TBB May 2023

The Port of Thunder Bay welcomed its first ocean-going ‘Salty’vessel of the 2023 shipping season on Friday, April 7. MV Federal Dart, a five-year-old Marshall Islands flagged bulker berthed to take on a load of Canadian Wheat. Amid clear skies on Saturday afternoon, with cargo loading operations underway, Captain Anuvarat Arora was bestowed the ceremonial Top Hat by Port Board Director Pat Bushby.

Chief Engineer Samit Sachan was also on hand; both crew leaders received gifts of thanks for opening the ocean-going shipping season at Canada’s furthest inland port. The Seaway route via the Port of Thunder Bay is a critical supply chain link for Canadian grain and potash exports, as well as imports of general and breakbulk cargo such as steel products. Shipping by ocean-going vessel is gaining prominence at the port – Salty visits are up by 43% in the last decade. Rounding out the Top Hat Ceremony, City of Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff provided a welcome from the city, while Christeann Hryb of Thunder

VESSELOPENS OCEAN SHIPPING SEASON AT CANADA’S FURTHESTINLAND PORT

Bay Shipping offered remarks as the vessel’s local agent. Canon Ed Swayze of the local Mission to Seafarers chapter provided a Seafarers’blessing. The Federal Dart will sail for the United Kingdom on Sunday

Tim Heney, CEO Port of ThunderBay

“The ocean ships are special to us. The Seaway was really built to bring ocean ships to Thunder Bay, the centre of the county being the farthest inland port. Bringing a ship this size all this way it is kind of a magic thing. Every year you can reflect on the system and its capabilities. The salt ships represent 30 to 35 % of our outbound freight but most of the inbound from Europe.”

“ Our start this year is not the earliest but certainly not the latest.We have had the latest in 2014 in May when we had all the ice.”

“ Most of the steel drops are near Chicago for the auto industry and they take back

grain from Thunder Bay. This ship is actually owned by a Canadian family in Montreal but registered in Turkey.”

“ Our season looks strong with wheat. We expect 400 ships and about 150 will be saltwater vessels. The Port is the biggest industrial tax base and provides about 900 direct jobs to the city.”

Captain Anuvarat Arora

“ Iam really excited about being first salt

water ship. We came from Turkey to Duluth first to discharge cement and then to Thunder Bay. We will load wheat here for the United Kingdom.”

“ It was a 25 day journey. The conditions were good here with only a few rough conditions in the Atlantic ocean. From Duluth to Thunder Bay we faced a snow storm in the night. The ship is like a home away from home for all of us.We have a staff of 22.”

What to Expect When Visiting a Chiropractor– part 2

As I mentioned in last month’s column, chiropractors are experts of the spine and related joints, muscles and nervous system. Because your spine and spinal nerves have connections to almost all parts of the body, chiropractors are trained to think wholistically when examining, diagnosing, and caring for their patients. Chiropractic care is conservative care which means they help people move better, feel better and improve their quality of life without the use of medications or surgery.The focus is on restoring function and promoting healthy lifestyles.

The fundamental principles of health that form chiropractic ideology are that; the body is a self-healing; self-regulating organism and that the nervous system is the master control system in the body that is linked and controls all the other systems.

With these principles in mind, the chiropractor aims to assist the body in self-healing rather than using invasive interventions.The most common form of therapy used is called a chiropractic adjustment, sometimes referred to as a spinal adjustment or spinal manipulative therapy.This is a highly skilled maneuver which takes years to master.The chiropractic adjustment is considered a high velocity, low amplitude thrusting procedure that restores proper movement to restricted or fixed joints.Any “popping” or “cracking” sounds noted is gas being released as the joint pressure changes, much like opening a can of soda.It is not bones crunching into each other.Joints are surrounded by various nervous tissues which are connected to your spinal nerves, spinal cord, and brain all of which are affected by the chiropractic adjustment.

There are several different styles and methods of performing chiropractic adjustments.Most chiropractors will use a combination of various techniques on a patient, depending on the patient’s needs, age, and health status.Secondarily to spinal adjustments, many chiropractors may use supporting modalities and techniques such as laser, acupuncture, myofascial release, and other soft tissue therapies. Significant time is also spent on counselling patients of lifestyle issues such as sleep, exercise, nutrition, and postural ergonomics.

How long will you need chiropractic care?

