Business

After completing Phase I of its Active Transportation Plan more than two years ago, council agreed Monday to submit an application for funding for Phase II and move a step closer to having a trail system throughout the community, as well as linkages between the waterfront and the north- and west-end residential areas.

The Town of Fort Frances is hoping the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board’s formula for the apportionment of costs doesn’t change next month, or it will have a significant impact on the 2010 budget.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton and Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty will be teaming up this Friday (March 12) to host an online “town hall” to discuss the proposed Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).
Over the past few months, both Hampton and Rafferty have spent a great deal of time working to raise awareness of the proposed tax and its potential impact in Northwestern

After arduous negotiations, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada has agreed to a tentative agreement with AbitibiBowater to renew the collective agreement.
This deal fulfills an essential condition towards the emergence of the company from the current restructuring process.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty is hosting a series of town hall meetings to hear from the public regarding the 2010/11 federal budget, which is being tabled tomorrow afternoon in the House of Commons.

OTTAWA—Canadians are all but certain to enjoy historically-low interest rates for at least another four months after the Bank of Canada passed up on its opportunity to signal a policy change today.

Chuck McPherson will be returning for another term as chief following Couchiching First Nation’s election Feb. 18.
Also in the running for chief were Allan Yerxa and Bill Perrault.
Meanwhile, out of the 20 candidates running for council, voters elected Dan Mainville, Christine Jourdain, Dick Bird, Eugene McPherson, Ed Yerxa, and Sara Mainville.

The provincial government is touting the extension of municipal services to Emo’s industrial park, including more funding for the project.
The $69,171 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. comes in addition to the previously-announced $121,900 for bringing municipal services to the industrial park.

New small businesses—run by young entrepreneurs—are up and running, creating seven private-sector jobs in three Northwestern Ontario communities.
Ontario’s Young Entrepreneur Program is supporting TY-GR Construction, a construction and renovation business in Fort Frances focusing on residential, cottage, and commercial buildings.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton (NDP) is demanding pension fairness for AbitibiBowater workers and retirees.
On Monday during Question Period at Queen’s Park, Hampton asked about the McGuinty government’s recent decision to bail out Nortel’s pension plan.