Schreiber Council Hears Latest Crime Stats

The Schreiber Town Council met on July 22, 2025, for its regular council and committee of the whole meeting, addressing a range of issues, including police reports, municipal spending, and infrastructure. The meeting began with a land acknowledgement and a presentation from Terrace Bay Mayor Paul Malashewski, who shared the 2024 Nipigon OPP Detachment Board annual report—now known as the North Superior OPP Detachment Board—a change stemming from the 2019 replacement of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Act with the Service Board Act—the report highlighted rising crime rates, including sexual assaults and property crimes linked to illicit drug use. In response, targeted efforts have led to an increase in drug-related charges. The board also emphasized enforcement of “the Big Four” traffic offences: impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, and seatbelt violations.

A resolution to approve a quote from Great North Graphics for sidewalk stencils was defeated due to cost concerns, with one council member noting, “We didn’t know where we were going to get the money from.” A more affordable alternative using paint was discussed. Another resolution, moved by Councillor Mauro to support increased income support for Canadian veterans, was carried unanimously.

During the Committee of the Whole portion of the meeting, the council reviewed the town’s finances and infrastructure. Bank debits for payroll and accounts payable for June 2025 were approved. The Director of Operations recommended replacing the town’s 25-year-old Sterling dump truck, which has broken down repeatedly and incurred significant repair costs over the past year and a half, with the latest repair estimated at at least $7,000. The director identified a used International dump truck in Burlington as a potential replacement. The council also discussed purchasing a used 2024 Chevy Silverado half-ton truck, which falls under the capital budget allocation for the project, with potential savings applied toward the new dump truck. The Sterling truck will be declared surplus and sold through GovDeals.

Reports on the wastewater treatment plant were also presented, showing a high inspection score of 98.59% in 2025, up from 91.67% in 2024. Council discussed the potential deferral of a costly Simcoe compressor repair, which could amount to tens of thousands of dollars, including welding. A more complete quote will be sought, and budgeting for the repair will be considered in early 2026.

In a separate discussion about a recent hall rental, the fire chief’s new fire code occupancy numbers for the hall were revealed to be lower than previously thought, reducing the dining capacity to 357 people. While the town has sufficient tableware for the hall’s new capacity, a separate event with 420 guests planned for the arena will require organizers to provide their own dishes.

The meeting concluded with a motion to return to closed session to finalize confidential business from earlier discussions.