August 6 2026

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS

Local News Weekly

705 - 864 - 2785

Free to Every Household

Vol. 30, Issue 45, August 6, 2026

705 - 864 - 0911

Local Short Film Scores an American Premiere

by Steven Ellwood

T

HE LAKE - the Chapleau shot short film with an all local cast - Logan and Noah Taylor and Jeanmarc Robitalille - has been accepted for screening at the 2026 Soo Film Festival which will be held in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan September 16 - 20 with dates and venues to be announced shortly.

"We were impressed by the diversity and quality of the submissions and talent represented and are excited to have THE LAKE as part of our festival." said a representative of the festival.

Long Term "As we mark our American Forecast premiere, I couldn't be more proud of Thursday Logan, Noah and Jeanmarc and I look High 25 Low 15 forward to seeing them once again on in Shorts programme at Sudbury Cinefest last fall and went on Friday the big screen." said the film's High 27 to win Best Short and Outstanding Actor in a Short Film (Logan director Steve Schmidt.

Low 16 The short film premiered in the Best Taylor) at the Berlin Film Fest International.

Saturday High 22 Low 13

Sunday High 22 Low 12 Monday High 21 Low 13 Tuesday High 22 Low 13

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CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, August 6, 2026 - Page 2

Weather Summary for Ontario July 2026: Northwest Heat, Widely Scattered Deluges and Intense Smoke Temperatures July was warmer than normal across most of Ontario, although much of eastern Ontario was near normal and no region experienced significantly below-normal monthly temperatures. The strongest positive anomalies were in the northwest, reaching more than +3.0°C locally, including +3.1°C at Atikokan. The lowest anomalies occurred in eastern and extreme southwestern Ontario and near James and Hudson Bays, with Sarnia at −0.3°C. Despite the relatively warm monthly average, July featured pronounced swings in temperature. The first half of the month was much warmer than normal, particularly in the southwest, with strong heatwaves at the beginning of the month and around mid-month. Many daily maximum high temperature records were set (e.g. Mississauga with 36°C on July 1 and Sudbury with 35°C on July 14). Toronto reached a humidex of 48 on the 1st. A cooler-than-normal spell, very much so in the south, followed the second heat wave after which daily temperatures fluctuated near normal. Extreme heat returned via the northwest in the final days of Township of Chapleau 20 Pine Street W. P.O. Box 129 Chapleau, ON P0M 1K0 t (705) 864-1330 f (705) 864-1824 www.chapleau.ca

1 FULLTIME EQUIPMENT OPERATOR II (Rate of Pay = $32.60 / hour) (Probationary Rate = $27.71 to $32.60 / hour based on experience) The Township of Chapleau is seeking a full-time experienced equipment operator for its Transportation and Environmental Services Department. This is a unionized environment.

The Township offers a competitive compensation package , which includes membership in the OMERS pension plan and benefits.

The successful candidate must possess the following qualifications, skills and abilities:

Grade 12 diploma or grade 12 equivalent from an accredited Canadian educational institution. (See note below) Valid D-Z Ontario driver’s license.

A minimum of three (3) years of operating experience on various types of heavy snow and earth-moving equipment.

Work on a rotational basis in the area of refuse collection and other night shift duties.

Work both individually and in a team environment.

Take training and upgrading.

Candidates must submit a typed resume complete with a covering letter and proof of education, qualifications, skills and abilities, in confidence by 12:00 noon, Thursday, August 6, 2026, to the undersigned.

Consideration will be given to candidates without grade 12 or grade 12 equivalent if such candidates submit, with their resume, a grade 12 equivalent prescreening test report, such as the CAAT, prepared by an accredited Canadian testing facility.

In accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, the information gathered is collected pursuant to the Municipal Act 2006 and will be used for the purpose of candidate selection. We are an equal opportunity employer.