The short answer is it depends.It depends on the specific injury, how long a person has had such injury, health status, patient motivation, and a patient’s understanding of what it means to be healthy, just to name a few factors.In the most general terms, you can divide care into acute care

(1-8 weeks), rehabilitative care (1-6 months) and then supportive or wellness care.The longer you have the injury the longer it will take to see long-term improvements.The more motivated a person is to follow all the recommendations both in office and at home/work the more likely for quicker and positive outcomes. The simplest sprain/strain injury will take 6-8 weeks to fully heal, even though you may see dramatic improvements within the first few weeks.Stopping care too soon will almost guarantee a relapse in short order. If pain is your only measurement for health status just remember that pain is usually the last thing to show and the first thing to go.Choosing to continue with maintenance/wellness care does not guarantee no further spinal problems.But recent research has shown that it will reduce the frequency and severity of relapses.

Every person is unique.We all have different stories.Because of this your chiropractic care plan should be tailored to you and only your needs and health goals.

James DiGiuseppe is a local chiropractor with a busy family and wellness practice.For more health information or to contact Dr. DiGiuseppe visit: www.portarthurchiropractic.com

Canadian Tire ArthurStreet Location Undergoes Exciting Renovations!

ovations to the large store. Steve grew up in Niagara Falls, Ontario but owned two Canadian Tire Stores in Newfoundland before moving to Thunder Bay. He first started in Nipigon with Canadian Tire and also

Canadian Tire is over 100 years old now and has over 500 stores in Canada as well as owning the Mark’s Work Wearhouse, Sport Chek, Atmosphere, Canadian Tire Gas Bars and Parts Source brands. 100 % of the

make a pricing change on a product when necessary. It saves time and has become a more common practice in Canada and North America in the last 5 to10 years.” said McLean. “ We did the renovations as well going through

West Thunder Bay since February 22 and has just completed significant ren-

Canadian Tire locations are independently owned. Part of the system is you bring in financial capital as well as previous experience to get yourself into the ownership position. It is a combination of both but the lions share are your characteristics and past experiences said Steve McLean.

“ Our Arthur Street store has about 70,000 square feet of retail space plus a full service garage and a warehouse with 20 to 30,000 square feet of space. Right now we have 170 people working here during our renovations but normally it is 140 to 160. About half of our staff are full time and half part time,” said McLean.

Exterior and Interior renovations have been almost completed at Canadian Tire Arthur Street store.

“ Before I purchased the business my wife and I made a decision we wanted to renovate the store, refresh it, update it as it hadn’t been done for 12 - 15 years. Also we wanted to add some new processes and technology so we put in new electronic shelve labels throughout the store in place of paper labels. We also changed some processes to make it more efficient for ourselves and to improve customer satisfaction. Now we can instantaneously

every single aisle in the store and added new shelves where needed. We have put LED signs throughout the store to showcase our products and brands we want to promote and also to brighten up the place. We painted the exterior of the building and put in new lightning.” notes McLean.

“ We are also putting a new canopy and door at the front which is a new exit for customers for in particular online orders. If someone orders a barbeque or patio set, something large, we have a way to get that product to their vehicle a lot easier than previously. We will have a self contained room that has lockers as well for online products. It allows for our customers to be better served by just driving up to get the product.”

For the most part Canadian Tires product line is universal through out Canada but each store owner does take a look at their individual market and may expand on certain products such as hunting and fishing. We carry everything a store this size would normally carry but enhance certain areas to this market and have adequate inventory to satisfy Thunder Bay.”said McLean.

Steve McLean has been the new owner of the Canadian Tire Arthur Street

owned stores in Toronto.

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Canadian Tire ArthurStreet Location Undergoes Exciting Renovations!

Continued

Why did Steve and his family choose Thunder Bay to relocate?

“ We lived in Newfoundland and through the pandemic it was hard to travel. We have three children living in Ontario and it was hard to see them so when the time was right we wanted to get back to Ontario to be closer to our children. We have an opportunity in Thunder Bay to be an upstart community. We have a tremendous hospital, university and college so we have a lot of upside. The retail market has been really good for us,for both Canadian Tire stores in Thunder Bay.”

Are there any other changes coming for Canadian Tire Arthur Street?

“ I enjoy change and have some other plans for the future but this part of our strategy will be done in two weeks. It is challenging time to go through these renovations but we hope to get back to doing nothing but managing our business, satisfying our customers and keeping an eye on employees to keep them happy.”

