Hi everyone,

I’ll soon be moving from Toronto to Fort Frances for one year for an administrative assistant position. I will not have a car, and I’m planning to bring most of my personal belongings in suitcases rather than move furniture. Since my luggage space will be limited, I want to pack carefully.

I would especially appreciate advice about:

• Items that are difficult to find locally or considerably more expensive than in Toronto
• Winter clothing, boots, or accessories that I should purchase before moving
• Compact household, personal-care, food, electronic, or work-related items worth bringing
• Things that would help me stay occupied during the long winter, such as indoor hobbies, exercise equipment, books, games, or other activities
• Indoor recreational or social activities in Fort Frances that are accessible without a car
• Grocery shopping and other essential errands without a vehicle
• How reliable Amazon and other online deliveries are in Fort Frances
• Things I should not waste suitcase space on because they are readily available locally

I would particularly like to hear from people who currently live in Fort Frances or who have moved there from Toronto or another large city.

Thank you!

Police in Thunder Bay have charged two people with manslaughter after a woman injured in an assault last week died two days later.

Sudbury advocates are pushing back against a police board motion for involuntary addiction and mental-health care. Mayor Paul Lefebvre is urging the province to review the Mental Health Act, arguing that leaving people on the streets is inhumane.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH — THESE ANIMALS AND THESE CHILDREN NEED SOMEONE TO STAND UP FOR THEM

This is being posted anonymously because this needs to be about the animals and children—not about the person writing this.

There are serious concerns surrounding a property at 5062 Hwy 17, Upsala, Ontario, owned by Catherine Tudor and Ronald Bridgela, involving a very large number of animals and vulnerable children.

This is not a small number of household pets.

There are close to 200 animals, including chickens, geese, ducks, goats, pigs, horses, a cow, dogs, cats and others. There are pregnant goats, continued breeding and crossbreeding, and serious concerns about the sheer number of animals being kept on the property.

There are also serious concerns about the adequacy of the housing, shelter, grazing area, sanitation and overall conditions for the number of animals being kept.

Anyone can look at satellite imagery of the property and see the lack of adequate grass and grazing space for this number of animals.

THE CONDITION SOME OF THESE ANIMALS ARRIVED IN

The condition of some of these animals when they came into care is extremely difficult to ignore.

There were animals with ears and toes missing from frostbite damage.

There were animals affected by lice and mites.

There were animals requiring treatment for coccidia.

There were sheep with severely overgrown, matted and dirty fleece that had reportedly not been sheared in nearly two years, with strong odors coming from them.

These are not abstract concerns.

These are physical conditions that can be documented through photographs, records and the people who directly cared for these animals.

And the most heartbreaking part is seeing the difference after a month of proper care.

Animals that arrived needing significant attention improved.

They received proper nutrition.

They received treatment.

They were cleaned and monitored.

They received care.

They got healthier.

That improvement is documented.

But that improvement does not erase the condition they arrived in.

If anything, it demonstrates what happens when these animals receive consistent, appropriate care.

AND NOW THEY ARE BACK

The animals were evacuated from the property and placed into the care of volunteers.

For an entire month, people worked their asses off.

They fed them.

Watered them.

Cleaned them.

Treated them.

Monitored them.

And gave them the care they desperately needed.

And then came the decision that is so incredibly difficult to understand:

Because the animals are now healthy and no longer considered to be in immediate distress, they were allowed to return.

On August 18, 2026, the animals were brought back to the property.

They are back.

And that is what is so incredibly difficult to understand.

The animals are healthy today because they received an incredible amount of care.

But the conditions they are returning to have not magically changed simply because the animals look better.

The underlying concerns are still there.

The inadequate housing concerns are still there.

The lack of adequate grazing space is still there.

The enormous number of animals is still there.

The breeding and crossbreeding concerns are still there.

And the requirements that have already been put in place still need to be followed.

So what happens now?

Are we supposed to wait until the animals deteriorate again?

Wait until they become malnourished?

Wait until parasites return?

Wait until animals become sick or injured?

Wait until there are even more animals?

Wait until animals start dying?

Do we seriously have to wait until something becomes catastrophic before anything more can be done?

ORDERS AND OVERSIGHT

This isn't simply a situation where nobody knows about it.

Animal Welfare is aware.

There are orders requiring certain conditions and changes to be met.

The owners have been given requirements that they are expected to follow.

Yet serious concerns remain about whether those requirements are actually being followed.

Volunteers have spent weeks caring for these animals and showing what proper care looks like.

They have shown what needs to be done.

They have demonstrated how these animals need to be cared for.

And yet the underlying situation remains.

At what point does telling someone what they need to do become meaningless if those requirements are not actually followed?

WHAT ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP?

There is another major problem here.

The area is an unorganized township with a very small population—approximately 200 people.

The explanation given regarding municipal responsibility is that the township is primarily responsible for things such as utilities and basic services, rather than animal welfare or the welfare of individual residents.

Because it is unorganized territory, many of the normal municipal bylaws, permits and regulations that would apply in an organized municipality do not apply in the same way.

And if that is the case, then it raises a very serious question:

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

Who is responsible for the animals?

Who is responsible for ensuring that the required conditions are met?

Who is responsible when there are concerns about inadequate housing?

Who is responsible when there are vulnerable children involved?

Who steps in when the municipality says it does not have the authority?

Because right now, it appears that responsibility can simply be passed from one place to another.

Animal Welfare has limitations.

The township has limitations.

Municipal bylaws have limitations.

And meanwhile, the animals and children remain in the middle.

That cannot be acceptable.

If higher levels of government are required to intervene in situations like this, then that is exactly what needs to happen.

