Thunder Bay News

Thunder Bay’s city council has held its final meeting with the old committees, the Committee of the Whole, and City Council structure.

Starting on September 2, the city will implement its new structure, standing committees.

Only city council will take place this coming Tuesday, without a Committee of the Whole meeting beforehand.

“So on Tuesday, what they will see is a more formal City Council meeting, which will have opening ceremonies, which will include a land acknowledgement, the singing of O Canada by a member of the public or a local choir,” explained the Director of Legislative Services and City Clerk, Krista Power.

“They’ll also see all members of Council participating in debate and discussion, as they normally do at Committee of the whole, but they’ll see a bit of a longer meeting than they would normally, where they only previously approved the minutes at City Council.”

The standing committees are:

• Finance & Administration: Mayor Ken Boshcoff, Councillor Albert Aiello (Vice-Chair), Councillor Mark Bentz (Chair), Councillor Michael Zussino, Councillor Brian Hamilton
• Quality of Life: Mayor Ken Boshcoff, Councillor Andrew Foulds, Councillor Kristen Oliver (Chair), Councillor Shelby Ch’ng (Vice-Chair), Councillor Greg Johnsen
• Growth: Mayor Ken Boshcoff, Councillor Trevor Giertuga (Chair), Councillor Dominic Pasqualino, Councillor Kasey Etreni (Vice-Chair), Councillor Rajni Agarwal

Councillors Bentz and Aiello have also been appointed as the chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Special Committee of the Whole – Annual Budget meetings.

Councillor Brian Hamilton has been appointed as chair of all other Special Committee of the Whole meetings, including closed sessions.

Albert Aiello has been appointed to the vice-chair role.

Meanwhile, Councillor Andrew Foulds has been appointed as the Speaker for all City Council Meetings.

Councillor Greg Johnsen is the deputy speaker.

“One of the things I think that’s important is that Standing Committee doesn’t hold any authority,” explained Power. “Standing Committee doesn’t make decision, so those five members of Council provide input they consult.”

“There’s also an opportunity there for the public to consult on matters before they come to City Council. So City Council still holds the final authority on all decision-making for our city.”

The committees will meet regularly to review staff reports, provide feedback, and make recommendations to city council.

The hope is that the change will reduce the number of items requiring full council debate.

The work of the committees being dissolved will still continue under the direction of city administration, which will report its outcomes to the Standing Committees.

A few committees required by law, or that serve a special purpose, will remain, like the Heritage Advisory Committee, and the Mayor’s Taskforce on Building More Homes.

Committee of the Whole will no longer be a weekly discussion meeting for council.

Moving forward, only budget discussions, closed sessions, and significant issues that would span multiple standing committees will now be discussed at the Special Committee of the Whole meetings.

Other notable changes include the creation of a speaker and deputy speaker role, essentially replacing the chair in discussions.

In the Committee of the Whole model, the mayor typically chairs the meetings, which means they must manage debates and enforce the rules of council.

With a speaker, the mayor is freed from procedural duties, allowing them to focus on policy leadership and strategic direction.

The city council meeting schedule will also be changing, with meetings set to be held on Tuesdays.

Standing Committees will meet starting at 4:30 p.m., as well as 7:00 p.m. if two meetings are scheduled and City Council will start at 6:30 p.m.

The city clerk has also gained expanded authority to decline deputation requests if the matter can be addressed more efficiently by administration.

The hope is that this change will ensure public input remains focused and constructive.

Judith and Fred Fox are visiting Thunder Bay on the Labour Day long weekend to lead a hike at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

The park is situated near where Terry Fox was forced to stop the Marathon of Hope on September 1, 1980.

The hike is a tribute to Fox’s determination and relentless optimism, while celebrating his legacy.

The hike is taking place on Monday.

The event will start with a short tribute to Terry led by Judith Fox.

Participants will receive a special keepsake to remember the day.

There are three hikes taking place:

• Sea Lion Trail (short and scenic) – One hour – Moderate difficulty – 2.4 km return trip that takes you to the ancient rock arch called the Sea Lion
• Tee Harbour Trail (views and tranquillity) – Three to four hours – Moderate difficulty – 12.4 km return trip along relatively even ground with stunning views of Lake Superior
• Top of the Giant – Six to 10 hours – Difficult – challenging 21.8 km round trip with 580m of elevation gain (one way) – Only suitable for experienced hikers with proper gear

The Terry Fox Foundation is advising that you come prepared for your route and the weather.

Items like a water bottle, bug spray, sunscreen, snacks/lunch, trash bags, and more should be brought with you.

