Owen Sound Sun Times

Construction has started on three more projects to bring high-speed broadband to underserved parts of rural Grey-Bruce. The Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) projects in South Bruce Peninsula, West Grey and Meaford, valued at a combined $5.5 million, are expected to make reliable broadband available to 1,200 homes and businesses. Grey County Warden Selwyn Hicks, […]

Bluewater District School Board trustees have expressed concerns over plans to shift to a centralized remote-learning model as a permanent part of the province’s school system in a letter to Ontario’s education minister. No such plan has been formally announced by the provincial government or discussed publicly, but a March 22 Ministry of Education presentation […]

For the second year in a row the fairways of Cobble Beach won’t be sporting some of North America’s most exotic and rare automobiles. The decision has been made to cancel the 2021 Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The event, which grew to become Canada’s most prestigious vintage automotive events […]

Grey County and the M’Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre are vowing to strengthen their relationship and continue working together on ways to improve the quality of life of Indigenous people living off-reserve in the area. County council, meeting recently as a committee of the whole, endorsed a declaration of mutual commitment and friendship with the Owen […]

Meaford and Grey County have lost a well-loved member of the extended family. Grace Lambe (nee Almond), known widely as Grandma Lambe, died Monday at the age of 93. Since 1982, Lambe has served as the matriarch of the popular orchard and fruit stand visited frequently by locals, travellers and tourists alike. With two prominent […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday. Three of the newest cases were reported in The Blue Mountains, two in Huron-Kinloss, two in Southgate, and single cases found in Grey Highlands, Meaford, Northern Bruce Peninsula, Owen Sound, and Saugeen Shores. One case has been referred to Huron-Kinloss from another health […]

Grey-Bruce’s red-hot housing market continued shattering records in March. The average price of homes sold in the two counties hit $646,488 last month, easily topping the previous record-setting high of $613,373 set just one month earlier, according to the latest figures from the Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound (RAGBOS). The value of all […]

The creation of a paid-parking pilot program to be implemented at Meaford parks is one step closer to becoming a reality in 2021. Meaford’s committee of the whole passed a motion Monday that recommends council approve the program for all municipal parking lots located at parks and open spaces within the municipality and enact a […]

A Hanover man has been charged after he was found in a stolen vehicle that was stopped in the traffic lane of a road in Grey Highlands on Friday. Just before 4 p.m., Grey Bruce OPP located a vehicle that was stopped on the 7th Line near Sideroad 16C. Officers spoke with the driver who […]

A Meaford resident continued to drive after the axle broke off a utility trailer that was being towed in the town late Saturday afternoon. The 75-year-old driver was charged with operating an unsafe vehicle following the incident that occurred just before noon. Grey Bruce OPP were dispatched to a traffic complaint about a sport utility […]

A West Grey man faces impaired driving charges after an all-terrain vehicle crash in Grey Highlands over the weekend. Just before 7 p.m. on Saturday, Grey Bruce OPP responded to the single ATV crash on Campbell’s Hill near Lake Eugenia. The driver of the ATV was arrested for impaired driving and a breath test recorded […]

On the same day the provincial government announced schools will remain closed to in-person learning after the spring break, the Grey Bruce Health Unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Notre Dame Catholic School and a suspected outbreak at Queen of Hearts Nursery School, both in Owen Sound. Two additional confirmed COVID-19 cases associated with Notre […]

Work is set to resume this week on South Bruce Peninsula’s $11-million Berford Street “Big Dig” project in downtown Wiarton, following a winter break in construction. Public works director Lara Widdifield said site preparation and temporary water line installation work will take place this week. “The road closure will begin next week, starting with a […]

Appeals, committees, conflict, letters from politicians, digital drama, a somewhat Hollywood-esque last-ditch effort to save a storied local team from the whim an “outsider” owner – the move of the Brampton Excelsiors is threatening to out-entertain the on-the-floor product. The Ontario Lacrosse Association confirmed in a statement Saturday an appeals committee has rescinded the OLA […]

The unemployment rate in the region that includes Grey-Bruce fell half a percentage point in March. The rate for the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region was down to 6.6 per cent last month. The provincial rate also fell to 9.1 per cent, while Canada’s unemployment rate fell to 7.5 per cent, which was a low for […]

Georgian Bluffs council will hold a public meeting early next month to discuss water access at Sutacriti Park. The virtual meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. on May 5 to gather public feedback on a past proposal to close the access point to motorized vehicles. The meeting will be followed by a staff report for […]

Grey County council has voted unanimously to write a letter of support to medical officer of health Dr. Ian Arra and his Grey Bruce Health Unit team for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The motion, introduced Thursday by Southgate Deputy-mayor Brian Milne during a virtual meeting, was in response to controversy surrounding Arra’s $631,000 […]

