Northern Ontario mayors are calling for improvements to highway safety in advance of the leaders debate in North Bay today,
See: Party leaders to debate northern issues in North Bay
The group, called the Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors (NOLUM), has key priorities.
"NOLUM mayors know that by building safer roads, investing in public services, and attracting talented workers to our communities, Ontario’s elected representatives can help strengthen Ontario’s economy," says a news release. "Furthermore, Ontario’s northern residents need continued support to drive economic growth and build sustainable communities."
The mayors are encouraging all party leaders to support:
- Four-lane highway expansions and more 2 + 1 highway commitments
- A HART Hub in each NOLUM community
- 50 new physicians by 2027, and
- A Northern Talent Attraction Strategy to fill available jobs.
The mayors are also calling on all party leaders to commit to fair funding of housing and "municipal police services that are facing cost escalations due to provincial legislation and the changing public safety needs of our communities."
NOLUM is a coalition of mayors from northern Ontario’s largest cities, including Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Timmins.