Media Release

MAY 12, 2026 - TIMMINS, ON – The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) and the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) say the findings contained in the Ontario Auditor General’s 2026 report on Large Commercial Truck Driver Licensing reinforce many of the concerns municipalities across Northern Ontario have continued to raise regarding highway safety, commercial [...]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 7, 2026   Northeastern & Northwestern Ontario – Northern Leaders and Industry Call for Coordinated Investment in Highways 11 and 17   Northeastern & Northwestern Ontario – Municipal leaders and industry partners are joining forces to call on the provincial and federal governments to accelerate investment in Highways 11 and 17, [...]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2026 FONOM Voices Concern Over Nairn Centre Mill Curtailment Calls for Action on Tariffs Impacting Northern Forestry Communities Nairn Centre, ONTARIO — The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is expressing concern following the announcement that Interfor will indefinitely curtail operations at its mill in Nairn Centre. This decision will [...]

Matachewan, Ontario – The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) acknowledges the recent Canada–Ontario partnership to support housing development and infrastructure investment, including funding tied to the reduction of municipal development charges. FONOM supports efforts to increase housing supply and improve affordability across Ontario. However, the organization is raising concerns that the current program design [...]

_upscale NORTHERN ONTARIO – The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) acknowledges the Province of Ontario’s 2026 Budget and welcomes several measures that will support communities, economic growth, and quality of life across Northern Ontario. FONOM is encouraged to see the continued commitment to the Northern Ontario Resource Development Support (NORDS) program, which [...]

Latchford, ON – The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) welcomes the Province of Ontario’s recent announcement outlining new safety and enforcement measures along the Highway 11/17 corridor—an essential transportation link for Northern communities, industries, and Canada’s national supply chains. The Province’s plan includes increased enforcement, expanded inspection capacity, improved signage, and continued design work [...]

  KIRKLAND LAKE, ON – The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) Board of Directors convened in Kirkland Lake on March 20, 2026, to address key priorities impacting Northern Ontario communities, including highway safety, housing, health care, and municipal sustainability. The Board was welcomed by Mayor Stacy Wight, along with CAO Alan Smith and Clerk [...]

March 8, 2026 – Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is expressing deep concern and growing frustration following another fatal collision on Northern Ontario’s highway system. On March 7, a serious collision near Smooth Rock Falls involving four tractor-trailers and a passenger vehicle claimed the life of a Kapuskasing resident, [...]

Toronto, ON — The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is in Toronto this week for the ROMA Conference, following a full-day Board of Directors meeting held on Sunday, January 18, 2026, in Toronto. The FONOM Board meeting set the stage for a focused and coordinated advocacy effort at ROMA, with resolutions and policy positions [...]

The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is raising renewed concern after new provincial data show homelessness is growing fastest—and most severely—in Northern Ontario, outpacing the capacity of local systems and communities to respond. New figures released today by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) show that more than 85,000 Ontarians experienced homelessness in [...]