Latest news with #ThunderBay
CBC
9 hours ago
- General
- CBC
The death of this 26-year-old Thunder Bay man is revealing the realities of the opioid crisis
Each of the 10 short films of the We Were Here video series tells the story of a young person in Ontario who lost their life before the age of 30 due to the opioid crisis. One of those stories belongs to Zach Tilson-Ozarko who died in June 2019 at age 26. Susan Tilson, his mother from Thunder Bay, took part in the project. "I want to focus on how my son lived and not how he died. And this is a perfect tribute," Tilson said. The YouTube series honours the lives of young people who died from fentanyl-related overdoses. It pairs oral storytelling with intricate, hand-drawn illustrations to capture the lives of individuals who were more than statistics. The numbers are staggering. According to the federal health information database, there have been a total of 46,835 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations between January 2016 and September 2024 across Canada. But Toronto writer Mary Fairhurst-Breen says much of the public still view this ongoing epidemic through a lens of stigma and detachment. Fairhurst-Breen interviewed grieving families in Ontario in 2024. She worked with Nova Scotia artist Jessica Hiemstra to bring each story to life through frame-by-frame stop-motion animation. With support from arts grants and a small team of dedicated collaborators, We Were Here became a multimedia tribute. Fairhurst-Breen's connection to the crisis is personal. Her daughter Sophie died in 2020 of fentanyl poisoning. "The first thing I did was write a very honest obituary," she said. "I guess that was unusual enough at the time that I got media interest from the obituary." The honesty of her words struck a nerve, and the project grew from there. But the project is not only about remembrance. It's also about challenging assumptions. Putting a face on the statistics of the opioid crisis Susan Tilson described her son Zach as, "very compassionate, funny, and loud." "He stuck up for the underdogs and at times he was the underdog," Tilson said. "He was always speaking out and talking about his struggles. When Zach was little, he was sexually abused by his stepdad and so he went to workshops and treatment facilities and was talking about what he did to help deal with those demons." Zach was a skateboarder, musician and community advocate who spoke publicly about the trauma he carried. "My sister always says that I could see Zach being like a politician in the future or like an advocate for people. That's what that generation has lost." Since Zach's death, Tilson has earned a master's degree and now works as a psychotherapist, supporting others coping with loss and trauma. The launch of We Were Here was marked by a community screening in Toronto, where families gathered to watch the films together for the first time. Fairhurst-Breen hopes the series will reach audiences beyond those directly affected including educators, policymakers and the general public. She envisions the films being used in classrooms, public health campaigns and community events such as Overdose Awareness Day. For those left behind, Tilson says it offers something even more vital, connection. "I feel that he was there, in the room and all the other family's kids as well," Tilson said.
CBC
13 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Arrival of cruise ships in Thunder Bay, Ont., marks start of summer on the Great Lakes
Social Sharing Sharon Price and her husband, Samuel, were among the first passengers to disembark in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Sunday, as the northwestern Ontario city marked the official start of the 2025 cruise ship season. "We are sort of seasoned Viking cruisers and it's been wonderful," said Price, who hails from Delaware, as she exited Viking's Octantis. "Although we live in a small state that borders the Atlantic Ocean, it's a whole different ball game, a whole different kind of water." The Octantis is bringing 378 passengers and 256 crew members on a two-week tour of the Great Lakes. After making a day-stop in Thunder Bay, it departed to make room for its sister, Viking's Polaris, Sunday evening for a turnaround call. "The arrival of the first cruise ship of the year is always a bit symbolic of the start of the busy summer tourism season," said Paul Pepe, manager of Tourism Thunder Bay with the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), during a celebration of Octantis's arrival. The area's modern-day cruise industry, which dates back to the early 1990s, has ebbed and flowed over the past few decades, said Pepe. There was a hiatus in activities between the late 1990s and early 2000s before the city saw the return of expedition vessels between 2009 and 2012. Then, things quieted down until Viking announced its expansion in northwestern Ontario in 2020, he explained. "In 2024, cruise shipping was worth about $4.3 million to Thunder Bay's economy, and if you look behind us, you have trucks that are delivering things to the ships, you have trucks that are taking things off the ship, you have shuttle buses, you have tour guides, you have attractions," Pepe said. "There's a lot of businesses in Thunder Bay that benefit from cruise shipping." 