Menu

Ignace

ignace-town-hall

Ignace seek outside help with building matters

A lack of qualified staff has led Ignace to sign an agreement with a southern Ontario firm to handle chief building official services.

The deal with RMS Building Consultants is viewed as a temporary measure to ensure the town meets legislative requirements.

The agreement with the Cambridge, Ontario, firm was necessary because Ignace lacks sufficient qualified staff to handle building matters such as building permit reviews, inspections and enforcement.

The town also has a number of large projects in the works.

Chief Administrative Officer Aaron Gullins says recruitment for an in-house building official is underway.

“If we can’t find one who already is a CBO, we could hire somebody who potentially wants to be a CBO,” says Gullins.

“This company also does mentorship, and they provided a cost to mentor this person to a point at which they would be able to conduct those inspections for themselves.”

In the meantime, building matters will be left to RMS to handle for now.

Gullins says in many cases, it will handle communication with builders virtually.

“Normally, they don’t come up. Normally, they have an agreement with the person applying, and they’ve worked out a way where they’ll have a virtual interface, and they’ll say point to this, look at this,” says Gullins.

A set of fees has been established for the work that will be provided.

Ignace Fire Hall

Report supports need for new fire hall in Ignace

A consultant’s report recommends Ignace build a new fire hall.

It feels a site on Lilly Pad Lake Road would be more strategic.

Ignace commissioned the report to evaluate the existing fire hall on Front Street and identify potential locations for a new one.

Bill Lorimer, Fire and Life Safety Manager with Loomax, says the existing hall’s age, size and location all point to the need for a new building.

“The current facility may lack the ability to accommodate recommended services and equipment, especially as certification requirements and demands for service both increase,” says Lorimer.

The study explored four potential locations.

Sites on Davy Lake Road and Pine Street were cited as being too close to Ignace Public School or further from firefighter homes.

A site near the Public Works Garage on Lily Pad Lake Road was seen as the most advantageous.

“The site is in close proximity to where current firefighters live, as well as where future firefighters may choose to live,” says Lorimer.

“The site is in close proximity to various critical infrastructure, and the site has minimal exposure to schools and pedestrians.”

It would be close to Ecole Immaculee Conception, but Fire Chief Sean De Tracey says it would offer multiple routes to access emergencies, especially to those on Highway 17.

The report does not comment on the cost of a new building.

Eric Melillo Jan 26 2026

Mill closures raised in House of Commons

, , , ,

The federal government is being pushed to help the forest industry in northwestern Ontario.

Workers at mills in Ear Falls, Ignace and Thunder Bay have been impacted by recent closure announcements.

The sawmill in Ear Falls has been idle since October, while the Ignace mill will halt production in March.

The closures impact a combined workforce of about 330 workers.

Last week, it was announced that the newsprint line at Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper will be shut down.

Kenora-Kiiwetinoong MP Eric Melillo recently raised the issue in the House of Commons.

“Every day, more closures are announced,” states Melillo.

“These are good-paying jobs for hard-working Canadians that are now gone. The government’s rhetoric of supporting workers is not matching the reality of the workers who are losing their jobs.”

The Liberal government insists that it is helping the forest industry.

“The government stands with forestry workers,” said Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

“We have announced $2.5 billion in supports. We have a task force active right now looking at additional supports.”

Last fall, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $1.25 billion aid package to support the softwood lumber sector.

It included $700 million in loan guarantees to help companies confront immediate pressures facing the softwood lumber sector, and another $500 million to diversify products and markets.

Another $50 million has been earmarked for workers to reskill and find employment elsewhere.

distress-center-1

Trans-Canada Distress Center Up and Running

, , , , , ,

There’s some help for anyone stranded on Highway 17 in the Ignace Area.

The Trans-Canada Distress Center has been set up for vehicle break-downs, tire changes or just a free cup of coffee for tired motorists.

Norm Price operates the center and says they provide help in all sorts of situations.

“People have gone through breakdowns, busting a belt, running out fuel, blown tires, blown engines,” says Price.

“I got the idea just by the amount of calls that we get after hours. I’m listed through Google under Ignace Convenience as 24 hour location and I’ve since decided to use it as a distress (center).”

Price adds the service has also been used during all the road closures this winter.

“Obviously we have a few people coming in. But we’ve had a few people coming in saying ‘hey, all the motels are booked up and ‘we don’t know where to go’. I say you’re more than welcome to stay here in my shop.”

Price says while the Trans-Canada Distress Center is busy during the winter months, it’s also available during the summer.

He adds they are accepting donations through their Go Fund Me site: www.gofundme.com/f/trans-canada-travel-distress-center

ignace-seniors-center

Work Begins On New Ignace Seniors Complex

, , , , , , ,

Work on a new seniors complex in Ignace has started.

Finn Way General Contractors and Nelson Architecture from Kenora have been selected to build and design the 20 unit building.

There will be four two bedroom units and 16 one bedroom apartments.

The property selected to house the new facility has already been cleared of trees and debris.

Heidi West is executive director of the Mary Berglund Community Health Center and says such a facility will allow seniors to remain in the community and to have family supports close.

opplogo-1

Fatal Workplace In Ignace

, , , , ,

The Ministry of Labour is investigating a worksite fatality in Ignace.

OPP says it happened at an unnamed business on Highway 17.

Police say emergency personnel responded to a call of a person in medical distress shortly before one Tuesday morning.

Despite life-saving efforts, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim’s name has not been released.

50802098581_501c2240d6_b

NWHU COVID Vaccination Numbers Going Up

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Improved, but still below the provincial numbers.

That’s the latest update when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine uptake within the Northwestern Health Unit.

The new numbers show that 83.7 per-cent of those 12+ within the catchment area have had at least one dose of vaccine, while 75.3 per-cent are fully vaccinated.

Those numbers are compared to 84.5 per-cent (at least one dose) and 78.2 per-cent (fully vaccinated) for Ontario as a whole.

The numbers from the Thunder Bay District Health Unit are similar to the NWHU (82.5 per-cent with one dose, 74.6 per-cent fully vaccinated), while in Manitoba those numbers sit at 83.6 per-cent (at least one dose) and 78.7 per-cent (fully vaccinated).

To date, the NWHU has administered 117,647 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

The health unit tells us they are hosting vaccines clinics throughout the week, with all of them taking place at area schools.

The Health Unit says that if you’d like to book an appointment you can click here to use their online booking system or call them at 1-866-468-2240.

nwmo

NWMO Supports Awareness Walk

,

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization says they continue and always will consult with those interested in the proposed underground nuclear repository project in the Ignace area.

Ojibway Nation of Saugeen First Nation member Darlene Necan is on an Awareness Walk citing not enough communication has been held on the project.

NWMO Director of Media and Stakeholder Relations Bradley Hammond says he fully supports the walk.

“This walk is an opportunity for us at the end of the road to reflect and think about the different ways that we can ensure that information about safely managing used nuclear fuel is available to members of the public.”

Hammond adds “We always need to be looking for opportunities to ensure that those who are interested have access to learning. When the organizers of this walk we’re first beginning their journey from Ignace, we ensured as an organization that our mobile ‘Learn More Centre’ was on site.”

Hammond notes the mobile unit and experts were also in Dryden for a week.

He says they have been active in northwestern Ontario for about ten years now, noting Ignace was one of the first in Canada to raise their hand seeking information on the project.

Hammond adds they will continue to engage local residents and says they are proud to be part of the community.

To hear more from Bradley Hammond, visit the Audio link below.

Load More