Owen Sound Sun Times

While the unemployment rate for the region that includes Grey and Bruce counties increased from 3.6 per cent in July to 3.9 per cent in August, it remained the lowest among economic regions in Ontario. Between July and August, the labour force in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula economic region decreased by 1,500, while unemployment increased by […]

Grey-Bruce home sales were down in August as supply remained tight, while prices stayed high in the region. Home sales totaled 325 units in August 2021, a decline of close to 19 per cent from August 2020. Sales for the month were just over five per cent below the five-year average and 1.6 per cent […]

Deputy-mayor Brian O’Leary withdrew his motion to request a staff report on how Owen Sound could roll out a paid parking system for non-residents at certain parks and facilities after city officials discovered council had passed a similar directive nine months earlier. “When I did this notice of motion at the last meeting, I had […]

Though Grey-Bruce’s COVID-19 case count grew by seven Monday, overall the area continues to limit the spread of the pandemic virus, the medical officer of health said Monday. Four new cases had been high-risk contacts of people the health unit was following and the other three weren’t high-risk contacts of known cases, Dr. Ian Arra […]

Two local people hit the lottery jackpot, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation announced late last week. Winston Hawkins, of Flesherton, won $100,000 by matching six of seven Encore numbers in the May 7 Lotto Max draw. He brought the winning ticket at the Bargain Centre in Markdale. Owen Sound resident Leslie Macleod won $100,000 […]

The Nature Conservancy of Canada says it has finalized the purchase of 160 hectares of forest and wetland near Lion’s Head. Called the Britain Lake Wetland and Woodlands property, the new conservation area in Northern Bruce Peninsula connects adjacent protected areas to form a “conservation corridor,” between Britain and Otter lakes, the national not-for-profit land […]

Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported over the weekend in Grey-Bruce. Both were reported Saturday, with one from Southgate and one from Arran-Elderslie. No new cases were reported Sunday. There are now 20 known active cases of the virus and 95 active high-risk contacts in the twin counties, according to the Grey Bruce Health […]

Owen Sound’s Victoria Park wasn’t filled with the sounds of midway rides and games or roars of the demolition derby as is normally the case on the second Saturday of September. But the Owen Sound Agricultural Society still held a few events, including an antique tractor pull and regional 4-H shows, that are traditionally part […]

Drew MacKinnon was at high school on Sept. 11, 2001, when a pair of hijacked commercial airliners crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City. Like most people who were alive on that fateful day, he can recall where he was and what he was doing when he heard […]

The number of high-risk COVID contacts spiked by nearly 50 people in the Grey Bruce Health Unit’s daily COVID-19 update Friday, though just two new confirmed cases were reported. The health unit reported two more COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the number of active cases in both counties to 20. The latest confirmed cases were from […]

In the aftermath of what he calls the worst storm to hit Saugeen Shores in decades, fire Chief Phil Eagleson says the sounds of roaring chainsaws and gas-powered generators filled the air in pretty much every corner of the town. “It was eerie because there were no streetlights on,” he said Friday, three days after […]

Tuesday’s severe storm produced an EF-2 tornado that reached 1.3 kilometres in width and created a 19-km path near Lucknow as well as downbursts that caused destruction in both Port Elgin and Southampton. Those are among the findings of Western University’s Northern Tornadoes Project, which sent two teams of investigators to Huron and Bruce counties […]

This is no bull. Chesley’s Big Bruce has outperformed a mammoth cheese, enormous golf bag, giant thimble and even Sudbury’s famous big nickel to be crowned the winner of TVO’s Great Ontario Roadside Attraction Showdown. “We’re pretty happy here in Arran-Elderslie,” Mayor Steve Hammell said Friday. “We became aware of it early in the competition […]

Twelve non-fatal drug overdose reports since Sept. 1 caused the Grey Bruce Health Unit to sound the latest alarm about the damage drugs are doing in Grey-Bruce. Five of the overdoses were in Owen Sound and the others were in Meaford, Southgate, Hanover, Kincardine and South Bruce, said Katie Cuillerier, who recently became manager of […]

SweetWater Music Festival returns for four days starting Sept. 16, with music concerts outdoors, indoors and online. Internationally acclaimed Canadian musicians will perform classical, jazz and contemporary music. There will be mainstage concerts, a special celebration concert and noontime community concerts. “After the great response to our outdoor concerts during SweetWater Surreal in 2020, we obviously wanted […]

More than 150 people took part in a climate march in downtown Owen Sound as part of a national day of action supported by the climate advocacy organization 350.org. The “Canada on Fire” campaign seeks to put politicians’ feet to the fire and advocates for immediate action and policies to ensure existing climate targets are […]

