By Elaine Della-Mattia, Sault Star

Friday, October 11, 2013 11:25:09 EDT PM

SAULT STE. MARIE - Mayors in Northern Ontario will be pushing the provincial government to meet with them before year-end to discuss the North’s priorities.

The five Northern Ontario mayors met briefly in North Bay last week during the Northern Ontario business awards, said Mayor Debbie Amaroso.

Earlier this fall the mayors presented a paper not the provincial government at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference and requested that the ministers meet with them prior to year end.

The Leadership Meeting, as it is now being called by the mayors, will be held in Timmins.

“We had a draw for the host location and now we will request that the minister’s set the date for that meeting, before year end,” Amaroso said.

The priorities paper presented at the AMO conference include six key discussion areas including the need to establish a renewed collaborate relationship between the province and municipalities so that they better understand Northern issues, sustainable funding for infrastructure, affordable electricity, workforce development through immigration and skills development, enhanced funding for research and innovation and the fair sharing of resource revenue with long-term stable funding sources.

“These are the items that we believe are important to our success and our success to the province,” Amaroso said.

She said a new relationship between the Northern municipalities and the province must include several meetings annually so decision-makers understand the unique situation of the north.

“Most people who live in Northern Ontario know the decisions are made with a southern Ontario perspective,” Amaroso said. “We want to establish a communication (with the province) so they understand our geography, our uniqueness, or issues with the aging populations and our industries and economy.”

The mayors believe that with that knowledge, provincial leaders will better be able to reference them in its decision-making and know whether those decisions will work in the North.

The mayors also agree that the Northern Ontario Growth Plan and the communities have “a golden opportunity” with the Ring of Fire development and that all communities, including First Nation, can benefit economically.

They believe it is time to move from planning to implementation stage.

With a variety of industries that can capitalize on the economic benefits of the mining development, Amaroso said the Northern Mayors want to see some roll out of the Northern Ontario Growth Plan.

“When we’re successful, taxes go to the province and they’re successful,” she said. “We need for these types of situations, like the Ring of Fire, to be high on the radar and roll out with the support of the Northern Ontario Growth Plan.

The Ring of Fire is a massive planned chromite mining and smeltering development project that is believed will have great economic benefits to the area and province.

It is considered one of the largest potential mineral reserves in Ontario, covering 1.5 million hectares.

It’s expected that Minster of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle will be making an announcement later this month in Thunder Bay to address changes with the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp.

“Hopefully that new look will move things along with the Ring of Fire,” Amaroso said

http://www.saultstar.com/2013/10/11/northern-ontario-mayors-eye-end-of-year-meeting