Jacob Henriksen-Willis is a Thunder Bay-based multimedia journalist and die-hard Jays & Raptors fan. He studied journalism and political science at Trent University. You can contact him at Henriksen-WillisJ@radioabl.ca.
At around 3:30 am Thursday morning, members of the Lac Seul Police Service found an off-road vehicle on its side near Frenchman’s Head Road.
Three individuals were at the scene. Police say one passenger suffered an upper-body injury requiring urgent care. EMS attended and transported the injured individual to Sioux Lookout Hospital, where they were listed in serious but stable condition.
Officers identified the driver of the off-road vehicle, a 35-year old Lac Seul woman, who exhibited visible signs of alcohol impairment. She provided breath samples registering well over the legal limit of .08 and was charged with impaired driving. The second occupant also showed signs of extreme intoxication. Both individuals were transported to the Lac Seul Police Service Headquarters and lodged until sober.
The Lac Seul Police Service say they would like to remind community members of the serious risks associated with impaired driving and urges everyone to make safe, responsible choices when operating any motorized vehicle.
Unions, educators and government shared a roundtable discussion at Confederation College Thursday, focusing on northwestern Ontario’s implementation of a proposed $6 billion skilled trades investment nationwide.
Announced in April, the proposal would support Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Team Canada Strong initiative, aiming to attract up to 100,000 Red Seal-certified trades workers over the next five years.
“We wanted to start here in my own riding to talk about the investments that Canada is going to make to attract people to the trades, to help them get through the training pipeline, and finally to help employers hire those apprentices so they can gain those hours,” said Thunder Bay MP Patty Hajdu, also Ontario’s Minister of Jobs and Families.
Hajdu said local northwestern Ontario unions and educators provided valuableinsight into how this project can be implemented across the province (via Patty Hajdu / May 21 2026)
Hajdu said Canada is facing a shortage of about 30,000 skilled trades workers per year.
“Part of the challenge is people just haven’t thought about a career in the skilled trades,” she said. “They don’t necessarily know what it’s like to pick up a hammer and participate in a housing project.”
The investment was proposed during the spring economic update. While the proposal is still going through the House of Commons and later the Senate, Hajdu says it will soon get passed and the government can start providing financial supports for the trades.
“There’s no question all of the provinces want to make this happen. The question is, how can we work most efficiently together? And the union voices are very important in helping design this program,” Hajdu said.
She says Ontario will focus on attracting tradespeople aged 15 to 30 and creating more opportunities for them to gain hands-on experience and complete apprenticeships.
Proposed incentives discussed at Thursday’s roundtable include:
Boosting Employment Insurance to $400 a week during training
Increasing supports for those laid off while in training
Ensuring a $5,000 bonus upon Red Seal certification
Offering grants to employers for first-year apprentices
Improving digital tools to connect people with apprenticeship pathways
“We’ve got major energy projects happening in northern Ontario,” Hajdu said. “In order to get all these things built, we need the skill.”
Hajdu said more information is on the way once Ottawa approves the proposal and the funding distribution starts to take shape.
With a couple Thunder Bay natives at the helm, the Ottawa Charge are looking to stave off elimination against Marie-Philip Poulin and the Montréal Victoire in the PWHL Walter Cup Finals Wednesday night.
The Victoire lead 2-1 in the best-of-five series.
Ottawa’s interim head coach is Thunder Bay hockey pioneer Haley Irwin. At 13, Haley Irwin made history as the first girl ever to play on the boys’ Thunder Bay Kings AAA team. She stayed with the Kings for three years, and later went on to win two gold medals with Canada at the 2010 and 2014 Olympic games.
Haley Irwin was a team captain for the University of Minnesota in the early 2010s (Daniel Hass, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)
Irwin stepped in as head coach after Carla MacLeod took leave on April 6 to focus on her battle with breast cancer.
“Last November, MacLeod shared that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and wanted everyone to know that she was going to be ok,” the Charge wrote in a press release. “She remains in good spirits and is focused on her health and recovery. The entire organization fully supports Carla and her family and asks that her privacy be respected.”
