The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is once again calling on the Wynne government to halt the divestment of the ONTC. FONOM is increasingly concerned that while the Wynne government is prepared to engage in a dialogue, no commitment to pausing the process during that dialogue has been made.

Alan Spacek, Mayor of Kapuskasing, and President of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), spoke very positively about the 53rd FONOM Annual General Meeting. The meeting was held at the beautiful Charles W. Stockey Centre in Parry Sound.

Alan Spacek, Mayor of Kapuskasing, and President of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), expressed his satisfaction with a high level meeting held with Premier Kathleen Wynne and Cabinet Members Zimmer, Orazetti, Gravelle, Jeffrey, Murray and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy, Bob Delaney Monday at the Ontario Good Roads/Rural Ontario Municipal Association Annual Meeting.

The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is happy to welcome new Premier Kathleen Wynne’s freshly appointed Cabinet, and is optimistic about the possibility for a renewed relationship between the Province and northern Ontario.

Mayor Alan Spacek of Kapuskasing and President of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) joined forces with other municipal and trade organizations to support the provincial government’s newly proposed regulation under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the forest sector. Spacek explained “As part of the 2012 Budget Bill, the Liberal government proposed amendments to the ESA that would allow them to implement the legislation in a more practical manner, and that would remove redundant and unnecessary process.

Some Ontario Liberal Leadership candidates have committed to reconsidering the Government’s policy on issues affecting northern Ontario as they seek to broaden their support prior to the leadership convention.

The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is disappointed that the province’s Liberal leadership candidates will not attend a second debate in Northern Ontario. Such a debate could help to address crucial issues for the region – including the government’s decision to divest from Ontario Northern Transportation Commission (ONTC) – which were surprisingly overlooked in last week’s Thunder Bay debate.

The Executive of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) took the opportunity to discuss issues of Northern significance at their meeting held at the end of November in North Bay.

On September 28, 2012, the last Ontario Northland train left Toronto’s Union Station. In the weeks since, 18 municipalities and townships in Northern Ontario have united to challenge the Province of Ontario’s decision to divest Ontario Northland’s assets

Representatives from the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities met with the Minister of Natural Resources, Michael Gravelle, in Toronto yesterday to discuss the closure of overnight camping in ten provincial parks across Northeastern Ontario.

The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities is adding it’s voice to a growing list of organizations that agree with the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association that Northern Ontario needs local electricity generation to grow the northern resource economy.

Citing growing community opposition and demonstrated public support for preserving Ontario Northland as a public asset, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities is calling on the Minister of Northern Development and Mines Rick Bartolucci to suspend the planned divestment of ONTC assets and work with community and business leaders on a long term solution.

THUNDER BAY – The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) is joining the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) in advocacy efforts opposed to the cancellation of overnight camping in nine Provincial Parks across Northern Ontario including one in the Northwest.

FONOM President Mayor Al Spacek addressed the Standing Committee on General Government in Toronto recently expressing the concerns of its member municipalities over Bill 151 – The Ontario Forest Tenure Modernization Act, 2011. “Some of the major concerns with respect to this legislation are with the seeming arbitrary increases in government authority which allow it the arbitrary discretion to cancel existing wood supply agreements or licenses for any reason,” commented Mayor Spacek.