The Paramedics serving Cornwall and the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry have begun legal strike action as of 6 a.m. on Thursday, May 17.

As a result, fewer ambulances and paramedics will be maintaining emergency service coverage.

Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services asks that only those patients with urgent and emergent health issues call for an ambulance.

During the day, three ambulances staffed by union employees will respond to urgent and emergent calls. Overnight, two union-staffed ambulances will be available. This is a reduction from the normal compliment of nine ambulances during the day and six at night. This arrangement is consistent with the Essential Services Agreement.

Please call 911 for ambulance assistance if it is needed for severe emergencies such as shortness of breath, chest pain, major traumatic injury or unconsciousness.

Alternatives to calling 911 include taking a personal vehicle or taxi to the hospital, calling Telehealth Ontario toll-free at 1-866-797-0000, visiting a pharmacy, clinic, or doctor.

“We have reached out to our partners, including area hospitals, fire services, police and taxi companies to ask for their assistance in responding to non-emergency calls during the strike,” said Bill Lister, Chief of Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services. “We hope this will allow us to focus on emergency calls only.”

During strike action, no routine transfers will take place. In the event of a major emergency, striking paramedics will be called onto the job.

Parks Canada is set to begin restoration of the Glengarry Cairn National Historic Site, located on Cairn Island in Lancaster.

The agency is investing $693,000, through its federal infrastructure investment program, to stabilize the cairn in its current condition and protect the cultural heritage of the island.

Services throughout Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry could be affected by a strike by Cornwall employees as early as May 17.

SDG shares ambulance, social and housing services, and child care services with Cornwall.

These services are provided under contract and delivered to County residents by unionized employees of the City. 

While negotiations between the City and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) continue, a strike could occur May 17.

Provisions are being made to continue operations during any work stoppage.  However, in the event of a strike, there will be impacts to a variety of municipal services.  SDG residents are asked to take note of the changes to the following services in the event of a strike:

Paramedics – Land Ambulance

A reduced complement of resources will be available to maintain emergency service coverage.  In the event of a major emergency, additional Paramedics can be called in to assist.  For the duration of any labour disruption, the assistance of the public is needed to ensure those that truly require emergency services have them available.  Please call 911 for ambulance assistance if it is needed for severe emergencies such as shortness of breath, chest pain, major traumatic injury or having suffered a period of unconsciousness.  If possible, please have someone drive you to your clinic, doctor's office or emergency department for all other medical issues.

Social & Housing Services

The main Social & Housing Services office, located in Cornwall at the Justice Building (340 Pitt Street, third-floor reception only), will remain open.  The Winchester Satellite office will be closed.

Child Care

If you are applying for Home Child Care or the Child Care Fee Subsidy, you will be required to come to the Cornwall office to complete an application and provide the supporting documentation regarding that request.

Ontario Works

Ontario Works applications will continue to be processed.  Applicants can apply online at https://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/apply_online.aspx or by calling the number below.  Ontario Works cheques will continue to be processed and mailed out.  Some necessary benefits may be processed.  For further information, please call 613-933-6282 ext. 3205.

Housing

For Ontario Renovates, Social Housing (Registry) & Rent Supplement Program Applications, please call 613-933-6282 ext. 3315, and your name will be placed on a call list.  If you are applying for the Homelessness Prevention Program, you will be required to come to the Cornwall office to complete an application and provide the supporting documentation required.

Contact

For questions or information about any of the services listed, please contact the City of Cornwall directly at (613) 930-2787.

One-time North Glengarry council member Johanne Wensink is seeking a return to North Glengarry as Maxville's representative.

One of eight candidates to have registered so far, Mrs. Wensink, who was elected in 1997 when the new municipality was created following amalgamation, Mrs. Wensink is hoping to succeed Carma Williams, who is seeking the deputy mayor's post.

So far, the list of hopefuls also includes mayoralty candidate and current deputy mayor Jamie MacDonald, Kenyon Councillor Jeff Manley, Lochiel Councillor Brian Caddell, Alexandria Councillor Michel Depratto, Upper Canada District School Board trustee candidate Marshall Wilson and Jonathan DeSerres, who is seeking re-election to the Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l'Est ontarien.

More information on the Maxville water project will be provided tonight (May 10) at 7 p.m. at the Sports Complex.

Work has begun on the $1.9 million water tower is being built south of the Maxville Veterinary Clinic on County Road 20.

The tower will serve as a storage tank for water pumped in from Alexandria.

A section of Highway 138 in South Stormont will remain closed for an extended period of time following a two-vehicle collision between Quail and McDonald Roads.

Preliminary investigation has indicated that at approximately 10:08 am, a passenger vehicle was travelling northbound on Highway 138 when, for reasons under investigation, crossed into the southbound lane and collided head-on with a southbound tractor-trailer. The man driving the passenger vehicle was taken to hospital with serious non-life threatening injuries. The tractor-trailer driver was taken to hospital with serious non-life threatening injuries.

As the investigation continues, a section of Highway 138 between Quail Road and McDonald Road is closed to traffic with indicated detours in place.

A 61-year-old woman from South Glengarry has been charged with failing to yield to traffic following a head-on collision on County Road 43 Monday. The woman was entering County Road 43 from County Road 20 when her car collided with a pick-up truck driven by a 55-year-old North Glengarry man, reports the Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry Ontario Provincial Police detachment. The woman was transported to hospital with serious non-life-threatening injuries. The man suffered minor injuries.

Police in Québec have located an autistic man from Scarborough who went missing after stopping at the EnRoute rest stop on the westbound Highway 401 near Bainsville May 2.

Duane Montague, 31, was found shortly before noon in good health.

A serious head-on collision on Highway 43 at the AJK store near County Road 20 has forced police to detour traffic around the area.

Some 67 firearms have been surrendered to the Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry Ontario Provincial Police detachment during a gun amnesty that ends at the end of April.

The gun amnesty is for any Ontario resident who wishes to voluntarily surrender unwanted or illegally-owned firearms, weapons, accessories or ammunition.

Interested gun owners are strongly urged to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 to arrange for officers to attend and safely retrieve the weapons. Gun owners can also use the OPP website button -- www.opp.ca/gunamnesty -- or the Citizen Self Reporting tool to notify police.

Under no circumstances should anyone deliver guns or ammunition directly to police facilities.

Good news for pedestrians: The warning lights at the Main Street crosswalk in Alexandria are finally being replaced.

New fixtures on both sides of Main are being installed months after a snowplow clipped a light on the east side of the main drag.

The west side light was not damaged but it turned out both of the lights were not up to code.

Kimberly Champigny is the new Treasurer and Director of Finance for the Township of North Glengarry.

She will be assuming responsibility of her new position in a few weeks, after relocating to the region from Red Deer, Alberta, where she had been working as the Administrative and Accounting Supervisor for the City of Red Deer Public Works Department.

Her appointment is the latest in a series of changes at town hall.

Over the last few months, tax collector Sandra Cameron and treasurer Annie Levac have been dismissed and CAO Daniel Gagnon resigned to return to Elliott Lake. Sarah Huskinson who was appointed treasurer was later named CAO.

With more than 15 years of experience working within municipal government, Ms. Champigny is well-versed in municipal government practices, regulations and strategic planning, the township says.

Her demonstrated skills in accounting, tax administration, policy creation and her understanding of the Municipal Government Act made her stand out as a candidate for this position.