Sault Ste. Marie news

• Content Author - SooToday.com

  29-12-2025 14:50
  Content Author  SooToday.com
  
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• Jones pleads to slaying woman

  14-01-2026 21:45 via saultstar.com
  Steven Jones has pleaded guilty to the brutal 2023 slaying of Taylor Marshall and the attempted murder of Liam Frenette.Jones entered his pleas on Tuesday afternoon before Superior Court Justice Michael Varpio. It was the seventh day of his trial at the provincial courthouse on Queen Street East.Defence counsel Andrew Furgiuele told Varpio his client wanted to plead guilty. Jones had originally pleaded not guilty to both charges when his trial began on Jan. 5.A Gladue report was requested for Jo
  
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• Report: Homelessness continues to rise in Northern Ontario

  14-01-2026 21:02 via saultstar.com
   
  A new report concludes that homelessness in Northern Ontario is rising at precedented rates.  Municipalities Under Pressure: One Year Later, updates last year’s study by the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association in partnership with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association.  The report shows that homelessness continues to rise faster than housing supply, prevention, and support systems can respond, with Nor
  
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• Vehicle taken, driver doesn't stop for Sault police

  14-01-2026 20:29 via saultstar.com
  A man took a vehicle that belonged to somebody he knew without consent and didn’t stop when he was found, police say. The theft was reported early Wednesday. Police found the automobile in a parking lot in the 0 to 100 Breton Road after the driver allegedly refused to be pulled over. The male was nearby.Kiel Martin, 40, was charged with theft of motor vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime, over $5,000, flight from peace officer, fail to comply with probation order, Class G1 lic
  
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• Man drives stolen ATV, swipes parcels from Sault building: Police

  14-01-2026 19:49 via saultstar.com
  A man who was allegedly driving a stolen ATV last spring is also accused of pinching parcels from an east-end apartment building later in the year. The male was handed several provincial offence notices after he was reported driving an ATV in the Shannon Road area on June 13, a release says. Police learned later the ATV was reported stolen on May 6. A warrant was obtained for the male’s arrest.The same man is accused of stealing parcels from a common area of a multi-unit residential buildi
  
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• Sault man faces fraud charge

  14-01-2026 19:16 via saultstar.com
  A man redeposited multiple cheques from his former employer, police say. Police were contacted Nov. 21, 2025. An investigation began. A suspect was found at the courthouse on an unrelated matter on Tuesday.Andrew MacDonald, 48, was charged with fraud under $5,000 His court date is March 16.
  
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• Batchewana First Nation man fined for fentanyl possession

  14-01-2026 18:03 via saultstar.com
  Having 10 grams of fentanyl cost a Batchewana First Nation man $500.Gary Sayers, 62, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance on Wednesday. He was a passenger in a southbound pickup truck that was stopped by police on Highway 17 on March 16, 2025, said assistant Crown attorney David Didiodato. Health Canada confirmed the substance Sayers had was fentanyl.Ontario Court Justice Simon Armstrong called the drug “a terrible substance” that is a “scourge” in many
  
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• Knife held during argument at Sault home

  14-01-2026 17:19 via saultstar.com
  A man held a knife during an argument with a woman last spring, court heard Wednesday. Mohamed-Nizam Mohamed, 42, pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon.Sault Ste. Marie Police Service went to a 911 call at a home at 5 p.m. on June 5, 2025, said assistant Crown attorney David Didiodato. The couple was arguing in the kitchen. Mohamed got a knife and held it while the dispuate continued. He held the knife “in an intimidating fashion,” said Didodato.The restaurant owner was given a con
  
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• Mighty Mac remains open - for now - as high-wind warning issued

  14-01-2026 17:16 via saultstar.com
  Mackinac Bridge Authority issued a wind warning Wednesday morning, advising motorists to slow down, turn on 
  four-way flashers and use the outside lane.
    Winds of up to 55 km/h are being reported in the Mackinac Straights, the authority said on its website.The straights are located in Michigan, some 100 kilometres south of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Examples of vehicles “especially vulnerable” to high winds include pickup trucks with campers,
  
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• High wind warning issued for Mackinac Straights

  14-01-2026 17:16 via saultstar.com
  Mackinac Bridge Authority issued a wind warning Wednesday morning, advising motorists to slow down, turn on 
  four-way flashers and use the outside lane.
    Winds of up to 55 km/h are being reported in the Mackinac Straights, some 100 kilometres south of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., the authority said on its website.
    Examples of vehicles “especially vulnerable” to high winds include pickup trucks wit
  
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• Open house reviews Sault's proposed Official Plan amendments

  14-01-2026 15:45 via saultstar.com
  The City of Sault Ste. Marie is updating its Official Plan and is seeking public input.  The Official Plan guides long-term land use, infrastructure, housing and development planning across the community.  Several key policy updates are being proposed.  They include
    A structured evaluation framework for Rural Estate Residential Subdivisions.  Identification of Locally Significant Agricultural Areas (LSAAs) and introducing updated consent (lot creation) policies to mini
  
