New Gold Commits To Area Gold Project

New Gold is reaffirming its commitment to its newly acquired Rainy River gold project.

The mining company makes that promise following the release of a feasibility study for a gold project in British Columbia.

Chair Randall Oliphant says given the drop in gold prices and that the Rainy River project has a more modest capital requirement, the company's priority will be advancing the project north of Barwick.

An update feasibility study for the project is due out early next year.

Internet Services Study

Telecommunication services in the Rainy River district will be getting a review.

Rainy River Future Development Corporation wants to study what exists and what plans companies have to expand services.

Client services Manager Geoff Gillon says it's hoped the findings will lead to them working with companies to improve the bandwidth.

Stuff A Cruiser Tomorrow

OPP want area residents to stuff a few cruisers.

The annual food drive for area foods banks takes place in Fort Frances, Rainy River and Emo tomorrow.

Constable Anne McCoy says they need as many non-perishable food items as possible.

The food collected will be shared between the Salvation Army, the United Native Friendship Centre, Sunset Country Metis, Emo Food Bank and the Rainy River West End Food Bank.

Some of the food will also be given to the Fort France Volunteer Bureau for its community Christmas dinner.

Last year, a total of 30 cruisers were filled across the Rainy River district.

Ten were stuff in an even in Atikokan at the end of November.

Suspended Drivers Beware

Suspended drivers beware.

OPP are expanding a program that allows officers to nab suspended drivers

Sergeant Brian Humber says it includes cameras installed on top of cruisers.

Three of the units will be on vehicles in northwestern Ontario.

Spring Bear Hunt Bill Passes Second Reading

The return of the spring bear hunt in Ontario is one step closer to reality.

Thunder Bay-Atikokan  MPP Bill Mauro's private members bill has  passed second reading at Queen's Park.

It's now goes to a legislative committee for review.

The purpose of the bill aims to reduce the number of aggressive bear attacks.

Students Send Greetings To Fort Frances Solider

Some special holiday greetings for a soldier in Afghanistan from Fort Frances.

Master Bombardier Nathan Cousineau connected by Skype with students and staff at St. Francis School yesterday.

Teacher David Black says it was a real thrill.

Cousineau supply teaches at the school.


Students represented Cousineau with banners, art work and a huge postcard to show their support him and fellow soldiers.

Cousineau, deployed to Afghanistan in September, was very appreciative of the students show of support.

Fort Frances Impacted By Canada Post Plan

Canada Post is confirming door-to-door mail delivery in Fort Frances and other small communities where the service now exists will be eliminated as part of its announced changes.

Company spokesperson Anick Losier says every affected community in Canada will eventually see the change over to residents having to go to a neighbourhood community mailbox to get their mail.

Losier says exactly when the change over takes place in Fort Frances has yet to be determined.

Search For New Medical Officer Of Health Underway

The Northwestern Health Unit has started the process of hiring a new Medical Officer of Health.

Dr. Jim Arthurs plans to retire next year.

The Health's Unit Chief Executive Officer, Mark Perreault says they hope to have Arthur's replacement in place by May.

Perreault says they are currently in the final stages of the hiring process.

Postcard Signing

Premier Wynne can expect to receive a lot of holiday card this season.

Advocates calling a rise in Ontario's minimum wage are fanning out across the province today asking people to sign cards that asks the Premier to bring the hour wage to 14-dollars an hour.

The minimum wage has been frozen at 10-dollars for the past three years.

Good News Forecast For Ontario Economy

A new report suggests Ontario's economy is on the upswing.

RBC Economics Provincial Outlook says strong demand for exports and an expected resumption of the manufacturing sector's recovery will help boost economic expansion in Ontario in the next two years.

RBC expects growth to rise 1.3 per cent this year and 2.6 per cent in 2014.

Trails Still Closed

Despite a large dump of snow and recent cold temperatures, Voyageurs National Park says it hasn't been able to open any of its snowmobile trails yet this winter.

Park officials says the snow has actually slowed ice making and has made for slushy conditions on the area lakes.

Some of its ski trails are open, but not groomed.

