ThunderBay Daily News Brief | 2026-03-08

Thunder Bay Daily News Briefing (2026-03-08)

Today's Overview: Northern Ontario NDP MPPs raise awareness on highway safety. Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof said politicians can always talk, but others don't have that opportunity, and if they can use the honor they've received to show others, maybe they can move the obstacles on the highway. One person killed in Hall Place homicide. Thunder Bay Police Service's major crimes unit is looking for video related to the homicide investigation. March 5, 2026, 2:31 PM

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Item 1 | Northern Ontario NDP MPPs raise awareness on highway safety. Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof said politicians can always talk, but others don't have that opportunity, and if they can use the honor they've received to show others, maybe they can move the obstacles on the highway.

Detailed interpretation:

Thunder Bay - On Saturday, NDP MPPs drove to Sistonens Corners and Kakabeka Falls in the morning as part of a 9-day northern tour. The road trip started in Toronto on Tuesday, with MPPs heading west on Highway 11 to the Manitoba border, then returning along Highway 17, documenting some of Northern Ontario's most accident-prone areas and the stories of affected communities. "It's about being human. It's about people, and I think the fundamental reason we're doing this is (to share) the real stories of people along Highways 11 and 17," said Sol.

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Impact note:This item may involve public safety/transportation/justice, etc. It is recommended to prioritize official updates.

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/northern-ontario-ndp-mpps-raise-awareness-on-highway-safety-11972380

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Item 2 | One person killed in Hall Place homicide. Thunder Bay Police Service's major crimes unit is looking for video related to the homicide investigation. March 5, 2026, 2:31 PM

Detailed interpretation:

Thunder Bay - Thunder Bay Police Service is investigating a homicide in the city's south end. Police were called to the Hall Place area on Sunday evening and found a male victim dead, confirmed in a media release on Thursday. The major crimes unit is involved in the ongoing investigation. Police are now asking the public for assistance.

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Impact note:This item may involve public safety/transportation/justice, etc. It is recommended to prioritize official updates.

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/one-person-killed-in-hall-place-incident-11962617

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Item 3 | Over $63,000 in cocaine and cash seized, two arrested. The total street value of the seized drugs is estimated at over $63,000. March 6, 2026, 5:05 PM

Detailed interpretation:

Thunder Bay - After a drug trafficking investigation, an Etobicoke man and a Thunder Bay resident face multiple drug and firearm charges. According to Thunder Bay Police Service, police began investigating in February 2026 after receiving reports of drug trafficking in Thunder Bay. On Thursday, police located and arrested two suspects on Simpson Street. Police say they seized suspected illegal drugs, cash, and items related to drug trafficking during the arrests. Police also searched a property on Memorial Avenue. During the search, they found a loaded handgun, approximately 220 grams of suspected cocaine, and 1,900 hydromorphone pills.

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Impact note:This item may involve public safety/transportation/justice, etc. It is recommended to prioritize official updates.

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/crime/over-63k-in-cocaine-and-cash-seized-two-arrested-11969850

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Item 4 | Poor weather and road conditions close several highways; no indication yet how long closures will last. One day ago

Detailed interpretation:

Thunder Bay - On Saturday, poor weather and road conditions closed several highways on the North Shore. These conditions led to closures on Highway 17 (from east of Pass Lake Road to Terrace Bay) and Highway 11 north to Geraldton starting around 10:30 PM. According to Ontario 511, both directions were closed on Friday. Since around 2:30 AM, weather conditions further closed Highway 631 from north of White River to the junction with Highway 11. Shortly after midnight, icy road conditions also closed all lanes of Highway 527, from outside Thunder Bay north to Armstrong.

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Impact note:This item may involve public safety/transportation/justice, etc. It is recommended to prioritize official updates.

