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Good morning, Thunder Bay — and welcome to issue one hundred and forty-three. Mainly cloudy with a high of 15°C. It's Wednesday, and Ontario has now spelled out how many new seats Lakehead and Confederation College are getting. In today's issue: those 1,300-plus seats, a trail underpass that closes for three weeks, a gas bar giving away fuel for Toys for Tots, and a dispute over AI at the WSIB. Plus three family picks for the weekend and eight things to do between now and Saturday.
In this Harbour Beat Issue…
Trivia: Halley's Comet last swung past the Sun in 1986. In what year is it next due — 2041, 2061, or 2081? (Answer at the bottom!)
Many parents blamed themselves, or their kids, for the hours lost to the feed. But legal claims allege social media companies built in psychological triggers on purpose: intermittent rewards, endless scrolling, toxic social comparison, and recommendation engines that pull kids into content rabbit holes.
Now families are filing legal claims against platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
You may be eligible if:
Excessive social media use started under age 18
There was a diagnosis of an eating disorder, severe anxiety, depression, or self-harm
ClaimsHero checks whether you qualify for a claim and gets your family justice. Nothing upfront. We only get paid if your claim is successful.
Thunder Bay Events
From a small-business summit and a hockey-legend lunch to a magic show, a flamenco guitarist and a party band, here's what's on between now and Saturday.
Wednesday, October 21
OCT 21 · Small Business Solutions Summit — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; $85 + HST for members, $105 + HST for non-members · 📍 The Superior Inn, 555 Arthur St. W. · A second-annual day of panels, a luncheon keynote, an Ask Me Anything session and exhibitors for small business owners. · 📅 Add to Calendar
OCT 21 · Take Me Home Dinner — 4 to 6:30 p.m., $20 dine-in, take-out or pay-it-forward · 📍 Dew Drop Inn, 292 Red River Rd. · St. Anthony's meat loaf with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, a Bennett's Bakery roll and a slice of cheesecake or granny cake; pre-order online. · 📅 Add to Calendar
Thursday, October 22
OCT 22 · Lunch with Ray Bourque — noon to 2 p.m., tickets available now · 📍 The Auditorium, 1 Paul Shaffer Dr. · The hockey legend joins emcee Rod Black for a lunch event. · 📅 Add to Calendar
OCT 22 · Open Mic Comedy Thursdays — doors 7 p.m., show 8 to 10 p.m., no cover · 📍 Campfire Comedy, 117 Cumberland St. N. · A weekly night of laughs with touring comedians and rising stars; newcomers welcome. · 📅 Add to Calendar
Friday, October 23
OCT 23 · Savio Joseph: Wonderstruck — 7 p.m., tickets from $58 · 📍 The Auditorium, 1 Paul Shaffer Dr. · A night of magic and illusion from the Brampton-born entertainer. · 📅 Add to Calendar
OCT 23 · Matt Sellick: Watching the Sky (TBSO) — 7:30 to 10 p.m., single tickets and reserved tables of eight · 📍 Italian Cultural Centre, 132 Algoma St. S. · The Northern Lights series opens with the flamenco guitarist playing his album with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, a first live performance with an audience. · 📅 Add to Calendar
Saturday, October 24
OCT 24 · Halloween Hoot — noon to 4 p.m., also Oct. 25; $12 adults, $10 students, seniors and youth, free for ages 5 and under · 📍 Fort William Historical Park · Costumes encouraged: trick-or-treating, scarecrows, farm animals and themed games. · 📅 Add to Calendar
OCT 24 · Dwayne Gretzky — 7:30 p.m., tickets from $69 · 📍 The Auditorium, 1 Paul Shaffer Dr. · A party band playing classic hits from the '70s, '80s and '90s. · 📅 Add to Calendar
Over to you, Thunder Bay 💬
Hidden Gem: What's the one spot in Thunder Bay you'd send a visitor to that isn't on the usual list? A trail, a bakery, a lookout, a little shop. Hit reply with the place and what makes it worth the trip, and we'll share a few in a future issue.
✅ NO WEATHER ALERTS IN EFFECT
Environment Canada has no alerts posted for Thunder Bay at the time of this update. Wednesday starts mainly cloudy and clears late in the afternoon.
