Owen Sound Sun Times

Walkerton Inquiry commissioner Dennis O’Connor remains a beloved figure in the pretty Bruce County town that was made famous for a deadly water contamination crisis 20 years ago. He immersed himself in the community from the start, and even moved into a rented house with his wife amid a boil water order, during the nine-month […]

Minor injuries were reported after a two-vehicle crash in Kincardine on Saturday. Just after 2 p.m., South Bruce OPP received a report of the crash at the intersection of Highway 21 and Concession 5. Officers arrived to find one of the vehicles in the ditch. After police investigated, a 69-year-old Scarborough resident was charged with […]

Two people have been charged with stunt driving and had their licences suspended after being stopped in Georgian Bluffs on Sunday evening. Just after 8 p.m., Grey Bruce OPP were patrolling Highway 6 when two cars were observed travelling together at a high rate of speed. Both cars were stopped by the OPP, it said […]

I fully admit to being deeply troubled by the painful rhetoric between cottagers and permanent residents across Ontario. This is one part of COVID-19 which was somewhat unexpected and from my personal perspective, challenging. You probably know of this discussion and the passion it has produced. Many rural residents and politicians across cottage country have […]

Do you know what really hurts my feelings? When my debit card won’t work. It hurts my feelings like when I am walking confidently down the street and I trip but not enough to hurt myself. I trip in the way where it just jars me a little. It is like this when I try […]

It looks very much this year as if the Lake Huron/Lake Michigan basin will break the annual high water record set in 1986. The Detroit office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published an updated water level outlook late last week that warns of high water, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise. […]

Heading into the Victoria Day long weekend, South Bruce Peninsula’s mayor used yellow pavement tape from public works to create arrows on Sauble Beach’s Main Street sidewalks to encourage physical distancing over what has historically been the busy “unofficial start” to summer. “We needed to prepare for the worst,” Mayor Janice Jackson said in an […]

Walkerton continues to wear the stigma of its deadly water crisis, now 20 years old – or does it? Google searches still list information about the town’s E. coli tragedy at or near the top of results. For some, Walkerton will always be synonymous with bad water. But many local people point out there is […]

There were no active declared COVID-19 outbreaks at care facilities in Grey-Bruce by late Monday afternoon, although the Grey Bruce Health Unit was waiting for the results of follow-up testing for a staff member at Grey Gables in Markdale who had tested positive. The cumulative total of positive tests for the twin counties stood at […]

With its commercial fishing industry “devastated” by COVID-19 and unemployment on the rise, the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation has come up with a way to assist both its fishermen and community members during the pandemic. The First Nation on the Bruce Peninsula is purchasing whitefish and salmon from its fishermen and donating vacuum-sealed […]

The roaring sounds of midway rides, heavy machinery competitions and a demolition derby will not be emanating from Victoria Park as usual in the second week of September after organizers decided to cancel the 2020 Owen Sound Fall Fair due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hiliary Breadner, vice-president of the Owen Sound Agricultural Society, which puts […]

The COVID-19 outbreak at the Golden Dawn Senior Citizen Home in Lion’s Head has been officially declared over. Grey-Bruce medical officer of health Dr. Ian Arra made the announcement Saturday evening, saying there has been no further transmission past the first and only positive case at the long-term care facility. “Congratulations to the Golden Dawn […]

A teenager from North Huron is in hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries after an all-terrain vehicle went into the Saugeen River north of Walkerton Saturday. Officers with the South Bruce OPP couldn’t find the ATV rider when they arrived at the river around 1:20 p.m. after receiving a report that a four-wheeler had entered the […]

There were no new lab-test confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Grey-Bruce Friday, according to the health unit’s daily situation report. The region’s total number of cases remains at 91 with 75 cases now recovered. Twenty-three cases have been reported in health-care workers throughout the region. Two long-term health care facilities remain in an outbreak. […]

Outgoing city manager Wayne Ritchie began his tenure at city hall during a period of provincial downloading in the early 2000s and is departing amid the most disruptive global pandemic for Owen Sound in generations. But during both of those challenging times – and in the years in between – Ritchie has led with a […]

While Owen Sound police have scaled back their Police Week activities this year, there is one award that they felt couldn’t wait. On Friday, Patrick Pick was presented the Chief’s Certificate of Merit award for his bravery and quick judgment after his mother experienced a medical emergency. Pick, who is a client of Community Living […]

