As fly-in court hearings resume in northwestern Ontario First Nations after a lengthy pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an organization that promotes community-based justice is hoping to provoke a larger discussion about justice on reserves.
Dryden, ON, Canada / CKDR
Apr 18, 2021 6:33 AM
The provincial government is helping 14 communities and organizations in the northwest region rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
Washagamis Bay, near Kenora, is receiving $120,000 to build a new all-season multi-purpose outdoor rink.
The money will also be used to develop and implement an outdoor recreation program and hire a new Recreation Program Coordinator.
Pickle Lake is welcoming $113,300 to install a safe play structure, develop new volunteer and staff strategies, redesign the township website, and purchase more technological equipment.
Sioux Lookout is getting $67,000 to develop and manage an online community bulletin board and assist with the costs for an online used book story run by library staff and volunteers.
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A surge of COVID-19 infections in Northern Ontario’s Thunder Bay district fuelled by outbreaks at local correctional facilities has resulted in more confirmed cases so far this year than last year, prompting the regional hospital to expand its COVID unit in preparation for a worsening crisis.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre confirmed 18 COVID-19 patients are in hospital, including seven people in the ICU, forcing it to add another eight beds to its COVID-19 unit.
There are 273 active cases in the district, including 178 reported since Friday.
Meanwhile, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit says its staff is maxed out with an influx of inquiries from parents after 11 school outbreaks in the past two weeks, including six schools since Friday.
Thunder Bay grapples with COVID-19 outbreaks in correctional facilities, homeless population Bookmark Please log in to listen to this story. Also available in French and Mandarin. Log In Create Free Account
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David Jackson/The Globe and Mail
A surge of COVID-19 infections in Northern Ontario’s Thunder Bay district fuelled by outbreaks at local correctional facilities has resulted in more confirmed cases so far this year than last year, prompting the regional hospital to expand its COVID unit in preparation for a worsening crisis.