Ontario Mayor's Concered about the high cost of Policing

Municipal leaders are starting to raise the alarm bell about the high cost of Policing.

A new steering committee has been set up called the Mayors Coalition for Affordable, Sustainable and Accountable Policing.

Kenora City council has agreed to support the new group.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says policing costs in much of northern Ontario is much higher than southern Ontario and thinks the province should try levelling the playing field.

He says Kenora's costs are about one thousand dollars per capita, while some communities in the south are paying less than half that amount.

Fire Crews Battle Cabin Fire on Lake of the Woods

All the rain this weekend has helped keep the fire hazard low across

northwestern Ontario, but MNR Fire Crews were called out to help

battle a cabin fire on Lake of the Woods.

The fire broke out Saturday afternoon and gutted a cottage in the

Palisade Island area.

A helicopter with a bucket provided support to fire crews on the ground to try and prevent the flames from spreading into the nearby bush.

The OPP say foul play is not suspected in the fire.

Back to Work Legislation Could come Today for CP employees

Striking CP rail workers could find themselves back to work this week.

The Federal government is expected to table legislation sending the 48 hundred members of the Teamsters back to work.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says while he'd prefer to see a negotiated settlement, keeping the trains rolling is in the national interest.

Talks between the union and CP broke down over the weekend.

CP employees have been on strike for the past six days.

Rain to ease up by tomorrow

There is light at the end of this cloudy tunnel we've been in over the past week.

Bill Laidlaw from Signal Weather Services says there is sun in the forecast by Wednesday at the latest.

Yesterday, the Kenora area was deluged by 21 millimeters of rain.

Health Unit Launches Bedbug Awareness Campaign

They like to come out and bite at night and like to feed on the blood of humans.

We are not talking about a real-life Vampire story, we are talking about bed bugs.

Valdine McEwen is with the Northwestern Health Unit and she says the public show be aware that the tiny bugs can cause big problems.

The Health Unit has launched a public awareness campaign to help folks reduce the chances of bringing bed bugs into their home.

Joint Forces Drug Unit Seizes a large amount of pills

The Combined Forces Organized Crime Unit is celebrating a huge drug bust in Thunder Bay.

They raided a hotel room and found more than 14-undred Oxycodone Pills worth an estimated 8-hundred and 41-thousand dollars on the street and more than 93-thousand dollars in cash.

The total value of the bust is just over 9-hundred and 34-thousand dollars, which police believe was headed to a northern first nation community.

A 22-year old woman from Weagamow First Nation has been charged and will appear in court on may 29th.

More MNR fire Crews Heading to Northeastern Ontario

More fire crews from northwestern Ontario are heading to Timmins to help battle a number of wild fires raging out of control.

The MNR says 16 more FireRangers, 15 Overhead staff and two Waterbombers were transferred over to the Northeastern Region yesterday.

Over 200 FireRangers, 90 Overhead staff and over 30 Aircraft from this region are now in northeastern Ontario.

Locally, there is only one active fire of note.

Kenora Fire #36 located on Falcon Island on Lake of the Woods is now listed as being held.

Local Companies get an power boost

A number of tourist camps in northwestern Ontario are going green.

The Northern Ontasrio Heritage Fund is providing grants to four businesses in the Kenora and Rainy River District to install new energy efficient systems.

Salisbury Cruises in Kenora is getting funding to install a solar energy system on a floating lodge on Lake of the Woods.

Kenora Fish Hawk Freightways is also getting money to upgrade an existing solar panel system.