In partnership with
Sponsored By:
The best HR advice comes from people who’ve been in the trenches.
That’s what this newsletter delivers.
I Hate it Here is your insider’s guide to surviving and thriving in HR, from someone who’s been there. It’s not about theory or buzzwords — it’s about practical, real-world advice for navigating everything from tricky managers to messy policies.
Every newsletter is written by Hebba Youssef — a Chief People Officer who’s seen it all and is here to share what actually works (and what doesn’t). We’re talking real talk, real strategies, and real support — all with a side of humor to keep you sane.
Because HR shouldn’t feel like a thankless job. And you shouldn’t feel alone in it.
Happy Friday, Thunder Bay! The long weekend starts here — warm and a little unsettled today, then genuinely lovely by Sunday. In today's issue: Costco's building permit application finally lands at city hall, council calls a special meeting over Vickers Manor as the community rallies around the tenants, Festa Italiana returns for its 36th year, and a medieval faire — with real jousting — is coming to Hymers. Plus everything worth leaving the house for between now and Tuesday. ☀️
In this Harbour Beat Issue…
🛒 Costco's permit application lands at city hall
🏛️ Council calls a special meeting on Vickers Manor
🍝 Festa Italiana turns 36 this weekend
⚔️ Jousting is coming to the Hymers Fairgrounds
Trivia: What do the initials “R.R.” stand for in author J.R.R. Tolkien's name? (Answer at the bottom!)
Your long-weekend guide to Thunder Bay. ✅ Sunday and Monday are shaping up sunny, and between the car festival in Fort William and Festa Italiana on Algoma, there's plenty of reason to be outside. (Regional fires are still burning, so a wind shift can change air quality fast — outdoor events have been cancelled before, so check with the organizer before you head out.)
Friday, July 31
JUL 31 · South Core Roar — Friendship Ride — 10 a.m.–8 p.m. · 📍 Finishes at 513 Victoria Ave. E. · A cross-border cruise of classic cars and motorcycles that rolls up from Ryden's Border Store and lands in Fort William to kick off the festival weekend · 📅 Add to Calendar
JUL 31 · Evil Dead: The Musical — 8:30–11 p.m. · 📍 NV Music Hall, 228 Red River Rd · Chainsaws, demons and a splash zone — staged by five young local directors, and it runs again Saturday night · 📅 Add to Calendar
Saturday, August 1
AUG 1 · South Core Roar 2026 — 10 a.m.–11 p.m., and again Sunday · 📍 Downtown Fort William, 513 Victoria Ave. E. · Free · Two days of classic cars and motorcycles, a multicultural stage, Indigenous programming, kids' crafts, vendors and live bands late into the night · 📅 Add to Calendar
Sunday, August 2
AUG 2 · Festa Italiana — noon–11 p.m., and again Monday from 1 p.m. · 📍 Italian Cultural Centre, 132 Algoma St. S. · Free · Its 36th year: meatballs by the thousand, live music, a beer garden, bouncy castles, and Monday afternoon's watermelon and gelato eating contests · 📅 Add to Calendar
AUG 2 · Family Art Days — 1–4 p.m. · 📍 Thunder Bay Art Gallery, 1080 Keewatin St · Free · Drop-in, all-ages art activities plus a wander through the current exhibitions — no experience needed · 📅 Add to Calendar
AUG 2 · Sundays in the Park at Chippewa — 1:30–3:30 p.m. · 📍 Chippewa Park Main Stage, 1735 City Rd · Free · Free live music north of the Pavilion — bring a lawn chair and stay a while · 📅 Add to Calendar
Monday, August 3
AUG 3 · Monday Evening Concerts at Waverley Park — 6:30–9 p.m. · 📍 Waverley Park, Waverley St · Free · An easy civic-holiday wind-down under the big trees · 📅 Add to Calendar
Tuesday, August 4
AUG 4 · Tai Chi in the Park — 7–8 p.m. · 📍 Tai Chi Pad, Marina Park, Water St · Free · All are welcome, no experience required, and the harbour does most of the work · 📅 Add to Calendar
🌡️ NO ALERTS IN EFFECT — BUT IT'LL FEEL LIKE 35
Environment Canada has no warnings posted for Thunder Bay as of Thursday evening, but Friday still earns a hat: a humidex near 35 and a UV index of 8 (very high). Drink water before you're thirsty, find shade through the afternoon, and keep an eye on young kids, older neighbours and anyone working outside. Latest alerts at Environment Canada.
