Sam Goldstein is a 2025 graduate of the Seneca Polytechnic journalism program. Sam’s great passions are for history, politics, and food. Born and raised in Toronto, he works as a multimedia journalist in Thunder Bay. You can reach him at goldsteins@radioabl.ca.
Health care organizations in northern Ontario can now apply to hire college or university students in health care programs who were born and/or raised in the north for summer jobs in 2027.
NOSM’s Summer Studentship program connects students with health care providers, give students the chance to receive hands-on experience in several fields.
The summer jobs are paid gigs, funded through the Ministry of Health.
The following fields are covered by the program:
Registered Nursing
Registered Practical Nursing (RPN, PN)
Medical Radiation
MD students
Dietetics
Physiotherapy
Midwifery
Audiology
Kinesiology
Speech Language Pathology
Respiratory Therapy
Medical Laboratory Technology
Pharmacy
Occupational Therapy
Applications for the program are due before January 1, 2027.
The City of Thunder Bay says that as of the end of October, 30 residents have already been welcomed into its new Temporary Shelter Village.
The village had aimed to accommodate 20 residents in its first month, meaning it exceeded its initial target.
The news comes just weeks after rumours had swirled during the election’s final weeks that the village had been struggling to attract residents — at the time, many candidates for city council had expressed doubts about the village’s chances of success.
Those rumours appear to have been unfounded.
The city also reports that its Neighbourhood Liaison Committee has been appointed, with a mix of residents and businesses representing the body.
It says the committee will soon hold its first meeting.
The Parade of Lights, one of two parades that Thunder Bay hosts in the leadup to Christmas, has set a date for its 27th annual event.
On Saturday December 5 at 7 p.m. a lineup of vehicles and marchers will proceed from Manitoulin Transport to the intersection of Water Street and Fort William Road.
The final stretch of the parade, from Queen and Fort William to the finish, is “sensory friendly,” meaning it will be quieter and more accessible.
The parade raises money for four charities: George Jeffrey Children’s Foundation, Thunder Bay Therapeutic Riding Association, Special Olympics Thunder Bay, and new this year, Autism Northwest.
“We were very fortunate and we jumped at it immediately,” says Mark Kehl, founder and Executive Director of Autism Northwest, of the opportunity to join the parade.
He feels that the other charities involved in the parade have had a big impact on his own child, making “an immense difference in his life… to be associated with them, part of something that has supported the autism community locally for nearly 30 years is something we’re privileged to be a part of.”
This year’s honourary parade marshal will be Zachry Hendricken, a local author and autism advocate involved with Autism Northwest.
“I’m so excited to actually lead it,” says Hendricken. “We’re gonna have a great time riding together, showing the colourful lights where everyone can watch, including my friends and my parents on TV.”
As well as the parade organizers and Autism Northwest, he takes the chance to shout out his aunt Jackie as well “for giving me this opportunity, because she is a very thoughtful auntie.”
Honourary Parade Captain Zachry Hendricken, left, and Parade of Lights Chair Greg Stephenson, right, at the 2026 parade announcement. PHOTO: SAM GOLDSTEIN/ACADIA BROADCASTING/NOVEMBER 3, 2026
Kehl says it means the world to him to see Hendricken leading the parade: “We’ve known Zach for quite a while now, and [my son] looks up to him, what he’s been able to accomplish in life, working on his third book, speaking at our support group meetings… and how much he’s meant to our organization. To see him be a parade marshal, I can’t really put into words how much it means.”
Last year’s parade raised a little over $61,646.51 for its four partner charities.
“They’re four organizations that are really close to our hearts,” says Parade of Lights Chair Greg Stephenson. “We want to support them so that they’re able to do the work through the year that they’re able to do, and to raise awareness for the organizations, because they rely a lot on volunteers and the families rely on them to help them out.”
Autism Northwest is filling a void in the parade’s partnership that was previously occupied by Autism Ontario’s local chapter, which Stephenson says was unable to continue.
“We kind of regrouped and we thought we should stay with the autism designation,” he explains. “Mark and his group do a wonderful job. It’s along the same vein so we were eager to welcome them in. And they’re very enthusiastic.”
Hendricken says the parade gives kids a lot to look forward to, giving them a chance to “see the beautiful lights and have people wave to them and cheer,” as well as the music, the candy, the parade decorations.
He also points out the parade is a great way to get ready for Christmas and offer kids a glimpse of Santa Claus.
“The amount of work that the truckers and entries do is phenomenal,” adds Stephenson. “Every year I’m just dumbfounded when I’m watching all the vehicles to come in.”
He hopes the parade can surpass last year’s fundraising total.
“We’re just asking people, reach in your pockets, throw a couple bucks in there. It all adds up.”
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) is bringing back in-person courses for folks looking to get certified to work in the food industry.
The TBDHU says that the move comes “in response to community requests: we understand that not everyone wants to learn online.”
When working with food, whether at restaurants, food packaging facilities, or even soup kitchens, the law requires at least one person on-site to possess a Food Handler Certificate.
The next course is scheduled for November 4, with another date set for December 8.
The TBDHU will continue to offer the course online.
