Northern mayors meet in Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie played host to a meeting this week of the Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors (NOLUM.) The mayors of Greater Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Timmins and Thunder Bay discussed a variety of issues affecting the north, as well as possible solutions to those issues.

Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre and Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau joined Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Matthew Shoemaker in-person, while North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico and Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff joined via Zoom.

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The mayors discussed the ongoing labour shortage in the north, and how the Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot program being made permanent could help address that shortage.

The mental health and addictions crisis across the region was another top issue of discussion among the mayors.

Sault Ste. Marie city staff also delivered a presentation on the Sault’s Downtown Ambassador Program, which other northern communities might be looking to emulate.

The mayors have expressed a desire to meet at various points throughout the current council term and are committed to speaking with a unified voice on issues affecting northern Ontario.