Patients evacuated after gas leak at Petrolia hospital
Seven running to fill Oil Springs council seats
August 21, 2026
First election in village since 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE: This information was updated Aug. 24 to include a last minute candidate who had yet to be posted on the village’s website Friday at 5 pm.
Heather Wright/The Independent
Three political newcomers are looking to become Oil Springs councillors.
At the close of nomination day, six people are in the running for four council seats in Lambton’s smallest municipality.
Connie McFadden, Larry Wagner, Jordan Newport and Adam Veen are all seeking re-election. All four were acclaimed in the 2022 municipal election.
This year they face three challengers, Lara McFarlane, Dain Pearson and Benjamin Baker.
While the candidates won’t be official until certification Monday, the incumbent mayor, Ian Veen, is the lone candidate for the top job.
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Patients evacuated after gas leak at Petrolia hospital
September 10, 2026
Dawson Currie/For The Independent Patients at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital in Petrolia were evacuated for a gas leak Wednesday night. Petrolia/North Enniskillen Fire Department was called to the hospital just before 8 pm for reports of a natural gas smell in the basement of the main building. Firefighters found hospital staff already working on evacuating patients from the Emergency Department
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OPP lay over 1,000 speeding charges Labour Day weekend
September 9, 2026
The Independent Over 1,000 speeding charges in southern Ontario during the Labour Day weekend. West Region OPP say officers targetted “The Big Four” bad driving behaviours; aggressive driving, failure to wear a seatbelt, distracted driving and impaired driving which are the leading contributing factors to death and injury on Ontario’s highways. From Sept. 4 to 7, 1,004 speeding charges were
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Port Lambton 16Us win OBA title
September 9, 2026
The Port Lambton 16U Pirates were a perfect 5-0 at the Provincial Championship over Labour Day weekend. The Pirates defeated Simcoe team 11-6 to capture the gold. The 11-team tournament was originally scheduled to begin Thursday, but heavy rain left the diamonds in Petrolia, Courtright and Port Lambton too wet to play until Saturday. Port Lambton opened with a 13-5
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Sarnia footballer remembered after drowning at The Cove
September 9, 2026
The Independent The Sarnia Football Club is paying tribute to one of its members who drown over the Labour Day weekend. Monday, Sarnia Fire Rescue’s Marine Unit was called to The Cove near Canatara Park around 3 pm for a possible drowning. People on ski-doos, boats and sail boats aided Sarnia Fire, Point Edward Fire, fire and police departments from
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