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• City of Sault Ste. Marie expands services for deaf in one-year trial project

  14-01-2026 15:35 via saultstar.com
  The City of Sault Ste. Marie is expanding its accessibility services by offering Quick Access Video Remote Interpretation service to the Bay Street Active Living Centre and the Northern Community Centre community space.  The service is already active at the Civic Centre.  Canadian Hearing Services’ Quick Access VRI connects Deaf customers with a remote ASL/LSQ interpreter through a laptop or tablet, ensuring effective communication during in-person visits. The system includes a v
  
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• Mr. Hatch helps 'bring people together'

  14-01-2026 14:34 via saultstar.com
  There’s more to love about Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch. A new scene has been added to the start of the puppet play that last visited Sault Ste. Marie as part of Over the Rainbow Children’s Entertainment in 2019. An additional song may have been included, too, said Axis Theatre artistic director Chris McGregor.The stage presentation set in the 1940s, based on a book by Eileen Spinelli, was also presented in Beijing and toured the United States in 2022 and 2024. A tour of Quebec was
  
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• Some school buses not running in Sault and area

  14-01-2026 14:20 via saultstar.com
  Press release:All routes in the Sault Ste. Marie Area are running expect the routes below:S089 S091 S095 S096 S098 S0B4 S0F6 S0F7 S0G1 S0G2 S0G2 S0G3 S0H1 S0H3 S0H4 S0S11
  
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• Rhinovirus over in Blind River long-term care unit

  13-01-2026 23:01 via saultstar.com
  A rhinovirus outbreak in a Blind River long-term care unit is over.
    Algoma Public Health, in collaboration with North Shore Health Network, made the announcement Tuesday afternoon.
    While the outbreak, 
  declared Jan. 2
  , has concluded, NSHN says it continues to promote preventative measures to help reduce the transmission of respiratory illnesses in the community, including COVID-19, influenza and RSV. Staff and visitors are encouraged to follow all cur
  
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• Jones pleads guilty to Sault murder, attempted murder: UPDATED

  13-01-2026 21:43 via saultstar.com
  Steven Jones has pleaded guilty to the brutal 2023 slaying of Taylor Marshall and the attempted murder of Liam Frenette.Jones entered his pleas on Tuesday afternoon before Superior Court Justice Michael Varpio. It was the seventh day of his trial at the provincial courthouse on Queen Street East.Defence counsel Andrew Furgiuele told Varpio his client wanted to plead guilty. Jones had originally pleaded not guilty to both charges when his trial began on Jan. 5.A Gladue report was requested for Jo
  
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• Jones pleads guilty to Sault murder, attempted murder: BREAKING

  13-01-2026 21:43 via saultstar.com
  Steven Jones has pleaded guilty to the brutal 2023 slaying of Taylor Marshall and the attempted murder of Liam Frenette.Jones entered his pleas on Tuesday afternoon before Ontario Superior Court Justice Michael Varpio. It was the seventh day of his trial at the provincial courthouse on Queen Street East.Defence counsel Andrew Furgiuele told Varpio his client wanted to plead guilty. Jones had originally pleaded not guilty to both charges when his trial began on Jan. 5.A Gladue report was requeste
  
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• Jones pleads guilty to Sault murder, attempted murder

  13-01-2026 21:43 via saultstar.com
  Steven Jones has pleaded guilty to the brutal 2023 slaying of Taylor Marshall and the attempted murder of Liam Frenette.Jones entered his pleas on Tuesday afternoon before Superior Court Justice Michael Varpio. It was the seventh day of his trial at the provincial courthouse on Queen Street East.Defence counsel Andrew Furgiuele told Varpio his client wanted to plead guilty. Jones had originally pleaded not guilty to both charges when his trial began on Jan. 5.A Gladue report was requested for Jo
  
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• Algoma Steel prepares for another loss

  13-01-2026 20:49 via saultstar.com
   Algoma Steel expects to report another loss in its upcoming fourth quarter results.  The loss is expected to range between $95 million to $105 million, the company posted in a release.  Rajat Marwah, Algoma CEO said “our fourth-quarter results were in line with expectations, reflecting the continued impact of steel tariffs and the previously announced wind-down of our blast furnace operations, which are expected to conclude in the coming days,” the release said. 
  
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• Handgun and more than $76k drugs seized, five charged

  13-01-2026 18:47 via saultthisweek.com
  On Jan. 9, detectives with the Crime Suppression Unit and Drug Enforcement Unit, with assistance from the Emergency Services Unit, Patrol Services, and the Ontario Provincial Police, charged five individuals with drug and firearm offences. In 2025, detectives began an investigation into individuals believed to be trafficking drugs in Sault Ste. Marie. Around 5:50 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2026, detectives executed a search warrant at a residence in the 100 block of Anna Street. A search of the residence l
  
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• Suspect sought after bank card stolen from vehicle in Sault

  13-01-2026 18:05 via saultstar.com
  A stolen bank card was used to make purchases at several businesses. A vehicle was entered in the MacDonald Avenue area in late September, a release says. A wallet containing cash and a bank card was taken. Video surveillance of a suspect can be seen on YouTube. Search for Crime Stoppers of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District.
  