Parking reservations will be required this summer at Halfway Log Dump in the Bruce Peninsula National Park. The new location joins the Grotto as a highly sought-after park area where reservations are required. Reservations must be booked for those visiting Halfway Log Dump between June 18 and Sept. 7, while they are required for those […]

City bus drivers have been instructed to wear a face mask when operating an Owen Sound Transit bus if they think it’s safe to do so,. But donning a face-covering when behind the wheel isn’t mandatory if the driver believes it could affect their ability to safely operate the bus. That’s according to city hall, […]

Another 13 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Grey-Bruce Sunday. The figures, current as of midnight Saturday, included three in West Grey, three in Hanover, and one each in Owen Sound, Blue Mountains, South Bruce Peninsula, Northern Bruce Peninsula, Meaford, Grey Highlands and Brockton. The Grey Bruce Health Unit also reported it knows of […]

About 10 firefighters put out a seven-acre grassfire above the West Rocks, where smoke poured through and over the rocks and crossed the Sunset Strip early Friday night. Inter Township Fire Chief Jeff Gautreau confirmed Sunday that his firefighters put out the fire and were cleaned up within 90 minutes of a 7:41 p.m. call. […]

Some have turned to writing during the pandemic or been thinking about starting. If they were to ask Ginger Press book publisher Maryann Thomas to publish their book, as some have, at this point she has two years of publishing commitments lined up already, she said Saturday. “What’s happened in the past year is that […]

Some cottagers on leased land in the Sauble Beach area await a second vote by Saugeen First Nation members after a “failed” earlier vote left the cottagers in doubt about their continued use of their cottages. Something went wrong with a March 5 vote concerning whether to approve a new five-year lease for 87 cottage […]

Eleanor Pauling turned isolation and loneliness into a positive when she decided to use her time to paint pictures and donate them for auction to the Salvation Army. When you’re 83 and live alone, you already spend a lot of time by yourself, she said in an interview Saturday. COVID-19 made it worse, until she […]

Grey Bruce Health Unit reported nine more cases of COVID-19 as of midnight Friday. The update came in the health unit’s daily situation report, which reported five new cases in Owen Sound, two in Saugeen Shores and one each in Blue Mountains and West Grey. That brings the cumulative total for Grey-Bruce to 919 cases, […]

There’s a suspected outbreak of COVID-19 at Beaver Valley Community School in Thornbury, Grey Bruce Health Unit announced in a news release Friday night. There is “interim evidence of transmission from person to person” but officials await more test results. No bus routes are involved. A notice on the school’s website dated Friday said the […]

Canopy Growth’s proposed acquisition of The Supreme Cannabis Company includes the 7Acres cultivation facility in Tiverton. Thursday’s acquisition announcement said the plant near Kincardine has “a demonstrated capability of consistently producing premium flower from sought-after strains at low cost with significant potential for scaling.” The Supreme Cannabis Co.’s 7Acres “hybrid-greenhouse cultivation facility” was first licensed […]

Ontario’s ombudsman has elected not to review 21 meetings held over the past five years that Bruce County’s own review found were potentially closed to the public improperly. Ombudsman Paul Dubé officially informed the county of his decision in a March 26 letter, included in Bruce County council executive committee agenda on April 1. “The […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported eight new cases of COVID-19 Friday. Three of the newest cases were found in Owen Sound, two in The Blue Mountains, and single cases were reported in Saugeen Shores, Hanover and Arran Elderslie. There are now 78 active cases in the region including 19 involving a variant of concern. […]

Nearly $5 million of federal, provincial and municipal funding is being spent to improve Lion Head’s Community Centre and Arena. MPPs for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound and Huron-Bruce announced more than $12 million in combined funding for 10 approved local community infrastructure projects Thursday. The funding is part of the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure program stream […]

A 77-year-old married father of three and grandfather of six is $2 million richer after purchasing a winning Ontario 49 lottery ticket in Kincardine. Kincardine resident Richard Butler’s March 17 win was announced April 8 by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation in a news release. “I couldn’t believe I won. I had to check […]

If all goes to plan, soccer players will head back to the pitch in Owen Sound this summer. The Owen Sound Minor Soccer Association (OSMSA) board of directors has developed return-to-play protocols in anticipation of a house-league regular season beginning June 1. Player registration began April 5 and will run until April 23. Players born […]

Are you looking for a rewarding career? Employment opportunities abound in Grey and Bruce counties, with a number of exciting openings in labour and manufacturing, skilled trades, food, real estate and more. Check out these local employers that offer on-the-job training, competitive compensation, and a few perks, too! Troy Life & Fire Safety Ltd. […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit believes it currently holds the national record for most vaccines administered at one mass immunization centre over the course of a single day. There were 3,498 COVID-19 vaccines administered at the “Hockey Hub” mass immunization centre in Hanover Wednesday. On average, 350 people were vaccinated per hour from 8:30 a.m. […]

