Horwath to Scrap Forest Tenure Policy

(CJUK photo)


The NDP are promising to scrap the current wood allocation process in the north if they form the next government at Queen's Park.

It's part of their northern Ontario election platform.

Leader Andrea Horwath says Forestry Minister Michael Gravelle has it all wrong.

"I think northerners are tired of hearing from a Minister who talks about what can't be done and how we can't fix the problems facing northern Ontario," says Horwath. "I disagree. I believe this and should be done and must be done amongst other policies."

Horwath also says the NDP would force mining companies to process the minerals they mine in Ontario.

Second Councillor Seeks Conservative Nomination

Conservatives in the Kenora-Rainy River Riding now have some choice in their selection of a candidate for the upcoming provincial election.

Kenora councillor Louis Roussin has announced his intention to seek the nomination.

He joins Rod McKay, also a Kenora councillor, in the race.

No word yet when a nomination meeting will be held.

Rainy Lake Fisheries Surveyed

(David Denyes and Alex Crichton conduct a survey on the North Arm of Rainy Lake to monitor angling effort on the lake and to gauge the number and weight of fish harvested during the open-water fishing season - MNR photo)


The Ministry of Natural Resources is in the midst of a creel survey on Rainy Lake.

A survey crew is working in the north arm of the lake until the end of September.

Area Biologist Darryl McLeod says it will give the MNR good information on the lake's fishery.

"It helps us evaluate the fishing regulations on the lake," says McLeod. "For example, the walleye slot-size that's on Rainy Lake. It also helps us evaluate our management objectives so we can look at what our target harvest levels are."

McLeod says the findings will also help in a possible re-write of the Ontario-Minnesota Boundary Waters Fisheries Atlas in 2014.

Park Officials Kill Bear

Officials believe they've killed a bear that attacked a Pukaskwa National Park visitor last week.

The bear matches the physical and behavioural description provided by the victim.

Tests are being conducted to determine if the DNA of the killed bear matches evidence collected from the scene.

Pukaskwa is located about 300 kilometres east of Thunder Bay.

No Fires Yesterday

(MNR photo)

Low temperatures and much needed precipitation is helping forest firefighters get the upper hand on the more than 110 fires still active in northwestern Ontario.

And first time since June 10, there were no new fires reported yesterday.

Mineral Mountain Adds Property

Mineral Mountain Resources has acquired more property around it's now-held former Straw Lake Gold Mine.

The company says it has purchased 64 hectares containing six mining patents from a Fort Frances resident for $600-thousand and 350-thousand shares.

The area is located in Richardson township, 60 kilometres north of Fort Frances.

Retired Teacher Goes to Sports Hall

A retired teacher from Rainy River who spent the better part of four decades coaching will be headed to Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.

Don Gale says the selection came as a complete surprise.

"It really shook me up that I would be inducted," says Gale. "I never thought that it would happen. I played a lot of sports and I coached a few. I was just kind of overwhelmed, but very honoured."

Gale began coaching hockey when he moved to Rainy River in 1969 before switching to curling and golf.

Drunk Drivers Nabbed

Three men will be making appearances later this month in an Atikokan court room on separate impaired driving related offences.

O-P-P first charged a 35-year-old man from B-C with failing to provide a suitable breath sample during a traffic stop early Saturday morning.

Later that day, police charged a 19-year-old Atikokan man suspected of operating a dirt bike while impaired.

Then that night, a 51-year-old Atikokan man was charged with impaired after police acted on a public complaint.

Copper Theft

Hydro One is expressing concern with a rise in theft of copper from its stations and facilities across the province.

The Utility says it's been a frequent target, but a dangerously one for thieves.

A recent incident in Toronto led to a young man being badly burned while allegedly attempted to steal copper from a transformer station.

Avis Comments on Vandalism

(Lion's Park fountain as been a frequent target of vandals this summer)


Fort Frances Mayor Roy Avis is expressing disappointment over a rash of vandalism that has struck town parks this summer.

Avis says vandals are only targeting the hard work of people who helped create the parks and force the town to exhaust resources on the clean-up.

