Timmins city council will hold a public meeting on a proposed zoning bylaw amendment for 675 Hart St. on Monday, Nov. 23, 2026. The meeting is set for 11 a.m. in council chambers at Timmins City Hall, 220 Algonquin Blvd. E., according to a notice from the City of Timmins.

Council is expected to take public input before deciding whether to approve the requested zoning change, which would allow a boarding house or rooming house at the property if the applicant lives there.

The city notice says the property is currently zoned Residential First Density (NA-R1). The application proposes rezoning it to Residential Third Density (NA-R3) with a special provision identified as SP6.206.

According to the notice, the purpose and effect of the proposed amendment would be to permit a boarding house or rooming house at 675 Hart St., provided the applicant resides on the property.

The applicant is Belmar Guarin, the notice states.

As part of the application, the notice says the applicant is seeking a site-specific change to reduce the south interior side yard setback to 1.5 metres from 2.5 metres.

The application also proposes increasing the maximum driveway width to 9.85 metres from 7.1 metres, according to the city.

The file number for the application is Z-2026-09.

The Cochrane and Suburban Planning Board will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at Cochrane Town Hall, 171 Fourth Ave., to consider two consent-to-sever applications for the property at 51 Highway 11 South.

The applications, if approved, would split the property into two new lots for future development while leaving a third, retained parcel. The hearing is intended to gather public input before the planning board makes decisions on the requests.

The applications are listed as B04-2026 and B05-2026, and the owner is MK Cochrane Investments Inc.

Under application B04-2026, the first new lot (Lot 1) is proposed to have about 53.25 metres of frontage, a depth of 125.27 metres and an area of about 6,670 square metres.

Under application B05-2026, the second new lot (Lot 2) is proposed to have about 8 metres of frontage, a depth of 112.73 metres and an area of about 7,901.23 square metres.

The retained parcel is proposed to have about 114.86 metres of frontage, a depth of 283 metres and an area of about 27,350 square metres. The notice describing the applications lists the retained lands as intended to contain a gas bar, along with a mix of restaurant, retail and convenience store uses.

The property is within Cochrane’s urban settlement area.

Residents can also participate in the public hearing electronically, according to the public notice.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a food recall warning on Oct. 30, 2026, for Snow Crab Flavoured Surimi Stick because it contains undeclared egg and soy, with distribution listed as British Columbia.

The agency warns the product may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in people with egg or soy allergies or sensitivities.

The recalled product is Snow Crab Flavoured Surimi Stick (200 g). The brand is listed as "None (Chinese characters only)," and the UPC is 6 926104 942661.

Affected codes are 20260802, 20270201 and J016 D02.

The recall was triggered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency test results. As of Oct. 30, 2026, the CFIA said no reactions had been reported.

Ecological Park Agriculture Inc. is the recalling firm.

The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation that may lead to recalls of other products. The agency is also verifying the product is being removed from the marketplace.

The recall is classified as Class 1 and is listed under identification number RA-82892.

A 57-year-old Timmins resident has been charged after police executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant at a Main Street home in South Porcupine on Oct. 27, 2026, seizing cocaine, more than $50,000 in cash and a firearm with ammunition, Timmins police said.

The investigation matters for residents because it involved an arrest and multiple charges tied to drugs, cash and a weapon in a local neighbourhood, following a joint operation by Timmins Police Service and Ontario Provincial Police.

Timmins Police Service said its Drug Enforcement Unit and the Ontario Provincial Police Community Street Crime Unit carried out the investigation and executed the warrant.

Police identified the person charged as Laurie Millions, 57, of Timmins. Police also spelled her first name as “Laura” in the announcement.

Police said Millions was arrested and found with cocaine, Canadian currency and a firearm with ammunition that she was not licensed to possess.

Police said officers seized 219 grams of cocaine, which they estimated had a street value of $21,900, as well as over $50,000 in Canadian currency.

Millions is charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

She also faces Criminal Code charges of proceeds of crime over $5,000, unauthorized possession of a restricted weapon, and careless storage of ammunition, police said.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a Class 2 recall for certain unbranded grated carrots distributed in Quebec because they may contain pieces of metal. The agency lists the recall date as Oct. 27, and says the notice was last updated Oct. 29.

The recall applies to both retail sales and to hotels, restaurants and institutions, according to the CFIA. The agency’s notice lists distribution in Quebec and does not list Ontario.

The CFIA says people and businesses should not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected products.

All of the affected products have a best-before date of Oct. 28, 2026. The CFIA identified the products as:

• 7068 – Grated Carrots (1 kg), UPC 00650746298553
• 65163 – Grated Carrots (5 x 1.82 kg), UPC 8926930012574
• 65167 – Grated Carrots (5 x 1.82 kg), UPC 10620868203022
• 65165 – Grated Carrots 1/16 (100 x 2.27 kg), UPC not listed

The recalling firm is J. G. Fruits & Légumes Inc., according to the CFIA.