We thank all candidates in advance and wish to advise that only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Jeff Sisson, Public Works Manager Township of Chapleau P.O. Box 129 Chapleau, Ontario P0M 1K0 Ph: 705-864-1334, Fax: 705-864-1824 jsisson@chapleau.ca July 23, 2026 Version française disponible sur demande.

the month.

Precipitation July precipitation was below normal across most of Ontario, except in several southern pockets where exceptionally heavy rainfall resulted in above-normal monthly totals. Across much of the north and the Far North, July was the third consecutive drier-than-normal month.

The month began relatively dry across the province, but this was punctuated by scattered major rainfall events in the first week.

Ottawa received 118 mm on July 1, Windsor 89 mm on July 5, and Kenora 94 mm on July 6. The Ottawa and Kenora totals were daily precipitation records. The third week was generally the wettest for most regions.

Later there was another major rainfall event in Ottawa, where 85.7 mm fell from July 27 to 29. Ottawa recorded its highest precipitation for any month since 1872 of 281.8 mm, over triple the July norm. Northern Niagara was also affected by intense downpours on July 21 and again on July 27. Vineland (Grimsby Mountain) recorded around 218.8 mm for the month, a July record.

Significant Events June 30 - July 1: Gusty Drenching Storms and Intense Heat in the South Severe thunderstorms and an intense heatwave affected much of southern and parts of northeastern Ontario at the beginning of July. Strong winds caused widespread damage, downing trees onto homes and vehicles and leaving more than 218,000 customers without power on July 1. Highway 533 near Mattawa was closed for two days by downed trees, while flooding and washed-out roads were reported around Mattawa and Bonfield. Wind gusts reached 104 km/h at both Pearson and Toronto Island airports and 107 km/h at Lagoon City, where boats were blown ashore and docks were damaged; one paddle boat operator died in the rough conditions.

Ottawa was also heavily affected, receiving more than 118 mm of rain and wind gusts up to 80 km/h. Basements flooded and the city's 311 service received more than 1,900 calls, while more than 30,000 Hydro Ottawa customers lost power at the peak of the event, with approximately 6,000 still without power the following afternoon.

July 6: Storm Batters Kenora A severe thunderstorm with torrential rain caused significant flooding in the Kenora area in the afternoon of July 6, Cont’d on P.8

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, August 6, 2026 - Page 3

Chapleau Brownlee Memorial Chapel erected in Moments Chapleau Municipal Cemetery in 1936 The architect was W.C Sylvester and the

and will loyally and gratefully observe them."

From the archives contractor Albert Tubbe, both of Ottawa.

Perhaps the Chapleau Post summed up of On November 11, 1936, Mr. Brownlee, in Mr. Brownlee best in a comment on his service to Michael J. Morris

Michael J. Morris August 6, 2015

The Brownlee Memorial Chapel was erected in the Chapleau Municipal Cemetery in 1936 by Richard Brownlee in memory of his first wife Ellen.

Mr. Brownlee had arrived in Chapleau in 1885, and established a barber shop. In 1887, he married and he brought his wife Ellen to Chapleau.

She was one of the few women there at the time.

Both were 19. Mrs. Brownlee died in 1936, and in 1938 he married Marie Jeanne Leclerc.

In the Brownlee papers which have been kindly lent to me by Margaret Rose and Bobby Fortin, Mr. Brownlee, in his own handwriting explains why he had the chapel built in memory of his wife.

"This building was erected in memory of the one who was so loving, loyal and congenial; a companion all our married life of forty-nine years.

To her kind and intelligent sympathy in my work and welfare, I owe a debt which can only be acknowledged but never adequately repaid. R.B." Following his wife's death, Mr. Brownlee applied to the municipal cemetery board to build the chapel, and T.R. Serre, the township clerk and treasurer, also secretary-treasurer of the board replied on August 25, 1936.

The letter read in part that the board authorized him to proceed with the building of the vault in the centre of the roadway... according to the plan submitted.

