Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are stories to start your day on this Thursday morning
Difficult budget decisions punted to the new city council
During their final meeting as a group on Tuesday night, the outgoing city council deferred 2023 budget decisions to the newly elected city council. Meanwhile, members of city administration expressed confidence they will be able to hit the 3.7 per cent tax levy increase city council asked them to achieve. City general manager of corporate services Kevin Fowke said they’ve been “quite successful in making adjustments to our operating budget that get us close to if not in line with the 3.7 per cent guideline.” Although the newly city council will need to make some “difficult” decisions shortly after being sworn in on Nov. 17, Fowke said administration is working to help them achieve their target. As it stands, the city needs to cut approximately $17.7 million from its expenses to hit a 3.7 per cent tax increase next year.
Year-plus project on The Kingsway begins
A traffic bottleneck has been established along a stretch of The Kingsway undertaking infrastructure upgrades, affecting one of Greater Sudbury’s busiest arterial streets. The project includes the renewal of underground infrastructure and a combination of shave-and-pave and complete road rebuild between Silver Hills Drive and Falconbridge Road. Much of the work will take place next year, and all lanes are expected to remain open during the winter months. A final layer of asphalt will be laid along the entire stretch of road in 2024. “We’ll try our best to keep things as smooth as possible, but bear with us, have patience,” project manager Andrew Peltomaki said. “We want to do a good job and get out there just as fast, but it takes time.” The project is taking place in two phases, with the first stretching from Silver Hills Drive and Barrydowne Road, while the second will stretch from Barrydowne Road to Falconbridge Road.
Ontario to apologize to miners forced to use McIntyre Powder
At the end of this month, a select group of miners, their widows and their families hope to hear an apology from the Ontario legislature. On Tuesday, Sudbury MPP Jamie West held a news conference at the Miners’ Memorial in Bell Park to announce the Ontario legislature would offer a formal apology to a generation of miners who were forced to inhale a substance called McIntyre Powder, a substance that new research shows caused some of those miners to develop Parkinson’s Disease. This follows what happened 79 years ago, back in November of 1943. It was a time when Canada was fully involved in the Second World War, but the mining industry was as busy as ever producing essential minerals and revenue for the war effort. The official record shows that in Ontario that year, 36 people would die in various accidents at mining properties.
Wolves tap MacKenzie as club’s new head coach
The Sudbury Wolves have a new head coach. At a press conference this morning, the Pack announced that Derek MacKenzie is the club’s 31st head coach. A former Wolves player himself, MacKenzie played 257 games through four seasons for the Pack between 1997 and 2001, earning 95 goals and 158 assists for 253 points. In 1999, MacKenzie was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in the fifth round of the NHL Entry Draft, going onto an 18-year pro hockey career with AHL and NHL squads, including the Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers. The Wolves expect MacKenzie to take over behind the bench beginning Nov. 18. While he works through re-locating to Sudbury, MacKenzie will work virtually with the coaching staff and players. “I’d like to thank Dario (Zulich, team owner), Rob (Papineau, vice-president of hockey operations and general manager), and the whole Sudbury Wolves organization for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to take this Wolves team to the next level,” said 41-year-old MacKenzie in a news release.
Capreol recaptures its 5 out of 5 ‘Bloom’ rating
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Town of Capreol once again participated in the annual Communities in Bloom Ontario provincial showcase this year. In August, the town of Capreol hosted a trio of provincial judges who evaluated the community on a number of criteria that included tidiness, environmental action, heritage preservation, urban forestry, landscape and floral displays. “Participating in this showcase provides a number of key benefits for the town,” said Cody Cacciotti, president of the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre, in a press release. “We’re evaluated on both our strengths and weaknesses in what is similar to a third-party community audit so that we can determine how to best allocate resources on community-improvement projects. The evaluation document provides the necessary validation we need to apply for new funding and continue to attract investment to Capreol.” Picking up where it left off in 2019, the Town of Capreol once again captured a 5 out of 5 Bloom rating, as results were unveiled in late October.
Outgoing members say farewell to Greater Sudbury city council
A brief celebration of both the incoming and outgoing city council members kicked off Tuesday night’s meeting, which was the current city council’s final gathering as a group. The outgoing city council includes Mayor Brian Bigger, Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan, Ward 7 Coun. Mike Jakubo and Ward 4 Coun. Geoff McCausland. Although neither Bigger nor Kirwan attended Tuesday’s meeting, both Jakubo and McCausland took a moment to issue formal farewells to city council. Citing an incohesive city council and family priorities, Jakubo announced late last year he would not seek re-election. His colleagues bid him a fond farewell at the close of his final meeting as chair of the finance and administration committee in August. “The true goal of our city must be sustainability and growth, and that’s the only way we’re going to succeed as a municipality in the future,” Jakubo said on Tuesday.
Cloudy and showers, but mild day in store
Expect a fairly mild Thursday with cloudy skies and 40-per-cent of showers. Today’s high is 15. Wind will be from the south at 30 km/h, gusting to 50. The UV index today is one, or low. For tonight, expect cloudy periods and a low of 9.
