The Seeker Community

10/19/2026

Are You a Cornwall Businesswoman? Here's Why You Should Be at the Business Sisters Conference on November 9
https://cornwallseeker.blogspot.com/2026/10/are-you-cornwall-businesswoman-here-why.html

10/19/2026

10/19/2026

📰 𝟱 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬
October 19, 2026

Here are five stories to know today, with the focus first on Cornwall, SDG&A and Akwesasne, then on the deadly fire at CFB Wainwright and new federal Express Entry rules that matter to local employers.

1️⃣ School board counts on new bus contracts to close $4.6M transportation gap
The Upper Canada District School Board's chief business officer, Jeremy Hobbs, believes putting school bus contracts out to the open market next year will close a $4.6 million transportation deficit, Cornwall Newswatch reported on October 19. Earlier this month, 88.1 myFM News reported that the projected shortfall under Ontario's new transportation funding formula had first been pegged at $16 million before efficiencies and provincial standards brought it down to about $4.6 million for the two boards served by Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario, with Upper Canada's share at roughly $3 million. Hobbs said the boards had reached "the limit of further route cuts and walking-distance changes." Current operator contracts, which pay thousands of dollars more per route than the formula provides, expire at the end of this fiscal year, and the consortium plans a competitive procurement rather than renegotiating. Officials acknowledged the outcome is uncertain, which matters for Cornwall and SDG families and for local bus operators. Sources: Cornwall Newswatch and 88.1 myFM News.

2️⃣ Cornwall Arts Hall of Fame names nine 2026 inductees
Nine people and groups are set to join the Cornwall Arts Hall of Fame this fall, with a gala dinner scheduled for October 24 at the Best Western Parkway Inn on Vincent Massey Drive, according to Cornwall Seaway News. Katie Burke and Brian Lynch are being honoured in part for leading fundraising for Cornwall's new Arts and Culture Centre, a trust that grew to about $2.4 million by early 2026, more than double its $1-million goal. Painter Tamia Doll, known for her St. Lawrence River "riverscapes," will be inducted posthumously, alongside writers Ginette Guy Mayer and David Menard and Franco-Ontarian theatre figure Robert Perron. Three organizations are also being recognized: the Collectif d'artistes de Glengarry Artists' Collective, the Cornwall Concert Series and the Seaway Winds ensemble. The list reflects arts work in both official languages across Cornwall and Glengarry, and tickets are on sale now. Source: Cornwall Seaway News.

3️⃣ North Glengarry explores private partnership to keep long-term care beds in Alexandria
North Glengarry Township is looking at a possible public-private partnership to avoid losing The Palace, Alexandria's long-term care home, according to Cornwall Seaway News. Southbridge Care Homes has submitted a plan to the Ministry of Long-Term Care for a new 320-bed home at 800 Nick Kaneb Dr. in Cornwall, which would take in 248 beds from Heartwood in Cornwall, Pinecrest in Plantagenet and The Palace's 70 beds, with all three homes closing once it is built. Mayor Jamie MacDonald said the Alexandria building needs replacing rather than renovating, and that "we need to build new." He said he planned to meet local private investors to hear a proposal, and that the township is committed to keeping beds in Alexandria; MPP Stéphane Sarrazin is urging the province to extend its consultation period. CTV News Ottawa reported earlier this month that Alexandria residents are pushing back against the plan, which would remove the community's only long-term care home. Sources: Cornwall Seaway News and CTV News Ottawa.

4️⃣ Four soldiers killed, dozens hurt in fire during training at CFB Wainwright
Four Canadian Armed Forces members died and 39 others were taken to hospital after a fire swept through a live-fire training exercise at CFB Wainwright, Alberta, on Saturday, October 17, according to Global News. The dead were identified as Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aida Goulding and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, and as of Sunday afternoon 19 of the injured were in critical condition, many with serious burns. About 350 soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were training for a deployment to Latvia next spring. Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland said a grass fire about a kilometre away was judged under control before a sudden wind shift drove it to the soldiers within roughly 30 to 60 seconds, and the cause is still under investigation. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it one of the "worst tragedies" for the Armed Forces on Canadian soil in peacetime. Source: Global News.

5️⃣ Express Entry to reward high-wage job offers without an LMIA starting Nov. 3
Starting November 3, Express Entry candidates will get extra ranking points for Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation, such as engineers and electricians, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced on October 16. A labour market impact assessment will no longer be needed for a qualifying job offer to earn those points, or to meet job-offer requirements under the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs, though IRCC says it will still check that offers are genuine. An occupation qualifies if its median wage is at least 1.3 times the median wage of the overall Canadian workforce, with eligible fields including health care, skilled trades, engineering, technology and education. Candidates already in the pool will have scores recalculated automatically, but must update their profiles before November 3 to get job-offer points, and invitation rounds will pause for up to two weeks. For Cornwall and SDG employers trying to recruit skilled staff from abroad, the change removes the LMIA requirement from qualifying job offers. Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

10/18/2026

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10/18/2026

📰 𝟱 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬
October 18, 2026

Here are five stories to know today, with the focus first on Cornwall, SDG&A and Akwesasne, then on Ontario's winter electricity imports from the U.S. and new federal money for skilled-worker training.

