Shoemaker, northern mayors talk healthcare, housing, immigration

The challenge of providing adequate healthcare in northern Ontario was one of the issues discussed by Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker in a meeting today with other northern Ontario mayors.

The mayors and CAOs/city managers from northern Ontario’s five largest municipalities met in Sudbury to discuss key issues affecting the region.

According to a release, topics of shared interest at the Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors (NOLUM) meeting, hosted by Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre, included:

• Advocating to the provincial government to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in northern Ontario.
• Ongoing housing and homelessness challenges and opportunities across the north, including next steps on the National Housing Accord.
• Continued advocacy to the provincial government for the funding of consumption and treatment services.
• The desire for the federal Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) program to become permanent once the pilot ends in February.
• Funding options for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) University to ensure its ongoing viability.
• Advocating to the federal government to consider the unintended consequences associated with air passenger protection regulations that can impair economic development efforts and the sustainability of small regional airports.

“NOLUM meetings are a good opportunity to discuss areas of common concern and determine how we can work collaboratively on behalf of our respective communities – a united voice is a stronger one," Shoemaker said. 

"Heath care represents a foremost challenge impacting many aspects of life in Northern Ontario, and we will continue to aggressively lobby for the support we need, including increased funding for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University, action on the intimate partner violence epidemic, and consumption and treatment services across the North.”

NOLUM is comprised of the mayors of Greater Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and Timmins.

The group regularly collaborates to discuss steps to improve quality of life in northern Ontario and advocate to higher levels of government on key issues, according to the release.