Shore Report
January 2025
A Bald Eagle on the hunt. © John Degen 2025
Happy New Year! We started Shore Report last September, mostly just to answer the question “what if…?” What if we created a newsletter dedicated to monitoring council meetings, discussion, decisions, and the effects of all those things on Lake Huron’s north shore communities? Would anyone read it? Would people subscribe?
Well, the answers to those last two questions are yes, and yes! From the very first issue, Shore Report found hundreds of interested readers in the community. And that’s without significant promotion or advertising. Word-of-mouth and social media seem to be doing the job, letting local folks know there’s someone watching over their local interests, and working to keep them informed.
Perhaps not surprising, the October special report about radioactive transport planned by the province attracted the most readers, and landed us a bunch of new subscriptions. That story is not over, of course, and Shore Report continues to follow it. There’s an update in this very issue, in fact, and we expect to hear more on this from the province in coming months. Thanks to local coverage here, and in newspapers out of the Soo and Sudbury, there’s no chance the province can slip that transport by our communities now. They have some explaining to do.
Thank you for reading Shore Report. Do us a favour and keep spreading the word about us. Send our stories and issues to family and friends, whether they live on the North Shore or not. Load our work onto your social media. Coverage of local issues often brings national issues into better focus as well.
Shore Report acknowledges the North Shore of Lake Huron is the traditional land of the Anishinabek and the Métis Nation. This is Treaty 61 (Robinson-Huron) territory. Anishinabek have lived in the Great Lakes region for thousands of years. Shore Report is very grateful to live and work here.
All written content in this issue is © Shore Report 2025
Support Grows for Halting Radioactive Transport
Sables-Spanish River Council speaks out forcefully against provincial plan
Councillor Harold Crabs and Mayor Kevin Burke express local concern.
At the December 11 meeting of Sables-Spanish River Council, Mayor Kevin Burke shed a bit more light on the controversial provincial plan to ship approximately 34,000 tonnes of radioactive niobium mine tailings over 150 kilometers from Nipissing First Nation to the Agnew Lake Tailings Management Area (ALTMA) north of Nairn Centre.
Shore Report detailed the controversy in a November special report. While early news of the plan indicated the shipments would be NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material) only, that does not seem to be the case.
A Request for Support for a resolution from the Township of Nairn & Hyman came to the Sables-Spanish meeting, sparking some heated talk. Nairn’s resolution calls for a complete halt to the tailings project.
“It isn’t just naturally occurring radioactive material, as we’ve learned,” said Mayor Burke, opening discussion at Council. Councillor Harold Crabs then explained “we were told originally it was going to be tailings [waste product after the target ores have been processed out]… but a lot of this, they never did send it away for processing, so it has all of its uranium, all of its components are still in there.”
Shore Report’s October special edition.
Unexplained road upgrades to the Agnew Lake site raised local concern, and it was eventually revealed the transport plans were made at the provincial ministry level without consulting affected communities along the highway. A Special Town Hall Meeting of two local towns in September revealed the surprising news that the radiation cover at the ALTMA site had significantly degraded over time, and there are now radiation hotspots breaking through. Materials from a defunct niobium ore processing facility from the 1950s near Nipissing First Nation, long in need of provincial attention and clean-up, were set to act as a new cover.
“They’re going to cap it with material that’s worse than what the hotspot is,” continued Councillor Crabs.
“It’s been nothing but smoke and mirrors,” complained Mayor Burke, referring to the slow-drip revelations about the provincial plan. “So, we have to be behind this [resolution].”
And with that the vote was called and the resolution quickly carried.
Shore Report will continue to watch this story.
Little Current; Little Speeding
Report finds drivers in Manitoulin town not in any particular hurry
Radar speed data collectors in Little Current.
A 2024 traffic survey by Sudbury-based Tranplan Associates, using radar data from three streets in Little Current, found average speeds well below the posted 40 km/hr; and even the regular speeders in town don’t get 10 km/hr above the limit.
“In the case of Blake Street East,” writes Toivo Rukholm, one of Tranplan’s chief engineers, “the 85th percentile speeds are 40 km/hr eastbound and 43 km/hr westbound. Compared to residential streets in communities across Ontario these are exceptionally good readings in terms of adhering to the 40 km/hr speed limit.”
According to Rukholm, data at the 85th percentile is important because “it indicates that 85% of the motorists drive at or slower than the recorded speed, with a fringe 15% driving faster.” The average speed — so at the 50th percentile — for Blake Street East came in the range of 27 to 33 km/hr.
Various potential traffic-calming measures such at temporary bollards, speed bumps, mini-roundabouts and decorative chicanes were provided in the report, but were not strictly recommended, certainly not without resident input.
Little Current residents would be advised to continue to look both ways before crossing the street, but can perhaps worry less while doing so.
Bridge Closure Sparks Emergency Response Fears
Dean Lake Road bridge closed for undetermined time period
Original 1908 marker on the Dean Lake Road bridge. © John Degen 2025
The Municipality of Huron Shores has closed Dean Lake Road bridge spanning the Mississagi River, after receiving expert advice indicating it represents a danger to users. Approximately 130 permanent residents in the Dean Lake area are immediately affected by the closure, which comes with no timeline for repairing and re-opening the important crossing.