“Irwin has been assistant to MacLeod since day one,” the press release continued. “She stepped in for one game on Dec. 2 against the Minnesota Frost when MacLeod started her treatment.”
Two weeks ago, Irwin lead the Charge past the Boston Fleet in a thrilling four-game series.
It was fellow Thunder Bay local Michaela Cava that scored the game-winning goal in double overtime to beat Boston and send Ottawa to the finals.
Michaela Cava during her time with PWHL Minnesota in 2024 (John Mac, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)
“That was a big one. I feel like I’ve been trying,” Cava said. “I’ve been with them for 17 games and even more now in playoffs. It just felt like I had bad puck luck. I have been so close so many times and it feels really good just to get this one for the girls. Everybody’s been so great. I keep saying that, but it’s a great team. So, it’s a lot of fun.”
Michaela Cava is the first player to have won a gold medal at the Esso Cup, Canada’s National Female Midget Championship and the U18 Canadian women’s nationals.
She won the Esso Cup with the Thunder Bay Queens AA team in 2010.
Cava has been in a relationship with her Charge teammate Emma Greco since October 2022. They were also teammates on the Vancouver Goldeneyes, PWHL Minnesota, and the Toronto Six of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League.
The home team has won every game of this series. Game 4 will be played in Ottawa.
“This game is going to be close again,” Carla MacLeod said. “It’s two great teams on the ice and I can assure you we love how we’re playing. We really like our game. We like the brand that we’re bringing day in and day out and honestly, we are genuinely excited to get going again in front of our fans at Canadian Tire Centre. We have to win one in a row and that’ll be our mission. We’re not looking any further ahead.”
Puck drop is at 7 pm. If necessary, the championship-defining Game 5 will be played in Montreal on May 23.
The inquest into the death of Kevin Mamakwa will begin on June 1 at 9:30 am at 189 Red River Road.
Mamakwa, a member of Kingfisher Lake First Nation, died in custody of the Thunder Bay Jail on June 2, 2020. He was 27 years old.
Presiding officer Dr. Michael Wilson will examine the circumstances surrounding his death. The inquest is expected to last nine days, with testimony from 15 witnesses.
Mamakwa’s uncle, Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa, has called upon the province to address the number of deaths involving Indigenous people that previously occurred at the Thunder Bay Jail.
The inquest was originally scheduled for January 2026, but was postponed due to an unforeseen tragedy within the family.
Members of the public who wish to view the proceedings online can do so here.
A planned $14 billion investment from Agnico Eagle Mines Limited is set to position Ontario as Canada’s leading resource hub—but Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce says even bigger ambitions are on the horizon.
“[The goal is] not to be #1 in Canada. We want to be #1 on Earth when it comes to attracting mining investment,” Lecce said. “This is how we build our country. This is how we become more self-reliant and less dependent on the craziness going on in the White House.”
Lecce credits aggressive permit reforms and accelerated approval processes for attracting this investment.
“It took an average of 15 years to build a mine in this province, whereas in Europe or even Australia, it’s taking them five to six years. We were the second slowest in the entire OECD,” he said.
OECD stands for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, a 100-nation forum and knowledge hub for data, analysis and best practices in public policy.
“When we’re the second slowest on Earth, that’s not a benchmark to be proud of,” Lecce said. “We need to challenge the status quo. We have to move faster.”
Lecce said streamlining mining development doesn’t mean cutting out important environmental and labour protections, but rather imposing deadlines on the government to make decisions faster.
“We have examples of assessments sitting on some bureaucrat’s desk for 1,500 days with no sense of urgency. Either we smarten up and work faster or we have our lunch eaten,” he said.
Lecce says Canada will still have “the strictest protections for our people and our environment,” which he calls the most ethical democracy.
“I’m not saying we’re perfect, but Canada is the gold standard. I’m so proud of our country and our values. I’d rather our democratic values prevail over the authoritarian regimes in Moscow and Beijing,” he said.
Many of the new mines under development will rely on Hydro One transmission lines for power. The company offers an equity partnership model that can provide local First Nations with ownership stakes of up to 50% in these energy projects.
