Here are five stories to know today, with the focus first on Cornwall, SDG&A and Akwesasne, then on the Bank of Canada’s latest signal on interest rates.
Cornwall’s outgoing council holds its final meeting
Cornwall’s outgoing council met for the last time on November 9, with councillors saying their farewells around the table, The Seeker reported. Coun. Carilyne Hébert answered her last roll call after 12 years on council, and Mayor Justin Towndale looked back on 12 years at the table, including four as mayor, pointing to Sunday bus service and the city’s relationship with Akwesasne. After the meeting, mayor-elect Sarah Good told The Seeker the budget comes first, and that she expects a difficult one in which the incoming council will weigh what Cornwall needs against what residents can afford. Good said she has already met with staff and spoken with every incoming councillor about priorities and committee assignments, and she wants to improve morale at City Hall and report results more clearly, possibly through a public dashboard. Incoming councillors Jason Riley and Joël Côté pointed to reining in spending while growing the tax base, and to keeping programs and jobs at St. Lawrence College’s Cornwall campus. For taxpayers, the first test of the new term will be that budget. Source: The Seeker.
Cornwall looks for residents to serve on boards and committees
The City of Cornwall is recruiting residents as lay members of its boards and committees for the 2026-2030 council term, the City says. Applications open Monday, November 16, and close Monday, November 30, at 4:30 p.m. The 14 bodies include the Cornwall Police Services Board, the Cornwall Public Library Board, the Committee of Adjustment, the Finance and Audit Committee and the Age Friendly Community Committee, formerly the Senior Friendly Community Committee. Applicants are asked to review each committee’s terms of reference and the City’s evaluation framework, then fill out the form on the Committees and Boards page of cornwall.ca. The City says it especially encourages people who have never served on a municipal committee to apply, a direct way for residents to shape decisions over the next four years. Source: City of Cornwall.
Second Street to close Saturday for the Santa Claus Parade
Cornwall’s 55th annual Santa Claus Parade is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, and part of Second Street will be closed for it, the City says. The closure runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. between St. Lawrence High School on Second Street East and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 297 on Second Street West. Event organizers are arranging the needed detours, and Cornwall Transit will re-route buses as necessary. The City’s notice does not list specific detour routes or affected bus stops. Drivers and transit riders heading downtown Saturday evening should plan extra time and expect changes along the corridor. Source: City of Cornwall.
South Glengarry and South Dundas firefighters train with mobile live-fire unit
South Glengarry firefighters recently trained with the Mobile Live Fire Training Unit provided by the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal, and South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services joined them that week, Cornwall Seaway News reports. Ontario has two of these units travelling the province, each staffed by two Fire Marshal instructors. One drill had firefighters rescue a downed firefighter and begin CPR as they left the structure. Departments in SDG have been training on their own and combining programs so that all firefighters, including new recruits, meet certification standards, and South Glengarry Deputy Chief and Training Officer Bill Chafe said the unit lets the department share training with neighbouring municipalities. The article says such training matters for complex weather events, lithium-ion battery safety and new firefighting technology, all of which affect how rural fire services protect residents. Source: Cornwall Seaway News.
Bank of Canada says further rate hikes may be needed
The Bank of Canada’s governing council sees a possible need for more interest rate hikes but is moving carefully, according to a summary of its deliberations released Tuesday, The Canadian Press reports. The bank raised its policy rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 2.5 per cent last month, and it raised its outlook for inflation to reach 3.5 per cent at the end of this year. The council said it will set policy one meeting at a time, citing uncertainty from the war in the Middle East, Canada-U.S. trade and global financial conditions. Higher costs have largely not reached consumers yet, but the bank’s surveys suggest businesses expect to raise some prices over the next year. The next rate decision is scheduled for December 9, which matters for Cornwall and SDG households with variable-rate mortgages, lines of credit or upcoming mortgage renewals. Source: The Canadian Press (via Yahoo Finance Canada).
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