Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
Cambrian suspends six more programs amid drop in international students
Cambrian College is suspending new intake to another six programs mostly due to federal government policy changes that have caused a drop in international student enrolment. This adds to the 10 programs it already suspended this past spring for the same reason as it projected a $1.4 million deficit for 2025-2026 after a decade of surpluses. The latest program suspensions were approved by Cambrian’s board at their Nov. 5 meeting. “In large part, these suspensions are due to the significant reduction of students based on the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) policy change,” said Cambrian vice-president, academic Janice Clarke. According to figures obtained by Sudbury.com, Cambrian’s preliminary enrolment figures show there are 1,430 international students this fall, down from 2,631 last fall. Domestic students stand at 3,840, compared to 3,516 last fall.
West grills labour minister over Skills Development Fund grants
Perplexed by the province’s unwillingness to answer some basic questions, Sudbury NDP MPP Jamie West posted a brief video of a partial ministry exchange on social media this week. The exchange, between West and Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister David Piccini, came during an estimates meeting in which West grilled him on projected spending. In the clip, West lays into Piccini regarding perceived conflicts of interest. “Your spouse lobbies for Career Colleges Ontario. That’s an organization that is headed by the spouse of the former Minister of Labour prior to you taking on that role. So, that feels like maybe there’s someone who has a thumb on the scale,” West said. “Your mother-in-law was appointed to the Ontario Land Tribunal on Oct. 17, 2023, about a month after you became the minister in the role. “These could all be happy coincidences, but when you’re out there and you’re trying to figure out how to pay for groceries and rent, when you’re really feeling that pinch and you keep finding these happy coincidences where the Ministry of Labour has record donations coming to his riding association…”
Greater Sudbury Police update the two pedestrian-vehicle deaths
Greater Sudbury Police Service said it has identified the victim from a pedestrian-vehicle collision that claimed the life of a 37-year-old woman on Nov. 5 near the on-ramp to Maley Drive at Notre Dame Avenue. It happened around 6:15 a.m., said police. At the same time, police said an arrest has been made in the case. GSPS said a 23-year-old woman is being charged with several Criminal Code and Highway Traffic Act offences, including failure to stop for an accident resulting in death. Police said owing to the fact that formal charges have not yet been processed through the court system, the name of the suspect is not being revealed at this time. Police said the suspect is facing the following charges failure to stop for an accident resulting in death, operating an unsafe vehicle and no clear view to the front of the vehicle.
Sudbury health unit reports first local flu infection for 2025-26
The Sudbury health unit is reporting the first locally acquired case of influenza in the 2025-26 flu season. Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD) said this is a good reminder for area residents to protect themselves with a vaccine against respiratory infections. “As flu season begins, getting your flu shot is free, and an easy and effective way to protect yourself, your loved ones, co-workers, and community,” said Christina Baier, a manager in PHSD’s Health Protection Division. “The COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are available at many locations throughout the community, including health care provider offices, walk-in clinics, and participating local pharmacies (Ministry of Health).”
Sudbury woman dies in Hwy. 400 crash in Georgian Bay Twp.
A passenger has died following a single-vehicle crash Wednesday morning in Georgian Bay Township. Shortly after 11:30 a.m., emergency crews responded to the scene on Highway 400 North near Crooked Bay Road, where they located three females in a “severely damaged” vehicle that had left the road and struck a rock cut, Southern Georgian Bay OPP said in a news release. Despite life-saving efforts, a 68-year-old Sudbury woman was pronounced dead at the scene. A second passenger was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The lanes of Highway 400 North were closed for several hours as a result.
City looks at free bus trips for seniors on Tuesdays
The City of Greater Sudbury is looking into the implications of allowing free transit for seniors, either the first Tuesday of every month or every Tuesday. Ward 7 Coun. Natalie Labbée tabled a successful motion during the Nov. 4 city council meeting seeking the business case, which is to be tabled in time for 2026-27 budget deliberations. These deliberations are scheduled to begin on Dec. 2. Citing an existing effort, which allows seniors free bus rides during Tuesdays in Seniors Month (June), Labbée said free bus trips have helped get seniors out of their homes. “There are a lot of people who are under these strict financial constraints, as seniors especially, who are experiencing a lot of mental health concerns, isolation,” she said. “It’s growing to the point where people are in our hospitals and long-term care, they’re not aging in place as well because of isolation factors.”
