Kenora

The NWHU is continuing to encourage residents to get their COVID-19 vaccinations as we head into another wave this fall.   

The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) held its last media conference of the summer on June 21, and during that time, Dr. Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health for the NWHU, took the opportunity to once again, encourage everyone to get their COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.  

Mother Nature did what she could to help northwestern Ontario out last month with the area’s severe flooding situation, sending us roughly half of the rain that we typically see in the average June.

Environment Canada Meteorologist, Gerald Cheng, says the Kenora Airport recorded 60.8 mm of rain last month, which is about 51 per cent of the average amount of 118.7 mm of precipitation we would usually see.

“When we talk about this spring, it was just system after system for northwestern Ontario. That’s why there was so much rain,” explains Cheng.

Canada has become the first country to ratify Sweden and Finland's request to join NATO, bringing the two countries closer to full membership.

The Prime Minister's Office says Justin Trudeau met with Finland's president, Sauli Niinistö, and Sweden's prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, at the NATO Summit last week. 

In a statement, Trudeau says Canada champions the alliance's open door policy for any European country in a position to "advance the commitments and obligations of membership."

The federal government has signed a $20-billion final settlement agreement to compensate First Nations children and families harmed by chronic underfunding of child welfare on reserve, which Indigenous Services Canada said Monday was the largest such deal in Canadian history.

“First Nations children deserve to be surrounded by love and live free of discriminatory government policy," Cindy Woodhouse, the Manitoba regional chief at the Assembly of First Nations, said in a statement Monday.

Canada is about to toss more than half of its doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine because it couldn't find any takers for it either in or outside of Canada.

A statement from Health Canada says 13.6 million doses of the vaccine expired in the spring and will be thrown out.

A year ago Canada said it would donate almost 18 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to lower-income countries.

As of June 22, almost nine million doses were delivered to 21 different nations.

The Kenora Rowing Club will welcome rowers back to the community this month as they host the 117th North West International  Rowing Association’s Championship Regatta on Rabbit Lake. The event will take play the 22nd and 23rd with rowers from mid-west US and mid-Canada.  Residents are invited to the viewing area at Garrow park and beach to watch and cheer.

The price of gas continues to drop in northwestern Ontario, although, prices remain sky-high.

After another drop in fuel prices over the Canada Day Long Weekend, the average price of gas in the Kenora area is sitting around 214.9 per litre, with prices closer to 210.2 in Dryden and as high as 231.0 in Sioux Lookout.

As it stands, Kenora drivers are paying for the 10th most expensive fuel in Canada at 214.9, tied with a number of communities in British Columbia and one in Quebec. We’re the only community in the top 25 in Ontario.

Local firefighters responded to a small fire behind Kenora City Hall this afternoon.

The fire was reported to Members of the Kenora Fire and Emergency Service shortly after 2:45 p.m. and was located behind the fenced area near City Hall between the building and the CP rail tracks behind it.

The fire was likely sparked by a passing train, but an investigation into the cause will continue. No injuries or damage were reported.

Kenora drivers can expect short traffic delays in the downtown core while KFS is on scene.

Ross William Booth
February 14, 1931 - July 2, 2022

With great sadness, the family of Ross Booth announce that he passed away peacefully on July 2, 2022 at Pinecrest Long Term Care Home.

Rick Bowness doesn't mind being the second choice.

The new Winnipeg Jets head coach took part in his first press conference Monday, a little more than a week after first target Barry Trotz declined the team's offer because the veteran wanted to spend more time with his family.

"If I’m in his chair, I’m going after Trotzy. I am. It’s that simple," Bowness said with a laugh, referring to Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff sitting beside him.