Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Hit hard by pandemic, Science North receives $7M in provincial funds:
Ontario's tourism industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the province's minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, Lisa MacLeod, visited Sudbury on Aug. 17 to unveil support for tourism here in Northern Ontario. MacLeod announced that Science North will receive more than $7 million from the province in order to support its ongoing operations. This funding includes $219,000 for student employment opportunities through the Ontario Summer Experience Program. "This iconic attraction reaches into every community in the North, not just here in Sudbury, but is critical as a Sudbury tourism attraction,” MacLeod said. “It truly is a living museum, not just a science centre, and I take enormous pride to be here today. The minister said the tourism industry was one of the first economic sectors impacted by the pandemic and will be one of the sectors that takes the longest to recover. Full story here.
BLM panelists: Treat us as artists, not Black artists:
The artists who participated in a live chat on Facebook and YouTube about experiences of Black people in the arts, this past Sunday, said they appreciate the attention they’re getting as a result of the Black Lives Matter movement, but they would prefer to be recognized for their art and not the colour of their skin. “Black artists need to be seen as individuals,” said Sonia Ekiyor-Katimi, a visual artist and a graduate of the McEwen School of Architecture. “Don’t see everyone as a spokesperson for the movement.” Her paintings are not necessarily representative of African art nor do they all have political messages. She and the other two women artists on the panel — dancer and choreographer Simisola Tayo and actor Ruthie Nkut — said they feel pressure to create art with a message about the Black experience, whether they want to or not. Full story can be found here.
Sutcliffe: Support safe school reopening by staying vigilant on COVID-19 precautions:
A message from the medical officer of health (MOH) in Sudbury is telling residents that back to school time can be safe and successful if everyone takes pandemic precautions seriously. Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, MOH for Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD), issued a statement Friday afternoon calling on city residents to do whatever they can to lower the risk of the coronavirus in the community. "Make no mistake — the best way to support safe and successful school reopening is to keep COVID-19 out of our communities,” she said. “The lower the risk of the virus in our communities, the lower the risk in our schools. This means that now, more than ever, we need to recommit to COVID-19 prevention. The decisions we take now — to wash our hands, keep two-metres distance from people not in our social circle, wear a mask or face covering, and to stay home when ill and seek testing—will make all the difference for our schools’ safety and for our kids’ health.” More on this story here.
Rainbow board, ETFO occasional teachers reach tentative deal:
Rainbow District School Board and the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) have reached a tentative deal regarding occasional teachers in the region. The deal announced Aug. 12 covers approximately 225 occasional elementary teachers in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin Island. The board said details would be released once ratified by members of the ETFO Rainbow Local, and approved by Rainbow District School Board trustees. If ratified and approved, the agreement will be in effect retroactively from Sept. 1, 2019, to Aug. 31, 2022. It aligns with the provincial settlement at the central bargaining table, the board said. “We are pleased to reach this tentative agreement with the ETFO Rainbow Teacher Local Bargaining Unit,” said Rainbow District School Board Chair Doreen Dewar. “Occasional elementary teachers contribute to student achievement and well-being across our family of schools. They perform a valued role in the delivery of education throughout the school year." “Our tragic history is not all who we are. I prefer to paint ‘normal things’ like people falling in love instead of a protest. I am not trying to be political. I don’t want to lay it on thick,” said Ekiyor-Katima. The virtual panel, a presentation of the Up Here Festival, was streamed on Facebook Live and YouTube Live and mediated by Shana Calixte, a public health manager and professor at Thorneloe University.
Red Lake fire evacuees head home:
Evacuees who fled Red Lake due to a nearby forest fire are heading home. The last of about 60 residents who were accommodated in Thunder Bay were set to fly back to the community, situated about 500 kilometres to the northwest, early Monday afternoon. Residents had also found shelter elsewhere in the region, including Dryden, Fort Frances, and Kenora. Red Lake 49, the fire that menaced the community through much of the last week, is now considered under control by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF). Crews continue to fight hot spots in the interior of the fire. The province lifted an order barring non-essential travel to the area of the fire, including Red Lake, on Sunday morning. Red Lake Mayor Fred Mota cautioned services could be lacking for some residents, as the fire caused damage to power lines and other assets on the outskirts of the community. Residents are urged to phone 211 for more information.
Global mine tailings standard doesn't pass muster with environmental groups:
A new mine waste standard for preventing future tailings dam collapses is too vague, leaves too much room for self-regulation, and contains no enforcement measures, according to two international non-government organizations. Earthworks and MiningWatch Canada said the new Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, released on Aug. 5, "does not go far enough" to protect workers, communities, and ecosystems from collapses of mine tailings dams. The organizations released a "scorecard" stacking up the Industry Standard to the Safety First Guidelines launched in June by 142 scientists, community groups, non-governmental organizations from 24 countries. The group determined that nine of 16 guidelines are not met, six partially, and only one is fulfilled. They contend the Industry Standard is voluntary, not performance-based, has no implementation or enforcement mechanisms, with no penalties or consequences if companies fail to meet the Standard. They said the Standard leaves plenty of room for interpretation and self-regulation, and is lacking in specific requirements for best practices, such as community consent, banning the risky practice of upstream mine waste dams, and imposing the strongest levels of independent reviews. More on this story here.
The only two current active COVID-19 cases in the North are in Sudbury:
Ontario Public Health has confirmed 99 new cases of COVID-19 in the province on Monday. That's up slightly from the 81 new cases reported on Sunday, and down from the 106 cases reported on Saturday. Based on information compiled from the province's health units by Public Health Ontario, there were actually 101 new cases reported on Aug. 17, but Hamilton public health removed two previously-reported cases, bringing the total down to 99 cases. Monday's new cases came from 13 of the province's 34 health units, with Toronto and Peel reported 26 and 25 new cases respectively. Ottawa reported 19 new cases, and York reported seven new cases for the provincial summary. The province has now confirmed 40,745 cases of COVID-19 to-date, with 37,036 of those cases reported recovered and 2,789 cases reportedly ending in death. In Northern Ontario there are two known active cases, both in Sudbury.
Tuesday Weather:
A mix of sun and cloud on tap for Tuesday with chances of some rain. Tuesday's high will be sitting at 21. There's a 30 per cent chance of afternoon showers. Cooler temperatures will roll in tonight with the overnight low sitting at 8. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
