Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
First responders, civilians line up to salute fallen Manitoulin officer Const. Marc Hovingh:
On highway overpasses from Toronto to Sudbury, they lined up. Police, paramedics and civilians, some holding Canadian flags, all waiting as Const. Marc Hovingh’s remains, accompanied by an escort of officers, made the long journey home to Manitoulin Island. On an overpass on Highway 69 near Sudbury, more than 50 people — again a mix of first responders and civilians — lined up to pay their respects, saluting as the hearse carrying Hovingh’s remains passed below them. The post-mortem examination was conducted in Toronto. Hovingh will be laid to rest on Manitoulin Island, among the communities he served for decades. Hovingh, who spent a large part of his youth in Barrie and attended Timothy Christian School, died Nov. 19 after being fatally shot during a police interaction related to a property dispute in Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island. Another person at the scene, a 60-year-old man named Gary Brohman, also died as a result. More on this story here.
Fourteen one-bedroom affordable housing units being built on Sparks Street:
With 1,500 households on the waiting list for affordable housing in Greater Sudbury, the construction of a 14-unit complex on Sparks Street is welcome news to those in need. The site of the former RCMP detachment at 1310 Sparks Street will be redeveloped into 14 one-bedroom units for tenants on the Social Housing waitlist. The city’s Housing Services department lists “households” instead of individuals, “One-bedroom units are the highest demand on our waitlist right now,” said Steve Jacques, general manager, Community Development for the City of Greater Sudbury. The former RCMP detachment will be torn down, starting within days, to make way for the new development, and it is expected to be complete and operational by mid-2022. Get the full story here.
Sudbury MPP calls for more action and funding to address growing opioid deaths:
Ontario health minister Christine Elliott told Sudbury MPP Jamie West this week that while many parts of Ontario do not have all the mental health resources that many people need right now, there is a plan in place to have provincewide mental health and addictions services. Elliott was responding to West's plea for the government to take action to immediately increase funding for mental health services in Sudbury. “Sudburians are suffering,” said West during question period at the Ontario Legislature on Thursday. “Family members are mourning and local health resources are overwhelmed," he added. West described how he had met with Denise Sandul of Sudbury, the mother of 22-year-old Myles Keaney, who died of an opioid overdose earlier this year. He also told the legislature that a cross had been erected in downtown Sudbury close to where Keaney died, as a memoriam to a young life lost. West said the number of crosses had increased dramatically to the point where it is expected more than 50 crosses will be in place before too long. Full story here.
Finalists named in Sudbury 2050 design challenge:
A shortlist of finalists has been named for the Sudbury 2050 Urban Design Ideas Competition, hosted by the McEwen School of Architecture. Launched last spring, the contest challenges designers to submit ideas about what a reimagined Sudbury could look like over the next 30 years. Participants were urged to take into consideration some of the architecture school’s guiding principles, like employing regenerative design – things like green roofs or buildings that produce and store energy on site – or using wood as a key building material to support the regional forestry industry. Culled from 100 proposals submitted from around the world, finalists were named in the open and student categories. Get the list of finalists here.
Public Health Sudbury reports one new case of COVID-19 here in Greater Sudbury:
One new case of COVID-19 was reported by Public Health Sudbury & District Monday morning. Case No. 219 in the region is a person from Greater Sudbury. The probable exposure of the new case is classified as “information pending or missing.” There are currently 11 confirmed active COVID-19 cases in the region, up from 10 Sunday. As of Friday, there were three patients admitted to Health Sciences North under investigation for a possible case of COVID-19. None of them were in the ICU. These patients under investigation have been admitted to hospital for another reason, but because they have shown a symptom or symptoms of COVID-19, they are being tested for the virus.
Crowdfunding campaign set up to find who shot white moose:
A fundraiser has been set up to find who is responsible for killing a white cow moose, which is considered sacred in Indigenous culture. During the week of Oct. 26, two cow moose were shot and harvested on Nova Road, near Foleyet. One was a white moose. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is currently investigating the incident as shooting and harvesting white moose is illegal. Flying Post First Nation Troy Woodhouse recently started a GoFundMe campaign to "bring peace" to the spirit moose by finding those who committed the crime. In less than a week, the fundraiser has generated more than $5,700 with a goal of raising $20,000. “Should no arrest be made for this crime by August 2021, we will use the funds raised for the conservation of the spirit moose through signage, education and remaining funds donated to the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Rousseau, Ont.,” Woodhouse said on the GoFundMe page. To view the fundraiser, click here.
Tuesday Weather:
Sunshine overhead for Tuesday with some chilly temperatures. Mainly sunny throughout the day today with the high only getting up to -8. It's going to feel like -13 with the wind chill out there. Increasing cloudiness into the evening with periods of snow possible. Overnight low will be -8, feeling like -16. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
