The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is in Toronto this week for the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference.
President Dave Plourde says municipal leaders across the north are dealing with real pressures, on roads, policing, housing and health care, and they’re at the conference to make sure provincial decision-makers understand both the urgency and opportunity.
FONOM says key priorities include the modernization of Highways 11 and 17 across the North, including four-laning, twinning and 2+1 safety designs.
“These highways are not just Northern Ontario roads—they are national trade corridors,” says Plourde. “Ontario cannot remain the weak link in Canada’s east–west transportation system. We are urging the Province to partner with the federal government and recognize this as a true nation-building project.”
Mental Health and addictions are also on the docket, along with policing costs and more.
FONOM will also be participating in a Northern Economics Roundtable meeting with Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario’s Minister of Finance.
“ROMA is about solutions,” says Plourde. “Northern Ontario is ready to partner with the Province and the federal government to build safer highways, healthier communities, and a stronger provincial and national economy.”
