Diane Johnston
Speaker Reporter
TEMISKAMING SHORES – The co-chair of a new Northern task force anticipates that transportation in its many forms and its many purposes will be on the table.
“And of course, the biggest one that we’ll deal with off the top is road safety,” said Danny Whalen, president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities.
Whalen, also a Temiskaming Shores councillor, and Wendy Landry, president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association and mayor of Shuniah, will co-chair the task force.
Its creation was announced late last week by Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney.
“The Northern Task Force will ensure transportation plans reflect the diverse voices within the community and inform our government of the most important local needs,” said Mulroney in a news release.
Its establishment was one of more than 60 actions identified when the province released a draft transportation plan for Northern Ontario late in 2020.
The task force currently numbers 13 members. In addition to Indigenous and municipal leaders, it includes the heads of Indigenous Tourism Ontario, the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC), and the Northern Policy Institute, a Northern Ontario think-tank.
The one private sector member is Ron Bumstead, owner of Bumstead Trucking in Temiskaming Shores.
Whalen said he suggested Bumstead to ensure that there is representation from the commercial trucking sector.
Whalen sees the task force’s role as both providing feedback on provincial proposals and input on what’s needed.
“I hate to keep harping on it, but the North is unique. So unless you drive and use the transportation systems in the North on a regular basis, you’re not going to understand them.”
In his view, the North’s airports were not given their due in the draft plan.
He also sees a role for existing transportation services to bolster tourism.
Northern tourism operators should be able to work with the ONTC and develop packages that include transportation, enabling visitors without personal vehicles to vacation in the region, he said.
Whalen said another meeting will be held tomorrow (January 27) and “a game plan” for the task force will be laid out.