Owen Sound Sun Times

Police said a man stole at least five vehicles, threatened and assaulted people and struck three people with a vehicle before police boxed in and arrested a suspect in Berkeley Friday night after he’d evaded earlier attempts to stop him. Nelson Toste, 40, of Brampton, remains in custody and returns to bail court by video […]

Three people were injured and taken to hospital after a propane leak caused an explosion in Grey Highlands on April 13. Grey Bruce OPP responded to a report of an explosion and subsequent fire at a rural property on Grey Road 12 near Sideroad 10A just before 9 a.m., a police news release said. A […]

Starting Tuesday, people over 40 are eligible to receive AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine at over 1,400 pharmacies in Ontario. Several pharmacies in Grey-Bruce are booking vaccination appointments. An updated list is available on the province’s website. Kristen’s Pharmacy in Southampton has administered over 500 vaccines to date and had 84 appointments booked Monday. Pharmacist Kristen Watt […]

April 17, 2021

Seventeen new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the Grey Bruce Health Unit Sunday, marking the third straight day of declining daily numbers since a record-high 42 local cases were reported Thursday. Thirty-two new local cases were reported Friday, followed by 18 new cases Saturday. Five of the new cases reported Sunday were from Owen […]

Eleven local fire departments will receive a share of $76,100 in funding, announced by Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker, to help firefighters conduct training and inspections safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The one-time funding, part of a $5-million provincial investment for municipal fire services, will allow departments to update technology and equipment, such as high-speed […]

Renowned storm spotter Gerald Cheng will be leading a virtual session early next month on spotting, reporting and staying safe in severe weather. Grey County, in partnership with several local municipalities, is holding the free CANWARN Severe Weather Awareness and Preparedness live event May 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. Registration is now open for […]

A 40-year-old Brampton man is facing robbery, vehicle theft, dangerous driving, assault and other charges in connection to several criminal incidents in Grey-Bruce Friday. The Grey-Bruce OPP says the man was arrested on Highway 10 near Berkeley at about 7:30 p.m. Friday. Three OPP cruisers were damaged while attempting to stop the suspect, according to […]

Charges are pending against event organizers and others after about 40 people took part in an anti-lockdown protest in the town Saturday, according to Hanover police. Deputy-chief George Hebblethwaite said officers monitored the group during the event, which began and ended at Hanover Park on 7th Avenue, and are still conducting an investigation. The protest […]

Eighteen new cases of COVID-19 were reported to the Grey Bruce Health Unit on Saturday. Five of those cases were from Owen Sound, while both South Bruce and The Blue Mountains had four cases each. Single cases were reported in Georgian Bluffs, Grey Highlands, Kincardine, Meaford and West Grey. There are now 166 active cases […]

The province has backtracked on allowing police to randomly stop vehicles or people to enforce the province’s stay-at-home order after a long list of police departments, including those in Owen Sound, Saugeen Shores and West Grey, said they would not be using the enhanced powers. An update, posted to the province’s COVID-19 emergency information page […]

It might feel like a case of déjà vu, but Owen Sound is once again reminding residents not to flush wipes down the toilet. Just as they did last spring after the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold in Ontario, city hall has issued another spring warning that “wipes clog pipes.” City officials say it […]

All scheduled COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Grey-Bruce are going ahead as planned, says medical officer of health Dr. Ian Arra, who confirmed Saturday that public health has now regained control over case and contact management. This comes three days after the local health unit declared a “critical threshold” in COVID-19 cases due to a surge […]

Owen Sound native John Lewis says his biotechnology firm Entos Pharmaceuticals has begun Phase 1 clinical trials of its made-in-Canada COVID-19 DNA vaccine. The first trial participants were injected with Covigenix VAX-001 Thursday at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology in Halifax, N.S. “We’re obviously very pleased that our vaccine platform has begun clinical trials and […]

Grey-Bruce’s COVID case count grew by 32 Friday, a day the province extended the stay-home order by two weeks and tightened pandemic restrictions, as modelling shows the third wave of the pandemic threatens to get much worse. Dr. Ian Arra, the medical officer of health, issued his class order Friday as promised, effective until further […]