“ Our store now is our latest concept. Canadian Tire is always evolving so

new concepts are coming, so there will be different looks that will be coming across Canada to stay up with the times and the needs of the customers.”

May 4th will be grand opening of the refreshed Canadian Tire Arthur Street!

PorterAirlines celebrates first flights between Ottawa and ThunderBay

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Flights bring more connectivity to nation’s capital

Porter Airlines launched three new routes between Ottawa International Airport and Boston, New York-Newark and Thunder Bay , providing convenient travel links for the region.

The new routes are part of Porter’s broader expansion plan in Ottawa and its commitment to the region, including new maintenance hangars that are currently under construction at YOW. These will serve as a primary maintenance facility for the airline’s new E195-E2 fleet.

Porter is the only airline providing yearround daily direct flights to Boston and Thunder Bay from Ottawa. The new daily non-stop routes are served by 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft. Passengers are able to experience Porter’s genuine hospitality and elevated

onboard service, including premium snacks, and free beer and wine served in glassware for all passengers.

A number of one-stop connecting routes are also created with the introduction of these flights. Porter currently operates eight non-stop routes from Ottawa International Airport, with Charlottetown scheduled to become the ninth on May 17. Detailed schedules can be found on www.flyporter.com.

Quotes

“This builds on our already extensive network in Eastern Canada and substantially increases the number of destinations served directly from Ottawa. Porter connects passengers coast-to-coast, with the level of service and generosity that economy travellers deserve."

• Kevin Jackson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Porter Airlines

“Porter Airlines continues to impress us with their commitment to Ottawa-Gatineau.

No only was YOWPorter’s first turboprop

• Mark Laroche, president

destination back in 2006, in February we were also first to host Porter’s inaugural commercial jet service. As Porter’s YOWbased hangar construction is well underway, this new air service is yet another step forward as Porter airlines embraces the National Capital Region’s potential.”

and CEO, Ottawa International Airport Authority

“Thunder Bay Airport is thrilled to see Porter is again confirming its confidence in our market, this time by adding a new destination. It has been almost 20 years since direct, non-stop service to Ottawa has been offered. We are sure that Ottawa and Porter will be a winning combination.”

• Ed Schmidtke, president and CEO, Thunder Bay International Airports Authority

“Brad Cicero, DirectorCommunications & Public Affairs PorterAirlines

“ It is always exciting when you can launch a new route. Thunder Bay has been a great market for Porter for many years, since 2009. All of the service has been to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport which has always been popular.We currently have 5 round trips per day on that route. Ottawa is in addition to that with 2 flights per day.”

“ Ottawa has been our most popular connecting market that we go through Thunder Bay and Toronto, so having a couple of options a day that are non stop will be good for many people. They can also make it work with a connecting flight through Billy Bishop as well. The plane on the Ottawa route will be the Q 400.”

“ We have firm orders for 50 Embraer jets and options for 50 more. Early this year we got the first group of those and are using them on a number of domestic routes including Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver as well as a few eastern markets. As we get more we will expand throughout North America. It is a big step for the airline and those planes are going to be an important part of our future. We have 8 Embraers now and expect 25 to 30 by the end of this year and 50 by early 2025.We currently have 29 Q 400’s. There is a lot of excitement in the whole company.”

“We have no plans to fly the Embraer out of Thunder bay yet but once we have 100 of them we will be considering many routes. The capacity of the aircraft with 78 on the Q 400 and 132 on the Embraer is relevant as well to take into consideration. Thunder Bay has always received Porter well, value it’s air service and always been one of our busiest routes.”

Porter has 2500 employees having hired about 1000 over the last year. Every week there are more people coming and by the end of 2024 they expect to be in the range of 4500 employees with the new aircraft.

Thunder Bay BUSINESS

The 2023 Construction Climate in ThunderBay

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Thunder Bay BUSINESS

There are many good construction projects happening in Thunder Bay this season.

Magnus Theatre will be will be undergoing some major improvements including a new 125-seat Studio Theatre, expansion of the Production Shop, renovations to the Bar and Lounge, and building improvements, all while maintaining the Heritage features of the landmark Central School building.

