Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
‘Catastrophic’: Students, faculty react after Laurentian chops 69 programs:
Laurentian University students and employees — along with the Greater Sudbury community in general — reacted with shock, horror and grief Monday after the university announced 69 programs are being cut. Sudbury.com has learned that 110 faculty members and 41 support staff have lost their jobs, along with 36 administrators. The programs that have been cut vary widely, and include such subjects as midwifery, political science, physics, Spanish, Italian, certain teacher’s education courses and labour studies, to name just a few. This as Laurentian undergoes court-supervised restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) due to insolvency. Danielle Drescher, who’s finishing up her second year in Italian studies at Laurentian, describes Monday as “catastrophic” and involving a lot of crying. More on this story, including a full list of the discontinued programs can be found here.
Greater Sudbury Development Corporation plotting path toward economic recovery in the wake of COVID-19:
The Greater Sudbury Economic Development Corporation laid out its economic recovery strategic plan to city council on April 13. The plan is a response to the impacts that COVID-19 has had on the local economy, placing a focus on supporting small businesses and organization. Brett Williamson, Greater Sudbury director of economic development stated that more than 11,000 jobs were lost in the city last spring at the outset of the pandemic, and while nearly half of those jobs were regained in the fall, momentum toward full recover has been hampered as the province deals with the third wave of COVID-19. Four themes were outlined in the GSDC plan, with varying timelines between 12 months and 18 months and beyond for implementation. The themes are: Continue to grow Greater Sudbury's workforce, Support local, Supporting our Downtown, Encouraging Greater Sudbury's business growth and development. Get the full story here.
‘Constant state of burnout’: Pandemic stress causing nurses to leave the profession in droves:
Concerns have been voiced over the exodus of experienced nurses who are quitting their jobs or moving into less demanding positions. It’s happening across Canada, across Ontario as well as here in Sudbury. The issue is discussed in the most recent issue of the Canadian Medical Association (CMAJ) journal. The article noted that at the end of 2020, job vacancies in Canada's health care sector hit a record high of 100,300, up more than 56 per cent from the previous year. It was reported that emergency departments and intensive care units are disproportionately affected. More recently, the concern was echoed in a recent survey carried out by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). Results of the survey were released at the end of March. RNAO said based on the survey, the "exodus" of nurses was "alarming". The survey was conducted from late January to mid-February taking responses from more than 2,100 registered nurses (RN), nurse practitioners (NP) and nursing students working in Ontario. The survey sourced data from nurses in all domains of practice and across all sectors of the health system, including hospitals and long-term care. More on this story here.
Despite vaccine delays, Ontario on track to have 40% of adults get their first dose by May 6:
Ontario is still on track to provide COVID-19 vaccines to people who need them most urgently, although at this point that appears to be largely confined to "hot spots" in Southern Ontario. And although there are delays this month for Moderna vaccines, provincial officials say this will not hold up Premier Doug Ford's plan to have 40 per cent of Ontario adults getting their first dose of a vaccine by May 6, the date when the current four-week stay-at-home plan ends. During a technical briefing on the provincial vaccine supply held Tuesday morning, a reporter asked if the delayed arrival of the next shipment of Moderna vaccine would hamper efforts to hit 40 per cent by May 6. More on this story here.
Sudbury Public Health reports one death and 18 new cases of COVID-19 for Tuesday April 13:
There were 18 new cases of COVID-19 being reported by Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD) for Tuesday, April 13. PHSD is also reporting one new COVID-19 related death, but no specific details are being provided. This is the 24th death reported in the Sudbury jurisdiction since the pandemic began. Public Health also said there are now 244 active cases being monitored. Also, since the Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD) began tracking COVID-19 cases just over one year ago, there have been 1,758 total COVID-19 cases confirmed locally. PHSD also said 1,514 of those cases have been resolved. On the provincial COVID-19 register Tuesday, the Ontario government daily website reported 3,670 new confirmed COVID-19 cases across the province.
Man arrested in connection to pair of robberies in Val Caron:
Greater Sudbury Police arrested a 29-year-old man in connection to a pair of recent robberies that occurred in Val Caron. The first incident occurred around 11 p.m. on March 21, when a man attended a convenience store on MR80 in Val Caron, displayed a knife and demanded money from the employee. The man made off with more than $100 in cash as he fled on foot prior to police arrival. The employee was not injured during the interaction. The second incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on April 3, when the same man entered a food establishment on MR80 in Val Caron, once again displayed a knife and demanded money from the employee. The man made off with a couple hundred dollars in cash and fled the area on foot prior to police being contacted. The employee was not injured during the interaction. On April 8, as part of an ongoing investigation into the robberies, detectives from the GSPS Break, Enter and Robbery (B.E.A.R.) Unit executed a search warrant at a residence in Val Caron. Upon executing the search warrant, detectives located the man believe to be responsible for both robberies, as well as the knife used in at least one of the incidents. As a result of the investigation, a 29-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the following under the Criminal Code of Canada: Robbery with a Weapon (two counts), Disguise with Intent (two counts). He appeared in Bail Court on April 9 to answer to the charges.
'Crown’s appeal of 2018 Robinson-Huron Treaty ruling began this week:
The annuities case launched by the Robinson-Huron Treaty Litigation Fund (RHTLF), a group representing the rights of the members of the 21 First Nation signatories to the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850, continues this week, with the Ontario government’s appeal of a recent and ground-breaking decision moving forward on April 12. That decision, handed down by Justice Patricia Hennessy in December of 2018, held that “the Crown has a mandatory and reviewable obligation to increase the Treaties’ annuities when the economic circumstances warrant.” Though the case is complicated, the treaty itself is not, said Chief Dean Sayers in a press briefing on April 12, ahead of the appeal. “It’s clear, it’s straightforward,” said Sayers, who serves as chief of Wiikwemkoong Unceded First Nation. “Canada and Ontario need to honour the obligations set out in the escalator clause within the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850.” At the very least, “we’re calling on Ontario to drop the appeal, stop wasting energy, time and money.” The Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850 Annuities Statement of Claim, which was launched by the RHTLF in 2014, involves a claim for resource revenues. At the time, the settlers of the area were driving economic growth on land that did not belong to them, encroaching on traditional lands. Full story here.
Person goes missing in the bush for 12 hours after hitting a moose in West Nipissing:
West Nipissing police are reporting an unusual missing person case. On April 9, at 1 p.m., West Nipissing OPP responded to a missing person complaint. They say the person had entered a heavily wooded area off Highway 539, West Nipissing. around 9:30 the night before. The investigation revealed that a person had struck a moose with a vehicle and tried to search for the injured moose with another person that evening. Only one person returned to the roadway. The person was found uninjured about 12 hours later by an OPP helicopter. The West Nipissing Crime Unit, Emergency Response Team, and Canine Unit were also called out to help in the search.
Wednesday Weather:
Another cool, damp day in the forecast for Wednesday. Cloudy today with a 60 per cent chance of showers in the morning. Daytime high will be sitting at around 10. Mostly cloudy into the evening with chances of rain or snow flurries. Temperature will drop to 1 overnight. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
