The five Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors (NOLUM) are looking to maximize opportunities for economic development and strengthen the social safety net.
Provincial and federal advocacy is the focus for the mayor’s group, which met in North Bay on Friday.
They’re detailing critical actions needed to help the region thrive.
One immediate priority includes the Ontario Government’s Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub model.
“Economic growth and safety go hand in hand. We’re asking the Ontario Government to commit to one Hart Hub in each city to address the opioid crisis,” says Mayor Peter Chirico. “With government support, we can build safer communities and keep North Bay and Northern Ontario moving forward.”
Officials say statistics show the five NOLUM cities have the highest opioid mortality rates in Ontario, yet municipalities face the challenge with limited provincial support.
Federally, the mayors are calling on Ottawa to expedite the launch of the new Rural Community Immigration Pilot and make it permanent, to address regional labour shortages.
They say the previous pilot has been a valuable success for the region.