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• Driver charged at Mississauga First Nation RIDE check

  13-01-2026 17:55 via saultstar.com
  A driver was charged following a stop at a RIDE check in Mississauga First Nation.His pickup truck was checked on Canoe Lake Road last Friday, Ontario Provincial Police say. Donald Linus Gionette, 72, of Mississauga First Nation, was charged with operation while impaired, drugs.His court date is March 5 in Elliot Lake. The accused’s vehicle was impounded.
  
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• Suspended driver found behind wheel in Elliot Lake: OPP

  13-01-2026 17:34 via saultstar.com
  An Elliot Lake man faces numerous charges after a vehicle stop last Friday.Previous traffic complaints prompted police to check an SUV on Hillside Drive South, a release says. Sky Levi Fox, 30, of Elliot Lake, was charged with operation while prohibited, driving while under suspension, failure to comply with release order, fail to comply with probation order and driver and fail to properly wear seat belt.His court date is Feb. 12 in Elliot Lake.A second Elliot Lake resident was also charged foll
  
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• Missing Sault teen found safe

  13-01-2026 17:28 via saultstar.com
  A missing Sault Ste. Marie teenager was found in good condition.Mya Johnson, 15, was reported located Sunday afternoon. She was last seen on Jan. 8 in the 1500 block of Wellington Street East.
  
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• West End Treatment upgrades gets federal grant

  13-01-2026 17:26 via saultstar.com
  A $57 million upgrade to the West End Treatment Plant has received federal government funding.
    Almost $23 million in funding has been approved from the Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund.
    The remaining project costs will be funded by the city through its sewar surcharge fund.  This is the second phase of the plant upgrade, where construction is expected to begin in 2027.
   
  
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• City of Sault Ste. Marie gets PUC special dividend

  13-01-2026 17:22 via saultstar.com
  The City of Sault Ste. Marie has received a special $300,000 dividend from PUC Services, as its sole shareholder.  A report to council says annually, PUC declares a dividend of $610,080 to its shareholder, but in 2025, was also able to provide an additional special dividend.  Since 2019, the city has received $1.6 million in special dividends.  The money will be used to help offset the city’s 2025 anticipated deficit of between $2.75 million and $3.25 million.
   
  
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• Sagamok resident faces impaired driving charge

  13-01-2026 17:21 via saultstar.com
  A Sagamonk First Nation resident was allegedly impaired when stopped by police in Sudbury last Friday. A vehicle stop was made on Westmount Street at about 12:10 p.m., Ontario Provincial Police say. Star Miller, 36, was charged with operation while impaired, drugs, fail to comply with probation order, operate a motor vehicle without insurance and Class G1 licence holder, unaccompanied by qualified driver.The accused’s vehicle was impounded for seven days and licence suspended for 90 days.
  
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• Sault new fire chief formally approved by council

  13-01-2026 15:54 via saultstar.com
  City council formally appointed Naomi Thibault as the city’s new fire chief, effective Feb. 1.  She replaces Peter Johnson, who retires Jan. 31, after nearly 31 years of service.  “It came fast,” Johnson told council of his nearing retirement.
    Johnson began with the fire service at the age of 22 when he was hired by then Chief David Fluke.  Johnson said he has worked with a number of role models that taught him skills and helped him be successful to climb
  
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• Shipping season nears end for Soo Locks in Michigan Sault

  13-01-2026 15:12 via saultstar.com
  Soo Locks is preparing to close for the shipping season.Marine traffic will halt beginning at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, or until commercial traffic ceases – whichever comes first, a release says. The Poe Lock reopens March 25, followed by the MacArthur Lock in late April.Maintenance planned for the MacArthur Lock includes fabricating and replacing spring boxes and lever arms for Gates 3, 4 and 5, building a recess cutout for the panel bridge, repairing a Gate 2 strut arm and concrete and deck p
  
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• Traffic between Twin Saults falls nearly 25 per cent in 2025

  13-01-2026 15:10 via saultstar.com
  Traffic crossing the International Bridge dropped nearly 25 per cent in 2025. One-way trips between the Twin Saults totaled 845,713 last year, Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority says. That’s down 24 per cent compared to 2024 when 1,109,831 crossings were made.December saw 57,308 one-way crossings. There was 31,377 commuter fares, or 55 per cent of all crossings. Full-fare passenger cars made 21,292 crossings, or 37 per cent of December’s total. Commercial trucks made 4,226 crossings,
  
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