Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
New road builder strikes deal on completing Hwy 69 four-laning
A new road construction partnership holds the promise of employment and long-term contract work for a trio of First Nation communities in northeastern Ontario. Shwe Miikaan — a construction company owned by Shawanaga, Magnetawan and Henvey Inlet First Nations — has struck a teaming agreement with SNC-Lavalin in anticipation of the upcoming final leg of four-laning on Highway 69/400. The company made the announcement on Aug. 9. “As we strive to capture local benefit from the Highway 69/400 twinning project, we remain committed to training and hiring from surrounding First Nations, thus enhancing the potential of our vibrant communities,” Adam Good, Shwe Miikaan’s president, said in a news release. “SNC-Lavalin, having a rich history in delivering multiple highway and road expansions globally, will be an invaluable partner in realizing our vision for the development of our territories. We hope this will stimulate a ripple effect of beneficial partnerships between Indigenous entities and large, industry-leading companies.”
New fires confirmed in northeast for first time in a week
For the first time in a week, and despite cool, wet weather in many parts of northeastern Ontario, fire officials say two new wildfires were confirmed today. Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services for the Northeast Fire Region said the fires are Sudbury 43, a 0.1-hectare fire on the north end of Lovering Lake, and Hearst 16, a 1.5-hectare fire three km north of McKnight Lake and 6 km northwest of Richter Lake. It is not under control. There are currently 34 active wildland fires in the Northeast Region. Of these, one is not under control, four are under control and 29 are being observed, the AFFES said. In total there were 63 active wildfires in northern Ontario, when looking at both northeast and northwest, as of midday today.
Laurentian community shocked by indefinite closure of 60-year-old pub
Laurentian University’s Pub DownUnder, which has a history going back 60 years, has been closed “indefinitely,” according to a social media post by one of the university’s student unions. The Students’ General Association (SGA), which operated the on-campus pub, made the announcement in a written statement on its Facebook page Aug. 22, just weeks before the fall term is due to begin. “It is with a heavy heart that we inform our community that due to challenging circumstances, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close the Pub Downunder,” said the written statement. “It will no longer be operational, effective immediately. This decision hasn’t been taken lightly. There have been numerous efforts to reevaluate our operations and structure but after much discussion, the board of directors of the SGA has taken the final decision.
It’s an 'employee market' in Sudbury’s labour pool
New survey data gleaned from the Sudbury and Manitoulin Districts paints a picture of a rapidly changing workforce across the region. The Local Labour Market Plan, published annually by Workforce Planning for Sudbury and Manitoulin (WPSM), indicates that fallout from the global COVID-19 pandemic — along with changing demographics, the emergence of technology, and employees’ pursuit of work-life balance — are all affecting employers’ ability to fill their labour needs. Reggie Caverson, WPSM’s executive director, said it’s “most definitely an employee market.” “Employees can demand higher wages, and employers need to step up their game as there are not as many suitable candidates,” Caverson said. There are a number of lingering impacts from COVID-19 that continue to impact the workplace, she noted.
Camp Molly gets girls interested in firefighting
It’s not surprising that Avery Cochrane is interested in becoming a firefighter. The 17-year-old’s dad, Ron Cochrane, is a captain with the Deep River Fire Department. Avery is so committed to her goal, that she travelled down Highway 17 to Greater Sudbury to take part in Camp Molly, a firefighter camp for female youth aged 15-18 that ran at the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre in Azilda Aug. 17-20. “I've just started to be really passionate about the fire service,” she said. “I've done a co-op with the fire hall. My dad's a firefighter. I just love the adrenaline of it.” Avery said taking part in Camp Molly was “absolutely amazing.” “I've learned so many things that I would not have learned this young, anywhere else, and I think it's just amazing that they're doing this for girls,” she said.
Poll: 30% of Canadians believe arson caused most summer wildfires
As Canada struggles through its worst fire season in recorded history, a new survey suggests protecting forests remains one issue that unites most Canadians no matter who they are or where they live. However, other parts of the survey done for Nature Canada and the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests the climate change debate is spilling over into the woods — especially in a season of unprecedented wildfires. "That is deeply concerning and it does reflect widespread disinformation on climate issues," said Michael Polanyi of Nature Canada. The two environmental groups commissioned Ekos Research to conduct the survey of more than 1,000 Canadians between July 28 and Aug. 9 on a wide range of forestry and policy issues. The margin of error was three percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Margins of error increase as results are broken down into regional samples. Overall, almost a third of Canadians attributed the increased burning to arson. Almost half of Conservatives and nearly two-thirds of those who support the People's Party said arsonists are the main reason so much forest burned this year. That cause is widely dismissed by scientists. Yan Boulanger of the Canadian Forest Service said Tuesday that the source of ignition has little to do with the size of the resulting fire.
High of 25, showers possible today
Expect a cloudy day to end the work week with a high of 25 and a 60-per-cent chance of showers. Fog patches will dissipate over the morning. There is the risk of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. The humidex value today is 30. The UV index today is five, or moderate. For tonight, expect showers and a low of 13.
