THUNDER BAY -- A handful of municipal leaders will spend the next few days in Toronto lobbying for assistance from the provincial government in dealing with city issues.
A delegation that includes Mayor Keith Hobbs, Coun. Joe Virdiramo, Coun. Brian McKinnon and city manager Tim Commisso will be attending the Ontario Good Roads Association conference, which kicks off on Sunday.
The conference allows the city officials to meet with an array of Ontario cabinet ministers to discuss a slew of issues. Premier Kathleen Wynne is also scheduled to address attendees on Monday.
Virdiramo, who is chair of the city’s inter-governmental affairs, said attending and having the ability to meet with the array of provincial ministers has been beneficial in the past.
“There are all kinds of issues we’re going to raise with the ministers and their assistants. Hopefully we’ll move ahead and at least we’ll have raised the issues and brought them to the floor,” he said.
“They know who we are and they know what Thunder Bay is. They know our issues and we’ve been successful on a few things.”
During the conference Virdiramo said he and the rest of the delegation plan to talk introduce a range of both economic and social topics.
He wants to know how the province plans to spend previously pledged funding for Ring of Fire development.
That also includes planned discussions with Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli to ensure Northwestern Ontario has the power capability to support a vibrant mining economy. Coun. Iain Angus, who is the co-chair of the Common Voice Northwest Energy Task Force, will also be a participant in the meeting.
“They promised $1 billion but we want to see that come to fruition. We want to see some infrastructure put in there so the mining readiness projects can get going,” Virdiramo said.
“People are not going to invest in the North if the infrastructure isn’t there.”
Virdiramo listed support for homeless programs and creating a cardiovascular care program at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as two prominent social pieces he plans to discuss.
He also wants to see an expansion of the Balmoral Centre as well as some help for Superior North EMS.
“We’d like to see more beds there for the alcohol and drug program that they offer there. The EMS non-urgent transfer patients has been an issue for a while and we want some assistance with that,” he said.
The conference will wrap up on Wednesday.
With files from CKPR Radio