“This provides an opportunity for reconciliation through sharing of benefits and meaningful participation,” said Chief Clifford Bull of the Lac Seul First Nation.
Agnico Eagle will build a new mine in the Upper Beaver Gold project on Kirkland Lake, a $1 billion investment that’s set to create 800 new jobs. It will also expand the Detour Lake underground project, the largest gold mineral reserve in the country.
If you’re looking forward to some spring gardening, grab a shovel and some bags.
Starting today, the City of Thunder Bay is handing out free compost at the Solid Waste and Recycling Facility. The compost is only available while supplies last, so get yours quick.
“Just in time for the long weekend, free compost is now available for Thunder Bay residents,” said Jason Sherband, Manager of Solid Waste & Recycling Services. “The leaf and yard waste from our curbside collection program is blended with organic waste directly dropped of by residents at our site and then ultimately turned into soil enriching compost. It’s a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers, and great for landscaping, flower beds and lawns.”
The compost pick-up area is located east of the old landfill entrance on John Street. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 6 pm, and Saturdays from 8:30 am to 4 pm.
The Thunder Bay North Stars had a tough go of it on the national stage this week.
Our SIJHL champs mounted a furious comeback attempt in their final game against the hosting Summerside Western Capitals on Tuesday night. They cut a 4-0 deficit to 4-3, but weren’t able to finish the job. The North Stars finished winless in round robin play and did not qualify for the elimination round.
Standout tournament performances include:
F Easton Gloucher – 3 goals, 1 assist
D Chase Loke – 4 assists (tied for 4th in tournament)
F Acoyen Fehr – 3 goals
F Chase Cochrane – 15 penalty minutes (tied for 3rd in tournament)
The final results:
Date
Opponent
Score
May 8
Canmore Eagles (Alberta)
3-2 L
May 9
Niverville Nighthawks (Manitoba)
7-2 L
May 11
Rockland Nationals (Southeastern Ontario)
8-2 L
May 12
Summerside Western Capitals (PEI)
5-3 L
The last time the North Stars competed for the Centennial Cup was in 2006. They finished 2-2 in the round robin and lost in the semifinal.
The 2026 Centennial Cup championship game is scheduled for Sunday at 7 pm.
The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB) is announcing three projects to create a total of 118 new child care spaces across Thunder Bay.
The projects received $1,758,804 in expansion funding through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program.
Upon completion, the TDSSAB will achieve its goal of building 196 new child care spaces between 2024 and 2026. Detailed announcements and grand openings will be planned as projects are completed.
Project Name
# of Spaces
CWELCC Annual Funding (approx.)
Expansion Funding
Nanabijou Child Care Program – Thunder Bay
72
$1,327,104
$1,258,304
Metis Nation of Ontario Child Care Centre – Thunder Bay
32
$661,644
$500,000
Brass Bell Family Resource Centre – Terrace Bay
14
$302,772
$0
TOTALS
118
$2,291,520
$1,758,804
“Affordable child care is an economic tool that helps communities grow,” said Patty Hadju, Ontario Minister of Jobs and Families. “When parents can find good, reliable child care, they can work, train, or build a business. In Thunder Bay, lower fees are saving families thousands of dollars and keeping more people in the workforce. We will keep working with partners to protect and expand these spaces so every child can learn, and every family can plan for a strong future.”
There are 1,503 children in CWELCC spaces as of January 2026.
Lakehead District School Board chair Leah Vanderwey has resigned.
She submitted her resignation at a closed Special Board Meeting on May 5.
Vanderwey was first appointed a board trustee in 2022. She held the position of Chair since December 2024.
According to the board meeting minutes, Vanderwey’s appointed replacement must be a qualified municipal elector and fulfil all of the following requirements:
A Canadian citizen
At least 18 years old
Not legally prohibited from voting
Not be disqualified by any legislation from holding school board office
A supporter of the board (the individual’s property tax support must be directed to the public school board)
The remaining elected trustees are required to fill the vacancy by August 3.
