Firefighters, specialized equipment from St. Clair, local industry help put out ethanol plant fire in Chatham
Province allows businesses to keep people on layoff notice until January
September 4, 2020
| Just in time for Labour Day, the province is extending an emergency measure which allows businesses to keep people on layoff notice until the January. The province announced the measure was being extended Sept. 4. Usually, an employer can put someone on temporary layoff for 13 weeks before they have to let the person go and pay out benefits. The province’s news release says offering the payouts could be the difference between a business surviving. For example, according to the province, a restaurant with 30 people employee could be hit will a bill as high as $100,000. “The Ontario government is helping protect jobs and businesses by extending protection to prevent temporary layoffs from automatically becoming permanent job losses,” says the statement released Sept. 4. “As our government continues to take the necessary steps to safely reopen the economy, we need to protect the businesses and employees impacted by COVID-19.,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development in a news release. “The cost of termination and severance pay can make it impossible for a business to survive and reopen. That’s why we acted to make sure businesses survive and workers have jobs to come back to.” While 99 per cent of Ontario businesses are now open, few in the service sector have recalled all the workers that were on the job before the COVID-19 pandemic. Ontario’s unemployment rate was 11.3 per cent in July. |
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Firefighters, specialized equipment from St. Clair, local industry help put out ethanol plant fire in Chatham
September 16, 2026
The Independent Firefighters from Lambton County were among the first responders called to an early morning blaze at Chatham’s Ethanol Plant. Chatham-Kent firefighters were called to the Greenfield Global facility around midnight for a fire. By 3 am, firefighters from St. Clair Township, Borouge International – formerly NOVA – and Shell were on the scene to help with about 15
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Enniskillen wants International Plowing Match info
September 16, 2026
Blake Ellis/The Independent The Township of Enniskillen will reach out to the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA) to meet about plans for the International Plowing Match to be hosted in the township in 2027. During the Sept. 8 council meeting, Councillor Tim Williams questioned whether the township had been notified about the 2027 International Plowing Match. It was announced in April
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Basement leak latest problem during Moore Sportsplex reno
September 16, 2026
The Independent Groundwater is seeping into the basement of the Mooretown Sports Complex It’s another problem uncovered during the renovation of the pool. Before the pool work began in April, council agreed to rebuild the change room. Contractors had found iron pipes in the walls were corroding. After finding some cash in the budget, council okayed that work. Then, in
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Flags honour Nisbet, secure first win in home opener
September 16, 2026
Barry Wright/The Independent Casey Schouten scored four times, including a natural hat trick in the second period, to lead the Mooretown Flags toa 6-1 win over Walpole Island in the PJHL opener at the Moore Sports Complex last Saturday night. Jace Dupuis had a goal and three assists for the Flags while Wes Robertson had the other goal for Mooretown.
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