Some other projects underway in

Thunder Bay are:

* the addition at Gore Motors Honda

* a new $30 million plus Thunder Bay Art Gallery at Prince Arthur’s Landing

* the ongoing construction of the Hoito building with residential and commercial space

* a brand new KIAdealership building in the Innova Park subdivision

* a brand new hotel next to the Hampton Inn on Arthur Street

* a new Mary Brown’s Chicken in a

new building on the Arthur Street Marketplace property.

Above: Gore Motors Honda expansion, Side Middle: News Mary Brown’s Chicken and bottom KIADealership underconstruction

©2023 Brian Babcock

Lending institutions (“Lender(s)”) make loans to business entities (“Borrower(s)”) being corporations, developers, etc., wishing to acquireproperties or arrange for a capital injection from a Lender to construct income producing buildings. I.e. apartment buildings, mini malls, etc.

SO YOU WANTTO INVESTIN COMMERCIALREALESTATE Legal Matters

Commercial real estate is “income-producing property used solely for business purposes”.

Once you have been approved by the Lender for a capital loan, your lawyer will be instructed as to the types of security the Lender wishes to obtain from the Borrower.This generally takes the form of a realty mortgage and a lien on the personal property of the Borrower by way of

a General Security Agreement.In the case of rental units, generally an assignment of rents will be requested by the Lender to be registered against title to the property as well as under The Personal Property Security Act.

Depending upon the credit worthiness of the Borrower, the Lender may also require a personal guarantee for the loan from each of the principals of the corporation in addition to postponements of claim from each guarantor relative to funds that may become payable by the Borrower to the principals.

Traditional due diligence corporate searches are needed to process a mortgage loan, i.e. Corporate Entity Reports, Bankruptcy, Bank Act and Personal Property Security searches, in addition to a search for outstanding litigious claims against the Borrower.Afull search of the title to the property to be secured is also required for Planning Act contraventions, liens that may be registered against title and outstanding Executions that may be filed against the Borrower with the Sheriff on

the Jurisdiction in which the property is located.Off-title searches are also required relative to tax and water arrears, zoning compliance and work orders under current zoning by-laws, Electrical Safety inspection, by-law enforcement issues, and outstanding fire inspections to name a few.

Commercial Loans are title insured for the Lender relative to both Title and Off-Title Risks for coverages that are too numerous to mention in this article.

If more than one advance is required, such as for a construction loan, searches will be updated for each advance.

My colleagues at Weilers LLPare experienced and knowledgeable about your borrowing or lending needs. Whether your transaction is simple or complex, we aim to complete it smoothly. My thanks to Lenore Martin, senior commercial real estate clerk, for assistance with this article.

M Builds Selected as the Contractorforthe Next Stage project, Magnus Theatre

M Builds Partner Peter Belluz said that his company’s goal is to construct a facility that will serve Magnus and the arts community well into the future.

“M Builds is pleased and excited to be selected as General Contractor for Magnus Theatre Next Stage project. Many of the M Builds staff have been supporters of the theatre over the years and we now look forward to working with the Magnus Theatre team, Form Studio Architects, Consultants and Subcontractors, to turn their vision of The Next Stage into reality”.

The Next Stage project is funded in part by the Government of Canada, FedNor, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, the Ontario Trillium Fund, the Thunder Bay CEDC, and TBXI.

Magnus Theatre is excited to announce that M Builds has been selected as the Contractor for the Next Stage project.

Magnus Theatre undertook a competitive procurement process, following which M Builds has been selected to construct the Next Stage expansion for Magnus Theatre.

Magnus Theatre has thrived in its first 51 years as Northern Ontario’s only professional theatre. Demand is growing exponentially for both programming and facility rentals, but upgrades are vital to extending possibilities within the community. The Next Stage is a major infrastructure project launched to restore, upgrade, and expand this unique facility to meet emerging needs of the community and to maximize Magnus Theatre’s impact as a cultural and economic force.

Executive Director Alexis Rowlinson said that Magnus Theatre looks forward to working with M Builds and Form Studio Architects to realize this landmark project. “The opportunity to work with an experienced and committed local contractor to build the Next Stage is an important step toward the achievement of this project which will increase our economic and social impact and benefit the community for decades to come.”

The project will see the addition of a 125-seat Studio Theatre, expansion of the Production Shop, renovations to the

Bar and Lounge, and building improvements, all while maintaining the Heritage features of the landmark Central School building.

Construction will begin in the coming weeks, with site and foundation work scheduled for Spring 2023.