The Chapleau Post reported that the building would be about 14 feet by 18 feet. The basement would accommodate 10 caskets equipped with one of the "latest models of lowering devices for lowering the caskets into the basement.

"The main part of the building will be a chapel with an altar in the centre and a vestment room on the side." There would also be a furnace.

a letter to the cemetery board reported that the Chapleau. "If a man be judged by the extent of the project had been completed. "I now formally turn service he renders then Mr. Brownlee deserves it over to you to be held in perpetuity by you and special commendation, for during his half century your successors in office as a gift from me to the of residence in Chapleau he has always shown keen interest in the welfare of the community and Citizens of Chapleau."

He attached two conditions: "First that it by his enthusiastic and optimistic endeavour he has shall be known as the 'Brownlee Memorial helped bring success to every undertaking and has Chapel', and "Second that you and your successors promoted a spirit of good fellowship among the in office shall always permit the use of the Chapel citizens."

On a very personal note, Mr. Brownlee by all persons, regardless of Race, Religion or Creed, who may desire to be buried in the also took time for a little boy who would wander over the Brownlee Block on Main Street to chat Chapleau Municipal Cemetery."

His letter added: "I trust that these simple with the men who would gather in front of the conditions will always be fulfilled, and that the barber shop. My father Jim Morris had been killed Chapel will prove to be a benefit to the community on active service in the RCAF in World War II, and in which I have lived so long, and a fitting of course Mr. Brownlee was aware of it. Mr. and Memorial to my dear Wife in whose memory it has Mrs. Brownlee (his second wife) would take me been erected." for rides in their car --- what a thrill as there were In replying to Mr. Brownlee in a letter few cars in Chapleau circa 1945. He became my dated November 14, 1936, Reeve Frank Edwards, good friend. also chair of the cemetery board wrote.in part "... I Richard Brownlee died on August 6, 1951, wish to convey. warmest thanks and deep apprecia- and is buried in the Chapleau Municipal Cemetery. tion of your munificent gift of the Brownlee Memorial Chapel. Such a gift is and always will be a visible token of the great regard which you and your wife had for the community in which you resided so long and where you were so greatly esteemed."

R e e v e Edwards added that the municipal cemetery board "unhesitatingly accepts the conditions of your gift as Brownlee Memorial Chapel at Chapleau Municipal Cemetery 1936. outlined in your letter Richard Brownlee standing besides the Chapel.

Plan to Travel within Canada

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, August 6, 2026 - Page 4

Algoma entrepreneur swings for the fences with large-scale cattle operation Dalton MacFarlane makes the shift from corporate private equity to farm life with ambitious construction project harder to ride that wave,” he suppliers and equipment operators are involved in the barn construction. Once in operation, said.

His plan, if successful, nearby farmers will supply hay, corn silage and could have a major impact other feed under planned purchase agreements.

“Everybody around us is going to get a in the region. First Nation communities, dealing with boost from this,” MacFarlane said. “It’s pretty high prices on basic food exciting to see something at this scale because items, could gain access to there’s just nothing like this in the North at all.”

The size and scope has raised some local larger volumes of locally produced beef at lower eyebrows.

Dennis Kirby, a cow-calf producer who wholesale prices.

“There's a lot of projects manages the Thessalon sale barn, had not heard out there that don't truly of MacFarlane’s plans. After reviewing the address some of the food proposal, he said the operation goes far beyond prices within these commu- what's typical for the region.

In a strong year, Kirby said, his sale barn nities, even our nonIndigenous communities,” may handle 2,000 cattle from area farmers.

Dalton MacFarlane, pictured with his two sons, sees opportunity for expansion in he said.

MacFarlane Farms is aiming for an annual Northern Ontario's agriculture sector.

“At our cost, if we're production of more than 3,000 head from a single

By Casey Stranges for Northern Ontario Business selling in bulk volume, let's operation.

Dalton MacFarlane is many things.

