MANITOULIN–Telephone service is temporarily down across Manitoulin and the North Shore after a Bell Canada fibre-optic line was severed in Lively.
Community calls are working (calls made to and from the same phone exchange, i.e. 368), but in case of emergency, residents are advised to go to their local fire department call their municipal office as 911 is not currently available.
“North Shore communities are radio-linked at the various fire halls,” explained OPP Community Services Officer Constable Al Boyd to The Expositor. “In case of an emergency, we are recommending that residents go to their community fire hall which is radio-linked to EMS and police services.”
Constable Boyd said he was unsure of when service would be restored, but was reassured by Bell Canada that the problem was being dealt with in a timely manner.
Stay tuned to manitoulin.ca for further details as they become available.
Island municipal and First Nation office contacts are as follows: Assiginack, 705-859-3196; Billings, 705-282-2611; Burpee-Mills, 705-282-0624; Central Manitoulin, 705-377-5585; Cockburn Island, 705-884-1101; Gordon/Barrie Island, 705-282-2702; Gore Bay, 705-282-2420; Northeast Town (NEMI), 705-368-3500; Tehkummah, 705-859-3293; M’Chigeeng, 705-377-5362; Sheguiandah First Nation, 705-368-2781; Sheshegwaning, 705-283-3292; Aundeck Omni Kaning, 705-368-2228; Whitefish River First Nation, 705-285-4334; Wikwemikong, 705-859-3122; and Zhiibaahassing, 705-283-3963.