The recall identification number is RA-82881.

Overnight street parking in Timmins will be prohibited starting Sunday, Nov. 1, with vehicles left on streets between 11:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. subject to a $50 fine and possible towing at the owner’s expense, according to a City of Timmins winter-preparedness notice.

The city says the restriction is intended to allow plowing and snow removal to be done without crews having to work around parked vehicles, which can leave sections of road unplowed.

The overnight ban applies to streets, city boulevards and municipal parking lots. The city says overnight parking is permitted only on streets that are exempt from the ban and marked with “Parking Permitted” signs.

In the same notice, the city asked residents to remove obstacles from roadside areas to prevent damage and delays during winter maintenance. The notice specifically mentions portable basketball and hockey nets, which it said should be pulled back from the ends of driveways, sidewalks and curbs.

A seasonal structure permit is required to install a temporary winter shelter, the city said. Approved temporary shelters can be set up between Oct. 1 and April 30, and the permit fee is $15.

Winter maintenance is carried out based on service priorities and road conditions, according to the city. Major roads and priority routes are generally cleared before lower-volume residential streets. During significant snowfall, crews may make repeated passes to keep roads clear before additional cleanup and snow removal.

As streets are plowed, snow is pushed to the roadside for temporary storage, the notice states. Once enough snow accumulates, Public Works begins scheduled snow removal operations to haul snow to designated city snow dumps.

Temporary “No Parking” signs are posted before snow removal begins. A weekly snow removal schedule will be posted at Timmins.ca, the city said.

The city also noted that its Snow By-law 1993-4162 prohibits snow from private property from being pushed, blown, or deposited onto city streets or sidewalks.

Smooth Rock Falls will hold an inauguration ceremony for its newly elected mayor and council on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Smooth Rock Falls Curling Club, according to a town announcement.

The inauguration for the 2026–2030 council term is open to the public.

The curling club is located at 195 Fifth Street. Doors will open at 6 p.m., half an hour before the ceremony begins.

Timmins City Council will hold a public meeting Monday, Nov. 23, 2026, at 9 a.m. in the Council Chambers, City of Timmins, 220 Algonquin Boulevard East, to gather public input on a proposed zoning by-law amendment for lands on Algonquin Boulevard East.

The proposed change would allow a drive-through restaurant on the site, and the meeting is being held under Section 34 of Ontario’s Planning Act, according to the city’s public notice.

The city said the application seeks to rezone the property from Residential Medium Density 2 (NA-RM2) to Highway Commercial (EA-CH) to permit an approximate 217.3-square-metre drive-through restaurant.

The applicant is Algonquin Apartments Ltd., with Luckshana Balakrishnan listed as the agent.

The location is identified in the notice as Concession 2, Part of Lot 11, BG Registered Plan 6R2133 Part 1 and 3, Parcel 14070WT, in Tisdale Township within the City of Timmins, on Algonquin Boulevard East.

The application is File No. Z-2026-08. The notice is dated Oct. 29, 2026.

Gratien Bernier was elected mayor of Smooth Rock Falls in the Oct. 26, 2026, municipal election. Joe (Jean-Marie) Couture, Tracy Gagnon, Leslie Gagnon and Denise Pelletier were declared elected as councillors, and voter turnout was 58.4%.

The official results confirm who will represent Smooth Rock Falls residents on municipal council following the 2026 vote, including the mayor and four councillors.

The Town of Smooth Rock Falls published the results online and attached its official Declaration of Elected Candidates (Form EL32).

The form lists Bernier as mayor and Couture, Tracy Gagnon, Leslie Gagnon and Pelletier as councillors.

The declaration is dated Oct. 26, 2026, and signed by Nathalie Vachon, the town clerk and returning officer.

Northern College said it received a $150,000 donation from the RBC Foundation on Oct. 27, 2026, funding the college says will support “revitalization” of the Haileybury School of Mines and modernization of some classroom and laboratory spaces at its campuses.

The announcement outlines how the college and the foundation say the money is intended to be used: updates to teaching facilities, continued work on mining-related programs, and efforts to recruit students into mining programming connected to what the college described as industrial expansion in Ontario’s northeast.

In its statement, Northern College said the donation will support what it called further Haileybury School of Mines program “growth and sustainability,” while also modernizing existing classrooms and labs.

The college said the funding will be used to expand recruitment of students for mining programming and to support continued curriculum development. Northern said that work has “the primary goal of supporting the region’s large-scale industrial mining expansion.”

Jamie Johnston, Northern’s dean of mining, trades, technology and apprenticeship, said the college has spent the past two years working with “industry and expert partners” to modernize its mining offerings through the Haileybury School of Mines.

Northern College president and CEO Mitch Dumas said the college expects the RBC Foundation funding to help Haileybury School of Mines programs “keep pace with industry standards and best practices,” and to support classroom and laboratory spaces used by students.

Scott Simon, identified as RBC’s regional vice-president for Northern Lakes, said the foundation aims to support “equipping communities with in-demand skills.”