'We forget what's in our own backyard' Mayor Ken Boshcoff and city councillor Rajni Agarwal welcomed Octantis's captain with a care package of local goods. "You see such [an] international flavour of people wanting to see our Great Lakes, wanting to be in Thunder Bay, and we as citizens of Thunder Bay actually appreciate more of what we have when we're showcasing it to others," Agarwal said. "Sometimes, we forget what's in our own backyard." Between June 1 and Sept. 8 of this year, 15 cruise ship visits are expected in Thunder Bay from Viking, Pearl Seas and Victory Cruise Lines, bringing about 5,100 passengers and crew members in tow, according to the Thunder Bay CEDC. Last year, Great Lakes cruise tourism generated $26.4 million in global earned media value, it said. In Thunder Bay, Pepe said a number of partners have been working together for the last several years to create a welcoming environment for the vessels, building itineraries and excursions to attract more visitors. "It's always exciting to see them here in the community and they are fantastic partners to work with," he said of the cruise lines. Price and her husband have never been to Thunder Bay before. Before boarding a bus from the Pool 6 Cruise Terminal into town, she said she looked forward to doing some shopping and exploring what the community has to offer.
CBC
17 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Thunder Bay's long awaited designated truck route bylaw back before council
Social Sharing Heavy trucks may soon find themselves limited in terms of how they travel through Thunder Bay. The city's long-in-development designated truck route bylaw is going back before council on Monday. The bylaw, if eventually approved by council, would limit transport trucks to specific roads in the city. The proposal would prohibit the trucks from using Highway 102 or Arthur Street; instead, they'd have to use Highway 61 or Highway 11/17, and the Harbour Expressway, Main Street and Island Drive. "Heavy trucks will be able to travel to any delivery destination in the City," the report to council states. "Trucks will be required to traverse as far as practical along the new Designated Truck Route during a trip. They are required to use the shortest possible distance on undesignated [c]ity streets to their end destination while still adhering to the weight restricted streets. Enforcement will be by Thunder Bay Police." Coun. Andrew Foulds noted that council has already approved a designated truck route, but has yet to actually pass the bylaw itself. The bylaw will be presented on Monday, and councillors will debate and make a decision on that at their June 23 meeting. "I have been a supporter of the designated truck route from the very beginning," Foulds said. "I continue to be a supporter of the designated truck route." But, he added, moving truck traffic to Highways 61 and 11/17 won't completely eliminate risk. "Hwy 11/17 is built to a different engineering standard," he said. " This isn't a perfect solution, but for me, the deciding factor was the reducing of risk." Neebing Coun. Greg Johnsen, whose ward has Highway 61 as its eastern border, and includes a large section of Arthur Street West, said the designated truck route bylaw is "well overdue." Concerns over truck traffic on Arthur Street were among the first things he heard when he was elected to council, Johnsen said. "But I would suggest that this isn't just an Arthur Street or Dawson Road, issue or ward issue," he said. "This is a City of Thunder Bay issue." "We have a highway out there that the province has bought and paid for, if you will," Johnsen said. "The highway structure is set up to to deal with these heavy trucks." "It makes more sense to put this on a roadway that can handle it." The bylaw is not without opposition, however. Surrounding townships and municipalities have all submitted written statements opposing the bylaw. "On behalf of Council, I am writing to express our firm opposition