The town of Fort Frances is calling on the Ottawa and the province for help dealing with lineups of vehicles waiting to cross into the United States.
Officials says taxpayers have been footing the entire bill for policing and managing the lines at the border, and believe the senior levels of government have a financial and operation obligation to make sure border traffic is safe and orderly.
They say the federal government's Intelligent Transportation System strategy _ meant to facilitate efficient border traffic flow using technology _ has never been deployed at the Fort Frances border crossing.
Company officials expect AbitibiBowater to be reborn as a profitable and less indebted company in early December.
Yesterday, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court endorsed its restructuring plan, overruling creditor objections to sanction the company's plan that sheds about five-and-a-half billion dollars in unsecured debt.
The company also hopes its efforts to reduce costs and improving market conditions will help it to generate steady operating profits.
C.E.O. David Paterson says they plan to address declining paper demand by converting some production to undisclosed other product, which should prevent the need for further plant closures or layoffs.
Another successful year for Safe Communities Rainy River District.
The organization outlined its accomplishments during its annual meeting held yesterday in Fort Frances.
Chair Bob Swing says being able to secure funding for the Substance Abuse Prevention Team was among its biggest achievements.
"It makes a big difference," says Swing. "It's why we get looked at nationally and internationally as a district how we leverage so much work out of so many different programs. That's why."
The group also scored perfect marks in a national report card done by Safe Communities Canada.
The fees paid on most programs and services in the town of Fort Frances are going up January 1.
Last night, council approved the increases to user fees, which Treasurer Laurie Witherspoon says will go up an average of about one-point-seven per cent.
"Every division took a thorough look at user fees," says Witherspoon. "I know in my area it was 1.7 per cent. There was a few things that we felt - staff time - that the user fee covered it without raising it. There was just a few exceptions where it wasn't."
The changes do not include water and sewer rates which will be passed at a future date.
(Geoff Gillon of Rainy River Futures Development Corp. speaking recently to Fort Frances town council)
Ontario is expected to release its long-term energy plan today.
Parts of it, including changing when less expensive off-peak hours kick in, have already been reported.
Specific announcements for northwestern Ontario are being made this morning in Thunder Bay.
OPP are looking to stuff-a-cruiser.
Constable Anne McCoy says the aim is to fill cruisers placed throughout the district with food or clothes that would be distributed to needy families across the Rainy River district.
"The concept of stuff-a-cruiser is to heighten awareness that there is people in need in our community," says McCoy, "especially with the economic times that we're all facing. We want to make sure that we not only heighten the awareness, but also bring to the attention that there's things that people can do in the community to help people in need."
An information meeting is planned for 10 a.m. today at the Fort Frances Library and Technology Centre.