Kresin Engineering, a Sault Ste. Marie based firm contracted to assess the condition of the bridge, returned a damning report to Huron Shores CAO and Clerk Natashia Roberts. Kresin’s review, delivered January 8, 2025, was based on a load evaluation report completed as far back as 2020, several more recent inspection reports, and a concrete and steel assessment from last year. Based on those historic reports, Kresin recommended an immediate closure followed by a detailed assessment and repair plan.
Information on the closure and bridge rehabilitation will be shared at a January 15 Huron Shores Council meeting in Iron Bridge. Concerned citizens can attend the meeting in person at the Iron Bridge Lions Hall (10 Clarissa Street), or online if they register for Zoom access.
Meanwhile, news of the bridge closure sparked concerned discussion on the Huron Shores Community Bulletin Board on Facebook. A backroad detour exists for getting local residents out to Hwy 17 at Iron Bridge, but it is slower and narrower, and adds considerable time to the journey. Folks on Facebook familiar with the area expressed worries about school buses and emergency vehicle access to the Dean Lake area, especially after a heavy snowfall.
“Usual run home from Iron Bridge is 20 mins,” commented one resident. “Took 50 today with dry road conditions.”
image © John Degen 2025
The Dean Lake Road bridge was originally opened in 1908, and has been repaired or rehabilitated several times before; in 1963 for deck replacement, in 1988/89 after an earlier Kresin Engineering inspection found the entire structure to be in poor condition, again in 2004 for deck repairs, and then again in 2007/08 for another complete deck replacement.
The need for further repairs will not come as a surprise to watchful residents, as a 2023 public information session was held by Huron Shores Council, and a report on the bridge’s deterioration delivered. At that time, it was recommended only to limit traffic to light passenger vehicles and impose a height restriction. The information session included a call to action for letter-writing to federal and provincial officials.
Shore Report will continue to follow this story.
Waste Facility Future Uncertain
Blind River faces a million-dollar budget hole for landfill expansion
image © John Degen 2025
A public information session in early December delivered some disturbing news to Blind River residents concerning the local landfill at 1182 Highway 17. According to a report from Director of Public Services, Chris Zagar, the current town landfill facility is “nearing its capacity” and must be expanded at an estimated cost to the town of just over $2 million.
Complicating matters, Blind River has been able to put aside less than half that amount in anticipation of this problem, leaving “a significant shortfall of $1,050,000.” Originally expected to reach capacity in 2024, an interim expansion initiative for the dump pushes that date to 2027, giving the town an extra 2+ years to raise the money needed for a longer-term capacity solution.
Zagar presented the town with three options for payment over the time left, each of which requires an increase to the tax levy on residents. The report’s recommendation is for the lowest possible levy increase of 2.05% this year, with a mix of greater budgeting contribution and a dip into the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWMO) Community Well-Being Reserve Fund. NWMO funds are earmarked to “recognize community leadership in advancing Canada’s plan for the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel.” Municipal waste management strategic planning is a viable target for NWMO money, and is not tied directly to the storage of nuclear fuel waste.
Image courtesy Tom Tom Earthstar Graphics, 2024
The capacity report was delivered by Town Treasurer Susan Dent as part of an explanation of increased user fees for many Blind River services. Landfill user fees are set to be increased across the board with new fees introduced for clean excess soils (non-resident), iron sludge disposal, and any asbestos-containing material. Excess revenue from these increases is intended to go to the landfill expansion project.
As far as other service or program user fees go, for the time being any increases apply equally to all users, though Blind River may look into a tiered system charging town residents (and therefore taxpayers) a smaller fee than non-residents.
Garden River First Nation Seeks to Upgrade Highway 17
Request for Proposal issued for section of provincial highway
Image from the GRFN request for proposal, showing scope of project.
Late December saw Garden River First Nation Director of Capital, Andrew Mallette, issue a Request for Proposal concerning significant repair and rehabilitation on the section of Highway 17A that runs through the community. The section, between the Highway 17A/17B/Trunk Road Intersection to 0.7 km west of Ontario Highway 638, is a significant approach artery for Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding area.
According to the RFP, planned work includes “rehabilitation of the Highway 17 pavement structure, remediation of 33 Pavement Distress Areas (PDA), replacement of 26 culverts, electrical upgrades, new overhead signs, and the removal of invasive Phragmites along the highway corridor.”
The MERX website listing Canadian jobs out to tender indicates a bid deadline of January 30, 2025, and questions about the project will not be accepted after January 23.
Town’s Elected Leaders Volunteer for Salary Freeze
Espanola Council Declines Recommended Increase
A staff finance report delivered to Espanola Town Council in December recommended a 2.5% cost of living increase for non-union workers on the town’s payroll, and an equal increase for the town’s Councillors as well. Voting on the report at their December 10, 2024, meeting, Council unanimously passed the worker increase, but declined an increase for itself.