More information on the event, including advanced registration, can be found by clicking here.

The Regional Supervising Coroner, Dr Kevin Miller, has announced the date for the inquest into the death of Edouard Gallant.

Gallant died following injuries sustained while working at the Lac Des Iles mine on May 27, 2020.

He was struck by a combination of blasted ore saturated with concrete and water that dropped suddenly in an ore pass.

The Inquest is taking place on September 22.

Dr. Jennifer Tang is the presiding officer, and Jai Dhar is the inquest council.

The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Gallant’s death.

The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths.

The inquest is expected to last six days, with roughly 10 witnesses set to speak.

The inquest will be conducted by video conference.

Residents interested in watching the proceedings can do so by clicking here.

Thunder Bay’s Gateway Casino location is celebrating 25 years of operation in the city on Thursday.

The casino first opened on August 28, 2000.

To celebrate this milestone, Gateway is donating $2500 to Pawa for Love.

“For 25 years, the Thunder Bay casino has been a fixture in the community. It has created hundreds of jobs and delivered important revenue to the city,” said OLG’s Chief Gaming Officer, Dave Pridmore. “Over the years, the city has wisely invested the $58 million from the MCA payments in many ways that have helped make this community a great place to live.”

To celebrate the anniversary, the casino is hosting a couple of events.

A $2,500 cash draw is taking place at 8:00 p.m.

Hot Seat draws are taking place from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

There will also be souvenir gifts, cupcakes, and a special $15 big smash burger.

“A quarter of a century flew by, but not without leaving a trail of amazing memories and opportunities,” said Food and Beverage Manager, Helen Cerilli. “Twenty-five years of friendships, personal and professional growth.”

“The best part is watching the people, the friends I have made, grow, get married and have kids. I was part of families I didn’t even know I had.”

In addition to creating jobs and providing a recreation opportunity in the city, Gateway also provides a quarterly payment to the city for hosting.

“Congratulations to Gateway Casino on 25 years in our community,” said Mayor Ken Boshcoff. “Since opening its doors, the casino has contributed millions in funding that has directly supported important local projects and non-profits.”

“I was honoured to be there as mayor on opening day 25 years ago, and I’m just as proud to celebrate this milestone today.”

The beach at the Mission Island Marsh Conservation Area has been deemed unsafe for swimming.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit put up an advisory on Tuesday at the beach that says the water has a high level of bacteria that may be a health risk.

The bacteria were detected in a sampling done on Monday.

Swimming will continue to be considered unsafe until a water test comes back clear.

The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority is currently waiting for the results of the most recent test.

Applications are being accepted for Thunder Bay’s Memorial Banner Project.

The project, which was brought forward by the city’s Clean, Green and Beautiful Committee, is being run in collaboration with the Legion Branch 5 (Port Arthur).

“This project is going to help recognize, thank and appreciate those who have served, and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” said City Manager and Canadian Army Veteran, John Collin. “They died for our country, and I’m sorry to sound dramatic when I say that, but wow, it’s a significant part of our history.”

This year, two fallen soldiers from the surrounding area are being recognized, and applications are being accepted to recognize more individuals.

The banners will be flown on Memorial Avenue, at the Waverly Park Cenotaph, at City Hall’s Cenotaph and in more locations once the program expands.

“Around Remembrance Day every year, the city of Thunder Bay will proudly hang banners in recognition of all those who have fallen, and also hang banners in recognition of those who are veterans if the families wish to contribute to the project,” added Collin.

“We are going to light up our streets with colourful banners. It will look good, but more importantly, it will be a solemn recognition of what those men and women have done for our country.”

The banners will start to be flown around October 1.

Interested residents can reach out to the legion to get involved in the project if they know an active military member or veteran they want to be recognized.

For applications, the Legion is looking for a photo of the service member in uniform, as well as their rank, name, and title.

The deadline for applications is September 15.

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation is teaming up with Spirit Halloween for this Halloween season.

Until October 31, donations will be accepted at Spirit Halloween’s checkout.

The donations are supporting children and families receiving care through Child Life Services.

Child Life Services help ease the stress of visiting the hospital by providing play, education, and coping strategies that bring comfort and reassurance.

“We are so grateful for this new partnership with Spirit Halloween,” said Manager, Paediatric Inpatient/Outpatient, Amy Halvorsen. “Their support will help ensure more children and families have access to the comfort and care they need during hospital stays.”

“Our Child Life Specialists are incredible, helping children through some of the most stressful times in their lives. Knowing our community can help make those experiences a little less overwhelming is truly heartwarming.”