“That’s a lot of cattle,” Kirby said. “I say $8 a pound hanging weight, well, that's He is a self-described small-town kid, a almost the cost of a bag of chips [in some com- would say it’s a big operation.” former mixed martial arts fighter, and a private- munities],” he said. “That’s going to change the Equally notable is the land base. Kirby equity entrepreneur. lifestyle, or even just the health within the said his own operation, among the largest cowBut these days, MacFarlane would rather community.” calf farms in the district, covers roughly 2,000 call himself a farmer.

“Hanging weight” or “carcass weight” acres, including bushland. At about 4,000 acres, After spending the past decade assem- refers to the weight of the carcass after slaughter MacFarlane’s holdings vault the project into bling roughly 4,000 acres of Algoma farmland and dressing. It’s a wholesale carcass price, not another category.

— including a recent 1,700-acre purchase near directly comparable to the final price consumers The proposed barn would measure the St. Joseph Island turnoff, east of Sault Ste. pay for packaged beef. roughly 500 feet by 200 feet. “That’s a big Marie — the 37-year-old is now overseeing MacFarlane wants to keep the entire building, from my perspective.” Kirby said. construction of a nearly 100,000-square-foot supply chain in Algoma. Cattle will be raised and Cont’d on P.7 cattle barn. finished on his land, fed in When completed, MacFarlane Farms part through purchase aims to raise more than 3,000 head of cattle agreements with nearby annually by 2028. That’s an unusually large farms, then sent to a local cattle operation for Northern Ontario, compara- abattoir for processing. ble to more established commercial feedlots From there, elsewhere in the province. refrigerated trucks will And MacFarlane said he’s “not done” in carry bulk orders directly his growth plans. to northern communities “It's based on opportunity and expan- with the freezer space and sion,” MacFarlane said. “As long as we can local knowledge needed to continue to expand the market, then we just need cut, wrap and distribute the access to the land to be able to fill that capacity meat. and demand.”

A l r e a d y, t h e MacFarlane's ambitions come down to economic spinoffs are resilience in a volatile market. there.

Dalton MacFarlane now owns roughly 4,000 acres of Algoma land “If you’re a 200-acre farm that’s got 20 Local excavation following the purchase of 1,691 acres near St. Joseph Island. Photo cows and you get that dip in the market, it’s companies, aggregate by Isabella Buratti Marketing

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, August 6, 2026 - Page 5

10 Worst Habits For Your Heart • Not getting enough physical activity Inactivity weakens the heart, increases mortality, and raises cardiovascular disease risk.

• Drinking too much alcohol Excess alcohol raises blood pressure, disrupts heart rhythms, damages heart muscle.

• Skimping on sleep Poor sleep increases blood pressure, diabetes risk, weight gain, heart strain.

• Eating foods bad for your heart Processed, salty, sugary foods drive cholesterol imbalance and heart disease.

• Living a lonely life Social isolation significantly increases

heart disease, stroke, and blood pressure risk.

• Smoking or vaping tobacco Tobacco damages blood vessels, accelerates plaque buildup, triggers heart failure • Minimizing mental health and stress Chronic stress elevates blood pressure and contributes to heart weakening.

• Waiting to lose weight Excess body weight silently worsens cholesterol, blood sugar, pressure levels.

• Neglecting dental health Poor oral health and inflammation are linked to increased heart disease risk.

• Giving up too soon Abandoning healthy habits prevents long-term, sustainable heart health improvements

Weaver, SimmonsLLP congratulates JARED LOYER on the successful completion of his Articles of Clerkship and call to the Bar of Ontario.

Jared joins the Business Corporate and Commercial Law Departments, Real Estate and Wills and Estates Departments at Weaver, SimmonsLLP, where he will focus his practice on his clients in Chapleau, Sudbury, North Bay, and throughout Northern Ontario. jloyer@weaversimmons.com 705.671.3272 (Direct) www.weaversimmons.com

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CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, August 6, 2026 - Page 6

Last weeks solutions MOMENTS IN TIME

On Aug. 23, 2018, the discovery of a bone from a 90,000-year-old hybrid human, half Neanderthal, half Denisovan and thought to be a girl of at least 13 years old, from Anuy River, Siberia, was published in Nature magazine.