⛅ Friday, July 31 — Thunder Bay
27°C
Humidex 35 · Overnight low 15°C
Sun and cloud · 60% chance of showers · UV 8 (very high)
A muggy start, then a decent day. Early fog patches should dissipate through the morning, leaving a mix of sun and cloud and a 60% chance of showers — scattered rather than a washout. Expect a high of 27°C, a humidex of 35, and a UV index of 8 (very high), so hat and sunscreen from mid-morning on. The evening settles down: a 40% chance of a shower early, then partly cloudy with a low of 15°C. And the long weekend looks lovely — 26°C Saturday with a 30% chance of showers, then sunny for both Sunday (25°C) and Monday (26°C). Full forecast and any new alerts at Environment Canada.
Costco's permit application lands at city hall
After years of speculation, a zoning change and one famously coy developer, the city confirmed Thursday that it has received a building permit application for Northwestern Ontario's first Costco. The warehouse store and gas bar are slated for the eight-hectare site at 1091 Central Ave., next to Innova Business Park, where drainage, road and intersection upgrades are already finished. The permit alone costs more than $200,000, against a submitted construction value of roughly $30 million. Development services director Joel DePeuter says the review should take about three weeks and his team is prioritizing it. Mayor Ken Boshcoff called it “major progress for a development that has been years in the making,” adding he's glad to see it advance before he retires. Costco hasn't offered a timeline, but the site's former owner has suggested doors could open as early as mid-2027.
Council calls a special meeting on Vickers Manor
City council will hold a special meeting on Aug. 5 about Vickers Manor, where 38 residents remain in a building scheduled to lose power and natural gas on Aug. 18. McKellar Ward Coun. Brian Hamilton, who toured the Archibald Street facility Wednesday, called it “a really troubling situation” and said councillors need the full context before they act: “I just think it's important for each of us to be as informed as possible.” The city says services there are a matter between the property owner and tenants, but is coordinating with community partners in the meantime. Around them, the city has closed ranks — the Salvation Army dropped off 38 food hampers Thursday morning, a former employee's GoFundMe has raised more than $12,000 since the kitchen shut down, and St. Joseph's Care Group president Janine Black says the hospital will take in seven residents over the next couple of weeks through Brain Injury Services of Northern Ontario. The health unit has also issued orders to the owner over garbage building up inside.
Festa Italiana turns 36 this weekend
Festa Italiana returns to the Italian Cultural Centre on Sunday and Monday for its 36th year, and organizer Benny Melchiorre says this one finally feels like a proper Festa again after the pandemic years. Expect thousands of meatballs, live entertainment including a performer flying in from Calgary, a beer garden, bouncy castles for the kids, and the raffle — a trip to Italy or a $4,000 voucher. New this year: a demonstration on making your own spaghetti sauce. Returning as always are the spaghetti, watermelon and gelato eating contests, judged in part by Melchiorre himself, who enforces one rule without mercy: “They have to clean the plate. There's nothing left, or they'll be disqualified.” Organizers expect 8,000 to 10,000 people a day. Bring cash — there's an ATM on site, but lines happen.
Jousting is coming to the Hymers Fairgrounds
Last year's Renaissance Faire was cancelled — so a Thunder Bay committee built a new one. The Thunder Bay Medieval Faire runs Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at the Hymers Fairgrounds in Nolalu, headlined by full-contact jousting from Shane Adams' Knights of Valour troupe, plus sword-fighting demos, live music, magic, merchants and food vendors. Adams says he was floored by the turnout last year — “over 80 per cent of the public were dressed in costume” — and is quick to note the event itself is locally run: “It's completely Thunder Bay run. I'm just a person coming there, bringing full-contact jousting.” A costume contest is planned, so consider this your notice to dig out the sewing kit. Early-bird tickets are available until Sept. 21, and a portion of proceeds goes to local charities.
Meme of the Day
Brought to you by Harbour Beat
What's faster than word of mouth? The Harbour Beat Spotlight! Keeps you updated on what's going on locally and connects businesses to our vibrant community.
Trivia answer: Ronald Reuel. The author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings was born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien in 1892 — “Reuel” was a family name handed down from his father, and to friends and family he went simply by Ronald.