One thousand words have earned the Bruce Peninsula Predators minor hockey association $10,000. The Predators were one of 10 nationwide winners of the first Kruger Big Assist $10,000 prize to help cover the cost of registration for hockey families in need. The Canadian paper-product manufacturer (Purex, Scotties, SpongeTowels) is donating a total of $150,000 this […]

Owen Sound has added the first two electric vehicles to its fleet – a move city hall says represents a “positive step” in reducing the city’s carbon footprint. The two Hyundai Kona Electric sub-compact sport utility vehicles were purchased for the city’s building division from Collingwood Hyundai, which submitted the lowest of three compliant bids […]

Two suspicious fires in two weeks sparked an arson investigation by Saugeen Shores police and fire officials, who are asking for the public’s help. At 1:38 a.m. Wednesday a passerby called 911 to report a structure fire in a rural property in a triangle at Highway 21, Carlisle Street and Bruce County Road 3, the […]

Even before Ontario’s new state of emergency and stay-home order was announced, this year’s 41st annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake event had moved online or to other home-based options. But it’s still going to be fun, said Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Grey Bruce event promoter Cala Bryans. The Bowling Alley on 10th Street West, just […]

A local effort to curb speeding on the Bruce Peninsula has spawned a provincial campaign aimed at tackling stunt driving on Ontario’s roads. The newly formed Regional Road Safety Committee (RRSC), established in response to Bruce Peninsula Safe Communities’ work to address excessive speed concerns on Highway 6 north of Wiarton, is launching the DRIVES […]

“The risks are greater and the stakes are higher.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford opened the provincial government’s third pandemic-era emergency order announcement with that statement Wednesday afternoon. A provincewide “stay-at-home” order will go into effect Thursday and will remain in place for at least four weeks. The emergency order requires Ontarians to remain at home […]

Cellphone-based location technology should help Owen Sound police and fire dispatchers send help faster to emergencies in the city and in the many other communities they serve. The Earth has been mapped into three-metre-by-three-metre squares by using Global Positioning System technology for the location app what3words. After the free app is downloaded to a cellphone, […]

A man charged with attempted murder after shots were fired in Tobermory March 31 had his case adjourned to Monday in bail court. He remains in custody. David William Hillyer, 39, of Stokes Bay Road in Northern Bruce Peninsula, made a brief video appearance in a virtual bail court presided by a justice of the […]

Tobermory resident Corey Oliver said someone shot at his house, then fired a shotgun at a vehicle he and another man were in when they gave chase on March 31. Grey Bruce OPP announced Tuesday a man was in custody, charged with two counts of attempted murder using a firearm, recklessly discharging a firearm, uttering […]

Owen Sound parks officials say they’re continuing to monitor Kelso Beach Park after a destructive beaver gnawed down trees along the shoreline. Adam Parsons, manager of parks and open space, said the path of destruction – marked by pointed, chewed up stumps and fallen trees – was created last fall, but is being noticed by […]

COVID-fatigue is leading to a high rate of close contacts and rising local case counts, according to Grey Bruce’s medical officer of health. Dr. Ian Arra said the pandemic-high 500 active close contacts his contact management team followed last week represented about half the outfit’s total capacity. Tuesday, that figure was down to 400 high-risk […]

A bicycle donation and safety program in Owen Sound is giving bikes, helmets and reflectors to children from families from other countries who have settled in the city. So far there are 29 children aged three to 17, mostly from Kurdish parts of Syria, some from Eritrea and India, on a bike waiting list. Another […]

Local youth have created an initiative aimed at lifting the spirits of adults with serious mental illnesses, while giving students something to do over the April break. Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce’s “Good Deeds” project, developed by the organization’s 2020-21 co-op students, invites area youth to craft messages of “love, hope and connection” and […]

Health and safety measures on Owen Sound Transit buses are working to prevent the spread of COVID-19, public works and engineering director Dennis Kefalas told council. “To date, I would say that we haven’t had any issues related to COVID. The system seems to be working,” he said. The comments came after clerk Briana Bloomfield […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported six newly confirmed COVID-19 cases Monday. Two of the newest cases were found in South Bruce Peninsula while Owen Sound, Southgate, Northern Bruce Peninsula and Grey Highlands each recorded a single case. Meanwhile, six COVID-19 cases were referred to the Grey Bruce Health Unit from other public health regions […]

Owen Sound has decided to stick to a 1.5 per cent pay hike for council members this year despite one councillor’s proposal to freeze the wages for 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Council narrowly defeated, in a 5-4 vote, Coun. Marion Koepke’s motion March 29. “In recognition of COVID still affecting our finances, I […]