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, August 6, 2026 - Page 7

Algoma entrepreneur swings for the fences with large-scale cattle operation Cont’d from P.4 The largest comparable northern operation he knows of, Tulloch Agriculture, has capacity for 900 head when full. Larger feedlots exist in southern Ontario, where processing plants and alternative feed sources are closer, but Kirby said he has not seen a project on MacFarlane’s proposed scale in Northern Ontario.

“It doesn’t mean it won’t happen,” Kirby said. “It just means it’s a big operation in my head.”

MacFarlane likens his long-term plan to “playing chess, not checkers” and isn’t surprised when questions arise about the project's sustainability.

It's not about drumming up public support.

“By the time people often hear about it, we’re already two steps ahead of that,” MacFarlane said. “What comes out publicly is typically old news.”

The farm project is also deeply personal for MacFarlane. He spent 15 years building a private-equity business, MacFarlane Capital, that handled billions of dollars in infrastructure work between investors and First Nations clients, but eventually tired of the pace.

“It’s not the age,” MacFarlane said. “It’s the mileage. And I think I’ve hit my mileage on the corporate world for now.”

He describes farm work as “more real,” something rooted in the land where he grew up.

“I want to be boots on the ground,” MacFarlane said. “I want to be the one doing the work, not the guy just kind of pointing the finger saying, ‘Here’s how it should be done.’”

Now a day of work means being on site with contractors at 5 a.m., climbing into an excavator as gravel loaders and bulldozers crawl across the property.

“It’s a different level of stress, but when you’re tired at the end of the day, it’s for a differ-

PETER J. BERLINGIERI CHRISTOPHER P. COCCIMIGLIO

W: www.algomalawyers.ca E: info@algomalawyers.ca

Sault Ste. Marie Office T: (705) 253-3800

Wawa Office T: (705) 856-4970

ent reason,” he said.

“We’re looking at having the whole barn done by spring of 2027,” MacFarlane said. “And if all goes well with the construction schedule, November or December of 2027 or beginning of ’28 should be the first load [of cattle].”

MacFarlane grew up on his grandparents’ modest 260-acre farm near Desbarats, a rural community in Johnson Township, east of Sault Ste. Marie. He spent his childhood hunting, fishing and trapping.

As a teen, MacFarlane decided a typical summer job was not for him. He could earn more in an hour cutting firewood than working a full shift at a local store. That led him to his first business, chopping and splitting hundreds of cords through the summer and fall.

Not an easy path, but the habits stayed with him.

Years later, when he began competing in mixed martial arts, the people he trained with nicknamed him "The Lumberjack."

He competed in three professional bouts, winning all of them. The record looked impressive on paper, but MacFarlane said training kept him humble.

“I was undefeated everywhere as an amateur and as a pro,” MacFarlane said. “But every time I came back to the home shop behind closed doors, I couldn’t beat any of these guys.”

“I used to get slapped around all the time,” he said. “That gives you a bit of a reality check.”

“No matter how successful someone becomes,” he said, “there is always somebody bigger, better or more knowledgeable.”

Those lessons learned, he carried into business. But the fast pace of the corporate life took its toll.

“You can’t shut it off,” MacFarlane said.

“It was always just one more airplane, one more airport. You’re stuck in layovers — just time away.”

Asked about the titles and boardrooms that once defined him, MacFarlane shrugs it off.

“I’m just a farmer, man. CEO is a suitand-tie title that I don’t need anymore.”

For MacFarlane, the farm is a way of creating options for his sons, aged eight and six.

He doesn't expect them to follow him into the cattle business, but he hopes they can inherit something more useful than a job title.

