The ocean-hugging Cabot Trail is seen here in January 2021.(Brittany Wentzell/CBC) comments
Accommodations in Cape Breton are feeling the effects of tighter pandemic restrictions in other parts of the province.
Nova Scotians are being asked to avoid non-essential travel to and from the Halifax Regional Municipality and parts of Hants and Lunenburg counties after a growing number of COVID-19 cases.
For some year-round accommodations along Cape Breton s Cabot Trail, the changes introduced last week have resulted in a rash of cancellations. We were just getting really excited actually, the snow finally hit . and then boom, these new restrictions, said Bricin Lyons, co-owner of the Highlands Hostel in Cape North.
Thunder Bay Transit bus - Staff photo
Thunder Bay Transit rates will remain frozen through the calendar year.
After a spirited debate amongst the council that lasted a few hours Wednesday, the elected body voted 10-2 in favour of the move which will add $67,900 to the 2021 budget.
Current River Ward Councillor Andrew Foulds had put a motion on the floor looking to adopt a pilot project for fare free transit one day a month starting in March at a cost of $115,000.
McKellar Ward Councillor Brian Hamilton felt the motion was a nice gesture but a more targeted approach is needed.
Any council decision on whether to return hockey nets back to outdoor rinks is postponed.
Over two hours of debate and countless votes at council Monday eventually made way to a 9-3 vote in favour of putting off deferral to February 8th, three days before the provincial lockdown is expected to end.
The original motion, put forward by Mayor Bill Mauro and supported by Neebing Ward councillor Cody Fraser, included an amendment that was subject to confirmation of the direction provided to the city by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit to which the initial decision was made.
“I don’t believe the city should be viewed as facilitating team sports when we’re being told that public amenities shouldn’t be,” stressed At Large councillor Mark Bentz, who felt the city was overstepping it’s boundaries on a public health issue.
Does Thunder Bay have the second highest tax rate in the province?
That question and recent report was discussed at Council Wednesday with McIntyre Ward councillor Albert Aiello maintaining that life is becoming unaffordable in our city.
“It’s hard to make ends meet. Taxes continue to go up people have a tough time paying taxes. I had a recent conversation with a gentleman who told me it’s hard to stay in his home,” Aiello says.
Zoocasa, a Toronto-based real estate firm, studied property taxes across Ontario using rates from municipal websites, and average real estate prices from real estate boards, to determine the actual cost of property tax per municipality.