North Bay top news stories of 2022

From Ontario Northland news, to a difficult summer for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, to political races, CTV News Northern Ontario takes a look back at last year in North Bay.

Ontario Northland had a big year in 2022. In April, the crown corporation’s North Bay operations secured a $109 million contract with the Ontario government agency Metrolinx to restore dozens of GO Train cars in North Bay, creating new jobs.

"It's relatively close if you consider where other shops are located," said Eve Wiggins, the Interim Rail Operations Vice-President of Metrolinx.

"We don't have to send the vehicles away for a long time. We know that the work is going to be done expertly."

Then this fall, Ontario Premier Doug Ford pledged $75 million to restore passenger rail service in the northeast.

The president and CEO of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, Corina Moore, resigned from her position in late October, to the shock of many.

Moore’s departure came just two months before the government invested almost $140 million to buy the new rail cars to reinstate passenger rail service by 2026.

"I'm excited to announce that Ontario has purchased three brand new train sets for the future new and improved Northlander rail fleet," announced Ontario's Associate Minister of Transportation Stan Cho in December.

It was a difficult summer for many in North Bay's 2SLGBTQ+ community.

OutLoud North Bay staff and youth were subjected to vicious online attacks and death threats for a planned youth drag show. The show was eventually postponed due to safety concerns.

"I got up at 4 a.m. to thousands of emails, tweets, and messages on social media platforms that were so discriminatory and full of hate," said executive director Seth Compton holding back tears in early July.

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Only a month later, a local motorcycle club, the North Star Guardians, fell victim to vehicle vandalism for their support of the Pride community.

Both of the incidents sparked city police investigations.

"This is happening in our backyard and a lot of people have been turning a blind eye," said the club's spokesperson, Lorieann Whittaker.

"I was upset at first and angry, but that just lit a fire to educate."

After 12 years in the mayor's seat, in 2022, Al McDonald decided it was time for someone else to take the reins of North Bay city council. McDonald chose not to seek re-election in the municipal election paving the way for a new mayor.

Peter Chirico, a former deputy mayor, 'threw his name in the ring' eventually winning the top job.

"We're going to work really hard on restoring transparency and openness to this building (city hall) and to this council," Chirico told reporters shortly after his victory.

Along with a new face at the helm at city hall, council saw a major shakeup. Six new councillors were elected and sworn in.

Voters in June decided to send Vic Fedeli back to Queen's Park for four more years in the Ontario provincial election.

These were just some of the stories that made headlines in North Bay in 2022.