Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day.
BLM Sudbury hosts 'Culture Matrix' festival on Saturday
If you’re looking for local performers, those who are building careers all over the country, as well as an introduction to musicians, artists and cultures that you may not be familiar with, head down to Durham Street on Sat. Aug. 13 for Black Lives Matter Sudbury’s Culture Matrix, their new arts festival. "When curating the programming for Culture Matrix, we took into consideration what the arts and culture scene in Sudbury is missing,” the board of Black Lives Matter told Sudbury.com in an email. “We selected local and national performers who are making waves across Turtle Island for their unique performance art.” In keeping with the themes of the event, healing, kinship and celebration, the event, which starts at noon outside on Durham Street, will feature free activities such as group yoga and art workshops to build a sense of belonging among all who attend. “We wanted to include artists that embody values of community, joy, and cultural celebration; artists that aren’t traditionally recognized within a Northern Ontario landscape; artists who bring a new perspective to the industry,” the board continues. “Spearheaded by the next generation of cultural producers in the North, Culture Matrix is creating a safer space for new wave arts, culture, and community-centered programming." Black Lives Matter Sudbury recently released the full lineup for their ticketed concert event, happening the evening of Aug. 13 at Downtown Sudbury’s Place des arts. Read the full story.
Stay away from private health care, Gélinas tells the province
Ontario's official opposition health critic said any plan by the Ontario government to move towards health privatization would be a disaster. Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas was responding to news reports out of Toronto Wednesday where Health Minister Sylvia Jones suggested that health care privatization is an option on the table for dealing with the staffing crisis that has shut down emergency rooms in some parts of the province. Under questioning from reporters about whether private health care might occur in Ontario, Jones replied that "all options are on the table." As Ontario's official opposition health critic, Gélinas said she was horrified at the thought. “Privatizing health care would be a disaster for people’s health,” she said. “It would mean losing nurses, doctors and PSWs leaving the public system to work privately, making the health care crisis even worse. It could mean that people are forced to pay out of pocket, or wait longer for care. “The health care crisis we are in is due to gross underfunding and cuts by the Conservative government and the Liberals before them," she added. "The way to fix it is for the Ford government to finally answer the pleas of overworked and burnt out health care workers, health experts and patients — and invest in recruiting, returning, retaining and respecting health care workers," said Gélinas. Learn more here.
City pushes to make northern immigration pilot permanent
With the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program picking up steam in its second of three years, city council unanimously agreed this week they’d like to see it become permanent. During this week’s city council meeting, the city’s elected officials voted in favour of advocating for the federal government to make the program permanent, and that the city develop a business case for 2023 budget deliberations to create one full-time position dedicated to the file. It’s not enough that the city joins local MPs and the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce in advocating for the program, but they should also put more skin in the game, city economic development director Meredith Armstrong told city council. “We know that we can maintain the process of supporting it if we have the city’s support for the permanent resources required as well,” she said. “The city’s show of support for the program and the resources required to maintain it is very important to back up that advocacy.” During 2022 budget deliberations, city council approved $96,182 toward workforce for the pilot program’s third year. The city already has a business development officer for workforce in place on a contractual basis, whom a municipal report notes “has been instrumental in securing new partnerships, programs and initiatives and funding for the City of Greater Sudbury.” Read more here.
Agricultural links to be strengthened via FedNor funding
Improving networking in Northern Ontario’s agricultural sector is front and centre when it comes to $407,195 in federal funding awarded to the Northern Ontario Farm Innovation Alliance. So described the non-profit organization’s president, Yves Gauthier, during a media event hosted by FedNor at the Collège Boréal greenhouses to announce the funding. “Most of it is for new projects,” he said. “We have a big undertaking where we want to make an asset management plan on agriculture where we find out all of Northern Ontario’s greatest assets.” Between what’s being produced in-field and what value-added work is taking place, the effort will strive to “find out what is all available in this area and merge them so they’re working more together.” Northern Ontario’s agricultural sector consists of pockets of activity which will benefit greatly from improved links between them, he said. Pulling cheese plants aside as an example, he said, “If we can get the small plants that pop up throughout Northern Ontario to work together to set up trucking or cooling facilities, we want to find that out.” “We want to create some kind of marriage between different companies. It’d be better for the environment and better for the plants themselves, to succeed.” It’s anticipated the program takes three to four years to set up, he said. Learn more here.
Cinéfest needs volunteers for September festival
Cinéfest Sudbury is looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic group of volunteers to assist in providing patrons and industry guests the event they have come to love. Whether you are a volunteer from previous years or a brand-new volunteer looking to experience one of Northern Ontario’s largest events, organizers would love your help. With the festival’s continued growth year after year, Cinéfest Sudbury exhibits an increasingly large slate of prestige Canadian and international films, and acts as a host to patrons and industry guests from around the world, said a press release. As such, it is important that volunteers serve as ambassadors for both the festival and the City of Greater Sudbury. Volunteer positions available include Box Office Support, Decorator, Host/Hostess, Photographer, Server/Bartender, Security, Technical Support/Customer Service, Usher, and more. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit www.cinefest.com to review all available volunteer positions and apply to become a volunteer at the 34th edition of Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival. Applications will also be available at the Cinéfest Sudbury office, located at 40 Larch Street, Unit 103. Volunteers will also receive one complimentary ticket to a film screening of their choice for each shift they are able to donate their time for.
Weekend weather:
Saturday there will be a mix of sun and cloud. High of 25 C. Humidex of 26 C. UV index 7 or high. Saturday night will be clear with a low of 11 C. Sunday there will be a mix of sun and cloud. High of 24 C. Sunday night there will be cloudy periods with a low of 11 C.
