After nearly two decades as a city councillor, Mac Bain won’t be seeking re-election this fall.
“Serving the residents of North Bay has been one of the greatest privileges of my life,” he says in a letter to city residents. “Looking back, I am proud of what we have accomplished together and grateful for the trust that the community has placed in me over the years.”
Bain, who retired as a funeral director at Martyn Funeral Home in the spring, is thanking his family, former employer, city staff and his council colleagues for their support over the past 23 years.
That includes former mayors Vic Fedeli and Al McDonald, along with current mayor Peter Chirico, who he says supported him taking on leadership roles with the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) and later the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
“Those opportunities allowed me to represent North Bay while helping shape provincial decisions that continue to benefit municipalities across Ontario,” says Bain.
He says accomplishments he’s proud of are helping improve the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund and supporting the transition to full producer responsibility for Blue Box recycling.
Bain says those changes now contribute more than $3 million annually to North Bay’s municipal budget.
While he won’t be around the council table after the October election, Bain says his commitment to North Bay and Northern Ontario continues with his role as Executive Director of FONOM.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve this remarkable community for the past 23 years,” he writes. “It has been one of the greatest honours of my life, and it is a responsibility I have never taken for granted.”
Bain says he will continue to serve on council until the end of the current term.