1️⃣ Police canvass Walton Street area for video in Cornwall homicide
Cornwall police carried out a large-scale canvass on Saturday, October 17, moving from Walton Street south to the St. Lawrence River as part of the homicide investigation into the death of a 52-year-old Cornwall woman, according to Cornwall Seaway News. Detectives are asking residents and business owners in that area to check for CCTV or other video recorded between about 9:30 p.m. on October 11 and 12:30 p.m. on October 12, and to download and save any relevant footage, with technical help offered to those who need it. The woman was pronounced dead in the 500 block of Walton Street early on October 12 after police were called to assist Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services, and police confirmed on October 14 that the death is being investigated as a homicide. Police said there is “no threat to public safety.” Anyone with information can call D/Cst. Pilon at 613-933-5000, ext. 2766, or leave an anonymous tip with Seaway Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Sources: Cornwall Seaway News and Cornwall Police Service.

2️⃣ St. Vincent de Paul food bank sees demand climb after Salvation Army closure
The St. Vincent de Paul Society food bank in Cornwall helped 1,563 people in September, up from 1,349 in January, according to Cornwall Seaway News. Demand at other local organizations has risen since the Salvation Army food bank in Cornwall closed in June. From January to September, the food bank recorded 4,541 visits, close to the 4,756 it logged in all of last year, and Seaway News says this year’s total is on track to pass 2025. President Sue MacDonald said food banks are being challenged to meet growing need with limited resources, and that many people still don’t know the food bank exists after more than 40 years of service. It operates out of St. Francis de Sales Church, 434 Second St. W., on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m., which matters for residents who relied on the closed Salvation Army service. Source: Cornwall Seaway News.

3️⃣ Enbridge open house to explore natural gas for Kawehno:ke homes
Enbridge Gas is scheduled to hold an open house on Wednesday, October 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Kawehno:ke Recreation Center on Cornwall Island, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne says. The session is meant to share information about possibly bringing natural gas service to Kawehno:ke for home heating, answer questions and gather community views. Residents will be able to say in a community poll whether they support or oppose natural gas service, and the council says the poll will inform discussions and next steps. More chances to weigh in are expected at the Kawehno:ke District Meeting on Wednesday, November 18, and at further community information sessions. For Cornwall Island households, the process gives residents a direct say on whether a new home-heating option comes to the island. Source: Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.

4️⃣ Ontario to import U.S. electricity this winter
Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has signed a six-month contract with U.S.-based Alpha Generation to import 600 megawatts of power starting November 1, CBC News reports. The IESO says the deal is part of normal system planning to cover facility maintenance and winter peak demand, and notes that Ontario remains a net exporter, sending about seven times more electricity to its neighbours in 2025 than it imported. The cost of the contract has not been made public, according to CBC and the Toronto Sun. The deal comes after Premier Doug Ford threatened to cut electricity exports to the U.S. during the trade dispute, and Jack Gibbons of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance called the move “very ironic.” For Eastern Ontario residents, the contract is intended to keep the provincial grid supplied through the coldest months, though its effect on bills has not been disclosed. Sources: CBC News and Toronto Sun via Yahoo News Canada.

5️⃣ Ottawa commits up to $258.6 million for skilled-worker training
The federal government will put up to $258.6 million over five years, and $50 million a year after that, into the Sectoral Workforce Innovation Fund, according to The Canadian Press. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu announced the plan in Thunder Bay on October 16. The fund pays for projects that could speed up training or certification to close gaps between workers’ skills and industry needs, in sectors such as energy and critical minerals, and applications opened in August. A day earlier, Ottawa announced $430 million to help unions and other organizations cover the cost of new training facilities and equipment, and the Liberals say they aim to train up to 100,000 new skilled workers over the next five years. For Cornwall and SDG employers looking for skilled staff, and residents considering a trade, the money could widen training options, though eligibility details have not been reported. Sources: The Canadian Press via CTV News and The Canadian Press via Kelowna Daily Courier.

10/17/2026

Hey Community! Here are your 5 things to watch for today.

10/17/2026

Recent debates and forums gave voters a chance to hear candidates discuss housing, affordability, seniors, city services and Cornwall’s future—and see how they respond to questions.

Here’s our 30-second recap. For the bigger picture, watch the full Labour Council meeting on The Seeker’s page and read our candidate interviews and election coverage on our website.

Take the time to compare. Ask questions. Make your vote count.

10/17/2026

Cornwall, get to know the people asking for your vote.

Recent debates and forums gave voters a chance to hear candidates discuss housing, affordability, seniors, city services and Cornwall’s future—and see how they respond to questions.

Here’s our 30-second recap. For the bigger picture, watch the full Labour Council meeting on The Seeker’s page and read our candidate interviews and election coverage at theseeker.ca.

Take the time to compare. Ask questions. Make yo