Send us a Text Message.From grandparent scams to romance frauds, phishing has become a daily part of life — forcing all of us to be constantly looking over our “digital shoulder.” Last year alone, Canadians lost more than $500 million to fraud

School unplugged? We dissect Ontario’s new cellphone ban

17 days ago 33m 27s

Send us a Text Message.Education Minister Stephen Lecce has announced a “comprehensive” crackdown on cellphones in schools that will take effect in September. According to the new rules, kids in kindergarten to Grade 6 will be required to keep

Yes, Gerry Dee was a real teacher

25 days ago 37m 49s

Send us a Text Message.From Mr. D to Family Feud Canada, Gerry Dee has made audiences laugh from coast to coast. This week, the teacher-turned-comedian really hits the big time: a guest spot on Inside the Village. He drops by the show to promot

Is the justice system broken? We ask a judge

Apr 19th, 2024 41m 48s

Send us a Text Message.A rare chance to draw back the curtain this week on Inside the Village as Frisco and Scott go one-on-one with retired Ontario judge Norm Douglas. After years as a respected prosecutor who then served on the bench, Douglas

A social network that’s actually social? We’re building it

Apr 11th, 2024 45m 37s

Send us a Text Message.On this episode of Inside the Village, we really take you Inside the Village — to talk about a massive project that Village Media has been toiling away at behind the scenes. It’s called SPACES, a new kind of social media

Thousands of Ontario students threatened with suspension — for not being vaccinated

Mar 28th, 2024 45m 32s

Send us a Text Message.Remember when measles were pretty much eradicated? So much for that. The number of confirmed cases in Canada has now reached 40 — more than three times the number in 2023. Why the resurgence? A growing number of kids simp

Should the government let you compost your dead body?

Mar 22nd, 2024 29m 30s

Send us a Text Message.Nearly four years ago, provincial regulators started asking for public feedback on an interesting question: Should Ontario allow human composting? Although it’s legal in a handful of U.S. states, no Canadian jurisdiction

Is Thursday the new Friday?

Mar 8th, 2024 33m 51s

Send us a Text Message.More and more companies are adopting a four-day work week to help reduce employee burnout and increase productivity — and the idea appears to be working. A new report from the non-profit think tank Infinite Potential foun

Grand Theft Auto: Ontario edition

Feb 23rd, 2024 26m 29s

Send us a Text Message.The numbers are staggering. In Ontario alone, more than 50 vehicles are stolen every single day. For governments of all levels, combating the problem has become a top priority. Premier Doug Ford recently warned car thieve

A ‘no-brainer’ idea to help end homelessness

Feb 15th, 2024 27m 20s

Send us a Text Message.When it comes to fighting homelessness, no idea is a bad idea. But this one is pretty good: building affordable housing — “on stilts” — over city-owned parking lots. Simply put, a municipality can lease a lot to a develop

Colleges and universities are bracing for a very rough year

Feb 8th, 2024 52m 29s

Send us a Text Message.This week on Inside the Village, we dedicate another episode to a controversial subject that continues to generate plenty of headlines: international students. The federal government is determined to slash the number of s

Ted Nolan speaks his truth — about hockey, racism and reconciliation

Feb 1st, 2024 31m 50s

Send us a Text Message.On this week's episode of Inside the Village, Frisco and Scott sit down for an in-depth conversation with former NHL coach of the year, Memorial Cup Champion — and now author — Ted Nolan. His new book, Life in Two Worlds:

Access denied: International students capped

Jan 24th, 2024 26m 26s

Send us a Text Message.Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith are back for another episode of Inside the Village. The feds have announced they are putting a temporary cap on the number of international students being granted visas. This move wi

Blazing trails…safely

Jan 17th, 2024 21m 22s

Send us a Text Message.It’s the kick off to season three of Inside the Village with Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith. With winter late out of the gate this year it has dramatically impacted outdoor sports and recreational activities, part

Inside the Village - A look back at the lighter side of 2023

Dec 22nd, 2023 40m

Send us a Text Message.Welcome back to Inside the Village - and Part 2 of our Year in Review. This week we take a look at the lighter side of the news from Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean to Gurdeep Pandher, the Bangra dancer from the Yuko

Inside the Village - The year that was 2023

Dec 16th, 2023 44m 49s

Send us a Text Message.Welcome back to Inside the Village, a one-of-a-kind podcast where all news is local - and no topic is off-limits. In the latest episode, Frisco and Scott take a stroll down memory lane in Part 1 of our year end show. Look

Last call for The Beer Store?

Dec 8th, 2023 35m 37s

Send us a Text Message.This week on Inside the Village, there’s a “seismic shift” on the horizon for alcohol sales in Ontario and it will likely start with The Beer Store. Dan Malleck, a Brock University professor and leading expert on drug and

Be on the lookout for these five warning signs of dementia

Nov 29th, 2023 40m 23s

Send us a Text Message.By 2030, one million Canadians will suffer from dementia. By 2050, that number is expected to triple. Here’s another scary stat: In 2020, care partners (including family members, friends and neighbours) spent 26 hours per

Restaurant impossible: The new reality

Nov 23rd, 2023 25m 18s

Send us a Text Message.The state of the economy has been a hot button issue for some time now and a new study from Dalhousie University has some alarming data from the restaurant industry. Over 50% of restaurants nationwide are operating in the

Justin Trudeau joins us on the podcast (sort of)

Nov 16th, 2023 38m 9s

Send us a Text Message.After a couple weeks off, Inside the Village is back in a big way. The Prime Minister paid a recent visit to Sault Ste. Marie, where he toured the local power utility, met with veterans at the Legion — and sat down with F

Shooting rampage devastates the Sault

Oct 27th, 2023 32m 39s

Send us a Text Message.Every week, Scott and Frisco bring you this podcast from Village Media’s headquarters in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. This week, their northern Ontario city was propelled into the national news for all the wrong reasons: a

Do you miss Steve Paikin? Find him right here

Oct 18th, 2023 39m 59s

Send us a Text Message.The unionized staff at TVO, the province's public broadcaster, have been on strike for almost two months. Steve Paikin, the veteran host of The Agenda, is part of the bargaining team and isn’t holding out much hope that t

A safe place to drop off unwanted babies

Oct 13th, 2023 23m 37s

Send us a Text Message.Alberta was the first Canadian province to establish one, and now they’re expanding to Ontario: a safe location where mothers can surrender their unwanted babies — no judgment, no questions asked. City council in Sault St

The bare minimum (wage)

Oct 6th, 2023 33m 33s

Send us a Text Message. Earlier this month, the minimum wage in Ontario increased to $16.55 per hour, up from $15.50. Though a slight improvement, that amount is still well below what is widely considered a living wage in the province. We break

Dissecting the Greenbelt scandal

Sep 22nd, 2023 25m 57s

Send us a Text Message.Welcome back to Inside the Village, a podcast where all news is local — and no topic is off-limits.On this week's episode: Doug Ford does a complete 180.After losing two cabinet ministers, two senior staffers, and untold