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Mayors want ONTC meeting with premier

Six Northern mayors are making a second request to meet with Premier Dalton McGuinty about the divestiture of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC).
Northern Ontario Business Staff

Six Northern mayors are making a second request to meet with Premier Dalton McGuinty about the divestiture of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC).

The mayors, from the Northern Communities Working Group, along with representatives from Ontario Northland unions and the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce, met via teleconference April 25 to discuss the next steps in striking a new deal for the ONTC.

Cochrane Mayor Peter Politis said in a press release that “with 90 per cent of the geographic area north of Highway 17, but with only seven per cent of the population, it appears the North is insignificant to all political parties. We seem to be the private backyards for the south providing resources and entertainment on an as required basis. We cannot accept this and we need to be involved in decisions impacting our communities.”

“At no time have the real stakeholders, impacted by the ONTC divestiture decision, been consulted or involved,” said North Bay Mayor Al McDonald. “The government talks about involvement, participation and consultation but the delivery has been non-existent. It is quite evident there is no concrete plan for the implementation of this decision, it seems to be proceeding on a day-to-day basis.”

Brian Kelly, spokesperson for Ontario Northland General Chairperson’s Association, said there has been no dialogue with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) in regards to the business model leading up to its decision.

“There is no dispute that the ONTC lines of business are good; however, being stifled within the MNDN model is not working. Northern Ontario relies on ONTC’s coordinated and integrated modes of transportation and communication . . . and that is worthy of a stand-alone corporation on equal footing as southern Ontario’s Metrolinx. To us, it is very evident this government is hell bent on proceeding with a fire sale of the ONTC parts without any involvement or consultation,” he said.

The other mayors include Tom Laughren (Timmins), Al Spacek (Kapuskasing), Gilles Forget (Iroquois Falls and Mike Milinkovich (Black River-Matheson).