North Bay Mayor Al McDonald says everyone in the community must be involved in improving the downtown.

He says that includes mental health providers, the police and the chamber of commerce.

He says council has to play an important role and they are taking action.

“We have $8 million earmarked in 2021 and 2022 for the downtown core, You’re starting to hear about the wharf and we’re looking at that too. And we want to see the development at the Kenroc site go ahead,”he says.

He says he’s not saying there aren’t problems but council’s job is to facilitate a vibrant area of the city and that’s being done.

McDonald is calling on the feds to step up and help communities deal with the opiate crisis which is impacting communities across North America including North Bay.

“The federal government in particular has to turn their focus into what we can do to stop the opiates coming in to our country. And how we can assist those who are already addicted because it is a disease and those individuals deserve a support system,” McDonald says.

(photo by station staff)

Filed under: downtown, Mayor Al McDonald