Owen Sound Sun Times

City council has opted to delay voting on a staff recommendation to both cancel Canada Day and Harbourfest events this July due to COVID-19 and plan to hold a community event in late summer if restrictions on large gatherings are lifted. That vote is now set for May 25, after staff presents an updated forecast […]

The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority will soon have a new general manager. Effective June 1, Jennifer Stephens will be the new general manager/secretary-treasurer for the conservation authority, taking over from Dick Hibma, who has been filling the position on an interim basis. Stephens joins the organization with more than 15 years experience, excelling in the […]

Social distancing has kept the Owen Sound Farmers’ Market closed to the public for the past few months, but its patrons can once again shop from some of their favourite vendors. On Monday, the market opened its online store, allowing the public to purchase products which will be available to be picked up at the […]

Police have identified remains found in Southgate on Christmas Eve as those of a Hamilton woman who died as a result of a homicide. The remains found in the area of Southgate Road 10 east of Highway 6 have been identified as belonging to Monica Chisar after a forensic examination. Members of the Grey-Bruce OPP […]

A public health order may soon fully close the region’s beaches to all comers. Dr. Ian Arra, Grey-Bruce’s medical officer of health, has been working with local municipal leaders to prevent an influx of short-term visitors as the weather warms. “The public health intervention we’re looking at is a complete closure of the beaches,” he […]

City council has decided to not increase its water and sewer rates in 2020 and to extend the deadlines to pay those bills as residents continue to deal with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Council approved a staff recommendation Monday night to maintain the water rates and waste water surcharge at current levels, rather […]

A Meaford man has been charged with murder in connection with the death of Emerson Sprung, also of Meaford. Matthew McQuarrie, 34, is charged with first-degree murder, the OPP said in a news release Monday evening Police said that a post-mortem examination confirmed remains found in their search for Sprung were those of the missing […]

There were no new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Grey-Bruce Monday, according to the Grey Bruce Health Unit’s daily situation report. The total number of cases in the region remained at 90 with 23 of those reported in health-care workers and 72 cases now recovered. Nobody in the region has died from the disease, and nobody […]

Owen Sound police charged a 27-year-old man with firearms, drugs and other offences after someone reported concerns he had guns. Police attended an eastside residence just before 1:30 p.m. Sunday and took the suspect into custody without incident. Police seized two firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine and cash. Charges against him include careless storage of a firearm […]

After an quiet weekend when just one new case of COVID-19 was reported the local medical officer of health congratulated everyone’s work for the “excellent results we have.” There were no new cases reported Sunday and one new case Saturday, bringing the total to 90 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Grey-Bruce. Now 71 people have […]

Mother’s Day was even more difficult at Chapman House hospice this year because each loved one could have just one visitor. This daily pandemic precaution was taken to limit the risk of infecting vulnerable residents or staff with the respiratory virus, as set out in provincial guidance for all hospices. In Ontario, of the 1,599 […]

While it’s still unclear when the doors can open to the public, the M’Wikwedong Native Cultural Resource Centre has officially relocated to its new home near Owen Sound’s downtown core. Executive director Renee Abram said the move marks an exciting time for the organization, which provides programming and services for the local urban Aboriginal population, […]

A single new case of COVID-19 reported in Grey-Bruce Friday broke the region’s streak of three straight days without a new case documented in the health unit’s situation report. The new case brings the total number of documented cases in Grey-Bruce to 89. Twenty-three of those cases have been reported in health-care workers, and 70 […]

For the third time since 2016, Meaford has been approved for a provincial Connecting Links grant to help upgrade a part of its main urban thoroughfare. The municipality learned this week that it will receive just over $1.3 million from the Ministry of Transportation funding program towards the $2.8-million cost to reconstruct Sykes Street North, […]

Lawn pirates and driveway dealers haven’t technically been ordered to stand down, but the region’s medical officer of health is strongly recommending against even small yard sales amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “We ask the public to bear with us. Re-opening stages, and going back to the normal lives we had before is not going to […]

An OPP canine unit found human remains in Meaford Wednesday while searching for missing 25-year-old Emerson Sprung, the OPP said in a news release Thursday. One person has been arrested and remains in police custody. The name of the arrested individual was not released and charges were not specified before deadline Friday. A post-mortem examination […]

Grey Highlands is working on a policy to support people who pick up discarded coffee cups, take-out containers and other trash that end up on roadsides and in ditches in the municipality. Council approved a motion by Mayor Paul McQueen Wednesday that directs staff to develop a plan for the municipality to remove filled garbage […]

