Episodi

  • Inside North Bay’s Homelessness and Housing Issues with Councillor Mark King

    Inside North Bay’s Homelessness and Housing Issues with Councillor Mark King
    Jan 24 2026
    In this episode of Echo Essentials, North Bay City Councillor Mark King joins the show to talk candidly about the state of housing and homelessness in the city. As chair of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board and vice chair of the Northern Ontario Service Delivery Association, Mark brings a regional and on the ground view of what is happening and why.

    The conversation covers new data showing sharp increases in homelessness across Northern Ontario, the limits of what municipalities can realistically do, and why provincial and federal support is critical.

    Mark also shares insights from recent meetings with provincial ministers, the challenges of funding social housing, and what it means when cities are left managing a crisis they cannot solve alone

    0:00 Introduction and why homelessness is the focus
    10:11 The new report and the 117 percent increase in Northern Ontario
    19:26 Why cities cannot fix homelessness alone
    32:15 What real housing solutions actually require
    56:01 Final reflections and what comes next for North Bay
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    58 min
  • MADD Nipissing and the Ongoing Fight Against Impaired Driving

    MADD Nipissing and the Ongoing Fight Against Impaired Driving
    Jan 15 2026
    Impaired driving is not something from the past. It is still happening in our communities, and the consequences are still devastating.

    In this episode of Echo Essentials, we sit down with Shona Camirand and Bobbie-Lyn Shank, members of MADD Nipissing, about the ongoing fight against impaired driving.

    They share why education and awareness still matter, how attitudes around drinking and driving have changed, and where dangerous misconceptions still exist.

    0:00 – Intro
    8:36 – Red Ribbon campaigns and Ride programs in North Bay
    17:06 – How impaired driving has changed beyond alcohol
    24:24 – New testing, breathalyzers, and evolving laws
    50:31 – How to get involved with MADD Nipissing and help locally
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    52 min
  • Let’s Remember Adam: The Push to Make Drivers Stop for School Buses

    Let’s Remember Adam: The Push to Make Drivers Stop for School Buses
    Jan 8 2026
    In this episode, we sit down with Pierre Ranger, the voice behind the Let’s Remember Adam campaign. Pierre shares the heartbreaking story of his brother Adam, a young boy who was hit and killed by a driver who didn’t stop for a school bus.

    Since that moment, Pierre and his family have made it their mission to make sure no one else has to go through what they did. The campaign has become a powerful reminder about the importance of stopping for school buses and protecting children as they get on and off safely.

    4:10 Why Drivers Still Don’t Stop
    08:56 How Policy Change Happened
    20:00 The Push for Stop Arm Cameras
    52:56 What’s Next for Let’s Remember Adam
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    1 ora e 2 min
  • Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield on FONOM, Centennial and What 2026 Looks Like for North Bay

    Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield on FONOM, Centennial and What 2026 Looks Like for North Bay
    Jan 1 2026
    North Bay is heading into an important stretch. Major projects are underway, big questions remain, and decisions being made now will shape what the city looks like in 2026 and beyond.

    In this episode of Echo Essentials, Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield joins us to talk through what’s on the table. From the work that FONOM is doing for our community, to a look back at the centennial, to long-term budget pressures and growth, Maggie shares how council is approaching the next few years and what residents should be paying attention to.

    0:00 Intro
    4:00 Looking back at the centennial
    11:30 FONOM
    26:00 Bail Reform
    33:30 2026 Budget
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    1 ora e 2 min
  • The Stories That Shaped Politics in 2025 with Dr David Tabachnik

    The Stories That Shaped Politics in 2025 with Dr David Tabachnik
    Dec 25 2025
    As the year comes to a close, it’s a good time to step back and make sense of everything that happened in politics.

    In this Christmas Day episode of Echo Essentials, political scientist Dr David Tabachnik joins us to reflect on the stories that shaped politics over the past year. From local decisions to national debates and global shifts, we talk about what mattered, what surprised us, and what may have lasting consequences.

    0:00 Intro
    4:30 Key Local Issues in 2025
    11:30 Provincial politics and the Near North school board takeover
    19:30 Doug Ford’s election strategy and shifting political tone
    28:00 Federal election shocks and Trudeau’s exit
    37:00 Mark Carney’s rise and the carbon tax pivot
    46:30 Alberta, pipelines, and separation talk
    54:00 Political grades and looking ahead to 2026
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    58 min
  • No One Alone on Christmas Day: What Happens When You Open the Doors to Everyone

    No One Alone on Christmas Day: What Happens When You Open the Doors to Everyone
    Dec 18 2025
    Every year in North Bay, hundreds of people gather for something truly special. It’s called The Big Christmas, and it’s more than just a meal. It’s a place where anyone can come in, sit down, and feel like they belong.

    In this episode of Echo Essentials, we talk to Shawn Kettner one of the many people behind the event to hear how it all started, what it takes to bring it to life.

    To find out more check out their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/98402051258/

    0:00 – Intro
    4:00 – How Big Christmas started
    8:00 – What the event looks like
    13:00 – Community support and volunteers
    18:00 – Why the Elks Lodge matters
    24:00 – The heart of the tradition
    30:00 – How to attend or get involved
    36:00 – Shawn’s favorite holiday things
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    48 min
  • Who Speaks for Our Schools Now? A Former Trustee's Take on the Near North Shakeup

    Who Speaks for Our Schools Now? A Former Trustee's Take on the Near North Shakeup
    Dec 11 2025
    In Northern Ontario, something serious is happening in public education. The Minister of Education has stepped in and taken control of the Near North District School Board, removing authority from elected trustees and shifting decision-making away from the community.

    In this episode of Echo Essentials, former trustee Louise Sargent shares her perspective on what led to this decision, how it has impacted transparency and trust, and what the future holds now that there are no publicly elected representees on the board.

    0:00 – Intro
    3:15 – Trustees Dismissed by the Province
    10:04 – Why the School Board Was Really Dissolved
    20:45 – The Parry Sound School Build
    32:10 – Losing Democracy in the North
    41:20 – One Supervisor Replacing Nine Trustees
    51:30 – What’s Next for the North’s Public Education
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    1 ora e 14 min
  • Fighting for PADDLE When the Province Looks Away

    Fighting for PADDLE When the Province Looks Away
    Dec 4 2025
    PADDLE is a community-based day program in North Bay that supports adults with developmental disabilities. It’s a lifeline for families, a space of independence for participants, and a model of care that should be celebrated.

    In this episode of Echo Essentials, we sit down with executive director Megan Johnson to talk about the growing funding crisis, what PADDLE does every day, and why people across the North are stepping up to keep it alive.

    BayToday Letter to the Editor: https://www.baytoday.ca/letters-to-the-editor/letter-paddle-program-at-risk-as-province-denies-core-funding-11545243

    0:00 Intro
    3:30 What PADDLE actually does and who it serves
    6:00 The funding crisis and what’s at stake
    10:15 The reality of long waitlists and systemic gaps
    17:00 What community support looks like in action
    24:40 Why charity alone isn’t enough
    32:00 Outdated policies and real-world consequences
    41:00 A call to action for the province and community
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    49 min