Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Tuesday morning.
Explained: Why 10% of material put in blue boxes isn’t recycled
Approximately 90 per cent of items placed in blue boxes in Greater Sudbury end up shipped to markets down south to be recycled. The city would hit 100 per cent if only accepted items were placed loosely in blue boxes, with items such as tin cans cleaned of debris prior to being recycled. City Collection and Recycling manager Nataly Wissell recently walked Sudbury.com through some of the nuances behind municipal recycling, from curbside blue boxes to the recycling markets primarily in southern Ontario. The request for information came in response to the city’s reinvigorated push for people to divert waste from municipal landfill sites as part of the city’s Sustainable Waste Strategy. Although the strategy includes various proposed changes to the city’s approach to waste, city council discussion has mainly centred around concerns regarding the proposed requirement that residents use clear garbage bags.
Feds provide $10M to boost Northern critical minerals projects
The federal government waved the flag for adapting to climate change today with the announcement of $10 million in federal investments for boosting the critical minerals supply chain and the development of technology toward battery electric vehicles. The announcement was made by federal Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who took part in a public event at Laurentian University. Wilkinson announced two investments of $5 million each to the Mining Innovation Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corp (MIRARCO) in Sudbury, and to Electra Battery Materials Corporation (Electra), to support the critical minerals sector in Canada. These projects join nearly 130 mining projects under construction or planned over the next 10 years in Canada, representing a combined value of $93.5 billion, according to Natural Resources Canada’s Major Projects Inventory, said the minister.
Meet Alex Tétreault, Greater Sudbury’s newest poet laureate
Alex Tétreault said he’s started referring to Greater Sudbury’s growing number of past poet laureates as the “Legion of Doom.” In case you’re not in the know, the Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains who originated in Challenge of the Superfriends from Hanna-Barbera, based on DC Comics’ Justice League. “I'm really glad to be part of that Legion of Doom now,” said Tétreault, who was revealed as Greater Sudbury’s eighth poet laureate June 10. He said he’s excited, touched, proud and “slightly terrified” to have been named to the role. “I love this community so much, and I don't want to let it down in any way,” Tétreault said. “Really, what I would love to do with this term is get as many people as possible expressing themselves in whatever way feels best for them.”
Sudbury Graphic-Con celebrates all things geeky
Sudbury Graphic-Con returns to the Sudbury Community Arena June 22 for a celebration of all things geeky. Billed as Sudbury's oldest and largest fan convention, it celebrates the contributions made by comic books and related popular art forms to literacy, arts and culture, through the presentation of an annual fan convention for the communities of Greater Sudbury and Northern Ontario. “Our fantastic list of vendors, artists, cosplayers, panels and guest stars are sure to keep you and the family entertained,” said a press release. “It is our continuing goal to bring together fans young and old to an affordable Con experience regardless of your preferred fandom. Whether you are a fan of Star Trek, Star Wars, anime, gaming, streaming, zombies, or any other fandom, we have something for you.”
Let’s eat! Great food, good times at the Mabuhay Philippine Festival
Challenge yourself to name a traditional Filipino food. Unless you have travelled to the Philippines or have friends or family who make the dishes, you aren’t likely to rhyme off anything too quickly. The organizers of the first ever Mabuhay Philippine Festival, being held in Sudbury this month, are hoping to change that. Dr. David Javier, president of the Sudbury Filipino Association, is leading the charge. “We have five decades of Filipino families now living in Sudbury, starting with those who came in the 1960s during the mining boom,” Javier said. “While we all tend to be quiet and shy, it is important for a sense of belonging to recognize and celebrate our community, culture and foods.”
Northwest First Nations decry Wyloo decision to site Ring of Fire mineral processor in Sudbury
Two Indigenous First Nations in northwestern Ontario are sharply criticizing Ring of Fire mine developer Wyloo Canada for choosing Sudbury as the northeastern Ontario refining hub for its Eagle’s Nest nickel production. At a May 29 news conference in the Nickel City, the company inked a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the City of Greater Sudbury, with the support of two area First Nations, to place a battery metals processing plant somewhere in the community. Earlier this week, Aroland First Nation Chief Sonny Gagnon decried the Wyloo-Greater Sudbury MOU through a news release as a cart-before-the-horse move, calling it “shocking” that the mining company is pressing ahead with its strategy when there are real concerns that mining activity in the Ring of Fire will cause damage to the environment. Now Ginoogaming First Nation leadership are weighing in, arguing that they should have been consulted prior to the announcement in Sudbury. A news release from Ginoogaming Chief Sheri Taylor and council, distributed through Matawa First Nations, said they are “grieved” by the Sudbury site decision, calling it “premature.”