Meaford’s nearly $2.4 million reconstruction of Sykes Street North will likely begin in May closing a 250-metre stretch of the downtown’s main thoroughfare for three months. The work will tear up Sykes Street North, between Collingwood and Lombard streets, and replace its underground pipes. This past Monday, Meaford council approved Arnill Construction Limited’s $2,354,161 bid […]

Owen Sound’s integrity commissioner is recommending council formally reprimand Coun. John Tamming after concluding he engaged in “harassing and bullying” actions towards Deputy-mayor Brian O’Leary. Principles Integrity lays out its findings and recommendation in a 16-page report, to be presented to council Monday. The report, which stems from a council code of conduct complaint filed […]

The “tired” Kemble community centre has had funding approved for a major upgrade. But residents are being warned that it isn’t going to be an easy task to get the facility back into shape. On April 8, it was announced that the former arena was one of 10 local projects to receive funding through the […]

Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker announced $650,000 in one-time combined federal and provincial funding for improvements at Lee Manor Friday. The funding is part of a $100 million investment to install heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, and make retrofits or repairs to fire sprinkler systems, in 95 long-term care homes across the province. Of […]

Area school boards will receive over $8.4 in provincial and federal funding to help improve and upgrade infrastructure at local schools. Specifically, the money is aimed at helping protect against COVID-19. The money is being funded through the COVID-19 Reliance Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). The Bluewater District School Board […]

Given the latest surge of COVID-19 cases in Grey-Bruce, vaccinations are being redeployed and that will mean next week’s large-scale COVID-19 vaccine clinics are cancelled, the local public health unit announced Thursday. Those vaccines will be given to more vulnerable residents in First Nations, shelters and congregate settings over the coming four days, Dr. Ian […]

Grey-Bruce’s medical officer of health says people are lying to public health investigators, which is helping to spread COVID-19. Dr. Ian Arra declared a “community outbreak” in eastern Grey County involving a COVID variant Thursday, a day after raising concerns about people not telling the truth, or the whole truth, to public health investigators. So […]

The Owen Sound & District Chamber of Commerce will soon be offering free rapid antigen screening test kits to small and medium-sized businesses. Diane Austin, the organization’s chief executive officer, said any business with under 150 employees will soon be able to register on the chamber’s website to receive two kits per employee. She said […]

With public health declaring a “critical threshold” of local COVID-19 cases, area politicians are echoing a call for people to stay home except for necessities and many businesses have opted to voluntarily close until at least Saturday. Grey County Warden Selwyn Hicks said he’s alarmed by the surge in local cases and close contacts. “Please, […]

Plenty of questions once again surround the Ontario Hockey League as February’s optimism for a return to play has turned to April uncertainty. Dale DeGray seemed interested in asking the bigger questions Thursday. Bigger than those of scheduling, bubbles, roster construction and arena capacity. “We can all say yes it would be great to have […]

Owen Sound police fined a 25-year-old local man for violating the provincial stay-at-home order Wednesday. Police were called to investigate a report of a possible party at an eastside residence, an Owen Sound Police Service news release said Thursday. “Several persons were spoken to, with a 25-year-old local man being charged and issued an $880 […]

Grey Bruce Health Services tightened its visitor policy Thursday, as case counts have soared and the medical officer of health pleaded Wednesday for people to stay home. Hospital corporation spokeswoman Mary Margaret Crapper said staff have been telling visitors and patients for the past several days that visitor restrictions were coming. As of Thursday, only […]

On Wednesday, Saugeen Shores police charged four people from Georgetown, Ont., with failing to comply with an order made during a declared emergency. Police said they responded to a report of shoplifting at a convenience store in Southampton. Police found three suspects matching the description provided by witnesses, none current residents of Saugeen Shores. Four […]

The Grey Bruce Health Unit is pleading with residents of Grey-Bruce to stay home after reporting 73 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday involving hundreds of high-risk close contacts. Dr. Ian Arra, Grey-Bruce’s medical officer of health, said everyone in the region should act as if they have COVID-19 or are a close contact and stay home […]

South Bruce Peninsula is going back to court in hopes of fighting its convictions for violating the Endangered Species Act by raking, bulldozing and, the court found, damaging endangered piping plover habitat at Sauble Beach. The town’s lawyers served a notice of motion on April 7 on the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry that […]

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 […]