⛅ Wednesday, October 21 — Thunder Bay
15°C
Overnight low 2°C
Mainly cloudy through the day, clearing late in the afternoon, with a high of 15°C and a low UV index of 2. Clear overnight with fog patches developing and a low near 2°C.
Thursday is sunny and 14°C, and Friday is sunny and 16°C. Saturday turns cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of showers and a high of 18°C, and Sunday brings a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 12°C. Forecast from Environment Canada.
Province funds more than 1,300 new seats at Lakehead and Confederation
Ontario has released how its new post-secondary funding lands in Thunder Bay: 1,062 additional seats at Lakehead University, made up of 830 in STEM programs, 225 in education and seven in health, plus 250 more at Confederation College across health, trades and STEM. Lakehead says the province broke the numbers down by area of study rather than by campus, so it can't yet say how many go to Thunder Bay versus Orillia and Barrie. The college says only 16 of its seats are for a brand-new program that still has to fill a cohort, and the faculty union, OPSEU, suggests the money should avert some of the layoffs at Confederation. Most of these seats are in programs that already exist, so the effect for local students is more room in current programs rather than new ones.
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The Edward Street Bridge underpass closes for about three weeks
The pedestrian underpass on the north side of the Edward Street Bridge, near Edward Street and Parkway Drive, is closed for trail maintenance, and the City expects it to stay that way for about three weeks. Signs mark an unmarked crossing of Edward Street north of the bridge, to be used with caution and only when it is safe, or pedestrians can take the bridge sidewalks over to the underpass on the south side. If you walk this stretch of trail, the bridge sidewalk to the south underpass is the City's suggested detour.
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A City Road gas bar offers free fuel for Toys for Tots, with one catch
K&A Gas Bar on City Road, on Fort William First Nation, will give away regular-grade gas on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 3 p.m. The catch: you have to pump your own while wearing a bikini or Speedo-type swimwear. Co-owner Crystal MacLaurin says the proceeds from the gas sold to qualifying customers will go to the Toys for Tots Christmas drive, with her fuel supplier reimbursing half the cost. Fuel has to go into a vehicle's factory-installed tank, so no jerry cans or truck-bed tanks, and mid-grade and premium aren't included. Not suiting up? Bins will be set out for anyone who'd rather just donate, and Sunday's forecast high is 12°C.
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An MPP says WSIB cuts are about AI; the board says that's not true
At Queen's Park on Tuesday, Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Lise Vaugeois and labour leaders said recent Workplace Safety and Insurance Board cuts, which they count at 717 jobs plus closed regional offices including Thunder Bay, are tied to the board's growing use of artificial intelligence. The WSIB's Aaron Lazarus says that isn't true: the board uses AI for tasks like summarizing claim files, he said, and has about 4,000 employees delivering services across the province. He also said claims were not necessarily assigned to a case manager in the same city as the worker. According to the WSIB, a Thunder Bay claim may already be handled by a case manager in another Ontario city.
🗳️ Your call: Does AI belong in WSIB claims work, and who should decide a claim?
WSIB says AI only summarizes claim files; critics say it's replacing workers. Where do you land?
🧒 WEEKEND WITH THE KIDS
Family picks for Friday to Sunday, free or under $20 where noted. The Halloween Hoot's Saturday afternoon is in the Events list above; here is its last day.
Halloween Hoot, final afternoon — Sunday, Oct. 25, noon to 4 p.m. · 📍 Fort William Historical Park · Costumes encouraged: trick-or-treat through the Tree Fort, visit the scarecrows and farm animals, and try the themed games. The Claustrophobia Tunnel is recommended for ages 8 and up. $12 adults, $10 students, seniors and youth, free for ages 5 and under. Details →
The Market — Sunday, Oct. 25, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., free · 📍 Macgregor Recreation Centre, 800 Lakeshore Dr., Shuniah · A food and vendor market with free admission; not a kids' event, but an easy Sunday-morning stop for the whole family. Details →
Heads-up: TBSO Halloween Spooktacular — Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m. · 📍 St. Paul's United Church, 349 Waverley St. · A concert designed for young listeners, with costumes encouraged. $20 adults, $10 children, free under 4. Details →
Know a family event we missed? Hit reply and tell us.
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Trivia answer: 2061. Halley's Comet returns about every 76 years, and its next close pass by the Sun is expected in the summer of 2061.
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