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.