Around the North

Thunder Bay City Council has approved a 4,180 square metre grocery expansion of the Wal-Mart, located on Memorial Avenue. The move would add a meat department, bakery, produce section and full-service deli to the store.

Delta Hotels and Resorts will assume management of the Waterfront Inn & Conference Centre in Sault Ste. Marie after renovations of the hotel are complete.

Sudbury businesses were honoured at the 12th annual Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce's Bell Business Excellence Awards on May 12.

West Timmins Mining Inc. (TSX:WTM) is expanding its operations after the discovery of high-grade gold at the north end of its Thorne property near Timmins.

A zinc and copper mineralization has been discovered after recent drilling in the Ring of Fire area in the James Bay Lowlands. White Pine Resources (TSX:WPR), Noront Resources (TSX:NOT) and Golden Valley Mines (TSX:GZZ) jointly hold the claim.

St. Marys Paper in Sault Ste. Marie has idled two of three paper machines and temporarily laid off 60 of its 300 workers. The production reduction is expected to last one month.

The second annual Ontario Mine Reclamation symposium is scheduled for June 9 and 10 in Timmins. The event is being held at the Porcupine Campus of Northern College.

Essar Steel Algoma is the subject is a second breach-of-contract lawsuit launched against the Sault Ste. Marie manufacturer, this time by a U.S. coal producer. International Coal Group Inc.

The first glimpse of Ontario's new Mining Act is being called a good first step by an industry leaders toward eliminating land use conflict and misunderstanding between industry, First Nation people, private property owners and government.

Hard work and perseverance in seeking greater clarity for retailers on the handling of retail sales tax exemptions (RST) has earned provincial recognition for the Timmins Chamber of Commerce.