Local Journalism Initiative

Local Journalism Initiative


Police service fees increase for first time since 2011

Service fees charged by the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service are set to increase for the first time since 2011, following the approval of a proposal initially introduced last month. The fee hikes aim to offset rising labor costs. In alignment with an annual inflation rate of approximately 2 per cent, the police board approved […]

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‘The issues of the city are magnified in the downtown’: Town Ward community meeting comes at a critical time for police and council

As Peterborough’s downtown ward gets ready for a public meeting to discuss community safety, correspondence from the DBIA indicates that  the organization raised concerns with the idea of holding a similar  meeting earlier this year. The message was prompted by a  motion brought to city council by Coun. Alex Bierk, which proposed “a  moderated public […]

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Brant Catholic school board chair has no plans to step down, but won’t run again after Italy trip

A Catholic school board chair who went on a contentious art procurement trip to Italy says he won’t step down — but won’t run again. “I have made a decision to complete the balance of my term and not run in 2026,” Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board chair Rick Petrella told The Spectator […]

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Police calls near Peterborough’s consumption site increasing, but the nature of those calls is changing, library staff say

Peterborough police data show calls to addresses within 200 metres of the city’s consumption and treatment site have increased since it  opened in 2022, but workers note the nature of those calls is changing. Details  obtained through a freedom of information request, however, do not  specify the reasons officers were needed and police did not […]

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Renfrew council questions if a resident’s inquiries becomes too much a burden on staff time

Renfrew – Citing a major drain on resources and monopolizing staff time from one resident in her bid to have council or staff members answer several questions and written requests for information, Renfrew town council agreed with a staff recommendation to deal with the growing number of information requests using the legislative powers and guidelines […]

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Environmental group suing Cooke over Maine fish pens

An environmental law non-profit has filed intent to sue Cooke Aquaculture over the Saint John company’s salmon farming operations in the Gulf of Maine. The Conservation Law Foundation filed notice to Cooke Nov. 14 that it intends to sue under the U.S. Clean Water Act, claiming that Cooke is failing to satisfy its operating permit […]

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Whitehorse RCMP officers to start wearing body-worn cameras

By the end of December, most frontline RCMP officers in Whitehorse will be wearing body cameras, according to Christine Grant, the project manager for the body worn camera program in the Yukon.   Body-worn cameras are being rolled out to RCMP officers across the country, as part of a national deployment. According to the RCMP’s body-worn […]

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Green MLAs emerge as ‘special teams’ as the 43rd BC Parliament kicks off

By Nora O’Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Newly elected BC Green Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Rob Botterell and Jeremy Valeriote round off the legislature like special teams in the Canadian Football League. Playing neither offence or defence in a parliamentary battlefield consisting of 47 NDP and 44 Conservation MLAs, the BC Greens are […]

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Parent critical of Atikokan school’s response to weapon incident

ATIKOKAN — The Rainy River District School Board needs to review its campus-safety policies and investigate an Atikokan school’s response to last week’s report of a student with a weapon, a local parent says. The school board says it is looking into how school administration responded last week and how to better respond to reports […]

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Yellowknife RCMP rolls out body-worn cameras

On Nov. 22, select members of the Yellowknife RCMP donned body-worn cameras (BWCs) that will be ultimately worn by every officer in the country.  “We are optimistic that the roll out of body-worn cameras will have a positive impact on policing in the Northwest Territories,” RCMP spokesperson Const. Josh Seaward said just before the devices […]

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Milton Public Library expands reciprocal borrowing program to include Guelph Public Library

Milton Public Library (MPL) has announced expanding its reciprocal borrowing program to include Guelph Public Library. This new partnership allows library cardholders from both systems to borrow materials at any participating location without paying the non-resident fee. “This initiative underscores our commitment to enhancing resource accessibility and supporting our community’s educational and recreational needs, especially […]

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Eastern Ontario farmers lament lack of progress in solving abattoir capacity crisis

“Where’s the beef?” an iconic little old lady demanded to know in a 1984 commercial. According to local farmers, the questions many of us need to consider 40 years later are “Where did the beef come from? How did the beef get here? What’s in the beef?” and “Will the beef still be available tomorrow?” […]

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