Greater Sudbury's top news stories of 2022

From the cancellation of the Kingsway Entertainment District development to Laurentian University’s financial troubles to supporting Ukraine, CTV News Northern Ontario takes a look back at the last year in Greater Sudbury.

One of the biggest stories of the year, was one that began in early 2021 and continued through 2022.

Laurentian University worked out a deal with creditors and was able to emerge from creditor protection.

It also named a new interim president as it tries to bounce back from a difficult couple of years.

“There’s various milestones to meet in the exit plan, and they cannot be missed and so making sure that the target for those are met is extraordinarily important,” said Sheila Embleton, the interim president at Laurentian University.

Homelessness continues to be a growing issue around the country, and in Sudbury.

In April, the homeless encampment at Memorial Park was closed down.

That did not deter people from going back, and once the colder weather hit, multiple fires also occurred at the encampments in the city.

The city ended its involvement in the Kingsway Entertainment District in July.

Essentially, it all came down to cost as the price tag had jumped from roughly $100 million to $215 million.

The project was shot down by council as well as Sudbury’s former mayor, Brian Bigger.

Shortly afterwards, the municipal election took place and a new mayor was elected in the city. Former two-term MP, Paul Lefebvre won with more than half of the votes.

“My promise is that I’ll be working really hard, I’ll do my best with all the capacity that I have to deliver in the platform that I proposed and to work with council,” Lefebvre said.

Throughout the year, people in Sudbury stepped up to show support for Ukraine, from various rallies, to giving Ukrainian families a place to stay here in the city, to collecting medical supplies and care packages to ship overseas.

One individual from the rally who had family members in Ukraine, Walter Bilyj, shared with CTV News back in April that he was worried for his family every moment of every day.

“I have seven first cousins there and I try to talk to them on a regular basis. Typically I’m talking to them on Sunday’s and pretty much when I get on Skype with them, the conversation starts off with “we’re still alive, we’re still here.” he said.

These were just some of the stories that made headlines in Sudbury this past year.