Owen Sound Sun Times

Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker announced Friday evening that he will not run in the upcoming provincial election. A letter announcing his decision is below. … To the people of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, Today, having dedicated the past 10 years of my life to be the MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound and with mixed emotions, I am […]

As the pandemic wanes, people need some help to change their risk perception of the virus after nearly two years of vigilance, Dr. Ian Arra said Friday. While it’s not yet time to let our guard down, we’re getting closer, he said. And the health unit’s daily situation report reflects this, by better showing the […]

Rising housing costs and general price increases are leaving less money for food, causing more people to rely on community food programs, said Paul Wagenaar, the United Way’s food security co-ordinator. Stigma against people who use these services must be broken and more affordable and safe housing is needed, he told Grey County councillors in […]

South Bruce OPP is investigating a fatal fire in Teeswater discovered early Friday morning. The fire was reported at 4:38 a.m. at a residence on Clinton Street. One person found inside the residence was taken to hospital and pronounced dead, police said in a news release. Police are withholding the person’s identity until next of […]

Anticipating Family Day gatherings this long weekend, the Grey-Bruce medical officer of health is asking people not to let their guard down just yet. Dr. Ian Arra noted the provincial government’s accelerated easing of public health precautions took effect Thursday and people are “itching to gather this weekend and get back to normal.” In a […]

Meaford may swerve away from plans proposed late last year to expand paid parking in the municipality for tourists and non-residents. Council planned to expand its paid parking program this year to David Johnston Park and the harbour after a pilot program last summer at Memorial Park generated just over $15,000. However, at Monday’s committee […]

To limit visits to hospital emergency rooms to health emergencies, certain groups of people who either have COVID-19 or think they do — but it’s not an emergency — now have an alternative to get assessed by a doctor. Grey Bruce Health Services has been asked by Ontario Health to expand its Owen Sound COVID-19 […]

Meaford councillors approved municipal budgets for 2022 in a unanimous vote at its meeting Monday. The municipal increase is 4.9 per cent increase amounting to $133 for the average residential property in the municipality this year. That’s based on an average assessment of $274,391. The estimated blended rate increase including county and school board rates […]

West Grey council on Tuesday accepted an offer from Owen Sound’s mayor to provide a policing cost estimate for the municipality. West Grey council in a split vote decided to seek an OPP costing in December too. Council is to receive an OPP costing timeline update on March 15, said Coun. Rebecca Hergert, who moved […]

South Bruce Peninsula intends to remove a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) exemption from the municipally owned Bluewater Park Campground and begin charging the four per cent tax on transient bookings at the campground this year. The move will formalize a function already in place in South Bruce Peninsula as town staff have been redirecting four […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit said Wednesday its daily situation reports will soon be modified to “further reflect changes earlier this year to testing protocols as well as the status of the pandemic locally”. “Communicating the positive trends at this stage of transitioning from pandemic to endemic phase is an important part of managing risk […]

South Bruce Peninsula is waiving meeting room rental fees allowing Hepworth-Shallow Lake Royal Canadian Legion members to hold monthly meetings at town facilities for free. At the town’s Feb. 15 meeting of council, a motion was carried to waive usual meeting room rental rates with the understanding it would result in reduced municipal revenue in […]

It’s tough to look on the bright side when you’re Attack assistant coach Joey Hishon and your team just listlessly lost its fifth-straight game to a shorthanded Barrie Colts club. The Colts entered the Bayshore Tuesday night riding a seven-game losing streak with two of their top players serving long-term suspensions and several others out […]

Grey-Bruce’s medical officer of health says the region is in a “good position” to join the province in easing restrictions implemented to slow the Omicron surge. But Dr. Ian Arra said it is still important to remain vigilant and follow the health measures that are in place, including masking and physical distancing. “We are most […]

A developer who’s seeking to build 829 housing units on land across from Georgian College told city council Monday he’ll make housing there “as economical as possible” but he’s never seen construction costs soar like they continue to do. Shakir Rehmatullah, president of Flato Developments, made the comments in response to affordability concerns raised by […]

Two drivers died in a two-vehicle crash Sunday night on Bruce County Road 19 in the former Brant Township, a South Bruce OPP said in a news release Tuesday. Police did not identify the victims. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Police received a report of the two-vehicle collision at 10:33 p.m. in Brockton […]

City buses will move to one-hour service from half-hour service this summer as a pilot project to save money. The city’s transit system is responsible for about half of this year’s $836,000 budget levy increase over last year, council was told Monday night. Council is grappling with how to make the system more affordable. A […]

