Dryden

It was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of voter turnout in the 2022 Municipal Election in northwestern Ontario.

On average, communities typically report around a 50 per cent voter turnout in most municipal elections. In the region, about half of our communities were able to hit the halfway mark.

In Kenora, the city reports that 5,962 residents voted for a 53.5 per cent turnout. Mayor Andrew Poirier received 64 per cent of the votes for his seat, while Barb Manson received the most votes for the Councillor position with 11.8 per cent.

Statistics Canada says 34.6 per cent of people in this country have no religious affiliation — more than ever before.

The last time Canadians were surveyed on religion, in 2011, 23.9 per cent selected "no religion."

The latest tranche of data from the 2021 Census also shows the highest proportion of the population — 53.3 per cent — identifies as Christian, but that is down from 67.3 per cent in 2011.

StatCan says last year's survey presents the most comprehensive portrait of Canadians' religious affiliations to date.

The latest release of 2021 census data shows immigrants make up nearly a quarter of all people in Canada, and are projected to represent a third of people in the country by 2041.

Immigration now makes up the largest portion of the population since Confederation, with more than 8.3 million people in the country who were, or had ever been, a landed immigrant or permanent resident.

Statistics Canada says immigration is the main driver of population growth, in part because of the aging population and low fertility rates in the country. 

The Northwestern Health Unit is encouraging residents to get their flu shot after confirmed cases have been found in the region. 

Influenza has been confirmed in the Sioux Lookout, Atikokan, and Kenora areas. It is certain that others in the region have also been infected and that influenza is now a risk in all communities in northwestern Ontario.

150 sawmill workers in Ear Falls have a new tentative contract to sign.

Unifor Local 324 and Interfor say they’ve reached a new agreement for over 150 maintenance, production and woodyard employees at the Ear Falls Sawmill.

However, no details on the new deal are being released until membership meetings take place on November 6 in Dryden and November 7 in Ear Falls.

Retired teachers in Dryden have come together to support literacy and learning in the community’s senior population - while supporting the local library.

The Retired Educators in Dryden and Area District 35 group have announced they were successful in their grant application as a project sponsor in partnership with the Dryden Public Library, bringing staff a community grant of $4,000 to help seniors keep reading in their homes.

Another night of Special Olympics Bowling has wrapped up in Kenora.

Kevin Fournier led the men with 171. Behind him was Andrew Gordon with 160, Allen Adams with 159 and MVP of the night Drake Loon with 93.

For the women, Tara Creason had the top score with 167. She was followed by Alisabeth Pattison with 146, Mary Sandy with 144 and MVP Ava Keewatin with 130.

Municipal elections are wrapping up in a number of communities in northwestern Ontario!

Results are in for the 2022 Municipal Election in Sioux Lookout.

Doug Lawrance has been acclaimed as Mayor. This will be Lawrance’s third term as Mayor of the community, after first being elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. He defeated former Mayor Dennis Leney for the seat.

“I’m expecting more of the same direction that we had. We’ll see the direction the new council will want to take. But I believe we’ll carry on doing what we’ve been doing and continue making progress,” said Lawrance, before council results were released.

Former forester Jack B. Harrison has been named as Dryden’s newest Mayor.

Harrison defeated former Councillor Shayne MacKinnon for the seat with 69 per cent of the community’s votes.