Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are some stories to start your day.
Lefebvre the first to open a mayoral campaign office
Mayoral candidate Paul Lefebvre opened his campaign office at 450 Notre Dame Ave. Unit 106 today, making him the first person vying for Greater Sudbury city council to do so this year. Lefebvre is one of nine candidates seeking the mayor’s seat at the polls on Oct. 24, for which he said voters have plenty of options, between incumbent Mayor Brian Bigger and eight alternatives.The slate of nine candidates bring “varying degrees of effort or participation rate,” he told Sudbury.com prior to the opening. “Mine’s full-time,” he added of his campaign. “I’m taking this very seriously, and that’s why I’m organizing a professional campaign as best I can.” His approach thus far, he said, has been “do your best and see what happens,” which is what he intends to continue doing with his growing base of volunteers. During his office’s grand opening, Lefebvre delivered a speech in which he highlighted the importance of economic development, instilling pride in the community and environmental stewardship.Read more here.
Sudbury bus consortium no longer has driver shortage
The last couple of school years were plagued with multiple school bus cancellations locally due to a shortage of drivers. School bus drivers being temporarily off the job due to COVID-19 was also a big problem. However, the executive director of the Sudbury Student Services Consortium said so far, things are looking better for school transportation for the 2022-23 school year. “Currently, it appears as though we have enough drivers to cover all of our routes,” said Renée Boucher. “So that's a good thing. However, like every year, we start the school year with enough drivers, and then we lose a few that are new, and who decide it’s not the job for them. “So hopefully that won't happen. But companies are always looking to hire, and recruiting and retraining. That's something that happens regularly.” She said local school bus operators have been able to recover their staffing levels this year after several drivers quit in 2020 due to the uncertainties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which was then new. Asked about the possible impact of COVID-19 on driver absences this school year, Boucher said “that is something I truly wouldn’t be able to guess.” She said she knows large numbers of absences are still a possibility, “but I’m hoping that it’s not as bad, at least, as last year.” Read the full story.
Federal funding to help battle domestic violence in Sudbury
As Carolyn Bennett, federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, made a funding announcement to combat domestic abuse in Sudbury Thursday, the concern was expressed that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the overall struggle of domestic violence. Bennett was in Sudbury to announce a federal funding commitment of $589,340 over four years to support the Sudbury YWCA "Building Opportunities for Women"(BOW) program at Genevra House. The program aims to support the mental and physical well-being of women experiencing — or who may be at risk of experiencing — family and gender-based violence. The BOW program offers women aged 16 and older special workshops where they can explore the roots of gender-based violence, address their own self-esteem and vulnerabilities, and identify their future education and training needs. The YWCA Genevra House describes itself as "an emergency shelter for women escaping abuse from their intimate partners (including same-sex partners), as well as women 50 years and over who are escaping abuse from their live-in caregiver." Bennett commended the Sudbury YWCA for its progressive work in the city. "We have to work together to stop the violence before it starts. And by building and promoting healthy relationships and by changing the existing patriarchal and damaging attitudes into ones that promote equality and build healthier families. So I want to commend the Sudbury YWCA for leading this innovative project and for your ongoing work to support women and families and this community," Bennett said. Learn more here.
Gélinas calls on province to stop sending people away to die
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas, who is also the Official Opposition health care critic, is upset that the Ontario government has voted to pass Bill 7, the More Beds, Better Care Act. Gélinas looked visibly distressed as she told the legislature that passage of the new law takes away rights that elderly people expect, that being the right to refuse being sent to a long-term care (LTC) home they don't want. She said the effect is that the province would be sending people away to die. Under Bill 7, an elderly patient or a chronic care patient in a hospital can be assessed and deemed eligible to be removed from the hospital bed and sent out to an LTC home, even if the patient does not want to go there. One of the reasons for passing the new bill is to ensure there are enough acute care beds in Ontario hospitals in case there is a rise in new cases of COVID-19 in the coming fall and winter. “I cannot tell you how upsetting it is to see Bill 7 pass third reading,” Gélinas told the house. “This bill will take away the rights of frail, elderly people to consent to treatment. This is a right that we all have. When dealing with a health professional, you always have a right to consent or the right not to consent. Under this bill, frail, elderly people don’t matter, their consent doesn’t matter.” Learn more here.
Burgeoning Northern Ont. film and TV industry calling for homegrown talent
Over the past decade, the film industry in Northern Ontario has become one of the key drivers in economic growth. While hard rock mining is booming, so is the gold mine of studio space for television and film production companies. Many Northern Ontario municipalities are moving fast to take advantage of the burgeoning economic activity. In Sudbury, the City of Greater Sudbury recently hired Clayton Drake for a newly created position of film officer. Drake brings a long history in the film industry and will help navigate the needs of film crews. Lara Fielding, the city's manager of tourism and culture, shared that Sudbury was host to 10 productions, 365 days of filming, $11 million in local spending, and with 53 per cent local crews who are retained from the community. Having resources such as film studios, casting agencies, hotels, catering, a welcoming community and substantial funding has been attracting film producers far and wide. The award-winning television series "Letterkenny", and now its spinoff, "Shoresy", has made a home in Sudbury and is having a huge economic impact. Read the full story on Sudbury.com's home page.
Community invited to join Sudbury’s Hike for Hospice on Sept. 25
Friends and supporters of the Sudbury Hospice Foundation are invited to make some time on Sunday, Sept. 25 to take part in the Sudbury Credit Union Hike for Hospice. The annual event will be taking place at the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre at Bell Park in Sudbury. This is to be the first live-in-person hike since 2019 because of pandemic restrictions. Organizers said registration begins at 11 a.m. Sept. 25 and the hike itself will begin at 1 p.m. The goal for 2022 is to raise $150,000 as the hike continues to raise awareness about hospice palliative care in our community. Pledge forms are available for pick up at any Sudbury Credit Union branch, Maison McCulloch Hospice and/or online at www.maisonsudburyhospice.org.
Friday weather:
Friday's weather will be a change from the slightly cooler temperatures we've had the last couple of days. The day will be mainly sunny. Wind becoming south 40 km/h gusting to 60 in the morning. High of 27 C. Humidex of 34 C. UV index 7 or high. Friday night there will be cloudy periods with 60 percent chance of showers. Low of 17 C.
