Sarnia all-candidates debate a revealing evening
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$6.2M expansion planned at Forest school
September 10, 2026
Heather Wright/The Independent
A big addition is planned at Forest’s Catholic elementary school.
The provincial government has approved a $6.2 million expansion at St. John Fisher Catholic School.
It will include new classrooms for 92 students and 18 new child care spaces according to a provincial government news release.
A report by the St. Clair District Catholic School Board shows this will be the sixth edition to the Forest school since it was built in 1960.
The building currently should house 282 elementary school students. Enrollment in 2025 was around 344 students. Portables were brought in to ease the overcrowding.
With the addition, the building will house 374 students.
In a news release, officials said there will be a six-classroom addition, two classrooms will be renovated for child care and a kindergarten class will be upgraded.
Officials hope the construction could start next summer and will continue while school is in session.
If all goes well, students will be in the new classrooms by 2028.
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Sarnia all-candidates debate a revealing evening
October 21, 2026
Cathy Dobson/The Independent With less than a week until election day, 28 candidates vying for eight council seats, spent four hours Tuesday trying to stand out as the right choice for Sarnia voters. They gathered at The Imperial Theatre in front of an audience of 200, with another 500 streaming the marathon event online. Compared to Monday night’s mayoral debate,
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St. Clair will be reimbursed for help at Chatham ethanol plant fire
October 21, 2026
Heather Wright/The Independent St. Clair Township Councillor Brad Langstaff wants to know what it cost for the fire department to help fight an ethanol plant fire in Chatham. Sept. 16, 15 firefighters, the township’s two tower trucks and its drone headed to Chatham to help battle a massive fire at Greenfield Global. St. Clair was called on because it has
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Enniskillen rejects request for ATVs on township roads
October 21, 2026
Blake Ellis/The Independent ATVs won’t be allowed on Enniskillen roads. A request by Enniskillen Resident Mark Braet failed to sway Enniskillen Township Council to allow all terrain vehicles on township roads. Braet made a presentation to council on Oct. 8 along with representatives from the Tri-Shore ATV Club. Braet wanted to be allowed to drive ATVs on roads in the
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LAMBTON VOTES: Petrolia Candidate Surveys
October 21, 2026
The Independent sent a questionnaire to each candidate for Petrolia Council. Below are the unedited responses from the candidates: Work Experience: Policy Advisor, Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce; former Constituency Assistant to MPPs Bob Bailey and Billy Pang; former parliamentary intern with MPs Marilyn Gladu and Jake Stewart; former Town of Petrolia Parks & Recreation Summer Labourer; former Dietary Aide at
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