Northern College did not provide a timeline for the classroom and laboratory upgrades described in the announcement.

Timmins Police Service suspended its use of Crime Stoppers on Oct. 26, 2026, saying it acted after a reported cybersecurity incident involving a third-party platform used by Crime Stoppers organizations.

The change affects how people can submit information to police: during the suspension, tips cannot be sent through Crime Stoppers, and police say they cannot guarantee anonymity “in most circumstances” when information is provided directly.

Police said it has advised the Crime Stoppers program that serves Timmins that it will not receive tips through the service while it gathers more information about the incident and the potential for a data breach.

“To date, no information affecting Timmins has been identified as part of the reported data breach,” Timmins police said.

Police said Crime Stoppers tips are generally not time-sensitive, but it will still take information about “significant public safety concerns” during the pause. If urgent information comes in, police said it will “proceed with caution,” conduct a risk assessment and decide on an operational response.

Chief Syd Lecky said the service will resume receiving tips through Crime Stoppers once it is satisfied the program’s “security and integrity” are established to protect tipster confidentiality.

Crime Stoppers operates independently of Timmins Police Service, police said. Timmins police also said it will provide further information when additional details become available.

Southbound traffic on Highway 655 immediately north of the Algonquin Boulevard intersection in Timmins is being detoured starting Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, for about three days to allow road crossings for the installation of new traffic signals, the City of Timmins says.

The detour affects southbound drivers using Highway 655 near the intersection, with separate routes posted for heavy trucks and other vehicles. The city says some northbound access through the intersection will remain available during the work.

Southbound heavy trucks will detour using Laforest Road, connecting to Riverside Drive via Shirley Street.

Other southbound vehicles will detour using Ross Avenue.

The city says northbound access will remain available for vehicles turning left from Algonquin Boulevard and for vehicles travelling straight through the intersection from the Shoppers Drug Mart/LCBO plaza.

The northbound access ramp to Highway 655 will remain open for vehicles travelling westbound on Algonquin Boulevard.

Access to Your Independent Grocer, Harvey’s/Swiss Chalet and Gillies Lake parking will be maintained during the work.

Detour signage will be posted along the designated routes, according to the city notice.

One lane of traffic is set to close on 2nd Street East at the 3rd Avenue intersection in Cochrane from Oct. 27 to Nov. 10, 2026, for integrity work on an existing natural gas pipeline in the area.

The lane closure will reduce the roadway width at the intersection during the construction period, which could affect how drivers and nearby residents move through the area.

The Town of Cochrane says two-way traffic will be maintained through the intersection, although the available roadway width will be reduced.

Residents within the lane-closure area will have access to their properties at all times, the town says.

The town also says access for emergency vehicles will remain available throughout the duration of the work.

According to the notice, the work is being carried out by Enbridge Gas and is not funded by the Town of Cochrane.

The town says the Oct. 27 to Nov. 10 construction window is an estimate and may change.

Cochrane Mayor Peter Politis has proclaimed Oct. 28, 2026 as “Disability Employment Awareness Day,” in a proclamation dated Oct. 13 and posted Oct. 24 on the Town of Cochrane’s website.

For residents looking for local activities tied to the date, the town’s web notice does not list any events or programming planned for Oct. 28.

The proclamation includes several statements about disability and employment. It says “persons with disabilities bring valuable skills, perspectives and leadership to workplaces, businesses, and communities in Cochrane.”

It also states that “accessibility and inclusive employment strengthen local economies, reduce barriers, and create meaningful opportunity for residents of all abilities.”

The text further says Disability Employment Awareness Day “recognizes the shared responsibility of employers, institutions, and communities to ensure equitable participation.”

In the proclamation’s closing, Politis declares Oct. 28, 2026 as Disability Employment Awareness Day in the Town of Cochrane.

The town’s webpage includes an inconsistency in its wording: a footer line reads “PROCLAMATION OF Disability Employment Awareness Week,” while the proclamation itself refers to “Disability Employment Awareness Day” on Oct. 28, 2026.

Watermain repairs in Porcupine and South Porcupine on Oct. 23, 2026 may cause low or fluctuating water pressure and discoloured tap water, according to a notice from the City of Timmins Environmental Services Department.

Some Porcupine residents could see reduced water pressure for several more days. The city said customers east of the Porcupine River Bridge may have lower-than-normal pressure until approximately Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026 because of a supply line disruption near the bridge.

The city said water pressure changes and discoloured water could occur periodically while crews continue the repairs.

Discoloured water may appear yellow, brown or reddish, the notice said.

The city said the discolouration is not harmful to health, but it can stain laundry. The city advised residents not to drink or use discoloured water.

If tap water is discoloured, the city said residents can run a cold-water tap—preferably an outside tap or a cold basement tap—for five to 15 minutes, or until the water runs clear.

The city also advised residents to avoid using hot water and to hold off on laundry until the water runs clear.

The notice did not provide an estimated completion time for the repairs.