The 2023 Construction Climate in ThunderBay

This project supports the ministry's strategy of replacing aging institutions to address health, safety and security issues, including efficiencies of design, technology and space. It will improve access to programming, living conditions and education, while also updating automation and technology.

Infrastructure Ontario is building a $1.2 billion plus project that will

result in development of a 345-bed, multi-purpose correctional facility.

Above: New hotel adjacent to Hampton Inn Below: The Hoito development

Tbaytel releases 2022 community report, announces dividend to city

– Tbaytel released Expanding with Stronger Connections: 2022 Report to the Community on Tuesday, April 25. The report highlights key accomplishments from the past year, Tbaytel’s strategic direction and summarizes financial information. It also highlights a number of new products and services as Tbaytel continues to make strategic decisions and investments to bring the latest in telecommunications technology to northern Ontario.

“Whether it’s taking care of our neighbourhood with Tbaytel for Good, modernizing our networks to provide the latest technology while also driving efficiencies to help our environment, ensuring continued financial success or supporting the growth of our employees through training and skills development, Tbaytel was able to expand with stronger connections in many ways during 2022,” said Tbaytel President and CEO Dan Topatigh.

“With a dedicated workforce committed to our customers and region, strong financial performance and the trust of our customers throughout northern Ontario, Tbaytel looks forward to another great year in 2023.”

More than $214 million in revenue was earned for 2022 demonstrating the strong support Tbaytel has from its loyal customer base, which directly correlates to a fixed dividend of $18 million and performance dividend of $239,000 to the city of Thunder Bay that ultimately reduces local property tax bills by approximately 8.25 per cent. Since 2004, Tbaytel has returned more than $357.9 million in dividends to the city. Along with this exceptional financial performance, in total Tbaytel made a direct economic impact of $145.7 million throughout Thunder Bay and northern Ontario last year.

In 2022, the Tbaytel for Good program, designed to support organizations, notfor-profits, and people making a differ-

ence in our communities, contributed more than $416,000 to 118 organizations and events in 13 communities. Coupled with employee volunteer hours, these financial contributions supported some major events like Wake the Giant and the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in addition to local organizations like the United Way and PRO Kids.

This past year saw Tbaytel continue to bring its products and services to more people than ever before with the completion of LTE across our wireless serving territory and the design and build of 5G in Thunder Bay with launch and planned expansion within the city and regional communities throughout 2023. Along with welcoming the community of

Marathon to areas we service with Fibre, Tbaytel brought Fibre to 11 areas in our region in 2022, adding nearly 5,100 addresses to our Fibre footprint including the final installation of our federallyfunded project to the areas of One Island Lake, Gorevale, Hawkeye Lake, Intola, Trout Lake and Barnum Lake. We’re proud to say that 99.4 per cent of the city of Thunder Bay now has access to Tbaytel Fibre.

“Tbaytel is proud to be able to deliver such strong results for the people of Thunder Bay and all of northern Ontario by not only adapting to the constantly evolving telecommunications industry but thrive,” said Tbaytel Municipal Board Chair Scott Potts.

“I would like to thank Tbaytel’s President & CEO, the executive management team, our board of directors and all Tbaytel employees for their hard work and commitment.”

To view or download Expanding with Stronger Connections: 2022 Report to the Community please visit tbaytel.net/community report

New Golf Business forNWOntario: Pure Golf

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Thunder Bay BUSINESS

Academy.” said Cameron. “ Evan then went to the Core Golf Academy in Orlando with Sean Foley for two years- one on one with Sean.”

Cameron and Evan were both good at golf and took their skill set to the next level and

Thunder Bay that no one has been able to do in the past- a one stop shop for fittings, lessons, bay rentals and pro shop covering all the bases. If you are in the city and you think golf- think Pure Golf,” notes Evan.

“ Pure Golf Performance Centre is our name we created and we got Shout Media to create a logo and website for us. The end goal with the company is to grow the game of golf in the city and region. We grew up playing golf competitively and want to grow the game, especially with juniors and women, by bringing a service to Thunder Bay that has never been here before- club fitting, lessons and retail all under one roof.” says Evan.

“ You can have a lesson and fitting package to fit your golf swing to clubs that will make it a little bit easier for you. You can get clubs fitted to you and then once those clubs come in you can come back for a lesson and make sure everything is dialed in correctly.”

Golf Thunder Bay have been friends since youth. Both have a passion for golf and after taking similar paths in the US playing and learning the game, have started a new business together-Pure Golf Performance Centre!