to the proposed bylaw scheduled for consideration on June 23rd, which would prohibit trucks from accessing Highway 102 and divert transport trucks to Highway 11/17 ," Oliver Paipoonge Mayor Lucy Kloosterhuis wrote. "This diversion would significantly impact rural municipalities along the route, including the Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, particularly the Village of Kakabeka Falls, where there is an elementary school and a senior's home." More trucks through Kakabeka Kloosterhuis stated that a traffic study done in April 2018 revealed an average of 869 "heavy trucks" used Highway 102 each day. A second study done a year later showed an average of 758 heavy trucks used Highway 11/17 in Kakabeka Falls each day. "This data clearly demonstrates the city's diversion of truck traffic will double the number of heavy trucks traveling on Highway 11/17 through Kakabeka Falls," she stated. Conmee Mayor Sheila Maxwell said her community is also concerned about the increase in truck traffic should the bylaw pass. "The problem is we have always had the long loads, the chip drivers, the log drivers, delivery trucks, wide loads, hazardous loads, they've always come through our township because it's a flatter route," she said. "That village is also very, very busy." "Summertime, it's tourists, it's campers, it's hard for us locals even go into businesses, to get out onto the highway," she said. "Plus the school buses have a hard time getting out with the kids." 'It's not the road itself' Maxwell said there are other issues when it comes to highway safety and transport trucks in the area. "It's not the road itself," she said. "It's the drivers that don't have the proper training, or the companies that are pushing them, or it's the vehicles." "Directing that traffic through our municipalities, it's not the answer." Maxwell said the proposed Shabaqua Extension would address many of the concerns the surrounding townships have, as it would provide a route for trucks that don't travel through places like Conmee or Kakabeka. "The overall extension will connect Thunder Bay to Shabaqua and is part of the Ontario Highways Program," a Ministry of Transportation spokesperson said in an email to CBC News. "The Preliminary Design assignment for the first section of the Shabaqua Extension, from Thunder Bay to Kakabeka Falls, was recently awarded to WSP. Work on the Preliminary Design and Environmental Assessment will begin in the coming weeks." "As the preliminary design progresses, construction timing and scheduling details will be developed." McIntyre Coun. Albert Aiello, who's in favour of the designated truck route, said population density along and around Highway 102 is growing. And the trucking industry itself has changed over the years, as well, he said. "The vehicles are lot bigger, they're heavier, they can travel faster, they're automatic," he said. "Things have changed. And I think we need to change."
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Suspended G1 driver charged again for driving alone in northern Ont.
Thunder Bay police charged a suspended G1 driver for driving alone when their licence was suspended for previously driving unaccompanied. A novice driver in Thunder Bay is facing new charges after allegedly being caught driving alone with a suspended G1 licence – in what would mark at least the second time they have been stopped for the same offence. Thunder Bay Police Service traffic unit An undated image of a Thunder Bay Police Service traffic unit vehicle. (Thunder Bay Police Service/Facebook) Police confirmed in a brief telephone interview with CTV News that the incident occurred last week but did not release further details. In a social media post on Sunday, the Thunder Bay Police Service said that the driver was pulled over while unaccompanied, despite already being under suspension for a prior charge of driving alone with a G1 licence. New charges include driving unaccompanied with a G1 licence and driving under suspension. The vehicle was impounded for seven days, and the driver faces a future court appearance with, according to police, a minimum $1,000 fine and a six-month licence suspension for driving while suspended. Under Ontario's graduated licensing system, G1 drivers must be accompanied by a fully licensed driver with at least four years of experience and cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m. Repeat violations can lead to escalating penalties, including fines and extended suspensions. 'These rules are in place to ensure drivers are competent and safe before being alone on the road,' the police service said in its post.
