FORT FRANCES — Fort Frances town council is looking for further solutions to ongoing issues at the Rainy Lake Square. During Monday night's meeting of council, correspondence was received from Ink Spotz Apparel+ owner Scott Krienke-Turvey regarding what he said are recurring issues with loitering, and drug and alcohol use at the Rainy Lake Square on Scott Street in downtown Fort Frances. The letter notes the “ongoing” issue with individuals passing the day at the site, using the free Wi-Fi service and using outdoor outlets to charge devices, allegedly under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
While Krienke-Turvey acknowledged the increased presence of OPP foot patrols through the area, a measure previously introduced to address these issues, he called on council to do more. “This group essentially makes the market space unusable for the intended purpose, to be used by tourists and ratepayers as their continuous presence makes others uncomfortable for their own safety,” Krienke-Turvey's letter reads. “I understand that the OPP has stepped up patrols and to a small degree has, for the present time, made it uncomfortable for some of the regulars to stay for long.
However, the OPP will not be able to be present or able to attend for possibly dozens of non-emergency calls on a continuous basis. "An enlightened plan needs to be implemented to reduce the continuing need for police presence.” Krienke-Turvey suggested the town designate the stage area at the square for event use only, turning it into a trespassing area for those not involved in a town-sanctioned activity, having the outlets be shut off when not needed for an approved activity and imposing a dusk to dawn curfew on the market square.
He also suggested the town look at implementing some kind of timed usage on the public wi-fi available in the area in order to not interrupt service to tourists who might need use it for short-term use, but dissuade individuals from loitering solely for internet access. While council did not comment on any particular item brought forward in Krienke-Turvey's letter, they did agree that the ongoing nature of complaints relating to the square requires an additional response. “I would really like to see some sort of report come forward, mainly because this is not the first letter we've received regarding the issues around Rainy Lake Square,” said coun.
Wendy Brunetta. “You know, as a community, we put a lot of tax dollars towards making it a beautiful place and it's really unfortunate that there have been some negative consequences around that.” Fort Frances mayor Andrew Hallikas echoed Brunetta's statement and asked administration to return to the chamber with a report detailing some additional steps the town could take to help address the situation.
Council also received correspondence from Grand Council Treaty #3 regarding its declaration of a nation-wide mental health and addictions state of emergency. “This crucial declaration comes as a response to the escalating mental health crises and the profound impacts of addiction within the Treaty #3 communities,” the letter reads. “This crisis situation stems in part from the failures of Canada, Ontario and Manitoba, to fulfill their mutual aid responsibilities under Treaty #3 to ensure the health and well-being of the Anishinaabe Nation of Treaty #3.
The Treaty #3 Nation has witnessed a distressing increase in suicides and other mental health challenges over recent years, necessitating urgent and collective action. The declaration mandates a unified and holistic approach across all Treaty #3 communities to enhance resilience and improve mental health services, including crisis intervention and comprehensive community support, and seeking the resources required to support these efforts.” Council recommended administration bring back a resolution in support of Grand Council Treaty #3, with coun.
Mandi Olson suggesting the letter be forwarded to Northwestern Health Unit Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kit Young Hoon in order to keep her and her team apprised of the situation as well. Council members also received a letter of correspondence from a group called The Voice of Northern Business, a collective of Chambers of Commerce from Sudbury, Sault Ste.
Marie, Thunder Bay, Timmins and North Bay. The letter from the group calls on the Ontario government to better recognize the needs of northern Ontario communities by implementing a “set-aside” within the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (ONIP). “As the Government of Ontario has full authority to set the parameters and allocations for the OINP, we are requesting 3,000 nominations, annually, be specifically set aside for immigrants coming to Northern Ontario to fill labour shortages,” the letter reads.
“These 3,000 immigrants would help our communities maintain their current standard of living. Meaning there would be enough people to support vital services in our communities, pay taxes, and keep businesses open.” The letter states that currently northern Ontario is receiving between one and three percent of all allocations through ONIP, which amounts to approximately 100-200 nominees per year for the past 14 years.
ONIP has 21,500 total spots to allocate for 2024, which it says is up from 9,000 spots three years ago. In a table attached to the letter, the group plotted out where these 3,000 spots would be distributed throughout the north, proposing allocating 79 spots to the Rainy River District. The group also notes the set-aside would work alongside existing immigration programs like the federal Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, as well as future versions of it, along with identifying in-need occupations specifically for northern Ontario communities to help address “our unique labour shortages.
” Brunetta offered some clarification on the letter, noting that originally the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) had discussed the issue, but felt it eventually didn't seem appropriate the association handle the item, at which point she said it went through the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, who then also said it would be outside their purview. Brunetta said she felt adding the town's voice to the issue through a motion of support would help to draw more attention to the issue, for the benefit of communities in the north of the province. The Fort Frances Times / Local Journalism Initiative.
