Here are five stories to know today, with the focus first on Cornwall, SDG&A and Akwesasne, then on a $250,000 boost for Glengarry Memorial’s CT scanner campaign and a sharp rise in arrests of Canadians in the U.S.
Province boosts Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services funding 13% as calls climb
Ontario is raising its land ambulance funding for Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services by 13 per cent this year, for a total provincial investment of $11,864,126, according to Cornwall Seaway News. MPP Nolan Quinn said the increase works out to about $1.3 million in added money and is above the 9 per cent provincial average. Chief Bill Lister said growing call volumes mean the service has to add staff and everything that goes with it, adding, “We’re just keeping up. Budgets are very, very tight.” Statistics Canada estimates cited in the report put Cornwall’s population at 54,346 in 2025, up from 49,371 in 2020, while the rest of SDG grew from 68,765 to 72,324. For residents of the city and the Counties, the money is meant to cover rising costs and support timely emergency care as the area keeps growing. Source: Cornwall Seaway News.
Seaway International Bridge to close overnight Tuesday for inspection work
The Seaway International Bridge will be closed to regular vehicle traffic from 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, until 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 14, the Seaway International Bridge Corporation says. The six-hour closure is needed so crews can safely finish work linked to the annual inspection of the South Channel Bridge. Ambulances, fire crews and police will still be able to cross during the closure, but no other vehicles will be allowed. The corporation says reopening at 5:30 a.m. depends on the inspection work being completed as planned. Anyone who normally crosses late at night or early in the morning, including commuters and commercial carriers, is being asked to plan ahead and adjust their schedule. Sources: Seaway International Bridge Corporation and Cornwall Seaway News.
Thanksgiving Monday in Cornwall: City offices closed, no buses, garbage pickup a day late
City of Cornwall offices and the public library will be closed on Monday, October 12, for Thanksgiving, the City says. Cornwall Transit buses are running today, Sunday, although the transit office is closed, and there will be no bus service on Monday. Residential curbside garbage and recycling collection will be delayed by one day for the whole week. For the holiday, the City lists the Benson Centre on regular hours, the Civic Complex open from 2:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the Aquatic Centre closed. Residents who depend on the bus or put out garbage and recycling this week will want to plan around the changes. Source: City of Cornwall.
$250,000 pledge moves Glengarry Memorial closer to its first CT scanner
Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group has made a three-year, $250,000 funding commitment to Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital (HGMH) in Alexandria, according to a release published by The Review. The money supports the HGMH Foundation’s $3.5-million campaign to buy the hospital’s first onsite CT scanner, with the goal of having it in Alexandria by March 2027. Commonwell was created in 2014 through a merger of three rural mutual insurers, including the Alexandria-based Glengarry Mutual Insurance Company. Foundation board chair Mark Adam said the insurer is “honouring its longstanding relationship with Glengarry.” Once the campaign succeeds, detailed CT imaging would be available at the local hospital, an important service for rural residents in the eastern part of the Counties. Source: The Review.
Arrests and detentions of Canadians in the U.S. up 60 per cent, Ottawa says
Cases of Canadian citizens being arrested or detained in the United States rose 60 per cent from April 2025 to March 2026, according to Global Affairs Canada’s annual consular report, The Canadian Press reports. The increase came even though visits by Canadians to the U.S. dropped 25 per cent over the same period. The report does not give a reason for the jump, though CP notes U.S. President Donald Trump has expanded immigration raids. Worldwide, arrests of Canadians rose by about one-fifth, and more travellers are voluntarily registering with Global Affairs so Ottawa can send safety advice and coordinate help in emergencies. For Cornwall and SDG residents who travel to the United States, the figures are worth keeping in mind before a trip south. Source: The Canadian Press via Global News.
About the Author
