Terrace Bay’s idled pulp mill, Eabametoong’s school, Nipigon council and the good deeds of veterinarians were all in the news. Here are 10 big stories from 2024:
1. Terrace Bay’s pulp mill is indefinitely idled: AV Terrace Bay started 2024 by announcing it’s halting production at its Terrace Bay pulp mill immediately, but called the move temporary. Ontario’s minister of natural resources and forestry said in April at a regional conference that the province “will leave no stone unturned” to get the mill reopened. Most respondents in a recent readers poll answered no to the question “Will the Terrace Bay mill ever reopen?”
2. Eabametoong First Nation loses its school to fire: An early morning fire ripped through the John C. Yesno Education Centre on Jan. 25, destroying a fly-in First Nation’s cherished school. Nishnawbe Aski Police said they found evidence “consistent with arson.” Eventually four youths were charged. A temporary replacement school had its official opening in November.
3. Appointments fill two Nipigon council seats: The Township of Nipigon appointed two new councillors, Anne-Marie Cartwright and Greg Harper, in May to fill positions vacated by resignations. Cartwright and Harper were sworn in on May 28 to become Nipigon’s third and fourth appointed councillors since the 2022 municipal elections. Two vacancies were filled by appointment in 2023.
4. Human remains are found at a Parks Canada site: Human remains, dating back centuries, were found in May at the Nipigon construction site for a future National Marine Conservation Area administration building and visitor centre. Construction was halted on May 21. The nearby Red Rock Indian band held a rally with supporters on the Nipigon Bridge in late October to demand action from Parks Canada.
5. Matawa’s animal services pilot project does good: Matawa First Nations Management’s animal services pilot project got a $1.5-million funding boost from the federal government in October. The project has been bringing veterinary services to Webequie, Eabametoong and other Matawa communities. Eabametoong’s chief brought his family’s dog, Domi, to an Oct. 16-20 animal wellness clinic.
6. Red Rock Indian Band changes chiefs: “I am fully committed to serving the Red Rock Indian Band to the best of my abilities and to the utmost of my dedication,” Allan Odawa Jr. said in April after being elected chief of the First Nation near Nipigon. He replaced Marcus Hardy, who left the top job earlier in the year amid controversy.
7. First Nations sign historic Ring of Fire deal: Ontario’s mines minister and the chiefs of Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations signed a Community Development Aid Agreement in March to create infrastructure projects that could support future development opportunities in the Ring of Fire, a region rich in chromite and other valued minerals.
8. The Greenstone Mine kicks into gear: Equinox Gold Corporation hosted a small gathering to witness its inaugural gold pour at its Greenstone Mine on May 22. Greenstone Mayor James McPherson, municipal councillors and representatives from area First Nations attended the event. The mine is expected to produce around 400,000 ounces of gold annually when it reaches full capacity.
9. Geraldton’s hospital gets a big surprise from Ford: While in Geraldton for a Nov. 13 media event about highway upgrading, Premier Doug Ford made a surprise announcement that the local hospital will receive $8.5 million for renovations. Geraldton, the sprawling Greenstone municipality’s largest community, has seen economic growth recently with a gold mine and expects more whenever the Ring of Fire opens up.
10. Netmizaaggamig leaders declare a state of emergency: A state of emergency was declared in Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg First Nation, also known as Pic Mobert, in November. Chief Louis Kwissiwa said the community was in a crisis of “violent incidents, inhumane delays in emergency response, and the unchecked presence of organized crime.”