For the third straight day, there were no new COVID-19 cases recorded in the Grey-Bruce region according to the health unit’s situation report Thursday. The total for Grey-Bruce remains at 88 reported COVID-19 cases, with 23 reported in health-care workers and 66 cases recovered. None of the active cases are currently hospitalized. Two long-term healthcare […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted organizers to cancel the region’s two high-profile powwows, which had been set for August at Saugeen First Nation and Neyaashiinigmiing on the Bruce Peninsula. Chippewas of Nawash Chief Greg Nadjiwon said the unceded First Nation’s band council is saddened about having to cancel the 36th annual traditional Nawash powwow, planned […]

Avid angler Brian Lang is itching to get back out on the water to launch into his favourite pastime. “If you put it on a scale of one to 10, it would be a 10. I can’t wait,” the Port Elgin-area resident said Wednesday. His 26-foot boat has been rigged up and ready to go […]

Another 24-hour period has passed with no new COVID-19 cases reported in Grey-Bruce according to the health unit’s situation report on Wednesday. It’s the second straight day without a lab-test confirmed case of the disease reported to the health unit. It also means the outbreak at Brucelea Haven in Walkerton should be declared over Thursday. […]

A 38-year-old Seaforth man has been charged with personating a police officer after a member of the Saugeen Shores Police Service stopped a 2016 Ford 150 truck outfitted with a police-lights package on May 5. The Saugeen Shores officer was on general patrol when they spotted the truck and conducted a vehicle stop on Concession […]

A London man was arrested just north of Durham after police received a report of someone operating a stolen vehicle while in possession of a loaded firearm. At about 2:40 p.m. Tuesday, West Grey Police Service was advised of a lone male operating a stolen vehicle with a loaded firearm and drugs inside and that […]

South Bruce Peninsula is hopeful that a new round of tendering for the planned Berford Street reconstruction in Wiarton will see costs come in closer to budget after past bids were almost double what was expected. The reissued tender for the project closes on Friday, after the town re-examined its budget, policies and the proposed […]

Members of the Grey County OPP Crime Unit, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Emerson Sprung Wednesday. The OPP were asking Meaford residents to stay away from the Lakeview Cemetery area, and blocked off the entrance to the 29-acre plot located at […]

The search for a missing Meaford man seemed to concentrate at Memorial Park Tuesday morning. Six Ontario Provincial Police vehicles were parked at the entrance of the Meaford park and officers wearing green fatigues were present just before noon. The park has been closed to the public since early April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. […]

If the COVID-19 pandemic stretches into the summer, South Bruce Peninsula officials expect a huge revenue hit unless measures are taken to offset its costs. Michael Humble, director of financial services, presented a report to council on Tuesday that showed the town could lose $720,000 if the current state of emergency and closures persist until […]

There were no new cases of COVID-19 reported in Grey-Bruce in the 24 hours before the Grey-Bruce Health Unit issued its daily situation report Tuesday afternoon. Sixty-one of 88 total cases in the region have now recovered. None of the people with lab-test confirmed COVID-19 are currently hospitalized. Two long-term health care facilities remain in […]

Endangered piping plovers are back for a 14th straight year at Sauble Beach, which has been temporarily closed to the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Norah Toth of the local Plover Lovers group said the first plover sighting of the season at Sauble was reported by a South Bruce Peninsula employee who spotted the tiny […]

Construction of the proposed Georgian Landing luxury apartment building in Owen Sound has been at a standstill since last fall, but the developer behind the project says the work should be able to resume sometime this month. Giorgio Heidary, managing director of Burlington-based Wealth Management Strategy, said issues related to securing the additional funds required […]

In the midst of the pandemic, Keystone Child, Youth and Family Services is reminding people that they are just a phone call away as they mark Children’s Mental Health Week. The children’s mental health agency, which works with children and families across Grey-Bruce, wants the public to know that they are open for referrals from […]

Conservative MP Alex Ruff says many local small businesses and farmers are falling through the cracks of federal COVID-19 emergency assistance programs and he will continue pressuring the Trudeau government to fix the problem. “My criticism is that there’s a lot of small businesses in rural Canada in particular and the ag sector that so […]

It seems fitting the sun was out in full force Sunday to greet the residents of Maple View who are emerging from a month-long COVID-19 outbreak. “Getting residents outside even for short jaunts and visiting with their family members from a distance – over our fence – that natural Vitamin D does wonders for everybody,” […]

