Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Wednesday morning.
Bruce Avenue site recommended for 40-unit supportive housing build
As the city grapples with senior levels of government to secure funding, staff have recommended a Bruce Avenue property to house a 40-unit supportive housing building. The city-owned property is southwest of 720 Bruce Ave., a high-rise rent geared-to-income building the city also owns. It’s one of several “potential shovel-ready sites” city staff investigated, which included alternate locations on Bancroft Drive, Lorraine Street and in Chelmsford. These properties are either owned by the city or Greater Sudbury Housing Corporation, carry appropriate zoning and proximity to bus routes and services. These variables help make the city’s application to the Build Canada Homes fund more attractive, city Housing Operations director Barbara Dubois said in a report to the finance and administration committee of city council. The committee will consider whether to proceed with Dubois’ recommendation during their Jan. 20 meeting.
Police find guns, drugs and 150k in cash in Estaire residence
Greater Sudbury Police are reporting they have seized guns, drugs and $150,000 in cash from a residence in Estaire. Police said a 55-year-old man was arrested and is now facing several counts of possession and theft over $5000. It was on Jan. 10 that officers in patrol operations began an investigation into a person believed to be unlawfully in possession of multiple firearms, states a release from GSPS. Based on the investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant for a residence on Elbow Lake Road in Estaire where they found a handgun, a revolver and a rifle, as well as 83.9 grams of what is believed to be cocaine, drugs trafficking items and approximately $150,000 in cash. The estimated value of the drugs seized is $8,390.
Investigators working to ID body found in burned tent
An investigation has been launched to both determine the cause of death and identify the person whose body was found inside a burning tent in the Energy Court homeless encampment near downtown Sudbury last night. Greater Sudbury Police and Greater Sudbury Fire Services were dispatched to the encampment off Lorne Street at around 9:52 p.m. on Jan. 12. Reached by phone earlier this morning, Fire Chief Rob Grimwood said the fire was all but extinguished by the time emergency responders arrived on the scene. “Dispatch updated us while we were on route that there was the possibility of a person in the tent and we arrived at 956, so we arrived within four minutes, and the fire had already essentially extinguished, it was just smouldering,” he told Sudbury.com. “Police were already on scene, we assisted them with confirming that it was a fatality, and then in the interest of preserving evidence, we left the scene with them and notified the fire marshal's office, who will be attending today and working with the police to complete the investigation.” In a news release issued at 8:45 a.m. today, GSPS provided more information on the situation last night.
Alcohol dependence still high 5 years after pandemic: CAMH report
Harmful drinking behaviours, including a dependence on alcohol, remain high five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report has found. In the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s (CAMH) 2025 Monitor report, the hospital said symptoms of alcohol dependence continue to be reported higher than pre-pandemic levels. While the overall percentage of adults using alcohol in the past year declined since before the pandemic, reported symptoms of dependence on the substance increased from 7.4 per cent in 2019 to 13.9 per cent in 2020, and have remained at elevated levels of 12.1 per cent in 2025. “Those at a high risk of harm from alcohol continue to drink at record high pandemic levels,” said Dr. Leslie Buckley of the CAMH Chief of Addictions Division in a statement. “Alcohol remains one of the leading preventable causes of death in Canada, in large part due to its accessibility and potential for dependence,” Buckley added.
Meet John Bernard Sutton: The man who designed Sudbury Arena
With 75 years since it opened, the Sudbury Community Arena has been around for as long as most people can remember, serving as a community gathering spot for decades. Its days are numbered, with the arena slated to be potentially torn down as early as 2028 and subsequently fade into Sudburians’ collective memory. But, who is responsible for what was credited at the time as being “the most modern up-to-date civic auditorium in any Canadian municipality?” Past stories about the Sudbury Community Arena’s history left out details regarding the architect who designed it. This omission was evident in a 2023 story about parallels between the 1951 build and the new downtown event centre, and a story highlighting the birth of the arena published last month. A reader reached out to Sudbury.com recently to ask about the omission, arguing that architect John Bernard Sutton deserves recognition.
Onaping Winter Carnival returns with full week of events
The Onaping Falls Winter Carnival is back with a full week of carnival events for 2026, running Jan. 26 to Feb. 1. For 60 years, the Levack-Onaping and Dowling Winter Carnivals have been the longest running winter carnivals and a cornerstone of winter fun in Greater Sudbury. Thousands of residents and visitors have enjoyed the festivities annually and organizers are proud to bring the event to life once again. The carnival kicks off Monday, Jan. 26 with numerous events throughout Onaping Falls during the week including one of its newest, Carnival Pride Drag Bingo on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the Onaping Falls Lion’s Den. Carnival weekend begins on Friday, Jan. 30 with the Opening Ceremony and the Miss Teen Onaping Falls Pageant at the Dowling Leisure Centre. The fun continues Saturday and Sunday with a variety of events for all ages.