"What happens in those cases people who should be doing other things in town like maintaining cemeteries, parks and the waterfront, they're tied up doing that kind of repair," says Avis. "So what happens is the other assets suffer because we don't have the manpower to do that work."

Avis is hoping someone will come forward with information that will lead to arrests and charges.

Airport Fence Contract

Work crews are expected to begin next week on erecting a new fence around the Fort Frances airport.

It's intended to keep deer from wandering on the runway.

The town has awarded the more than $380,000 contract to Thunder Bay-based Wilco Contractors.

A grant from the federal government is covering the full cost of the work.

Trail Development in Rainy River

(Town of Rainy River photo)

The town of Rainy River has received $65,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation towards building a network of multi-use trails through the community.

Recreation Manager Meaghan Shanks says they're hoping to start some of the development this year.

"We're making these available for residents, but also to try and attract visitors and travels to stop and stretch their legs and walk on our trails that we have, " says Shanks.

The eventual goal is to extend the trails beyond town limits.

Area Youth Travel to World Youth Day

Three youth from the Rainy River District will be among the hundreds of thousands of young catholics taking part in this year's World Youth Day festivities.

Joshua Zimmerman, Thomas Lepine and Ryan Brady have been preparing themselves for months for the pilgrimage to Spain.

The six-day event begins August 16.

Mineral Mountain Joins U.S. Exchange

The mining company that's exploring the former Straw Lake Gold Mine near Fort Frances has expanded its ability to acquire funds.

Mineral Mountains began trading on the OTCQX International Monday.

It's allows non-U.S. companies access to U.S. investors without additional regulatory costs required of listing on a traditional U.S. exchange.

MNR Watching Weather

(MNR photo)

Ministry of Natural Resources fire managers are nervous as a low pressure system treks across northwestern Ontario.

They are hoping for rain but may get more lightning as the storm passes.

Meantime, new lightning fires from the weekend in the Rainy River district are now out.

Three lightning fires started at the end of July in Quetico Provincial Park are still smoldering.

Horwath Visits

The province's NDP leader is planning to make some election promises in Thunder Bay today.

Andrea Horwath will announce her plan to protect jobs in the forestry and mining sectors in northwestern Ontario.

She's expected in Fort Frances next Monday.

Lightning Fires Strike Rainy River District

(MNR photo)

Some rain is expected in northwestern Ontario today, which could help reduce the number of new fires as well as dampen existing ones.

Lightning strikes ignited about two dozen more fires over the weekend, including five in the Rainy River district.

There was also a human caused blaze at east end of Rainy Lake.

119 fires are still active across the northwest - four in the Rainy River district.

Natural Area Plan Developed

A new Conservation plan for Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake is close to being finalized.

It's being developed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Regional vice-president Chris Maher says the plan is important to the area.

"Certainly Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake is an impressive bio-diverse area and there's huge opportunity," says Maher. "We've been looking forward to it to about ten years now. We think we're at the position where we can afford to move ahead and we have the scientific basis to do so."

Maher says the plan would help protect the area and several plant and animal species from the endangered lists.

Canoeing Capital Challenge

Atikokan is challenging its residents to help build on its moniker as the Canoeing Capital of Canada.

Paula Sanders of the Atikokan Economic Development Corporation says they've created a contest that aims to develop idea or products around the theme.

"There is money set aside if people need some financial help to actually develop one prototype so that we can see what it looks like," says Sanders. "We will also be giving money to those top three ideas to produce as many as them as they can with the money that's allotted so we can sell them to residents and visitors."
The contest will close August 31.

Elections Ontario Readys

The Ontario provincial election is just under two months away.

Elections Ontario, the agency tasked with managing the election, is getting prepared.

Deputy chief electoral officer Loren Wells says for the first time, voters will get the chance to vote by mail.

"It's a special ballot you can apply for in person, by mail, using fax or e-mail," says Wells. "Then you mail it back to either your local returning office or if you applied to the Chief Electoral Officer, then back to our office back here in Toronto."

Wells says Elections Ontario will have its returning offices up and running by September 7.