Mayors of Northern Ontario's five largest cities met earlier this week to discuss the formation of a Mayors Council that would work to promote the interests of the North and would be inclusive of all northern communities.
Hosted by Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Debbie Amaroso, the meeting included North Bay Mayor Al McDonald, Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs, Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren, and Sudbury Mayor Marianne Matichuk.
“We discussed issues of importance for Northern Ontario and have agreed to work together on behalf of all our communities,” Amaroso said in a news release.
In a statement, the mayors agreed, “We must have a united voice for the North to be successful. We are working together to develop this concept for the future success and growth of Northern Ontario.”
Issues discussed at the meeting include the continued development oft he Northern Growth Plan and the importance of competitive industrial energy prices.
“High energy costs are putting much of Northern Ontario's energy intensive, resource processing industries at a competitive disadvantage,” Laughren said in the release. “This reality is detrimental to attracting and sustaining economic viability for our communities.”
The mayors plan to meet again early in the new year.
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