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/poor-weather-and-road-conditions-close-several-highways-11972218

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Item 5 | Grasshoppers beware: St. Urho's Day is coming up. On March 14, Thunder Bay's north core will turn purple and green as the Finlandia Co-op hosts its annual St. Urho's celebration, including breakfast, storytelling, and Finnish-style entertainment.

Detailed interpretation:

Thunder Bay - Thunder Bay's Finlandia Co-op will host its annual St. Urho's celebration on March 14, bringing a full day of family-friendly festivities to the city's north core. Helena Stevens, event coordinator and volunteer with Thunder Bay's Finlandia Co-op, said the city has been marking the occasion for decades. "Thunder Bay has been celebrating St. Urho's Day since the early '80s and 1983, usually combined with parades around Thunder Bay and Algoma." The festival originated in northern Minnesota in the 1950s and has grown into a cherished tradition in Finnish-North American communities. "The origins come from several g

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/grasshoppers-beware-st-urhos-day-is-coming-up-11952428

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Item 6 | Local fears grow over provincial takeovers of school boards. More than 50 community members gathered in Thunder Bay to support local school board trustees. March 5, 2026, 12:14

Detailed interpretation:

Thunder Bay - Concerns over provincial education legislation are uniting unions and other community members in support of school trustees. On Wednesday evening, the local chapter of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (LETO), the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and other local labour groups attended an information session at the Waverley Resource Library. Officials said it was in response to the province's Child and Student Support Act, formerly known as Bill 33. "Unfortunately, we had to hold a meeting to try to inform the public and others about what's happening."

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/local-fears-grow-over-provincial-takeovers-of-school-boards-11961230

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Item 7 | American team takes podium at Sleeping Giant. Tryg Solberg and Chelsey Youngberg of Loppet Duluth won the big 50 km skate race at this year's Loppet, with over 650 skiers participating in the entire event. One day ago

Detailed interpretation:

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park - Getting into Sleeping Giant Provincial Park was slow on Saturday morning, and almost as slow on the trails. Tryg Solberg of Duluth took top honours in the big 50 km skate race at the annual Sleeping Giant Loppet, finishing in 2 hours 25 minutes 26 seconds, 51.5 seconds ahead of fellow American Matthew Liebsch, who finished in 2:28:18.21. Chelsey Youngberg of Duluth won the women's race, crossing the line in 2:29:10.52, more than 10 minutes ahead of runner-up Amanda Butler of Canmore, Alta. Solberg said it was a tough course, and this was his second time at the Loppet, his first race

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/americans-top-podium-at-sleeping-giant-loppet-11973291

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Item 8 | Fort William Gardens celebrates 75 years, former local hockey player Rick Adduono says the city is great for sports, with winners, great players and great coaches in every sport, so Thunder Bay has a lot to be proud of for a city of 110,000 people.

Detailed reading:

Thunder Bay - On Saturday, first-time visitors and long-time supporters of Fort William Gardens came together on the ice to celebrate the Gardens' 75th anniversary with a public skate. Many notable figures were on hand, including Jerry Kirk, who played in the first official hockey game at the venue for the 1951 Fort William Hurricanes and Fort William Canadians, and Rick Adduono, who played for the Thunder Bay Vulcans in the Minnesota-Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League from 1971 to 1972, as well as the Thunder Bay Twins of the Allan Cup. Similar to his face-off with Alex Owen of the Hurricanes, Kirk and his great-grandson Jackson Gardner

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/fort-william-gardens-celebrates-75th-anniversary-11974743

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Item 9 | North Stars sweep Lumberjacks, win third straight, five different goal scorers lit the lamp for Thunder Bay on Saturday night.

Detailed reading:

Ironwood, Mich. - After taking three of four points from the top two teams, the Thunder Bay North Stars headed south of the border to feast on one of the lowest-ranked teams. Matthew Bertolin, Kane Van Miert, Mitch Vandewe and Ethan Grosche each had a goal and an assist on Saturday night to lead the North Stars to a 5-2 road win over the Ironwood Lumberjacks. Eric Sheriff scored the other goal for Thunder Bay, opening the scoring late in the first period, which stood as the only goal of the frame. Morgan Blackwood made 27 saves for his 13th straight start for the North Stars, earning the win, his sixth in the past seven games.