Grey County has officially put an indefinite hold on its project to build a new 128-bed Grey Gables in Markdale. County council approved Thursday the minutes of its Aug. 26 special committee of the whole meeting, which formally confirms a motion – passed in a 50-40 recorded vote during that session – to pause the […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported two new COVID-19 cases Thursday. Both of the newest infections were found in Owen Sound. The health unit’s situation report said there are now 19 active and confirmed cases in the region as well as 30 associated high-risk contacts. Three people with COVID-19 are at a local hospital, while […]

Some call him loud. Others say he’s a good motivator. He’ll tell you he’s a players coach. People want to know all about the Owen Sound Attack’s new head coach, and how he plans to turn the team back into an OHL championship contender. “People always ask me what kind of coach I am, well […]

The Owen Sound North Stars junior B club continues their tour through Grey and Bruce counties with a four-team tournament in Wiarton Saturday. The lacrosse event was originally scheduled to be played outdoors at Cape Croker, but the Chippewas of Nawash have extended their state of emergency amid the COVID-19 pandemic to Sept. 30 resulting […]

South Bruce Peninsula now has all the policies in place to launch a program to licence and regulate short-term rentals in the town. Mayor Janice Jackson said the plan is to begin the program Jan. 1, which is also when the town intends to introduce a new four per cent tax for all short-term accommodations. […]

Ontario will do everything possible to keep kids in class throughout the school year, Education Minister Stephen Lecce says. As students at the last major school boards head back to class Thursday, the minister said the province’s top public health doctor believes the improvements in ventilation and other public health measures will ensure schools stay […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported five new COVID-19 cases Wednesday. The newest infections were found in Chatsworth (2), Northern Bruce Peninsula, Saugeen Shores and Owen Sound. The health unit’s situation report notes there are now 18 active and confirmed cases in the region as well as 32 associated high-risk contacts. Three people with COVID-19 […]

Tornado damage survey teams were investigating in western Bruce County Wednesday as cleanup efforts continued in the region following a severe summer storm that blew into Grey-Bruce, toppling and uprooting trees, damaging structures and facilities and knocking out power to thousands. “This was probably a Top 5 event for me in Ontario. I think if […]

The candidates running in the federal riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound wanted to ensure rural voters will pick them as their choice to “fight for farmers” on Tuesday night. The Grey and Bruce federations of agriculture held a virtual all-candidates meeting featuring five of the six confirmed candidates running in the riding. Conservative Alex Ruff, who […]

The Grey Bruce OPP is asking people to stay away from a closed section of Bruce Road 13 north of Southampton while crews clear trees and hydro lines downed in a severe storm Tuesday afternoon. Bruce Road 13 is closed between Pashwood Drive and Eckford Avenue, the OPP said in a news release Wednesday morning. […]

Organizers agree the Denis Bester Memorial Shootout enjoyed a successful second season, running in tandem during the Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular. The shootout, which has existed among friends for years, became an official fundraiser in 2020 and raised $20,000 for local charities. The final tally for 2021 is still being added up, but according to […]

The South Bruce OPP are investigating a fatal ATV crash that happened in the early morning hours of Labour Day. Police were called to the scene of a serious crash at 3:46 a.m., along Sideroad 5A in Culross Township near Teeswater. The lone rider was taken to hospital and pronounced dead. South Bruce Rescue – […]

Emergency officials were asking people in Saugeen Shores to stay in their homes after a severe storm hit the area late Tuesday afternoon. “Saugeen Shores has experienced a significant weather event resulting in widespread damage to trees and hydro lines,” the Saugeen Shores Police Service said in a news advisory issues shortly after 5 p.m. […]

Owen Sound will receive comments until Sept. 17 on its plan to sell off the city’s municipal airport. The commenting deadline is contained in an official public notice, posted Friday by city hall, of council’s intention to consider declaring surplus and disposing of the Owen Sound Billy Bishop Regional Airport on Highway 26. The notice […]

No new COVID-19 infections were reported in Grey-Bruce Tuesday. The Grey Bruce Health Unit’s situation report noted there were 15 confirmed active cases in the region, five of which are in The Blue Mountains. The health unit is also tracking 16 high-risk close contacts associated with the active cases. Dr. Ian Arra, Grey-Bruce’s medical officer […]

Alison Horner Wright found out Monday evening the bus her two school-aged sons are to take to and from school would not be running on the first day back to class due to a driver shortage. The Owen Sound mother, who works as a bookkeeper for a local restaurant franchise, had to scramble to rearrange […]

The province’s Special Investigations Unit has cleared an Ontario Provincial Police officer in the shooting death of a 29-year-old Collingwood man. The shooting occurred during an armed standoff between the man and police on Sept. 9, 2020. SIU director Joseph Martino found during the investigation no reasonable grounds to believe that an OPP officer committed […]

Hanover’s James Woodbridge is $75,000 richer thanks to winning the top prize in Instant Tetris. The winning OLG ticket was purchased at the Circle K on 10th Street in Hanover. The Instant Tetris game sold for $3 with a top-prize of $75,000 available. Odds of winning any prize in the game were 1 in 3.47. […]