“ We grew up together at TBCC playing golf until today - we probably have played over 1000 rounds together. We both went away to high school in South Carolina at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf

pursued golf scholarships in the US.

Cameron left his scholarship in Virginia early to finish at LUand then moved to Toronto to become a fitter for Tour Experience Golf for 7 years becoming a Master Fitter, having done over 2500 fits to date.

Evan played golf in New Mexico and then got his professional golf management degree from Niagara College.

“ We wanted to bring back something to

Pure Golf Tbay uses the Foresight Sports GC Hawk and Quad indoor simulators and the fit system and OEM fit that each company has for- heads, shafts and grips for driver, fairway woods and irons. You can hit the club that they build for you in house and then order that exact club from the manufacturer to come in.

“Nowadays clubs are so expensive you should hit them before buying them.Golf is hard and expensive, so lets get something you like and can have fun with playing the game.” noted Evan.

You can play golf on the simulators as a single or group of four - $45 per hour for

Cameron and Evan want you to be comfortable at Pure Golf with TV’s to watch sports and listen to some music if you want as well.

Cameron Kennedy, co-owner and Master Club Fitter and Evan Littlefield, co--owner and Head Teaching Professional at Pure

one person and $60 per hour for the group of four.

Cameron Kennedy and Evan Littlefield Pure Golf

A Peek into A50-YearLong Journey...

In April of 1973, while a telecommunications employee stood on the busy side-

a communications system for The Great Lakes Paper Co. Woodlands division throughout the region, among many oth-

offer Satellite communications from Infosat like Zoleo.

Bill Exell Jr. says “We are a one-stop shop for people and businesses to stay connected. Whatever your communications needs, we have you covered! It has been an awesome journey so far and we are excited about whatever the future holds”.

This year, the Exell family is undeniably proud as they celebrate 50 years of service and success. Karen Bagdon, daughter of Bill Exell Sr. says “We are happy to be recognizing the five decades of business

we’ve serviced and especially our collaboration with Tbaytel. For 5 decades we have been able to adapt to new technologies in the world of communications! We’re definitely ready for what’s next!”

Bill Sr. remains available to help in any way and continues to offer sound advice, though sometimes it’s from his garage where he continues to pursue his hobby of working on classic cars. When asked about his success, Bill Sr. said, “I’d like to thank everyone for their support for all these years. I’m grateful for the customers that came with us from the very beginning, giving my wife Jackie and I encouragement and support. It makes me

walks of New York calling a rival company from the world’s first handheld cellphone, Bill Exell Sr. was launching himself as an entrepreneur in the world of communications on the streets of Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. The brand that has evolved from Thunder Bay Communications to TBComm to Touch Unwired is proudly celebrating their 50th anniversary this spring.

Bill Exell Sr., the patriarch of this family business, started his career in communications with Marconi Co. Ltd., busy in marine communications.His new enterprise took off quickly when he secured contracts to provide two-way radios for the City of Thunder Bay, and to establish

ers. In the early 80’s City-Wide Paging was added to their services, followed by Radio Common Carrier communications throughout the region.

Later rebranded to TBComm Wireless, the company tapped into the world of Cellular and Satellite phone communications in 1990 and became dealers for the very first local cellular providers. The next generation of the Exell family was on board and they rebuilt the brand to what we know today as Touch Unwired. With their 30 plus year partnership with Tbaytel and three Touch Unwired locations, they now provide services like Connected Home and Tbaytel TValong with Cellular Phones and accessories, and

since our parents set out on this journey. We are celebrating them, our family, our customers, our staff, the communities

today.”

proud to see the family business continuing to be successful

The NWMO re-signs a multi yearco-operation agreement with French counterpart Andra

Recently , during French Minister for Higher Education and Research Sylvie Retailleau’s visit to Canada, Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWMO) President and CEO Laurie Swami and the French Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency Michel Miraillet, acting on behalf of Andra CEO Pierre-Marie Abadie, signed a five-year extension of their co-operation agreement on the long-term management of radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel.

Both France and Canada recognize that the safe, long-term management of radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel is of the utmost priority and that both countries have significant expertise and experiences they can share to make sure that both people and the environment are protected for generations to come.