There has to be somewhere for people to turn when a situation exceeds the authority of a small unorganized township.

There has to be a way to protect vulnerable children.

There has to be a way to protect animals.

There has to be a way to enforce requirements that have already been put in place.

And there has to be a way to intervene before animals are seriously suffering, starving, injured or dying.

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT ONE ANIMAL

This is not simply about one animal having a problem.

It is about the overall situation.

When there are nearly 200 animals.

When breeding continues.

When animals are being crossbred.

When adequate housing is a concern.

When grazing space is inadequate.

When animals arrive requiring treatment and extensive care.

When volunteers have to step in and provide that care.

When animals improve dramatically once they receive that care.

And when those animals are then returned to the same environment—

we need to ask why.

Why are we waiting for the animals to become unhealthy again?

Why are we waiting for another crisis?

Why is the goal simply to get an animal to the point where it is technically healthy enough to be returned?

Shouldn't the goal be to make sure the environment they are returning to is actually adequate?

AND THEN THERE ARE THE CHILDREN

This is not only an animal welfare issue.

There are vulnerable children living in this environment who deserve a safe, healthy and appropriate place to live.

They deserve someone to advocate for them too.

We are talking about vulnerable animals and vulnerable children.

How can we continue to look at a situation like this and simply say:

"Nothing can be done."

We are constantly told:

"If you see something, report it."

But reporting something means very little if everyone involved simply says it isn't their responsibility.

We cannot keep waiting until something terrible happens.

We cannot keep waiting until animals are dying.

We cannot keep waiting until children are harmed.

We cannot keep accepting "nothing can be done" as the final answer.

Something has to be able to be done.

And if the existing systems cannot address this situation, then the appropriate higher levels of government need to become involved.

Because these animals cannot speak for themselves.

These children cannot be expected to advocate for themselves.

And the people who have spent the past month caring for these animals should not have to watch them return to an environment that still raises serious concerns.

ENOUGH

I am not posting this because I want drama.

I am not asking anyone to harass this family.

I am not asking anyone to trespass.

I am not asking anyone to threaten anybody.

I am asking people to STOP LOOKING AWAY.

Ask questions.

Demand answers.

Report legitimate concerns.

Preserve documentation.

Keep speaking up.

Because if the systems that are supposed to protect vulnerable people and animals aren't enough, then WE, AS PEOPLE, HAVE TO STAND TOGETHER AND DEMAND BETTER.

Not tomorrow.

Not after another animal becomes sick.

Not after another animal dies.

Not after another child suffers.

NOW.

These animals need a voice.

These children need a voice.

And somebody has to be willing to speak for them.

Please don't look away.

The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to Brayden Bushby, who killed Barbara Kentner with a thrown trailer hitch, a move northern First Nations say feels like a profound injustice.

A man from Utterson, Ont., has been fined $3,500 for various camping and public land violations in northern Ontario. Jonpaul Evans was convicted of unlawfully occupying and depositing items on public lands in violation of a notice.

OPP seized a handgun from a Hamilton man at a northern Ontario event venue on Saturday. The 31-year-old now faces six firearm-related charges.

Minnow Lake residents are petitioning Greater Sudbury for help as rat sightings surge as pest control experts say there is a spike in calls and health officials warn of disease risks.

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Hey everyone,

Across Northern Ontario, getting in to see a doctor, nurse practitioner, or specialist often takes weeks—or even months. When you finally get that 10- or 15-minute appointment, it is easy to feel rushed, get overwhelmed, or realize on the drive home that you forgot to ask your most important question.

NorWest Community Health Centres is hosting a free, 90-minute virtual session this Thursday, August 20 from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EDT (12:00 PM – 1:30 PM CDT) called Getting the Most from Your Healthcare Appointment.

The goal is to give you practical, straightforward tools to take control of your visits and make every minute count:

• Before your visit: How to prioritize your top 2–3 concerns and organize your symptoms so nothing gets missed.
• During your visit: Practical communication tips to ensure you are heard, ask for plain-language explanations, and partner effectively with your provider.
• After your visit: Leaving with clarity on your next steps, prescriptions, diagnostic tests, or follow-ups.

Session Details:

• When: Thursday, August 20 | 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EDT / 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM CDT
• Where: Online via Microsoft Teams (Open to anyone living across Northern Ontario)
• Cost: 100% Free

How to register:

• Online: Sign up directly at norwestchc.org/cdsmp
• Phone: Call 807-626-8480

Whether you are managing an ongoing condition, caring for a family member, or just want to feel more prepared for routine visits, this session is for you. Drop any questions below!

NEW FROM JON THOMPSON

First it was wildfires. Then a sewage leak. For Neskantaga First Nation, summer is a series of costly hotel rooms.

I hope everyone affected by the recent fires is safe. I can only imagine how stressful and disruptive it must be to leave your home.

If anyone here has been through a wildfire evacuation, would you be willing to share what happened and what you wish you had known beforehand? I figure it could be useful for the rest of us in case we ever find ourselves in the same situation.

A few things I’m particularly curious about:

• Did you wait for an evacuation order, or did you decide to leave beforehand?
• Where did you end up staying? hotel, evacuation centre, friends/family?
• Did you stay nearby of go to a major city?
• Did you have trouble finding somewhere to stay?
• Did the government or insurance company provide financial or other assistance? How quickly did that help come?
• What would you do differently next time?
• What should we as citizens be asking governments to improve or help us with?

Pour les francophones:

Les gouvernements devraient-ils rétablir le service ferroviaire de passagers d’Algoma?
https://northerntracks.blog/2026/08/08/les-gouvernements-devraient-ils-retablir-le-service-ferroviaire-de-passagers-dalgoma/