Pro-business politicians wanted, North Bay chamber says (7/03)

By Ian Ross

The North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce will not be sitting on the sidelines for this November’s municipal elections. Prospective councillors and mayoralty candidates can expect to be challenged on their election platforms by the city’s business community. A chamber taskforce is being formed to begin polling its 900 members to identify key business-related issues to go about “setting North Bay on the right track to economic prosperity,” says chamber president Dave Mendicino. “The city prospers if the economy is vibrant.”

Instead of facilitating the political debates, Mendicino says the chamber will play an active role in questioning the candidates. “We’re going to put a lot of weight on what these people (candidates) are saying.” Mendicino says the chamber has no plans to field its own slate of candidates or endorse any for mayor or council.

Though North Bay has fared better than other northern centres in stemming out-migration and cultivating industrial diversity, Mendicino says “there’s still room for improvement.”

Mendicino says his membership has concerns about municipal spending and about what is being done to lure new business to North Bay and he senses a growing attitude for change within the community. “The general consensus is that economically we are not in good shape, and we need to attract new business.”

The taskforce plans on meeting in early August and expects to identify four to five key issues in time for the election.

The chamber also wants to review the Internal Solutions Group (ISG) proposal designed to restructure the Ontario Northland Railway. The future of the Crown rail carrier has been in limbo since Canadian National Railway broke off negotiations with the province in May. CN could not guarantee jobs as outlined in the joint railway management-union proposal.

“No one has seen the ISG (proposal),” Mendicino says. “It’s been a well-kept, hidden document.”

The chamber wants to re-start the process by lending its business expertise. The chamber also passed a resolution recognizing a casino development as an important initiative. The province has extended its moratorium on casinos until June 2004. Mendicino says a casino will attract people to North Bay and Callander, and the city never bothered to pursue the opportunity five or six years ago.

“It’s an initiative that should be kept moving forward.” The chamber is also investigating the feasibility of moving the Dionne Quints Museum from its present Seymour Street location at the Highway 11/17 bypass to the waterfront. The museum is owned by the city and managed by the chamber.