In the past year, major events such as Canadian and Ontario elections, as well as ongoing coverage of Canada’s relationship with the U.S. during the Trump administration, captured headlines. Additionally, the high-profile trial of five ex-Hockey Canada players accused of sexual assault garnered significant attention.
Noteworthy stories in northeastern Ontario included a small town facing a financial crisis, a man’s harrowing experience surviving a road rage incident, and the expulsion of the MPP for Sault Ste. Marie from the Progressive Conservative caucus due to assault charges.
Here are the top five most read stories in our region for 2025:
1. Sault MPP Chris Scott was ousted from Doug Ford’s PC caucus in September after being charged with assault and assault with a weapon, specifically alleged spousal assault. Scott remains in his position as the MPP for Sault Ste. Marie, operating independently during his ongoing legal proceedings.
2. A mysterious carving with runic symbols was discovered in the northern Ontario wilderness by an archaeologist from New Liskeard in June. The runic writing was identified as The Lord’s Prayer in Swedish, potentially linked to Swedes employed by the Hudson’s Bay Company in the 1800s.
3. The small municipality of Fauquier-Strickland in northern Ontario faced a financial crisis, prompting warnings of a drastic property tax increase to avoid service shutdowns. The story featured a first-time homebuyer, Coleen Thompson, who purchased a home in Fauquier before the crisis came to light.
4. Dashcam footage captured a terrifying road rage incident on a northern Ontario highway in late December 2024, with James Turner narrowly escaping a near-fatal encounter. The aggressive driver involved was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and assaulting a police officer.
5. A teenage girl in North Bay failed her G driver’s license road test because she solely relied on regenerative braking in her father’s Tesla, sparking a debate on whether modern vehicle technologies should be considered in road tests.
These stories resonated with readers in 2025, reflecting the diverse and impactful events unfolding in northeastern Ontario.