After school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic put a dent in the number of students who received in-school oral health screenings, the local program is back on track again. So far this school year the Grey Bruce Health Unit’s dental hygienists have screened almost 3,500 students in area schools, more than 2,000 more than […]

Preparations are underway to turn Sauble Speedway into a snowcross track for when the sport’s national racing circuit makes a stop there this weekend. The speedway will be the site of the Canadian Snowcross Racing Association’s Royal Distributing Cup event from Saturday to Monday, the first time in more than a decade that the area […]

Owen Sound council approved its 2022 budget Monday night and the average residential taxpayer will pay about $103 more than last year. A residential property with a 2016 assessment of $235,000 would see a total tax bill of $4,256, up from $4,153 last year. That includes city, county, and education taxes. The vote wasn’t unanimous. […]

The number of local people hospitalized due to COVID-19 has dropped to single digits. The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported on Monday that there are nine active local cases hospitalized with the virus – down from 10 on Sunday — including seven hospitalized within Grey-Bruce and two outside the region. There remained five COVID-19 outbreaks […]

February 24, 2022

A person was taken into custody after a reported threat made toward a school in Walkerton on Monday morning. Just before 9 a.m., South Bruce OPP received a report of a threat made towards an unspecified school in Walkerton, according to a police news release. Police took an individual into custody and there is no […]

Team Howard is heading back to the Brier. Skip Scott Howard stole points in the ninth and 10th ends to beat Leaside Curling Club representative John Epping 5-3 and win the Port Elgin ’22 Ontario Tankard Sunday at The Plex. Scott took the Howard rink reins while his father Glenn, dealing with a knee injury, […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported a couple of COVID-19 outbreaks at local retirement homes over the weekend. The health unit announced an outbreak at Central Place Retirement Home in Owen Sound on Sunday, while one was declared at R-Villa Retirement Home in Ripley on Saturday. Outbreaks also continue at Kelso Pines Retirement Home in […]

Camp Presqu’ile, shuttered for the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to welcome campers back this summer. And when it does reopen, there will be a new face leading operations at the camp in Georgian Bluffs. Megan “Scotia” Hutton recently took on the role of camp director. “I am very excited […]

When Cory Fernando learned from friend and co-worker Jason Helm that his liver was failing and a transplant would be required, there were never any second thoughts about what she wanted to do. On Wednesday, Fernando will be at Toronto General Hospital along with Helm where she will donate a portion of her liver to […]

On super Sunday, curling fans will be treated to a showdown of three top Ontario curling rinks vying for a chance to represent the region at the national championship on the final day of the Port Elgin ’22 Ontario Tankard. Team Camm (Navan Curling Club) and Team Epping (Leaside Curling Club) meet first in the […]

If “gettin’ goalie’d” ever makes its way into the dictionary a headshot of Pavel Cajan will grace the page. The 19-year-old Kitchener Rangers goalie made 65 saves Saturday night in Owen Sound backstopping the Blueshirts to a 4-3 overtime win. The Attack’s 68 shots on net in the game set a new OHL season-high, and […]

A convoy of tractors, big rigs and passenger vehicles rolled through central Bruce County on Saturday, where participants called for the end of the government’s COVID-19 mandates. Like in other communities across Canada on Saturday, the local event was held to show support for those calling for the end of the mandates. Alana Lewis of […]

Saturday’s playoff matches are shaping up at the Port Elgin ’22 Ontario Tankard. Team Epping and Team Howard will face-off for the second time at the tankard in a playoff match at the Plex scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m., Saturday. Team Epping beat Team Howard in the A-side final Friday only to have Team […]

The rapid growth experienced in recent years has posed challenges for The Blue Mountains, but the municipality’s mayor said Friday that they are managing it well. Alar Soever said the municipality is in pretty good shape to deal with the growth with the planning and infrastructure already in place to accommodate development there. “We are […]

A COVID-19 outbreak at Rockwood Terrace long-term care home in Durham declared just before Christmas is now over. The Grey Bruce Health Unit declared the outbreak over on Friday. It started on Dec. 23. Three local long-term care and retirement homes remain with COVID-19 outbreaks. They are Kelso Pines in Owen Sound, Maple Court in […]

Planning students will help Grey County staff by preparing what staff dub a “density is not a dirty word” residential development guide as a tool for public education and by surveying “green” development standards. Guelph University rural planning and development master’s students will present their findings in April. The savings to the county by enlisting […]