CBC
a day ago
- General
- CBC
In the centre of Ontario's drug crisis, Fort William First Nation fights for new facility
Social Sharing After declaring a state of emergency over its toxic drug crisis last summer, Fort William First Nation hasn't stopped advocating for more resources for its members. The Ojibway First Nation, which neighbours Thunder Bay, Ont., has purchased a facility at an undisclosed, off-reserve location to support people who have completed a detox program as they wait to get into treatment. The problem? Neither the provincial nor federal government has agreed to help support the facility's operating costs, according to Chief Michele Solomon. "Because it's not on reserve, we are not funded or assisted by the federal government, and the provincial government funding sources push us back to the federal government — so we become a hot potato between these governments," Solomon said. The Thunder Bay district, which encompasses Fort William, continues to have the highest opioid-related death rate in Ontario at nearly five times the provincial average, according to the latest report from Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner. "Whatever challenges you see Thunder Bay facing … this is amplified in a community like ours because of the lack of resources that are available at our fingertips," said Solomon. We become a hot potato between these governments. - Chief Michele Solomon, Fort William First Nation About 1,000 people live in Fort William, while the First Nation itself has just under 3,000 members. While the community has services available to help those dependent on substances, including a community mental health and addiction harm reduction outreach program, Solomon hopes the addiction care facility will bridge the gaps created by long wait times to get into treatment. "We're already looking at a $1-million investment into this facility, and we want it operational. We want our people to be able to use this facility," Solomon said. "We believe that this is a model of care that other First Nations and other communities, I think, could incorporate … and I believe that it's a missing piece in the mental health and addiction system." Province, feds speak to addictions investments Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) spent more than $440,000 on mental health and addictions support in Fort William First Nation in 2024-2025 through the Indigenous Health Equity Fund, said spokesperson Pascal Laplante in an emailed statement to CBC News on Friday. In the same fiscal year, "ISC provided approximately $225,000 in new annual funding under the Indigenous Health Equity Fund to support Fort William's health priorities, as determined by the community," he said. While Laplante did not specifically mention the addiction care facility Fort William has purchased, he said "ISC is aware of the challenges that Fort William First Nation is experiencing as they see a rise in addictions in the region. "Meetings have been held with the community and the province of Ontario to discuss long-term supports and address critical needs in response to their state of emergency," Laplante said. The closest treatment centres to Fort William are Ka-Na-Chi-Hih (youth treatment) in Thunder Bay, and Dilico Adult Residential Addiction located in Fort William First Nation, he said. Furthermore, ISC's Non-Insured Health Benefits program covers travel costs to the closest appropriate and available treatment centre. When asked about the province's support for Fort William's addiction care facility, a spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Health provided an emailed statement. While they did not mention any funding specifically for Fort William, they said the government "is using every tool we have to help people get the treatment they need by expanding access to safe, comprehensive mental health and addiction services," said spokesperson Ema Popovic on Thursday. In the Thunder Bay area, this includes support for: A new Homelessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub. Nearly 60 new addictions beds and safe sobering beds at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care and St. Joseph's Care Group. A new Youth Wellness Hub. The Superior North Specialized Treatment and Alternative Responders mobile crisis response team. Creating a recovery community Long Lake #58 First Nation has been taking a community-led approach to addressing alcoholism and addiction by supporting collective healing with its members. The Ojibway community does not have a dedicated detox centre on reserve. Instead, they've been bringing groups of people to a First Nation-owned hotel in Thunder Bay — about 300 kilometres away — to participate in a 10-day detox program before going into treatment. Long Lake #58 First Nation supports dozens of its members as they detox 2 months ago Duration 2:10 The First Nation is celebrating 22 of its members who recently completed a treatment program at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care. "Seeing them look so healthy and actually want to do the work and still want to continue their healing, and just working towards bettering their lives, it's really amazing to see," said Noreen Agnew, manager of Long Lake #58's band rep program. Participants completed a month-long post-treatment program at Pasha Lake, where they did traditional activities on the land such as fishing and sharing circles. Now, they're back in Thunder Bay and preparing to return to their First Nation after a nearly four-month journey, Agnew said. Kyle Arnold is a community support worker specializing in addiction for Long Lake #58. He's more than six years into his recovery from addiction. "I think it's so important for them to heal together because they are creating a recovery community within their community, and I think that's the piece that's been missing," Arnold said of the group from Long Lake #58. "A lot of them are related, they're family, and it's strengthened them as a core — and it's bringing recovery into [Long Lake #58]." Agnew said a key part of the program's success has been listening to participants "and letting them lead us." "We're giving them the opportunity to tell us, 'OK, this is what we need.' So OK, let's help them do that," she said. Back in Fort William First Nation, Solomon said she's going to continue pushing for community-led solutions to the drug crisis. "When you have services that are designed by the community that they're intended to serve, then it will have those values in mind. It will have those ways of knowing and being in mind," said Solomon.
