Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
City moving to two bag limit for garbage on June 8:
Effective June 8, the weekly residential garbage bag limit will change from four bags to two bags per household. The City of Greater Sudbury temporarily increased the limit to four bags on March 26 to assist residents during the closure of landfill sites. Following the reopening of landfills on May 15, the City is gradually moving back to the regular one-bag limit. A date for changing from two bags to one has not been set. The collection of Blue Box recycling, Green Cart organics and leaf and yard trimmings remains unlimited. Residents are reminded to continue to place garbage in a secure, tied bag. Residents who use garbage containers must place tied bags inside the container. Garbage containers that contain loose or unbagged waste will not be collected. Recyclable items should be placed loosely in the Blue Box.
Ontario introduces new initiatives to keep hydro rates stable and affordable:
The Ontario government announced Monday that it will continue to support provincial electricity consumers by providing stability and greater customer choice, while helping those struggling to pay their energy bills as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The government recently announced that it will continue the suspension of time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates and, starting on June 1 customers will be billed based on a new fixed COVID-19 Recovery Rate of 12.8 cents per kilowatt hour. Starting June 1, the new COVID-19 Recovery Rate comes into effect for electricity customers who pay TOU rates. This fixed rate will apply to TOU customer bills 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing stability and certainty for consumers as the government restarts the economy and supports individuals and families who continue to spend more time at home.
Premier Ford welcomes ombudsman investigation into long-term care:
Ontario's ombudsman launched an investigation Monday into the province's pandemic oversight of long-term care homes, where more than 1,600 residents and seven staff members have died of COVID-19. Ombudsman Paul Dube said he is starting the investigation not because of receiving complaints, which is the usual process for his office, but because of what he read in a recent military report on five long-term care homes in Ontario. "The Canadian Armed Forces report painted a stunning portrait of the situation in long-term care during this crisis," Dube said in a statement. "Our investigation will look at the systemic issues that led to it, and will make constructive recommendations for corrective action." Premier Doug Ford said he welcomes the investigation. "I need answers," he said. "I want answers. We need to get this fixed and we're going to get this fixed." Ford has also said Ontario has launched a "full investigation" into the allegations in the military report and will share the results with police so they can look into any possible criminal charges.
Backcountry camping is open once again at Ontario Parks:
As of June 1, backcountry camping is available at Ontario Parks, including access points, paddle and portage routes and hiking trails. Ontario Parks is also expanding day-use activities to include picnicking and off-leash pet areas. The Ontario government is gradually reintroducing camping in Ontario Parks and recreational camping on Crown land, starting June 1, to give people more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, while staying safe and practicing physical distancing. "We are all eager to get outside this time of year, and backcountry camping will give people a low-risk way to enjoy the benefits of being outdoors while following physical distancing rules," said Jeff Yurek, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. "We're counting on people to be responsible when enjoying our parks and continue to follow all of the public health measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19." Following current provincial restrictions, no more than five people will be allowed to occupy a backcountry campsite during their stay, unless they live in the same household.
Region hasn't had a new COVID-19 case in more than two weeks:
Ontario’s daily COVID-19 case increase is back into the 400s today with 404 new cases reported, which is a 1.5 per cent increase in the total number of cases confirmed in the province. Last week on Monday (May 25) the province also reported 404 new cases, the fifth in a five-day run of daily increases in the 400s. However, since then daily increases have ranged between 287 and 383 new cases. This was the first day since last Monday the province is reporting an increase in the 400s. Public Health Ontario also reported ten deaths Monday, including two people between the ages of 40 and 59, seven people between the ages of 60 and 79, and one person over the age of 80. The province’s public health agency has now reported 2,276 deaths attributed to COVID-19, but the Ministry of Long-Term Care has reported more deaths than are included in the public health report. Get the full story here.
PPE and physical distancing will be a factor in the few in-person classes at Laurentian this fall:
Mostly-barren hallways, masked students and professors, and large classrooms with just a handful of students to promote physical distancing — this will likely be the scene on the post-secondary campuses this fall. Sudbury.com reached out to the city’s three post-secondary institutions — Laurentian University, Collège Boréal and Cambrian College — to see what the fall semester will look like. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Laurentian University, like many others in Canada, has announced plans to deliver the majority of its courses through remote teaching come September. But it also plans to deliver as many courses as safely possible with face-to-face teaching next fall. Full story here.
Are your studded winter tires still on? They need to come off now:
If you have studded winter tires, they were supposed to have been removed before June 1, said the Ontario Provincial Police. Studded tires can be used between Sep. 1 and May 31 throughout the province of Ontario. Winter driving can be challenging, and all Canadian provinces recommend installing four winter tires when the mercury drops below 7 C.
Annual Creighton reunion postponed due to COVID-19:
The 31st annual Creighton reunion has been postponed until September due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizer Erna de Burger-Fex notified Sudbury.com of the change this month. Creighton was established in 1900 as an Inco company town for workers at the mine. Over the years, improvements in transportation infrastructure saw fewer and fewer people residing in the town, and in 1986 the town was closed down and the village was razed. All that remains today are some sidewalks, streets and building foundations. “I gave this a great deal of thought before I made this decision as I know many Creightonites look forward to this annual event, as I do,” de Burger-Fex said. “But this year in light of the pandemic I felt it prudent to cancel the event that always takes place at the Anderson Farm in Lively.” She said a new date of Sept. 20 has been chosen for the event.
Tuesday Weather:
Rain showers in the forecast throughout the day Tuesday. There is a risk of a thunderstorm. Tuesday's high will get up to around 19. Mainly cloudy this evening with the low dropping to 12. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
