Here are five stories to know today, with the focus first on Cornwall, SDG&A and Akwesasne, then on a regional OPP drug investigation and this morning’s Bank of Canada interest rate decision.
Mayor-elect Sarah Good outlines priorities as new council term nears
Cornwall mayor-elect Sarah Good says she plans to review major projects with city administration and create a public dashboard so residents can track their progress, Cornwall Seaway News reports. Good, who took 7,545 votes, or 65.2 per cent, in unofficial results, also wants to reduce spending on consultants, secure grants and pilot transit links with the counties. She described herself as “a very inclusive kind of leader” who wants to hear the incoming councillors’ goals. Councillor-elect Todd Lalonde, who received the most votes for council, says there are “some tough financial decisions ahead,” according to Cornwall Newswatch. The new council, reduced to eight seats from 10, begins its term November 15, following a 2026 budget that raised the tax levy by 5.41 per cent and combined water and wastewater rates by 6.81 per cent. Sources: Cornwall Seaway News and Cornwall Newswatch.
Cornwall firefighters raise concerns over density and aerial truck move
Cornwall Professional Firefighters, the local firefighters’ association, says the city’s population density, combined with the move of its aerial fire truck to the north fire station, could increase risks to residents and neighbouring properties, Cornwall Seaway News reports. The association cites Cornwall at 778 residents per square kilometre, compared with 687 in Welland, 440 in Sarnia and 293 in Kingston, and argues that in dense areas a fire can spread from one building to the next. It says assigning the aerial truck to the new station weakens response capability and could delay the assembly of crews at emergencies. The City of Cornwall says there is no formal agreement with SDG municipalities to trade aerial service for tanker support; instead, departments use a Mutual Aid system to request specialized equipment, personnel and extra resources when needed. Under that system, the city says, Cornwall can offer aerial, rescue and suppression support and can request tanker help when water supplies fall short. Source: Cornwall Seaway News.
Akwesasne and Cornwall residents meet to discuss reconciliation
More than 50 people from Akwesasne and Cornwall gathered at the Ontario Power Generation Visitor Centre to talk about building lasting relationships and taking local action on reconciliation, Cornwall Seaway News reports. Akwesasne Grand Chief Leonard Lazore shared elders’ stories of neighbours helping one another and trading goods, and encouraged people to preserve their own cultures and languages while working together. The discussion drew on Cornwall’s Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan, adopted in 2025, whose themes include relationship building, Indigenous partnerships, accountability, cultural awareness and inclusive services. The City of Cornwall has applied to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation for a $100,000 grant to support a proposed program connected to this work. Participants raised Jordan’s Principle, the need for more Indigenous health professionals and Indigenous-specific victim services, and some described the Akwesasne-Cornwall toll booth as a barrier to connection. Source: Cornwall Seaway News.
OPP charge six after drug investigation spanning Cornwall and SDG
Ontario Provincial Police have arrested and charged six people, including four from Cornwall, following a drug trafficking investigation that began in August 2024, according to Cornwall Newswatch and Cornwall Seaway News. Officers executed search warrants in Chesterville, South Stormont and Cornwall on October 21, Cornwall Seaway News reports. Police say they seized about 170 grams of suspected cocaine, about 37 grams of suspected heroin, more than 600 suspected opioid pills, three vehicles, Canadian and U.S. currency, replica firearms and cellphones. Charges include conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, trafficking cocaine and possession of property obtained by crime; the allegations have not been tested in court. Three of the accused were held for a bail hearing, and the other three were released and are scheduled to appear in court in Cornwall on December 1. Sources: Cornwall Seaway News and Cornwall Newswatch.
Bank of Canada rate decision due this morning, with a hike possible
The Bank of Canada is scheduled to announce its interest rate decision and release its Monetary Policy Report at 9:45 a.m. today, with Governor Tiff Macklem and Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers expected to hold a press conference at about 10:30 a.m., the bank says. The policy rate currently stands at 2.25 per cent, and in a Reuters poll conducted October 21 to 23, 19 of 34 economists expected a quarter-point increase to 2.50 per cent. According to Reuters, inflation rose to 3.1 per cent in September, just above the bank’s 1 to 3 per cent target range, and the bank’s business outlook survey showed sharply higher inflation expectations. Economists expecting no change point to weak growth. Because lenders’ prime rates generally follow the bank’s policy rate, a hike would raise costs for local households and businesses carrying variable-rate mortgages and lines of credit. Sources: Bank of Canada and Reuters.
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