PROVINCE LAUNCHES NORTHERN POLICY INSTITUTE
Ontario has launched an initiative that will allow Northerners more input into government decisions that affect the North.
The Northern Policy Institute is proceeding with the help of special advisors, Lakehead University President Dr. Brian Stevenson and Laurentian University President Dominic Giroux. The institute will be based at the two universities in Thunder Bay and Sudbury, and will work with northern post-secondary institutions and research organizations.
Investing in Northern Ontario’s communities is part of the McGuinty government’s Growth Plan for Northern Ontario. A strong Northern economy creates local jobs and protects the services that mean the most to families – health care and education.
QUOTES
“One of the guiding principles of the institute is to stimulate public engagement and dialogue and promote the viewpoints of Northern Ontarians. The institute will provide valuable and welcome opportunities to members of the public to share their ideas.”
— Bill Mauro, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines
“In extensive consultations across the North during the development of the Growth Plan, Northern stakeholders were highly supportive of establishing a Northern Policy Institute. I am pleased to launch a policy institute that will provide input from a northern perspective for provincial policies and programs that affect Northern Ontario. As a Northern Minister and as a life-long Northerner, I welcome any tool that ensures the unique needs of the North are understood and met.”
— Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Northern Development and Mines
"I'd like to give special thanks to NOMA and Common Voice Northwest for their strong advocacy of a Policy Institute throughout the Growth Plan consultation process as well as all Northerners who shared that vision and, of course, to Presidents Stevenson and Giroux for their continued commitment to seeing us achieve this important goal for Northerners".
— Michael Gravelle, MPP, Thunder Bay-Superior North
“The Northern Policy Institute’s mandate complements the themes of the Growth Plan and sets the tone for a collaborative, evidence-based multi-sector approach engaging public and private sector partners to conduct research. The Institute will provide a Northern perspective, grounded in quality research to guide the policy development and economic decisions of governments, communities, business and industry. Input from First Nations leadership will be an important part of NPI's work, by including an Aboriginal perspective in developing policy recommendations affecting their communities as well as communities across the North.”
— Dr. Brian Stevenson, President, Lakehead University
“The Northern Policy Institute will focus on northern policy priorities in partnership with stakeholder groups from throughout Northern Ontario, including municipal associations, Francophone groups, labour groups, universities, colleges, Indigenous organizations and private sector industry. The Institute responds to the expressed intent of northerners having a stronger say in policy directions affecting the North. This investment over the next five years will allow for policies that are proposed for and by the North, leading to better community engagement in the decisions that affect the day to day lives in our communities.”
— Dominic Giroux, President and Vice-Chancellor, Laurentian University
A search is underway for the founding Chief Executive Officer, who will oversee the institute’s preparation of a five-year business plan. In April 2011 a questionnaire was sent to over 1,400 individuals and organizations to provide input on the role and mandate of the Institute. The Institute will play a role in monitoring the implementation of the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, which the province delivered in March 2011. The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation will provide $5 million to establish the institute.
Bill Mauro, MPP “ I don’t think it has taken a long time to establish an organization like this as there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scene to establish things like the board make up and so on. The two founding presidents will be on the board and begin the hunt for the other 8 board members and the hunt for the CEO. There will then be the creation of the business plan. I think we will see them develop policies that are researched and have a broad base of support across Northern Ontario. When they bring forward ideas that will help Northern Ontario primarily in economic development, they will already have positioned themselves through research to make a really strong case and hope that the government of the day wil be positioned to respond quickly. This institute will be independent of government and located at Lakehead University. We have created an institute that was requested by northerners that was felt to be important to them to get the ear of the government to develop policy.”
Michael Gravelle, MPP “ I feel incredibly excited and really also emotional about this announcement today. It is really a historic day for Northern Ontario. Really it is the best example you can find of northerners speaking directly to the provincial government saying this is what we need, a non profit, independent non partisan organization that will provide recommendations to the government of the day. It has ben a dream for many like Common Voice, NOMA and Chambers of Commerce. I believe this organization will work for everyone here in Northern Ontario.”
