THUNDER BAY – A suspicious package has prompted the evacuation of several businesses on the city's north side Tuesday afternoon.
Court Street remains closed to all traffic and pedestrians between Red River Road and Van Norman Street.
The package could be seen on the sidewalk in front of the parkade on Court Street and appears to be a black box with a padlock.
Thunder Bay Police Service officers discovered the package at approximately 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.
"As a result, our officers have contained the area and evacuated some of the businesses in the immediate area," said Thunder Bay Police spokesperson, Const. Julie Tilbury. "We are reassessing the situation. We are asking for cooperation from the public. We want limited traffic and pedestrian traffic in the area for everybody’s safety."
City police have contacted the Ontario Provincial Police bomb disposal unit to assist with the situation. Tilbury said members of the unit are enroute from Kenora.
"Citizens can expect this area to have a disruption until they are on scene and we know exactly what we are dealing with," she said. "It could be a couple of hours for sure."
Tilbury added that people should avoid the area. As with any suspicious package, police are taking the risk very seriously.
"Any time we have a suspicious package that is something that is out of the ordinary, we’re going to look into it and we are going to treat it with as much caution as necessary to ensure the safety of the public," Tilbury said.
Anyone with any information about the package or who may have left it on the street are asked to contact police by calling 911.