Local Girls Retreat Wins Funding

An early Christmas present for the I Am Awesome and I Know It Retreat for young women.

It secured $5,000 after finishing 3rd in voting in the Aviva Community Fund contest's semi-final round.

Director Renee Martin-Brown says the money will make a huge difference for the event.

Her submission, along with the other top ten finishers, will now be reviewed by a panel to determine who gets the top prize of 50-thousand dollars.

A decision is expected in January.

High School First Responders Planning Trip To Washington

Fort Frances High School First Responders are planning for a trip to Washington in February.

Member Ashley Dupuis says they've embarked on a campaign to raise the money to attend to International Emergency Medical Services Conference.

The First Responders will be at Canada Safeway and the Christmas Store this weekend.

Changes To Municipal Act Requested

Ontario's Ombudsman is calling for the province to impose penalties against municipalities who violate Ontario's closed door meeting rules.

Andre Marin says the number of complaints to his office has more than double in the past year, but there's no consequence for violating the law.

Marin also wants changes in the Municipal Act that allows for one independent body to investigate complaints.

Most communities, including Fort Frances, pay for their own investigator instead of using the free services of the Ombudsman.

New Equipment For Sports Centre

Some new equipment for the Memorial Sports Centre's fitness room.

Town council has agreed to buy out the lease on two of its treadmills and purchase another, costing just over $13-thousand dollars.

Councillor Andrew Hallikas says keeping good equipment helps maintain membership.

Councillor Ken Perry says now is not the time to be looking at such new purchases.

The costs will be taken out of town reserve funds.

Advocates Hoping For Minimum Wage Increase In New Year

Advocates in Minnesota are hoping to see a raise to State's minimum wage next year.

Some observers believe there's a good change that will happen when the Legislature resumes in the new year.

Minnesota Budget Project's Nan Madden says raising the rate to $9.50 an hour would benefit several thousand families.

Critics say upping the minimum wage will result in more unemployment.

Changes To Canada Post

Canada Post is planning to phase out door-to-door mail delivery in urban communities.

It's part of a five-point plan expected the save the Corporation between $700 and $900 million.

Canada Post says it plans to set up more community mailboxes to take the place of door-to-door delivery over the next five years, saving it half a million dollars.

It also intends to expand its efforts of establishing postal outlets in retail stores and trim between 6 and 8 thousand jobs, mostly through attrition.

Ontario Auditor Releases Report

Northern Ontario's doctor shortage is drawing the attention of Ontario's Auditor General.

In her annual report, Bonnie Lysyk says while the province has increased the number of physicians, only 5 per cent are practicing in rural and northern areas where 14 per cent of Ontario's population live.

Lysak notes that locum doctors, meant to cover short-term vacancies in eligible communities, are instead being used for long periods of time, with a third of all hospitals using temporary physician services continuously since 2007.

Lysyk also reports that while workforce is shrinking, Ontario Power Generation's senior management is getting bigger.


Lysyk says the size OPG's senior management group has increased 58 per cent since 2005.

Lysyk adds the compensation given to OPG's employees is having a huge impact on the cost of electricity.

Ontario's Auditor General also focused in on the Ministry of Natural Resources, saying it's finding it difficult to protest Ontario's park's System.

Lysyk points to the expansion in the number of parks in the past decade and increased responsibilities for the Ministry as reasons.

Lysyk says she found significant portions of the park system that were subject to little or no enforcement of regulations on hunting and fishing, and prohibited activities such as commercial timber harvesting occuring regularly.

Opposition Reaction to Auditor Report

Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak wants to see Premier Wynne take action on the findings of the Auditor General.

Hudak doesn't have much faith that will happen suggesting the Liberals are too focused on the gas plant scandal.


NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says the Auditor's report shows the Liberal government isn't respecting people's priorities or taxpayer dollars.

Official Opening For Good Samaritan Society

An official opening yesterday for the Good Samaritan Society's new facilities in International Falls.

Residents moved into the new 54-bed facility in September.

Administrator Adam Coe says it brings the quality of care they provide to an even a greater level

A separate ribbon cutting for a 24-unit assisted living facility adjacent to the nursing home was done in  October.