Latest Policy Bytes

February 6, 2019 - Recently launched Indigenous language apps, titled “KOBE Learn” have been developed and created by community members who live in Northwestern Ontario. The apps were officially released in November of 2018 and have already become popular within the community and beyond. 

February 19, 2019 - Typically, when one thinks about the difference between the public and private sectors, we think of profit – but this distinction is not so clear when it comes to co-operatives (co-ops).

February 15, 2019 - On Immigration, there is still time to save ourselves

February 11, 2019 - Northern Ontario communities are seeking innovative solutions to address infrastructure gaps. At the same time, climate change is prompting city planners to consider new design structures. How do we ensure that climate action plans and green infrastructure initiatives go hand in hand?

February 4, 2019 - Did you know that an area Southeast of Kenora is home to a natural laboratory comprised of 58 small lakes that are set aside for scientific research?

January 21, 2019 - Does Northern Ontario (or maybe just northeastern Ontario) need to speak with a single voice?

January 14, 2019 - In 2016, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) declared that broadband internet [i] is a basic service that should be accessible to citizens no matter where they live. For Northern Ontario communities it’s those last five words that are key – no matter where they live. Unfortunately, there are still unserved/underserved populations that can be found near towns such as Hearst, Sault Ste. Marie, Cochrane, Sioux Lookout, and Kenora (Fig. 1 & 1.2).

December 16, 2018 - When it comes to health care accessibility, the residents of Northwestern Ontario don’t exactly have it easy. There is only one hospital in the area capable of providing major surgeries: the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). For individuals outside of Thunder Bay, say Kenora, driving six hours to a major hospital is not a quick task. Toronto is a plane ride away for more advanced surgeries or procedures, although this may not be wallet-friendly for everyone. Thankfully, the City of Winnipeg and its regional hospital are a mere two hours west of Kenora, but there’s just one problem – it’s in a different province.

December 10, 2018 - How important are parks? How much green is green enough for our health? Are parks and green space interchangeable terms? And how do we determine how much access to “green space” a community needs?

November 26, 2018 - The science of climate change has moved from theory to fact. Next step is reality. Even with global best-efforts to reduce carbon emissions, temperatures are expected to rise for at least 25 years and storms will grow in intensity. What could these projections mean for the economy of Northern Ontario and its transportation system? This piece is the first in a series of articles that address scenarios that could play out by 2050.