Grey County council endorsed the creation and mandate of a Mental Health and Addictions Task Force Thursday, and expanded county councillor representation to accommodate more members who wanted to join. The increasing problems seen in Grey County to do with mental health and addiction prompted Chatsworth Mayor Scott Mackey to propose the task force last […]

A group in opposition to TC Energy’s proposed hydroelectric pumped storage facility in Meaford is taking their fight to the frigid waters. The Save the Bay Polar Dip is set for Feb. 27 from 1 to 2 p.m., at Fred Raper Park in Meaford. The Save Georgian Bay team has raised nearly $8,000 of their […]

Georgian Bluffs will move ahead with changes to how customers of its municipal water systems are charged later this year. And with the change come renewed calls by council members to approach Owen Sound about the possibility of extending city water to the users of the small Pottawatomi system on the western edge of the […]

A charge of dangerous operation causing death was withdrawn last month against a woman, who was of Collingwood at the time, concerning an incident at a park in the Thunder Bay area in 2020. Denise Harrison, 30, was charged with driving in a manner that was dangerous to the public, which caused the death of […]

Team Howard and Team Epping will meet in the A-bracket final of the Port Elgin Chrysler ’22 Ontario Tankard when Draw 5 begins Friday morning at The Plex. Both teams went undefeated in their matches Thursday and will now play for a chance to head straight to Saturday’s playoff contests. The loser will slide into […]

Christian Kyrou’s third-period goal capped off a second-straight win for the Erie Otters Thursday night as the Pennsylvania squad was able to outlast the shorthanded Scenic City club. With the 5-3 victory, the Otters have swept the two-game set. The Attack played both games in Erie with the league minimum roster size of 15 skaters […]

The stats are in and the population of Grey-Bruce is growing. On Wednesday, Statistics Canada released the first results from its census conducted last spring, including population growth, and it shows that every municipality in the two counties experienced some growth since 2016. In Bruce County, the fastest growing municipality was Saugeen Shores, which saw […]

Grey County homeowners, on average, will pay $29.30 more in county property tax this year. That represents a 2.88 per cent tax rate increase for homes not on the water, with an average 2016 assessed value to $279,580. The tax increase represents $10.48 per $100,000 assessment. County council unanimously approved the budget without comment. Budget […]

The number of Grey-Bruce residents that have died from COVID-19 now totals 40, after the Grey-Bruce Health Unit reported another death on Thursday. Along with 30 deaths in Grey-Bruce, there has been one death of an area resident who acquired the infection and was treated outside the two counties, while nine residents acquired the infection […]

A Torontonian with strong ties to the Georgian Peaks ski club in Thornbury won Canada’s first alpine medal in nearly a decade at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Jack Crawford’s bronze medal in the men’s alpine combine is the first Canadian medal in an Olympic alpine event in eight years. Crawford, 24, ran the […]

Not wanting to risk 14 days of isolation in Erie, the Owen Sound Attack decided to leave their three European players at home while the team crossed the border for a doubleheader against the Otters. Attack General Manager Dale DeGray said the risk was too much to bear following his team’s game Wednesday, a 7-4 […]

Free rapid COVID-19 tests are going to grocery stores and pharmacies in Ontario. Ontario pledged to ship five million free rapid tests a week for eight weeks to more than 2,300 pharmacies and grocery stores across the province. One free box of five tests per household per visit will be permitted while supplies last. Store […]

The Grey-Bruce real estate market has kicked off 2022 much of the same way it closed out 2021, with high prices, strong demand and record-low supply. Last month, a total of 166 residential units were sold in Grey-Bruce through the MLS system, which was a gain of 10.7 per cent from January 2021 and a […]

Former Owen Sound Attack d-man Damir Sharipzyanov is one of 23 Ontario Hockey League alumni suiting up for their respective countries at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Sharipzyanov and the Russian Olympic Committee topped Switzerland 1-0 in the team’s tournament-opening game Wednesday. The 25-year-old from Nizhnekamsk, Russia, now plays for Avangard Omsk in the KHL. […]

The director of the latest Owen Sound Little Theatre production believes a heart-warming comedy in the middle of a pandemic winter is just what the doctor ordered. And Val Underwood expects there to be plenty of the prescribed laughs when A Red Plaid Shirt opens at the Roxy Theatre next Thursday. “If you can laugh, […]

A shorthanded Owen Sound Attack squad slept in a little too long for a school day. A slow start to the annual school-day game cost the Bayshore Boys as they fell 7-4 to the Otters inside Erie Insurance Arena Wednesday. Over 20 schools were in attendance with enthusiastic students given plenty to scream about as […]