/h gusting to 40, becoming light late in the afternoon. High of 6 C. UV index 1 or low. Tuesday night there will be rain showers or flurries. Low of -1 C.
