Your week ahead in and around Thunder Bay:

Thursday, June 25

Friday, June 26

Saturday, June 27

Sunday, June 28

Monday, June 29

Thursday eases in with a few lingering fog patches before clearing to a mix of sun and cloud, with about a 30% chance of an afternoon shower and a slight risk of a thunderstorm. Look for a high near 21°C, dipping to about 10°C overnight, and a high UV index of 7 — worth the sunscreen if you’re out by the water. The real treat is the weekend: sunny and 26°C on both Friday and Saturday. Full details from Environment Canada.

After more than 20 years and 1,800 kilometres of transmission line, the massive Wataynikaneyap (Watay) Power project is officially complete. Muskrat Dam became the 16th and final First Nation to leave its diesel generators behind and connect to Ontario’s power grid, marking the milestone with a celebration this week. Watay’s CEO called it “a miraculous project” — one built through COVID, forest fires and decades of First Nations–led persistence — and one that opens the door to real growth across the North.

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Starting Monday, June 29, two lots at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre — the Fish (A3) lot by the main entrance and the Squirrel (C1) lot near emergency — switch to a new “Pay by Plate” system. Instead of grabbing a ticket, you’ll park first, then enter your licence plate at a kiosk and pick how long you’re staying (debit, credit and tap-to-pay all work). Rates stay the same as the hospital’s other lots, and security staff can help if you run over your time.

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Ontario’s correctional service held a job fair at Lakehead University this week to start filling roughly 350 positions at the new Thunder Bay Correctional Complex. The roles go well beyond correctional officers — think administrative staff, social workers, health-care professionals, cleaners and food service — with the union pointing to solid wages, a pension, benefits and a tight-knit “family” culture as the draw. Construction is expected to wrap this fall, and the complex is poised to become one of the city’s larger employers.

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A Neebing-area photographer got the wildlife encounter of a lifetime on a trail off Highway 61: a black bear sow with a rare litter of four cubs, calm enough to let him capture tender, one-on-one moments between mom and her little ones. He called it “life-changing,” and the photos — each cub with its own personality, the smallest one the shyest — have been making the rounds online. (A gentle reminder, too, that wild bears are best admired from a respectful distance.)

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Featured Studio: Dean Oros Photography & Design

Based in Port Arthur, Dean Oros Photography & Design creates fine-art landscape prints that capture the raw beauty of Lake Superior, Northern Ontario and beyond. These aren’t just photographs — they’re visual stories. “I’m always looking for a story, a visual story,” Dean says, chasing the light, weather and mood of a scene until it reveals something beneath the surface.

The Work

The Approach

For Dean, the art happens in the interpretation. “At the end of the day, I’m just looking for an image that speaks to me — to bring out elements that are artistic.” Even on commissions, that personal connection stays front and centre, so every print feels both authentic and intentional. “I just hope they love the images and would like to see them in their living space,” he says.

Location & Contact

Hours: Prints and commissions by inquiry.

Final Frame — whether you’re drawn to the drama of Lake Superior or the quiet of a spring river, Dean Oros Photography & Design is a window into Northern Ontario’s natural world: artistic, original and deeply personal.

When Thunder Bay finally lands a warm, sunny forecast, even the moose know exactly where to be. ☀️