The next fireside chat of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board is scheduled for February 19 at Sioux North High School.
The board’s Director of Education Christy Radbourne will be leading a Q&A primarily focused on artificial intelligence in schools. Other topics include kindergarten registration, parent engagement opportunities, math initiatives and math education, and attendance campaigns geared toward student success.
Attendees are invited to ask questions and provide comments on any programs, initiatives, or concerns they may have. A livestream of the Fireside Chat will also be provided on the KPDSB Facebook page.
The event will be hosted from 6:30-7:30 pm. Registration is not required and all parents, caregivers or interested community members are encouraged to attend.
The Municipality of Sioux Lookout has opened applications for the 2026 Community Improvement Plan (CIP), continuing a program that has played a major role in revitalizing the community’s downtown and supporting new housing growth over the past two years.
The CIP provides financial incentives to eligible businesses and property owners to help fund projects in designated improvement areas.
These can include facade upgrades, accessibility improvements, residential intensification, building renovations, and property rehabilitation.
The program is designed to support three key municipal priorities: downtown revitalization, economic development, and housing development.
Since its launch in 2024, Sioux Lookout’s CIP has supported 23 projects, contributing to refreshed storefronts, new housing initiatives, and improvements to public spaces. Local leaders say the program has already had a meaningful impact.
“The Community Improvement Plan has been an avenue for the Municipality to work with business owners and private developers to grow businesses and bring a range of housing options to residents,” said Mayor Doug Lawrance. “The CIP has attracted significant interest since we began, and we look forward to receiving new applications this year.”
CAO and Municipal Clerk Brian MacKinnon noted that the program’s flexibility allows the municipality to support a wide range of projects.
“The CIP program allows us to work with private developers and business owners on building upgrades, housing projects, façade improvements, and accessibility enhancements. Supporting these projects is instrumental in creating a vibrant and welcoming community,” he said.
The application intake period is open now and runs until February 28, 2026. Funding decisions will be based on how well proposals align with the program’s goals and the amount of available funding.
Eligibility details, forms, and additional program information are available at siouxlookout.ca under the Community Improvement Plan section.
Residents in Sioux Lookout can cast their vote on how the municipality should spend $20,000.
It’s part of the Community Choice Project Fund, a new pilot program launched in September.
After collecting ideas through October, and staff reviewing the submissions earlier this month, it’s time to choose.
Two projects met all the eligibility criteria.
Project #1: Waterfront Programming and Supervision
The first proposal would introduce aquatic programming and supervised swimming at Town Beach through the summer.
Programs would include swimming lessons, swim-to-survive, aquafit classes, open-water lane swimming and supervised recreational swimming.
People currently travel to Dryden for these activities.
The project would enhance safety, recreation and youth employment while supporting active living.
The budget for the project is $20,000.
Project #2: Community Art
The second project proposes a 10-foot by 32-foot mural on the recreation centre created by Lac Seul artist Storm Angeconeb.
The art would include eight vinyl panels on aluminum composite material, and would celebrate Indigenous art, create a more welcoming entrance, and support future community art initiatives.
The materials are durable and low-maintenance, and the installation would be illuminated.
The budget for this project is $14,032.34.
Voting is underway until Dec. 5. Sioux Lookout residents can vote on which project should be presented to council in January for approval and implementation.
The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) is warning people about tainted drugs that may be sold on the streets in communities between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay.
This is a second similar warning from the health agency after seeing an increase of suspicous overdoses, particularly in Dryden and Sioux Lookout.
According to the NWHU, people have been experiencing unusual reactions and effects from drugs and testing done by drug checking sites and people using drugs has shown there are often other substances mixed in that make use of these drugs more dangerous.
“We wanted to do a little more investigating,” says Donna Stanley, director of health protection with the NWHU. “So the second (warning) is like a follow up that we were saying this looks like it is around the region between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay so maybe everyone should know.”
The NWHU cautions people that substances are being sold as cocaine, however it is causing unusual symptoms of feeling unwell, sleepiness or unconsciousness, even death.
Stanley adds that sometimes naloxone isn’t proving effective, suggesting the substance is tainted with tranquilizer.
As well, opioids have been testing positive for medetomidine (vet tranquilizer) and crystal methamphetamine has tested positive for fentanyl.
The NWHU reminds people using drugs to practice safe harm reduction through such measures as testing drugs before using (NWHU has free test kits), keeping naloxone on hand, and to never use drugs alone.
In the end, the agency reiterates that people experiencing suspicious effects should contact emergency services and to report any adverse drug events.
Progress is being made on the Dryden Food Bank’s ambitious Project Hope.
After having its official groundbreaking in October, this week marked the start of phase two – preparing footings for concrete to be poured on the new building.
It marks an important step for the Dryden Food Bank’s expansion and ability to soon distribute food to more people in the region.
“Shovels are in the ground,” says Al Huckabay, manager of the Dryden Food Bank. “We are hoping to get all of the work done on the addition part with all of the footings and stuff done before frost kicks in and get some walls up and a roof on before the snow flies.”
Project Hope has been in the works since 2023 when the Dryden Food Bank purchased a building with the intention to expand its facility.
