Committee on northern population growth, reconciliation efforts seeking new members

NEWS RELEASE
NORTHERN POLICY INSTITUTE 
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Are you interested in contributing to population growth and reconciliation efforts in Northern Ontario? Now is your chance to join the Magnetic North Steering Committee!  

The Magnetic North project focuses on population growth through attraction and retention. This includes working towards reconciliation plus defeating racism and discrimination. The Steering Committee will be a key resource for this project. Providing a sounding board and resource pool for the Project Officer. The Steering Committee will provide direct connections into the various and diverse communities working to make Northern Ontario welcoming and inclusive.

The Steering Committee is not intended to guide or direct the work of individual communities or groups in their efforts to attract and retain people. Their mandate, like that of the Project Officer, is to help those who ask for help. By building connections, collecting, and disseminating information or resources and, where requested, troubleshooting solutions to overcome barriers or take maximum advantage of opportunities.

The Steering Committee will focus on pursuing the priority actions identified at the annual Magnetic North conference. An event that brings together a range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups. To this end, recruitment is underway for members interested in contributing their knowledge and expertise as a member of the Steering Committee.

To ensure that the Steering Committee encompasses a diverse set of voices, a total of 15 members from the following priority sectors will be considered: 

• Three representatives within immigration/settlement sector
• Three representatives from economic development/industry groups
• Three representatives from inclusive groups (anti-racism/LGBTQIA2S+)
• Three representatives within healthcare, education, training, and social services
• Three representatives supporting First Nations, Métis, or Inuit populations

At least three of the 15 Committee members will be drawn from groups serving francophones. Groups targeting other specific populations (youth, seniors, women, people with disabilities etc.) are also encouraged to apply.  

“There are many ideas and plans to help grow communities in Northern Ontario,” said Rachel Rizzuto, Research Manager at Northern Policy Institute, “But resources are scarce. Working together and helping each other achieve our separate goals will bring us closer to our collective one: a growing and sustainable Northern Ontario.”  

Interested? We welcome applications from interested candidates from across Ontario's northern regions! Please be sure to send a 1–2-page statement of interest to the Magnetic North Project Officer, Sherry Mayer, at [email protected] by Sept. 30, 2021.  

To learn more about the project, the conferences that led to it, and the resulting shared priorities, please follow the hyperlinks below: 

• 2021 Magnetic North Conference
• 2020 Come North Conference Reports

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