In the past two months the Owen Sound Hunger and Relief Effort has served about half as many meals as they did in all of 2019. In March and April, the first two months of COVID-19 measures, OSHaRE served about 11,000 meals, half of the just over 22,000 meals served in 2019, and May is […]

Planning is now underway to chart a path back to some form of normalcy two months after the Ontario Ministry of Health directed hospitals to decrease scheduled surgical and procedural work and increase capacity for COVID-19 patients. “It’s a complex process,” said Gary Sims, Grey Bruce Health Services president and CEO. “We’ve spent the last […]

As the province begins loosening restrictions on retail stores, Grey-Bruce’s medical officer of health is recommending patrons and employees of those businesses wear non-medical face coverings to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Dr. Ian Arra said masks and face coverings, when worn properly, can reduce the spread of infectious respiratory droplets and wearing them […]

All municipal beaches in Grey-Bruce have been ordered closed by the region’s medical officer of health just as the Victoria Day long weekend – normally considered the unofficial start of summer – is about to begin. Dr. Ian Arra issued the order to municipalities Thursday, with the goal of preventing short-term visitors, especially day-trippers, from […]

There were no new lab-test confirmed COVID-19 cases in Grey-Bruce Thursday, according to the Grey Bruce Health Unit’s daily situation report. Two long-term health care facilities remain in outbreak after at least one resident at each location tested positive for the disease, although Dr. Ian Arra, Grey-Bruce’s medical officer of health, is awaiting further testing […]

Grey County plans to guarantee close to $3 million in loan funding for its portion of Phase 3 of the Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology Inc. (SWIFT) project. With the federal and provincial governments requiring that SWIFT upfront all costs and payments to service providers before it can apply for an advance and reimbursement of project […]

A 23-year-old from Scarborough has been charged after being stopped driving at more than twice the speed limit in Northern Bruce Peninsula. Just after 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Grey Bruce OPP were patrolling Highway 6 north of Pike Bay Road when they stopped a white car travelling at over 160 kilometres per hour in an […]

For the first time in four days there has been a new case of COVID-19 confirmed in Grey-Bruce. The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported one new case of the virus in the 24-hour period prior to Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. It is the first confirmed case of the virus in Grey-Bruce since Saturday and just […]

Home sales in Grey-Bruce plunged in April with public health guidelines in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales in the area covered by the Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound declined just under 54 per cent in April compared to the same month a year ago. With a total of 119 units sold […]

Whether you’re working on the frontlines of a long-term care home or spending your days binge watching a staggering amount of streamed video, the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre wants your COVID-19 stories. “The role of the museum is to preserve the history of the community and our area, and we rely on the […]

Bremont Homes is moving closer to starting its planned 337-unit Telfer Creek subdivision in Owen Sound despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which has ground some projects in Ontario to a halt, the company’s president says. “One hundred per cent, absolutely. We have been working behind the scenes during these times making progress and getting us to […]

Owen Sound Housing Company is aiming to begin construction early this summer on its Odawa Heights development’s third phase, which will involve erecting the largest standalone building in the organization’s seven-decade history. Chair Ruth Lovell Stanners said the five-storey building, which is to include 43 “affordable” units and 16 units with market rental rates, will […]

Some Sauble Beach business owners want the public to know they’re open for business despite a push by local public officials to keep tourists at bay. The region’s medical officer of health has consulted local mayors and is considering an order closing all of Grey-Bruce’s beaches to the public in the coming days. On Monday, […]

Some Sauble Beach business owners want the public to know they’re open for business despite a push by local public officials to keep tourists at bay. The region’s medical officer of health has consulted local mayors and is considering an order closing all of Grey-Bruce’s beaches to the public in the coming days. On Monday, […]

All garbage bags will soon require a bag tag to be picked up in Owen Sound. Council voted Monday to end May 19 a temporary relaxation of the city’s mandatory bag tag policy, put in place in mid-March to encourage social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dennis Kefalas, director of public works and engineering, said […]

There were no new local cases of COVID-19 listed Tuesday in Grey Bruce Health Unit’s daily situation report. It’s the third straight day without a lab-test confirmed case of the disease in Grey-Bruce. Only two new positive cases have been identified over the past week. The region’s cumulative total of confirmed cases remains at 90, […]

A Windsor man was charged after police found more than two pounds of pot in a vehicle they stopped on May 9 in Saugeen First Nation. Police saw the marijuana in an unsealed container in plain view during a traffic stop. More searching found more dried cannabis, packaged for illegal distribution, Grey Bruce OPP said […]

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 […]