“Canada and France are world leaders in nuclear waste management, and this cooperation agreement signals our commitment to sharing, learning and collaborating between our respective countries,” said Laurie Swami. “We’re seeing significant progress, not just in Canada and in France, but across the globe as more and more countries approve and ultimately begin building deep geological repositories to safely dispose of high-level radioactive waste or used nuclear fuel. I am delighted that Minister Sylvie Retailleau was able to support and highlight the importance of international collaboration on protecting people and the environment.”

Over the past decade, information sharing between the NWMO andAndra on communications and dialogue with the public, safety approaches, research and development progress and innovative technologies has been important in the achievement of key milestones in both the Canadian and French radioactive waste and used fuel management programs. The NWMO and Andra are proud of their co-operation and look forward to continued partnership and international excellence based on mutual confidence, understanding and respect for their cultural specificities.

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources,

said: “Canada is a Tier-1 nuclear nation, and the safe management of radioactive waste is the government’s top priority when it comes to nuclear energy. Through agreements such as this one and partnerships with like-minded allies, we will reach our net-zero targets. We look forward to the continued collaboration between the NWMO and Andra, both of whom have been leading the charge on the advancement of deep geological repositories for the safe, long-term management of nuclear fuel waste.”

“France and Canada, who rank among the leading countries in the field of civil nuclear energy, are both fully committed to using nuclear power to address environmental as well as energy security concerns,” said French Ambassador Michel Miraillet. “They share long-standing cooperation ties in the main areas of civil

nuclear energy, including waste management. Both agencies in charge of managing waste, Andra and the NWMO, are fully engaged in collaborative actions, which greatly help in resolving the fuel cycle back-end issues. The renewal of their co-operation agreement, witnessed by Minister Retailleau and her Canadian counterpart Minister Champagne, clearly highlights the importance of the NWMO and Andra’s contribution to the sustainability of nuclear energy.”

About the NWMO

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is a not-for-profit organization tasked with the safe, longterm management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel inside a deep geological repository, in a manner that protects people and the environment for generations to come.

Founded in 2002, the NWMO has been guided for more than 20 years by a dedicated team of world-class scientists, engineers and Indigenous Knowledge Holders that are developing innovative and collaborative solutions for nuclear waste management. Canada’s plan will only proceed in an area with informed and willing hosts, where the municipality, First Nation and Métis communities, and others in the area are working together to implement it. The NWMO plans to select a site in 2024, and two areas remain in our site selection process: the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation-Ignace area in northwestern Ontario and the Saugeen Ojibway NationSouth Bruce area in southern Ontario.

Photo caption: (l-r) François-Philippe Champagne, Ministerof Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada; Laurie Swami, President and CEO, NWMO; Michel Miraillet, French Ambassadorto Canada; Sylvie Retailleau, Ministerof Higher Education and Research of France

THOMPSON OKANAGAN OFFERS WORLD CLASS GOLF

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Great Outdoors

It was fun to play golf in the Okanagan several years ago at the much awarded Tobiano Golf Resort,

Golf The World Vacations, Vancouver, Monica Leeck of Tourism British Columbia, Gary Aldus of Thompson Okanagan Tourism,Michelle

Jefferson of Vernon Tourism and Lee Morris of Tourism Kamloops for their

organization of this outstanding week.

Kamloops BC.The course opened in 2007 with a soft opening after the current owner took over the property in 1998with a full opening in 2008. Tobiano has been received extremely well.It has won plenty of awards including the best new course in Canada in 2008 and in 2009 and the best conditioned course in BC as well as the best public course in BC by Score Golf and Golf Digest magazines. Thomas McBroom is the designer of Tobiano which has a links style feel. “I love the views and the condition of the course. We have bent and bluegrass and our superintendent Terry Smith is unbelievable. Our club house opened in 2008 and is very unique,” said Adam Tobin, Golf Shop Supervisor and Assistant Professional Tobiano.

It was really a treat for me to play Tobiano. I really like Tom McBroom designs, even living on one at home, and Tobiano is just spectacular and well deserving of its awards. The conditioning was superb. Greens were like smooth carpets. The setting is also tremendous and at times on the back nine reminded of Northern Ireland with the water views and heights. Tobiano alone is worth the trip to Kamloops. When you play this course you will want to come back.

My time in the Thompson Okanagan had come to end and it was off to the Kamloops airport to catch the red eye flight back home. I will have plenty of fond memories of this trip. Special thanks to Colin Yorath of

In Memory of Colin Yorath Rest in Peace