At the beginning of March, Ethan Woods was looking forward to the stretch drive of the National Lacrosse League’s regular season and starting his new job as a nurse at Meaford’s Long-Term Care Centre. Just weeks later, the NLL regular season was cancelled and his new job became an essential front-line health-care position in the […]

Walkerton Riverhawks standout Ethan Cudney will take his talents to Sudbury in September where he’ll suit up for the Laurentian Voyageurs. Cudney recently committed to the men’s basketball team at Laurentian University for the 2020-21 season. The six-foot-three guard competed in basketball, volleyball and high jump while with the Riverhawks. Voyageurs basketball head coach Shawn […]

West Grey Police Service is looking for the public’s help in identifying the owner or operator of a motorcycle that was observed being driven in a dangerous manner in the town of Durham on the weekend. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, members of West Grey police observed the blue and white sport bike being operated […]

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Parkview Manor long-term care home in Chesley. Denae Moores, executive director and director of care at Parkview Manor, said late Sunday afternoon that one resident at the home had tested positive for the virus. Moores said all of the 34 residents and approximately 42 staff members who work […]

A quiet cul-de-sac in Owen Sound was filled with the sound of music on Saturday afternoon. It was all thanks to John McLachlan, who has missed picking up his guitar and heading out to jam since physical distancing measures were put in place more than a month-and-a-half ago to try to curb the spread of […]

Two new COVID-19 cases were reported in Grey-Bruce on Saturday afternoon, bringing the total confirmed for the two counties to 84 cases. None of those cases are hospitalized, while 58 have recovered. There have been 23 cases reported in health-care workers working in Grey-Bruce, while one facility is currently in outbreak – Bruce County’s Brucelea […]

While the COVID-19 pandemic has grounded the local Mission Zimbabwe group’s plans to head to the African nation this month, they are continuing to support efforts there. Barry Mutrie, team lead of the mission of Hanover’s Hope Community Church, said a group of nine was slated to leave on May 8 for a mission trip […]

Three people tested positive for COVID-19 in the 24 hours before the Grey Bruce Health Unit’s issued it’s daily situation report Friday afternoon. The trio of new cases lifts the regional total to 82. A false-positive case recorded at Sepoy Manor was removed from the cumulative total. Fifty-five people have recovered and 23 cases have […]

While we’re isolating and nearly everything’s closed, a place opened in downtown Owen Sound for people looking for a welcoming face or needing a helping hand during the pandemic. Friday marked the second day for The Welcome Centre, where housing, mental health and harm reduction workers greeted people who may be homeless, couch-surfing or have […]

Record high Lake Huron water levels has Kincardine planning work to protect its shoreline infrastructure from erosion. On Monday Kincardine council will consider a report recommending that the town hire a construction firm to repair and protect a 570-metre stretch of Goderich Street at the southern edge of the municipality. The work is estimated to […]

A 36-year-old Arran-Elderslie man has been charged with assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose after an incident in Tara on Thursday evening. Just before 9 p.m., South Bruce OPP received a report of a dispute at a residence along John Street. Officers arrived and learned that an assault […]

For the second straight day, there were no new lab-test confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Grey Bruce Thursday, according to the health unit’s situation report. The total number of local cases to date is 80. Forty people have now recovered from the disease. There have been 23 cases reported in health-care workers, and two […]

If weeks of self-isolation are wearing you thin, imagine being stuck in self-isolation with an abusive partner during the COVID-19 pandemic. The #HereToHelpGB campaign launched this week to reach those people. There are numbers to text discretely for those who can’t call a crisis line or 911. And the campaign encourages calls to 211, a […]

Bruce Power has announced the formation of a recovery council to help assist Ontario as it battles COVID-19 and to help aid in economic recovery. Bruce Power president and CEO Mike Rencheck announced the establishment of the Bruce Power Retooling and Economic Recovery Council in a live announcement on the company’s Facebook page. “In the […]

The declared COVID-19 outbreak at Sepoy Manor in Lucknow was rescinded by the public health unit Thursday. Further testing at the home, and of the original positive test that sparked the outbreak, confirmed a false-positive result. Residents who have been in isolation for nearly a week were able to leave their rooms and enjoy lunch […]

While Grey-Bruce has so far been relatively spared from the COVID-19 pandemic, with 80 confirmed cases and no reported deaths linked to the virus, any plans to reopen locally will follow those of the province. Grey-Bruce Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra said Wednesday that the best practice when lifting restrictions would be to […]

April 30, 2020