The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities is concerned about the shortage of health professionals across the north.
Danny Whalen, board chair, says FONOM will be looking to the province for an increase in enrolment at the Northern School of Medicine to address the shortages in communities.
He says it was welcome news to hear that the scholarships and bursaries at Laurentian University and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine are secure, but the board plans to contact the Ministry of Health to discuss the funding that small hospitals receive to attract and retain nurses.
Whalen says there are communities in the north that do not have a physician or enough health professionals.
During FONOM’s last meeting of 2021 in Little Current, the board also received a presentation from Corina Moore, President and CEO of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) and Al Spacek, ONTC Board Chair.
Spacek also presented with Mary Dawson-Cole on behalf of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.
“We were happy to hear the account of ONTC’s test train” and “MPAC’s exciting venture in Northern Ireland,” stated Whalen.
FONOM also paused for a moment of silence in honour of the late Austin “Aussie” Hunt, long-time board member and past president, who passed away on November 10th at the age of 95.
**With files from Rosalind Russell