Airport Proposal to be Pitched this Weekend

The town of Fort Frances is making another appeal to have other communities in the Rainy River district help fund its municipal airport.

Town officials plan to bring forward a resolution to this weekend's Rainy River District Municipal Association meeting in Stratton seeking support for their idea of a regional airport.

The resolution says the airport provides a vital link to residents in the western portion of the district and should be supported financially by all, including First Nations and residents in the unorganized communities.

Atikokan would be excluded by a cost-sharing agreement because it operates own airport.

Atikokan Extends OPP Contract

The township of Atikokan will continue to have the Ontario Provincial Police patrol its streets.

Town council has agreed to renew a five-year policing contract with the OPP with costs to come in at just under $1.5 million this year.

That's about $100-thousand more than what the town expected to pay in 2010.

Mayor Dennis Brown says OPP did submit a second proposal worth about half that, but would not have given the township twenty-four hour policing.

OPP took over policing from Atikokan's municipal force in 2006.

Pre-Budget Hearing In Thunder Bay

The provincial finance committee will likely get an earful when it makes a pit stop in Thunder Bay today.

Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield, who's making a presentation on behalf of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, is disappointed by the lack of notice given to municipalities to attend the pre-budget consultation.

"We just got in under the deadline," says Canfield. "They didn't do a real good job of advertising this."

Because presenters only have five minutes to speak, Fort Frances council did not see any value in attending and is not making a presentation.

Brain Injury Programs Funded

The Northwest Local Health Integration Network is rolling out a number of new programs for residents living with brain injuries.

$715-thousand is being used to offer a variety of programs across the region.

A family therapist will work with families in the region, while program facilitators will be posted in Dryden, Fort Frances and Thunder Bay.

December Border Stats

It was a busy December for Canada Border Services Agency officers at the Fort Frances border.

More than 42,000 travellers were processed with officers having to make a total of eighteen seizures of undeclared or prohibited goods.

In one case, a Canadian resident had their car impounded after failing to declare over a thousand dollars worth of vehicle repairs.

The vehicle was returned after the owner paid out more than $00 in penalties.

In another incident, a Canadian was forced to pay out almost $1,500 after trying to avoid paying the fees on more than a thousand dollars worth of items purchased in the U.S.

The agency says the individual was asked to report inside, but left the property first to drop off the undeclared goods at a nearby parking lot.

Both the goods and the person's vehicle were seized, and later returned when the penalties were paid.

Thunder Bay Office Impacted by ORC Merger

The Ontario Realty Corporation is no more.

It's been merged with Infrastructure Ontario.

Northern Development Minister, Michael Gravelle says he doesn't know exactly how the merger will affect the Corporation's Thunder Bay office.

"This is not about reducing the actual responsibilities of the Ontario Realty Corporation," says Gravelle. "This is about reducing administration costs and putting it under one Ministry."

Gravelle says the province is still looking to do the same with other agencies.