Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your weekend.
Funeral for Montpellier to be held in Chelmsford on Saturday
A funeral for longtime Greater Sudbury city council member Gerry Montpellier will be held Saturday, Feb. 24, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Church (3594 Errington Ave. N) in Chelmsford. Visitation will be held at the Co-operative Funeral Home (691 RR 15, Chelmsford) today, Friday, Feb. 23, from 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. The funeral arrangements were made public in Montpellier’s obituary, in which thanks went out to the nursing staff at Health Sciences North for the care they provided. “Also, thank you to Dr. Knight for her constant attention to Germain’s health.” In the obituary, Montpellier is described as an “entrepreneur, automotive enthusiast, proud councillor of Ward 3, loving husband and father.” His interest in motorsports began at a young age when he watched his uncles race their snowmobiles, according to the obituary, which credits Montpellier as being heavily involved in car shows and numerous motorsports in the years that followed.
To host byelections or appoint members? Sudbury council to decide
It has been a tragic month for Greater Sudbury city council. After being reported missing a few weeks earlier, Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini was located dead on Feb. 13. Ward 3 Coun. Gerry Montpellier died at Health Sciences North on Feb. 21. While tributes pour in for both men, the question of who will fill their seats must also come up. Work at the City of Greater Sudbury continues, with decisions affecting residents of Ward 2 and Ward 3 being made all the time. In an addendum to the Feb. 27 city council meeting, a report has been tabled by city solicitor and clerk Eric Labelle on how these vacancies might be filled. Following legislation laid out in the provincial Municipal Act and Municipal Elections Act, the city’s elected officials must declare both Ward 2 and Ward 3 vacant at one of their next two city council meetings. The Feb. 27 meeting is the first of the two, meaning city council will have the option of deferring a decision to their subsequent meeting, tentatively slated for March 19.
Cambrian College will hike tuition by 5% if province allows it
In the event that Premier Doug Ford changes his mind, and allows post-secondary schools in Ontario to increase domestic tuition fees, Cambrian College’s board of governors has approved a five per cent tuition hike for these students. In the meantime, though, 2024-25 tuition fees for domestic students will remain frozen at Cambrian College. The college’s board of governors approved proposed 2024-2025 tuition and ancillary fees at their Feb. 22 meeting. “Domestic tuition has been frozen for five years, and continues to be frozen,” said Derek Serafini, Cambrian College’s registrar, who presented a report on the subject to board members. “You're receiving a motion to make that in the event that the ministry lifts the tuition freeze, that we be allowed to increase by up to five per cent. The five per cent derives directly from the blue ribbon panel report that came out this fall, suggesting that colleges be permitted to increase tuition.” The blue ribbon panel Serafini was referring to was created by the province in response to the 2021-22 insolvency at Sudbury’s own Laurentian University, and examined the financial sustainability of Ontario’s post-secondary sector.
GSPS seize 194 grams of cocaine, $6,000 in cash, during arrest
Police seized 194 grams of suspected cocaine and $6,000 in cash following the arrest of a 39-year-old Greater Toronto Area man on Feb. 17. Greater Sudbury Police Service issued a media release about the incident on Feb. 23. In this release, they note that detectives from the GSPS Drug Enforcement Unit “conducted an investigation regarding an individual from the Greater Toronto Area who was believed to be trafficking illicit drugs in Greater Sudbury.” Police arrested the 39-year-old suspect on drug charges.
YES Theatre invites kids to take part in upcoming camps
Exploration and fun are the key words for YES Theatre’s upcoming PA Day and March Break theatre camps for youth ages eight to 12. Three full-day PA Day theatre camps will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the following dates: Friday, March 8; Monday, April 8 and Monday, June 10. The instructor for the PA Day Theatre Camps will be Kailin Kohls, who has also led several summer camps in drama and musical theatre. Enrolment is limited to 20 students per camp. Parents may register their children for more than one PA Day camp – payments will be collected for one camp at a time. The March Break Theatre Camp runs from Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. An informal presentation for invited family members and friends will be held on Friday at 3:30 p.m. This comprehensive all-arts experience offers a varied week of drama and arts from acting and movement to visual art. The program includes collaborative activities and games designed to build imagination, confidence and creative expression.
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