Thursday, September 17, 2009

Union Gas Rates

Union Gas customers in northwestern Ontario will be getting a break on their bills in October.

Company spokesperson Andrea Stass says the Ontario Energy Board is allowing Union Gas to lower rates for the fourth time this year.

Stass attributes the decrease in rate to increased supplies of natural gas.

Rickford on Election

Kenora MP Greg Rickford feels Canada will be spared another election.

A confidence vote will be introduced in Parliment on Friday, with the Bloc throwing their support behind the Conservatives.

Rickford is fairly sure the NDP will throw in their support as well.

The Liberals are the only party determined to vote against the Government on Friday.

Recreation Centre After School Program

After school programs in the City of Kenora have been given a boost from the provincial government.

The Ministry of Health Promotion has announced it will be giving the recreation department 58 thousand dollars to run the programs this year.

Recreation manager, Colleen Neil says they will be offering after schoolactivities at four schools.

Neil says Kenora is one of the few communities in the region to receive the funding.

After school programs are currently offered at Valleyview, King George, Pope John Paul and Evergreen.

Catholic School Board Enrollment

Catholic schools in Kenora and Red Lake are now all under the direction of one school Board.

The Kenora Cathlic District School Board merged with the St. Joseph's Boardin Red Lake over the summer.

Phylis Aikre is the director of Education and says they still aren't sure whatthe economic impact is going to be on the board.

The new board has 13 hundred and 79 students enrolled in Kenora Schools this year, plus 114 in Red Lake.

Fort Frances Portal

Fort Frances is looking to take part in an Internet-based projectthat town officials hope will attract more residents.

Twenty-six municipalities in northwestern Ontario have alreadypartnered for the Northwestern Ontario Immigration Portal Project.

Fort Frances development officer Geoff Gillon says the site will have all the information pertaining to immigration to northwest Ontario.

Gillon says the town must now determine what type of immigrant it's looking for.

Wawa Fatal

One person is dead following a crash near Wawa.

Two vehicles collided on Highway 17 yesterday about 45 kilometres north of the community.

O-P-P say the person killed was from outside Ontario.

Three other people were taken to hospital in Wawa.

The highway was closed to traffic until mid-afternoon.

Greyhound Saga

Greyhound is backing off its threat to stop serving Manitoba and northern Ontario -- at least for now.

Two weeks ago, the bus company said it would drop routes in those areas by October 2nd if it didn't get 15 million dollars a year in government subsidies.

Since then Greyhound says it has had positive talks with Manitoba government officials on a short-term solution to the company's financial woes.

Greyhound says it also hopes to meet with Ontario government officials in the coming days.

But if no subsidy deal is reached, Greyhound warns that it will proceed with plans to drop service in northwestern Ontario on December 2nd.

Sign By Law

The City of Kenora wants to make changes to its sign by-law.

Councillors and City Employees discussed the current laws at Wednesday's Property and Planning meeting.

City Planner Jeff Port says several businesses are concerned with the current laws involving awnings.

Port says the City needs to look at what type of advertising they want in the harbourfront area.