Here are five stories to know today, with the focus first on Cornwall, SDG&A and Akwesasne, then on what October’s jobs numbers mean for Ontario workers.
Paramedic Chief Bill Lister to retire at the end of December
Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services Chief Bill Lister will retire on December 31 after roughly four decades in emergency medical services and municipal administration, and Cornwall City Council recently honoured him, Cornwall Seaway News reports. Lister has been chief since March 2018, and CAO Tim Mills credited him with helping prepare the proposal that consolidated three ambulance services into one regional operation across Cornwall and SDG. Mayor Justin Towndale called him “the godfather of our ambulance service.” The service averaged 55 calls a day in 2026 across seven ambulance stations, employs more than 100 paramedics and has operating spending budgeted at $26.43 million this year. Leighton Woods will succeed Lister, with the handover wrapping up at the end of December, and Lister cautioned that budgets remain tight even after Ontario announced a 13 per cent increase in land ambulance funding in October. Source: Cornwall Seaway News.
100+ Women Who Care event raises $18,000 for two local causes
The annual 100+ Women Who Care – Cornwall and Area giving event raised $18,000 on Wednesday, November 4, at the Best Western in Cornwall, The Seeker reported. Each participant contributes $100; 229 women registered and 180 attended and gave. Ten local organizations each had three minutes to pitch a project, with requests ranging from $3,500 to $10,000. Members voted for The Gathering, which sought funding for tables and food for its community meals and Coffee Shop breakfasts, and the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, which is working toward a new Cornwall and Region Animal Centre and Veterinary Clinic. The event, organized by realtors Jo Ann Langstaff and Donna Chisholm-Forget, keeps the money working right here in the community. Source: The Seeker.
Tree of Hope lit at Lamoureux Park for missing and murdered Indigenous women
The third annual Tree of Hope Lighting took place at the clock tower in Lamoureux Park on November 5 to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people, The Seeker reported. The tree was lit with more than a thousand red bulbs, each representing an Indigenous person who has gone missing or been murdered. Representatives of the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, Cornwall Police Service, RCMP, OPP, Akwesasne Family Wellness and the City of Cornwall attended, and speakers from the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, local police services and the University of Ottawa spoke about the need for accountability and meaningful action. Cheryl McDonald shared her family’s story of her sister Carleen’s disappearance in 1988, and Carleen’s daughter, songwriter Lisa Gibson, performed a song she wrote for her mother. Attendees were invited to tie red ribbons on the tree, a visible reminder for Cornwall and Akwesasne families still seeking answers. Source: The Seeker.
Akwesasne consultations on Tsikaristisere Trust priorities start November 12
The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne says a series of community consultations will gather input on needs and priorities for the Tsikaristisere Trust in November and December. The sessions are run by Indigenous Governance Consultants LLC, and the input may inform initiatives in areas such as land management, education, culture and language, the environment, housing, economic development, health, public safety and recreation. The first two are scheduled for Thursday, November 12, at noon at the Kana:takon Recreation Center and at 6 p.m. at the Kawehno:ke Recreation Center. Other sessions are planned at the Akwesasne Housing Authority on November 16 and at the two recreation centres through December 17. Community members who want a say in where the Trust focuses can attend any session or email [email protected] with questions. Source: Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.
Ontario unemployment rises to 7.3% in October
Canada’s unemployment rate rose to 6.7 per cent in October from 6.5 per cent in September, Statistics Canada reported Friday. Employment was roughly flat, down 4,700 jobs, after losses of 68,000 in September and 42,000 in August. In Ontario, the jobless rate climbed 0.3 points to 7.3 per cent as more people looked for work, while employment was little changed for a third straight month. Youth unemployment rose to 13.7 per cent, and average hourly wages were up 2.2 per cent from a year earlier. For Cornwall and SDG households, the provincial figures show more Ontarians searching for work while overall hiring has stalled. Source: Statistics Canada.
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