Community Voices Committee
Empowering Our Local Community
Embedded Files
Who we are
Who we are
The Community Voices Committee (CVC) is a not‑for‑profit, civic‑minded group made up of neighbours who care about the well‑being, history, and future of our community. We initially came together in response to a specific concern, with a shared belief that when people participate, speak up, and work together, local decisions become stronger and more representative of the people who live here.
We chose to incorporate as a not‑for‑profit because of our deeply-rooted desire to be a reliable, constructive resource for the entire municipality. We are able to support more residents, engage more effectively with leadership, and broaden the scope of what we can contribute now that we are a forma organization.
We’re guided by a simple truth: “in every community, there is work to be done.” We take pride in our civic responsibility—to one another, to our neighbours, and to our local leadership. Our core values are practical and intentional: be of support, be of assistance, be of consequence. These principles guide how we show up and the work we commit ourselves to.
The CVC focuses on bringing people together for open, respectful conversations about the issues that matter locally. Through community engagement, research, advocacy, and partnership‑building, we aim to protect what makes our region unique while encouraging thoughtful, balanced, community‑driven solutions. We’re especially committed to making sure voices that are often overlooked have the chance to be heard.
How to get involved
How to get involved
Donate directly to our cause
Donate directly to our cause
Get in contact with us today
Get in contact with us today
Check out our GoFundMe campaign
Check out our GoFundMe campaign
Events
Events
Pancake Breakfast
Pancake Breakfast
CVC in the news
CVC in the news
Judicial Review Update
Judicial Review Update
The Municipality of Huron Shores has brought a jurisdiction motion seeking to end our application for Judicial Review before it can be fully heard in Divisional Court.
After reviewing the materials from both sides, the Court has determined that the issues raised in our Judicial Review are too important and too complex to be decided quickly. As a result, the Court ruled that the matter requires a full “long motion” hearing.
Judicial Review of the Dean Lake Bridge extended to full hearing
Judicial Review of the Dean Lake Bridge extended to full hearing
The Municipality of Huron Shores brought a jurisdiction motion before the courts seeking to end the Community Voices Committee’s application for Judicial Review before it can be fully heard in Divisional Court.
However, according to the committee press release, after reviewing the materials from both sides, the Court has determined that the issues raised in the Judicial Review, that is the permanent closure of the Dean Lake Bridge and related issues, are too important and too complex to be decided quickly.
Open Letter to Huron Shores Residents
Open Letter to Huron Shores Residents
"In Huron Shores, both the Emergency Response Plan (ERP) adopted in 2023 and the 2025 ERP version currently posted on the municipal website describe flooding and structural failure as “low‑risk” hazards. On paper, that might sound reassuring. On the ground, it’s increasingly hard to reconcile that characterization with lived experience."
CBC on bridge ownership
CBC on bridge ownership
"Historical records related to this structure are incomplete, and at this point there is no definitive documentation establishing when, or even whether, the bridge was formally transferred to a former municipality, aside from the fact that the municipality has maintained it for many years,"
The Dean Lake bridge decision - The Pointer
The Dean Lake bridge decision - The Pointer
"Since the bridge closure in April, residents have endured dangerous detours, delayed emergency response times, and escalating costs. Chevis Road – the only alternate route – is substandard by the municipality’s own engineering assessments. It is too narrow, winding, intolerably steep in some sections, and vulnerable to flooding in others."
CTV news - Huron Shores bridge to be demolished
CTV news - Huron Shores bridge to be demolished
Prevent demolition of the Dean Lake Bridge - MyEspanolaNow
Prevent demolition of the Dean Lake Bridge - MyEspanolaNow
"A newly incorporated citizen’s committee is taking legal action to prevent the demolishment of the Dean Lake Bridge east of Iron Bridge.
Dean Lake Residents Turn to the Courts - Shore Report
Dean Lake Residents Turn to the Courts - Shore Report
“We believe this decision may not align with applicable legal and procedural standards,” stated Johnson in her presentation, “and was made without adequate and reasonable consideration of the impact on those most reliant on the bridge for safe and dependable access. It is with profound sadness and disappointment that the CDC takes this legal action.”
Local group fighting municipality's decision to close a bridge - SooToday
Local group fighting municipality's decision to close a bridge - SooToday
"Council’s decision favours an alternate road route requiring extensive upgrades — upgrades deemed “feasible” but which may prove impractical given existing constraints — while refusing to restore interim access to the bridge as council works through these uncertainties."
Council to demolish Dean Lake Bridge - The Sault Star
Council to demolish Dean Lake Bridge - The Sault Star
"The decision to proceed with the Chevis Road work was deemed the only access route into the Dean Lake community."
"Members of the council voting for the decommission of the bridge see the road as a permanent asset that will continue to remain usable for decades and is worth the financial investment."
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