The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) and Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) are encouraging vulnerable members of the public to protect themselves against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).
According to the two health units, IPD rates are five times the provincial average in the Thunder Bay Districit, and four times the provincial average in the northwest.
IPD can cause severe illnesses such as blood infections and meningitis, and those with IPD can face lifelong consequences from the disease.
As a result, the following groups can get IPD vaccines for free:
Anyone who is 65 years and older, as well as those 18 to 64 years old who are considered at high-risk for IPD due to:
a weakened immune system
chronic organ disease (e.g. kidney, liver, lung, or heart disease)
other chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes)
a non-functioning or missing spleen
a cochlear implant
Eligibility for the vaccine is wider in the north, also including 18 to 64 year-olds who:
Are experiencing homelessness or are without stable housing
Use substances regularly, including alcohol, cocaine, and/or injection drugs
United Way of Thunder Bay’s iconic hamburger-themed charity burger-buying contest, the Ultimate Burger Battle, is expanding its reach this year with regional participants around northwestern Ontario.
While most of the action will still be centered around Thunder Bay, B&B Roadhouse in Dryden and Lake of the Woods Brewing Company in Kenora will both be featuring their own inventive burger creations for sale over the month of November.
During the contest, $2 from any burger sold at participating restaurants will go to United Way, for use in local programs.
This is the first year that United Way is expanding its reach across the northwest, and United Way of Thunder Bay CEO Albert Brulé hopes to see its reach continue to grow in the future.
“Important to note that the proceeds generated in those [regional] communities will go back to support programs and services in their communities, in their region,” assures Brulé.
The Burger Battle is a smash hit in Thunder Bay: last year it raised $135,000 for the charity’s programs.
“People can appreciate the challenges are greater than ever for many families, many individuals experiencing poverty or at risk of experiencing poverty,” says Brulé. “So United Way of Thunder Bay is investing in programs to help those folks. Whether you’re a restaurant putting the burgers on or an individual just going to sample the burgers, you’re making a difference.”
40 restaurants will be participating this year, and new this year, there will be no tiered system for participants, meaning any of the restaurants have a shot at winning the title of Ultimate Burger of the Year, which is voted on by a team of judges and ambassadors.
There is also an award for most burgers sold and a “people’s choice” award, which the general public can vote in.
United Way of Thunder Bay’s legendary month-long charity event is returning for its eighth year.
This year’s event will see 40 restaurants in Thunder Bay and nearby communities offering unique burger creations to raise money for the community.
“This is like Christmas morning,” says United Way of Thunder Bay CEO Albert Brulé. “We’re unwrapping 40 beautiful Ultimate Burger creations for 2026.”
With every burger sold over the month of November at participating restaurants, $2 will go to United Way.
A selling point for the program is that the donations stay local, rather than going towards larger national programs.
New this year is a the elimination of the tiering system from past years, which Brulé says has “leveled the playing field,” giving all of the restaurants “an equal chance of becoming the Ultimate Burger of the year.”
The event will have more judges and ambassadors this year rating the burgers.
Last year’s event, which saw Bop Shop’s Kimchi Burger crowned the king of 2025’s contest, saw $135,000 raised for United Way’s local charitable programs.
99.9 host and Burger Battle ambassador Danny Foresta prepares to sample some of the new year’s burgers at the charity’s 2026 launch event. PHOTO: SAM GOLDSTEIN/ACADIA BROADCASTING/OCTOBER 29, 2026
One of the main appeals of the Burger Battle is the creativity restaurants employ in the development of artful yet delicious burger inventions.
Ducky’s Diner in Nipigon, for example, has taken inspiration from Austin Powers for their burger this year, the Mojo Melt.
“My boss is kind of a funny, nitty guy, so he’s always been into more of the British acting and stuff like that,” says Marlo Harty, lead cook and kitchen manager at Ducky’s.
Their burger offers toasted mozza cheese and sweet savoury bacon as its chief attractions.
Harty says the toasted mozza is his favourite part.
“We just finished perfecting it… It’s a good burger to put together, and I think it’s a good mixture of ingredients,” he says.
Acclaimed British thespian Patrick Stewart, most famously known for captaining the USS Enterprise on the silver screen, has died at 86-years-old.
A statement on his social media accounts reports that the actor passed “following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.”
A longtime Shakespearean theatre actor, Stewart made his big break on screen as Captain Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
On the big screen, Stewart became a major figure in the world of superheroes with his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier, or Professor X in the X-Men franchise, and is slated to reprise his role posthumously in Avengers: Doomsday when that premiers in December.
Neebing will be welcoming several new faces to its Municipal Council in the new term:
In a crowded five-way race, Florence Maclean has been named the new Head of Council with 29 per cent of the vote, or 321 votes.
Maclean will be joined by incumbent Councillors Katherine Hill of Ward Blake and Curtis Coulson of Ward Pardee, and new faces David Lowe of Ward Pearson, Carl Balyk of Ward Scoble, and Councillor At Large Jill Cadieux.
Councillor for Ward Crooks Brian Kurikka, who formerly served in Ward Scoble, was acclaimed.
