North Bay 2026 Candidate Answers

We should treat the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and other federal/provincial tools as part of a single, proactive recruitment strategy linking physician recruitment, skilled trades, tech, and to a clear North Bay value proposition: affordable housing, lifestyle, and a welcoming, inclusive community.

Success would be measured by net new doctors and skilled workers recruited per year, plus five-year retention rates and income growth in lower-income neighbourhoods.

We need to foster a stronger partnership with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSOM) to actively bring physicians (including those who are foreign-trained) directly to our city. The overwhelming public response when I recently welcomed a new doctor on social media highlights just how deep our physician shortage is. (The physician was not having great results for promoting his new office and asked for assistance to get the word out. That one post went viral and generated close to 50,000 individual viewers!)

Recruiting healthcare professionals and skilled tradespeople requires selling North Bay as a community where the whole family thrives. We must focus on quality of life, amenities and family support.

Newcomers benefit our city and vice versa. They broaden our economy, the city creates opportunities for partners and families, we both inspire new business ventures that help lift community members out of poverty.