City reacts to ONTC news

The fallout from Friday morning’s announcement by Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci in Sudbury that the ONTC is to be divested was fast and furious.

North Bay Mayor Al McDonald, city councillors, staff, chamber of commerce executives and ONTC Union members gathered at City Hall Friday afternoon for an emergency meeting to formulate a message and a plan of attack.

“We’re stunned,” states McDonald noting the announcement blindsided everyone.

“I guess what our message is we want to be able to work with all the stakeholders to devise a plan that serves the best interests of Ontario and Northern Ontario, Ontario Northland and families and effected communities we … We expect to be treated like Ontarians no better or worse than southern Ontario.”

“They enjoy these same services which are heavily subsidised and they also have other options in southern Ontario.”

McDonald says in order for the ONTC to succeed they need to be strategically aligned with the ministry that understands the business that is in transportation and communications.

He says take the bureaucratic handcuffs of the ONTC and give the unions and management an opportunity to run the organization.

“Allow these individuals to run what they know best the North deserves a fair chance – we deserve a chance.”

McDonald assured everyone that the fight to save the valuable resource that employs 1,000 people in the north has only just begun.

“I will say to anybody that is watching this this will impact your lives here in northeastern Ontario.”

“We are in full support of what they are trying to do, we stand behind them and we will offer all of our available resources in staff to allow them to succeed and I can tell you as I said when I opened this up we are stunned … we had to formulate a message in an hour and a half and I guess that message is stunned.





Meanwhile Ted Hargreaves, Chairman of the Board of ONTC says the government will honour all aspects of the pension plan currently in place, all labour contracts as well as all supplier and vendor relationships.

“It will be business as usual today and for the future until we know with greater certainty as to how this will go forward in northeastern Ontario.”



President and CEO of Ontario Northland Paul Goulet says he is hopeful that they will find buyers who will honour the tradition ONTC has had with their employees and services.

He says he is concerned that the announcement will see their skilled labour leave the area but encoureges all employees to stay the course.

"They've done phenomenal work, refurbishment I still stand by it there is a business here that could rival any in Canada."



City Council will hold a “Special Meeting of Council” on Monday, March 26th at City Hall at 6pm regarding the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.