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/north-stars-sweep-lumberjacks-win-third-straight-11973873

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Item 10 | Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre under new leadership, new executive director Katie Bortolin says she is very honoured to have the opportunity to take on this role and succeed Gwen O'Reilly. March 6, 2026 8:00 a.m.

Detailed reading:

Thunder Bay - One of the first priorities for the new head of the Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre is helping women facing violence and trafficking, fighting for access to justice, and ensuring there is enough funding to continue providing services for women in the region. The feminist advocacy organization announced Thursday the hiring of new executive director Katie Bortolin to mark International Women's Day. Bortolin will take over after the retirement of Gwen O'Reilly, who has been executive director for 35 years. "I am very honoured to have the opportunity to take on this role and succeed Gwen (O'Reilly)," Bortolin

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/northwestern-ontario-womens-centre-under-new-leadership-11963299

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Item 11 | Port CEO Chris Heikkinen says only one ship wintering in port provides boost to local economy. One day ago

Detailed reading:

Thunder Bay - The Canada Steamship Lines Baie Comeau, a self-unloading lake freighter, is spending the winter comfortably at Keefer Terminal, and is the only ship wintering at the Port of Thunder Bay this year. Thunder Bay Port CEO Chris Heikkinen says the port typically has two or more wintering ships. "This season, the lower Great Lakes froze earlier than usual, preventing two expected ships from making it to Thunder Bay before the locks closed," he said, adding that the Soo Locks, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, remained open until the usual closing date of January 12.

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/only-1-ship-wintering-at-port-11968676

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Item 12 | Rare sneak peek: horror film 'Undertone' to preview next week. The preview of 'Undertone' will be held before its official release on March 13, scheduled for 7 p.m. on March 12 at SilverCity Thunder Bay, followed by a Q&A session. March 6, 2026 11:45

Detailed reading:

THUNDER BAY - Local school counsellor and filmmaker Thomas Choong will answer questions about the horror film Undertone on Thursday, March 12 at SilverCity Thunder Bay. The acclaimed Toronto production will be officially released in Canada and the U.S. on March 13, with a screening at the theatre on the 12th at 7 p.m., followed by a "post-screening Q&A." For local audiences, it's a rare opportunity to see the film before its release. Described by a reviewer at RogerEbert.com as "a scary gem," Undertone is the directorial debut of Choong's childhood friend Ian Tuason.

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/rare-sneak-peak-horror-film-undertone-to-preview-next-week-11966613

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Item 13 | Rising fur prices drive growing interest in trappers' convention. For the first time in recent memory, fur buyers attended the Northwestern Fur Trappers Association annual meeting, said association president Mark Deans. A day earlier

In detail:

Thunder Bay - Trappers from across the region came to Thunder Bay. The Northwestern Fur Trappers Association (NWFTA) annual meeting kicked off its two-day conference on Friday at the Canada Lakehead Exhibition grounds'体育馆 building. NWFTA president Mark Deans said, "This event has been happening since the late 1960s, but Thunder Bay has been a center of the fur trade for hundreds of years." "So, in terms of fur history, it's always been a really rich area, especially for Indigenous and non-Indigenous trappers."

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/rising-fur-prices-drive-growing-interest-in-trappers-convention-11970318

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Item 14 | Shelter Village expected to open this spring. The 80-unit project will resume construction on Monday, including grading and drainage work. March 6, 2026 12:45

In detail:

THUNDER BAY - Construction on the temporary shelter village will resume on Monday, with an expected opening in the spring. The proposed 80-unit shelter village is located at 879 Alloy Place. Camp response supervisor Rilee Willianen said initial activities next week will focus on site grading and drainage. "Once that's all done, electrical services will begin," she said, adding that this includes installing hydro poles and overhead wires. She also noted that while winter construction paused, behind-the-scenes work continued, including design, permit submissions, and developing policies and procedures.