“They have different business operations that I’m involved in outside of agriculture, and hopefully they can just pick their own path. But

at least we’re giving them a good head start.”

The farm may be one of the most ambitious projects MacFarlane has undertaken, but its appeal is simple. And the measure of success is clear, at least to him.

“Just actually taking the chance, taking the risk, and going forward and doing it, I think it’s already a success.”

Far from the boardroom, MacFarlane now begins his mornings with coffee on the porch and the day’s work waiting just beyond the steps.

“We got the covered porch with the white wooden swing on it, and you can overlook the fields,” he said. “The birds are chirping, and you just sit out there and have your coffee and enjoy the sunshine, the fresh air.”

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CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, August 6, 2026 - Page 8

Weather Summary for Ontario road washouts and downed trees, while more than 5,000 Hydro One customers remained without power into the following afternoon. Kenora's mayor described the event as a "oncein-a-century storm."

July 15: Smoke Spreads from Northwest Forest Fires Poor air quality associated with wildfire smoke caused widespread disruptions across Ontario in mid-July. Rare orange level air quality warnings were issued in the south and at times Toronto PM2.5 levels were reported as the highest in the Cont’d from P.2 world. In Toronto, very poor air quality led to the with Kenora Airport recording 90 mm in just two cancellation or relocation of outdoor events and hours. Strong winds also downed trees and power programs, including FIFA World Cup-related lines from the Manitoba border through Kenora activities, CampTO field trips, outdoor recreand south toward Minnesota. Flooding and ation and other municipal programming. Outdoor washouts closed roads and damaged numerous pools and wading pools were closed, beach roads and driveways in Wauzhushk Onigum lifeguard services were suspended, and outdoor Nation, while residents were advised to avoid municipal work was moved indoors where unnecessary travel. The City of Kenora received possible. numerous reports of flooding, sewer backups, Similar disruptions occurred elsewhere in O n t a r i o . Wi n d s o r m o v e d summer day camps indoors, The man who stops advertising cancelled outdoor programs and to save money events, closed outdoor pools and is like the man who stops the clock sports fields, and suspended to save time.

Peche Island tours.

Municipalities also established - Thomas Jeferson cleaner-air spaces for residents.

The widespread smoke prompted residents and organizations to reduce outdoor activities and take precautions.

Start advertising your products and services this week July 21: Deluge from to reach over 1700 readers.

Brantford through Northern Niagara Contact your media representative today!

705-864-4376 Torrential thunderstorms tracking from Brantford to northern Niagara caused significant urban flooding, with motorists stranded in waist-deep water and numerous basements flooded across Hamilton, Brantford and Niagara. Two roads in Hamilton were washed out and eight others closed, while some homes in Stoney Creek experienced severe basement flooding. Combined sewer overflows also discharged diluted sewage into Hamilton

Harbour. Rainfall totals reached 110 mm at Beamsville and 109 mm at Grimsby Mountain.

July 27-28: St Catharines Inundated, Again.

In St. Catharines, an intense overnight rainfall event on July 27–28 produced widespread flooding, particularly across the north end.

Rainfall totals reached approximately 138 mm in Port Dalhousie and 126 mm in Port Weller, with the heaviest rain falling within only a few hours.

The exceptional rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems and caused extensive overland and basement flooding across the city, damaging property and belongings and disrupting residents.

The City declared a Significant Weather Event and partially activated its Emergency Operations Centre to coordinate the response. Further intense rainfall and flooding occurred several days later, resulting in states of emergency; these impacts will be covered in the August bulletin.

Outlook for August 2026 Canadian model guidance indicates nearnormal temperatures across most of Ontario, with the Far North having a low likelihood of abovenormal temperatures. Precipitation is likewise expected to be near normal, although abovenormal amounts are possible in an east-west band across central Ontario, extending from Lake of the Woods and across Lake Superior to north of Ottawa.

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