A year-and-a-half after the Owen Sound Attack and Barrie Colts played for the last time pre-pandemic, on March 11, 2020, the two teams were back on the ice Monday to kick off the preseason. The Colts thrilled their 700-odd hometown fans inside Sadlon Arena with a 4-2 win in the Highway 26 reunion. The old […]

The Owen Sound Selects earned gold at the de facto under-23 national championship this past weekend in Saskatoon. The Selects topped Newfoundland 8-1 in the final to win the tournament. With the cancellation of Softball Canada’s national championships in 2021, the Rawlings Grand Slam national fast-pitch tournament represented the only opportunity for the top under-23 […]

Two more cases of COVID-19 were reported Monday by the Grey Bruce Health Unit. The confirmed cases were found in Meaford and Kincardine, bringing the total cases recorded since the start of the pandemic in Grey-Bruce to 2,265. The health unit is following 16 active cases and 16 high risk contacts. Three people are in […]

A smaller, pandemic-sized gathering Sunday rather than a giant parade marked the importance of labour on the Labour Day long weekend in downtown Owen Sound. All labour was celebrated in remarks by members of the Grey Bruce Labour Council, and by those who’ve benefitted from organized labour. About 20 people attended, including the local federal […]

The health unit reported four confirmed, new cases of COVID-19 in Grey-Bruce Sunday — two in Blue Mountains and one each in Owen Sound and Kincardine. There are now 17 active cases and 15 high-risk contacts being managed by the Grey Bruce Health Unit. Grey-Bruce has had 2,263 confirmed cases of the pandemic virus, 2,220 […]

Scott Graham hung on to win the Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular fishing derby with the top salmon. The retired Canada Post worker caught his 24.29-pounder in Thompson’s Hole, on a Stairway to Heaven old Lyman lure. He caught it August 28, the second day of the derby. “It’s awesome,” he said after the weigh station […]

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission staff are satisfied a pressure tube integrity concern discovered in two Bruce Power reactors “does not pose an unreasonable risk” to continued operation of currently operating units. Nuclear regulator staff offered that view during a technical presentation in a webcast public meeting Friday in which Bruce Power officials concurred with regulator […]

Owen Sound police, with help from other Grey-Bruce police services, checked about 700 drivers for sobriety in the city Saturday night and laid no charges for impaired driving. Eight roadside screening device checks were completed at police checks throughout the city Saturday night. The blitz was conducted with the help of officers from South Bruce […]

South Bruce OPP have identified the person who died in a motorcycle collision Aug. 24 on Highway 21 in Kincardine. South Bruce OPP said Sharon Tisor, 55, of Centre Wellington died after a collision between a motorcycle and a pickup truck. She was a passenger on the motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle was flown […]

A motorcyclist was taken to a London-area hospital with life-threatening injuries after a collision involving a motorcycle and a car about 12:45 p.m. Saturday. By 3:30 p.m., police were still investigating at the scene of the crash. Berford Street remained closed between William Street and Jenny Street. Motorists were able to detour around this incident […]

Two reports Saturday morning of election signs being moved or taken prompted city police to remind people that doing so can lead to criminal charges. “The Owen Sound Police Service continues to receive reports of election signs within the city being damaged, tampered with or stolen,” Sgt. Tom Sullivan said in a news release Saturday. […]

Saturday the health unit reported two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Grey-Bruce. Both cases were in Blue Mountains. New cases were current as of midnight Friday. There are now 13 active cases of the pandemic virus and 29 high-risk contacts in Grey-Bruce. In total there have been 2,258 cases of COVID confirmed in Grey-Bruce. […]

Training camp 2021 is in the books for the Owen Sound Attack. The annual Red and White game brought the week-long camp to a close Friday afternoon, and with it the beginning of the preseason. The Attack will head to Barrie Monday for their first preseason tilt against the Colts, puck drop is scheduled for […]

A car hit Walkerton’s main natural gas line Thursday, prompting a short-lived evacuation of residents, Brockton Mayor Chris Peabody said Friday. “About 2:30 yesterday a car up in our East Ridge Business Park struck the main gas line going into town,” Peabody said by phone. He understands the driver wasn’t injured. It remains unclear how […]

Dan Little will not be on the ballot as the Libertarian Party of Canada candidate in Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound. The Owen Sound resident had announced his plans to run under the party’s banner locally for a second time for the Sept. 20 federal election, but didn’t end up filing a nomination package with Elections Canada before […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported two new cases of COVID-19 Friday, one each in Kincardine and The Blue Mountains. There are now 18 active and confirmed infections in the region as well as 34 associated high-risk contacts being followed by the health unit. Three local COVID-19 patients are being treated at a hospital in […]