Since that time, organizers have been busy trying to fundraise in order to push the project to the second phase.
With two-thirds of the $1.5 million now collected, Huckabay says it is a sign that building is closer to completion.
“Our target is looking to open in in spring or summer of next year,” says Huckabay. “(We hope) to be totally operational by the fall of next year in our new building.”
He says once the project is complete, it will allow the Dryden Food Bank to increase capacity and be able to distribute more food, especially to the region at large.
“We will become a distribution point (for) the surrounding First Nation communities and food banks in this area, like Sioux Lookout and Red Lake,” adds Huckabay.
“Instead of trucks having to go all the way to Thunder Bay and then having to ship things back into this area, some of those trucks will be able to stop off here in Dryden, drop off the products and then our volunteers will then break it down into smaller amounts to be able to distribute out to the areas around.”
Huckabay says one of the ultimate goals of the project was to build sustainable relationships with First Nation communities.
“The next stage is continuing on in looking for funding,” says Huckabay. “We’re still looking to raise that extra $500,000 that would put us over the top to be able to just really complete the project from start to finish.”
The Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC) has appointed a new board chair.
Kristen Carroll was named to the position Tuesday.
Carroll comes to the job after serving on the board for two years.
According to a release from the SLMHC, she brings extensive experience in health governance, program delivery and emergency management.
“I am dedicated to strengthening partnerships, promoting collaborative governance and ensuring that SLMHC delivers culturally responsive and exemplary health services to the communities under its care,” Carroll said in a release.
Carroll replaces Sadie Maxwell, who had served as board chair for many years.
“I am deeply grateful to the SLMHC board of directors for your unwavering support and guidance throughout my tenure as the board chair,” Maxwell said. “It has been a privilege and an honour to work alongside such dedicated and hardworking staff.”
Maxwell will remain a member of the board, representing the Windigo First Nations council.
The community is buzzing right now, with the launch of Sioux Lookout’s very first Community Choice Project Fund. This pilot project will see $20,000 from the Municipal Accommodation Tax allocated to a project suggested by and voted for by residents of Sioux Lookout. We are looking for novel ways to give residents a greater voice in what projects are developed to improve the quality of life in the Hub of the North.
We will be accepting project idea submissions until October 31st at 4:00 p.m. through an application form available on our website at https://www.siouxlookout.ca/build-and-invest/community-choice-project-fund. Municipal staff will be available to help by appointment, or at two community open house sessions. These will take place at the Recreation Centre from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m. on October 8th and 22nd.
There are several requirements for a proposed project to move forward in the selection process. These include:
Cost no more than $20,000, all-inclusive, with no ongoing unfunded costs or maintenance
Be under Municipal jurisdiction, take place on Municipal property, and not duplicate existing services
Achievable by December 15, 2026, with required permits and approvals
Provide a clear public benefit, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity
Align with at least one Municipal of these guiding documents:
The Sioux Lookout Official Plan
Sioux Lookout’s Strategic Plan
The Community Safety & Wellbeing Plan
Identify any outside contributions such as funding, labour, and materials, with written confirmation
Municipal staff will review the submissions in November, and the public will vote for the project to be presented to Council over three weeks in December. Council will review the proposal at the Regular Council Meeting in January 2026.
Anyone who has questions about the Community Choice Project Fund should contact Jennifer Esposito, Manager of Strategic Initiatives, at 807-737-2700 ext. 9005 or by emailing jesposito@siouxlookout.ca.
We are excited to see the ideas that come from this program and the feedback from our residents throughout the process.
This is just one initiative to increase community engagement, build trust, and increase transparency that the Municipality of Sioux Lookout has undertaken this year. Another is the Community Compass, unveiled just a few months ago.
The Community Compass is an interactive guide to Municipality’s strategic goals. Updated monthly, our Community Compass provides transparent and timely insights into the progress of ongoing developments, from infrastructure improvements to community programs.
Not only will our accomplishments be outlined, but the roadblocks experienced in completing projects will be noted as well, such as the Hillcrest Business Park facing increased costs and constraints from inflation, supply chain disruptions, and site conditions.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Why wasn’t that project that was announced completed? What are they doing with that?” You may find the answers in the Community Compass!
We invite you to join the hundreds of area residents who have already visited the dashboard to explore our updates and see how these initiatives are shaping a better future for all residents.
As we head towards winter, the Municipality of Sioux Lookout would also like to remind everyone that winter parking restrictions will return to the downtown core on November 1st.
Between November 1st and April 15th of each year, no parking is allowed in the downtown core between 3:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. A question we often see is, “what is the downtown core, exactly?” It’s a great question. Sioux Lookout’s downtown core consists of Front Street from its intersection with Wellington St. to Third Avenue, King Street from Seventh Avenue to Third Avenue, and the avenues connecting them.
For the remaining Municipal streets and laneways, no parking is allowed between midnight and 7:00 a.m. when winter parking restrictions are in place.
We would like to close by reminding residents that during the Canada Post strike utility and tax bills cannot be mailed to you. If you have not signed up for paperless billing, you are strongly encouraged to do so on our website at https://www.siouxlookout.ca/finance/ebilling. You may also visit our Customer Service desk to get a copy of your bill and make payments in person.