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/shelter-village-expected-to-open-this-spring-11967623

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Item 15 | Sleeping Giant Brewing Company to pour its last beer. The company announced its impending closure on social media. March 6, 2026 9:40 PM

In detail:

THUNDER BAY - Fans of Northern Logger, Beaver Duck, or Skull Rock will soon have to say goodbye to these iconic local beers. Sleeping Giant Brewing Company announced on social media on Friday that it will be closing, and the well-known Thunder Bay company will shut its doors at the end of March. The Facebook post read: "After nearly 14 years of brewing, laughing, and sharing by Lake Superior, we have made the difficult decision to close our microbrewery."

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/sleeping-giant-brewing-co-to-pour-its-last-beer-11971294

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Item 16 | TBT News Hour: March 6, 2026. March 6, 2026 7:02 PM

In detail:

Title: TBT News Hour: March 6, 2026 URL Source: http://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/tbt-newshour-march-6-2026-11970882 Published: 2026-03-07T00:02:47Z Markdown Content: TBT News Hour: March 6, 2026 - TBNewsWatch.com =============== [Skip to content](http://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/tbt-newshour-march-6-2026-11970882#body-container) × [](http://www.tbnewswatch.com/) * [Free local newsletter](http://www.tbnewswatch.com/local?utm_campaign=Site_Header&utm_source

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/tbt-newshour-march-6-2026-11970882

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Item 17 | Tennis dome welcomes players through its doors. The occupancy permit was the final step needed to open the new indoor tennis facility to the public. A day earlier

In detail:

Thunder Bay - On Friday, the Rogers Tennis Dome received its occupancy permit, welcoming players to the courts. "This is so exciting," said tennis director Jamie Grieve. "I just went online and saw that the courts are already booked solid." At 11 a.m. Friday, the final step needed to open the brand-new indoor tennis facility to the public was obtaining the occupancy permit. Grieve said, "We knew there were a lot of small delays due to some minor issues, so it's great to finally get the call this morning from the contractor saying everything is good."

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/tennis-dome-welcomes-players-through-its-doors-11968647

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Item 18 | Video: Suspects located after Atikokan shelter-in-place, March 6, 2026 6:30 PM

In detail:

Title: Video: Suspects located after Atikokan shelter-in-place URL Source: http://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/video-suspects-located-after-atikokans-shelter-in-place-11970734 Published: 2026-03-06T23:30:45Z Markdown Content: Video: Suspects located after Atikokan shelter-in-place - TBNewsWatch.com =============== [Skip to content](http://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/video-suspects-located-after-atikokans-shelter-in-place-11970734#body-container) × [](http://www.tbnewswatch.com/) * [Free local newsletter](http

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/video-suspects-located-after-atikokans-shelter-in-place-11970734

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Article 19 | What's Poppin': March 7 to 8 Check out this weekend's What's Poppin'. March 6, 2026 6:45 PM

Detailed breakdown:

The Fort William Gardens 75th anniversary public skating rink will begin at 1:00 PM. until 2:30 PM. The event will feature a brief ceremony followed by a public skate with members of the Lakehead University Thunderwolves men's hockey team. Admission is free. All skaters must wear CSA-certified hockey helmets. More information about the 75th anniversary public skate is available online. The 5th annual Academic Focus Film Festival continues at the Thunder Bay Museum. The festival's jurors are filmmakers and scholars, and the audience is those who want to learn through film. $10 per session, or $25 per session

Source:TBNewsWatch (single source)

Reference source: https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/whats-poppin-march-7-and-8-11964189

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Weather and travel

Tomorrow's temperatures are expected to range from -4°C to 9°C. Dress warmly for morning and evening travel and be aware of the risk of icy roads.