The estimated cost for the total increases was set at $84,000. With the decline of Council increases that should put the town’s budget ahead of projection as it enters 2025; a small but meaningful nod to the ongoing affordability crisis.
Councillors cast their vote at December meeting.
Electronic Voting Leads Democratic Engagement
Sudbury Approves a Variety of Voting Methods for 2026
Sudbury City Solicitor and Clerk, Eric Labelle, reports on preferred voting methods. Image courtesy Council of the City of Greater Sudbury.
Fully 75% of the ballots counted during Sudbury’s 2022 municipal and school board elections were cast through online voting, and 53% of those occurred during the advance voting period. According to City Solicitor and Clerk, Eric Labelle, those numbers indicate a clear preference among voters for electronic ballots, but does not rule out the need for a variety of secure voting options, at least for now.
In a presentation and Q&A with Greater Sudbury City Council at its December 10, 2024, meeting, Labelle stressed the accessibility advantages of online voting, especially for voters with disabilities. He also noted that having multiple opportunities and methods reduces the risk from any sort of disruption to any one method, such as a power outage at a polling station.
During Q&A, Ward 9 Councillor, Deb McIntosh queried whether other municipalities in the province are moving to electronic-only voting, given the numbers showing fewer and fewer paper ballots cast. That does not seem to be the case.
Councillor McIntosh with a question. Image courtesy Council of the City of Greater Sudbury.
Referencing online slowdowns and access problems that plagued electronic-only voting in 2018, Labelle noted that offering a number of different ways of voting increases confidence in the system. He also assured Council that IT issues are now better anticipated and addressed.
“What we’ve seen since 2018” said Labelle, “is a move to keeping electronic but also adding other… whether that be vote by mail, paper ballot, or vote by phone.”
At the conclusion of the Q&A, Council unanimously approved a resolution to provide online voting and a variety of other voting opportunities for the 2026 municipal and school board elections.
Responsible Dog Ownership Up for Revision
Are dogs running amok on St. Joseph Island?
Shore Report’s puppy, Samwich, would like answers about St. Joseph’s new dog bylaw. © John Degen 2025
A revised draft of the local dog ownership by-law was brought to St. Joseph Township Council at its December 4, 2024, meeting. Minutes of the meeting do not indicate any pressing reasons for a revision to the by-law. The current by-law contains comprehensive guidelines and guardrails for responsible dog ownership, and spells out the licensing requirements adhering to pet owners in the community. The bylaw also references the provincial ban on pit bulls and similar dogs.
Leashing, kenneling, tagging, and humane and responsible containment of pet dogs are all addressed. Dogs are prohibited from “running at large,” and must be inoculated against rabies to be licensed by the Township. Any damage loose dogs may visit upon property, livestock, or people is the responsibility of the owner, and authorities have the right to impound dogs contravening the by-law. Fines listed in the by-law run between $300 and $5000.
The meeting minutes state “staff reviewed the revised draft of this by-law, revisions to be made and brought back for further review prior to passing.” Shore Report attempted to contact St. Joseph Council regarding the reasons for a bylaw change, but has so far received no response.
Town Councillor Pushes Back on “Pseudo-Science”
Citizen presentation questioning the safety of water fluoridation to be sent to APH
Blind River Councillor Jennifer Posteraro, bottom right, expresses concern about the fluoridation presentation. Image courtesy Blind River Town Council.
In a contested recorded vote at the December 9 meeting of Blind River Town Council, a request to pass a citizen presentation to Algoma Public Health passed by a 4-2 margin. Councillor Jennifer Posteraro was one of two voting against the request, and was outspoken in her concern that the presentation may represent “pseudo-science reaching our table.” Posteraro’s initial question “who has vetted the science of this report?” went unanswered, with Mayor Sally Hagman suggesting that APH might determine if the science of the report was sound.
The presentation is entitled Water Flouridation Effects on the Immune Compromised & Unborn/Very Young and was authored by Monica Nikopoulos, who lists herself as a Registered Orthomolecular Holistic Health and Cancer Practitioner.
Ms. Nikopoulos appears to practice out of Hamilton Ontario and host a website called
“Holistic Health and Cancer Care.” The site features free information on “Pink Himalayan Salt Benefits,” “Daily Vitamin C and Bowel Tolerance,” and “Pfizer Covid 19 Vaccine Side Effects,” among other subjects. Her expertise on the science of water fluoridation is unclear.
Nikopoulos’s presentation makes claims, without connected citations, that “updated, unbiased, scientifically proven evidence shows that the risks of added fluoride outrank the ideology of ‘prevents less cavities’” and “recent data shows zero dental benefits from fluoridated water.” These claims contradict Health Canada’s Expert panel meeting on the health effects of fluoride in drinking water: Summary report from January 2024, which concluded:
“…the panel agreed that the informed default approach [to flouridation] is appropriate, considering the two sources: drinking water (including beverages and food prepared using drinking water) and dental products.”
Health Canada’s expert panel included representatives from Harvard University School of Public Health, the World Health Organization, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
With passage of the request, Blind River will presumably pass Ms. Nikopoulos’s presentation to Algoma Public Health for comment. Shore Report will follow up on any response from APH.