Echo Essentials Podcast

In this episode of Echo Essentials, we take a closer look at a new piece of local tech that could change the way people shop for groceries. Eric Dion, co-founder of Gofer. Run, joins the show to talk about the launch of the locally developed app designed to help consumers save money by comparing grocery prices and planning smarter shopping trips. Instead of guessing where the best deals are, the a...

On this episode of Echo Essentials, we take a closer look at snowmobile season in North Bay and Northern Ontario and what it really means for our region. We’re joined by Shawn Flindall from the North Bay Snowmobile Club to talk about Snowmobile Safety Week, the realities of riding in ever-changing winter conditions, and the responsibility that comes with operating high-performance machines on comm...

In this episode of Echo Essentials, we break down what’s behind North Bay’s banner year for housing development. With 242 new dwelling units approved in 2025, more than double from 2024, we sit down with Councillor Justine Mallah and Beverley Hillier from Planning and Building Services to unpack what drove the surge. We also take a look at the continuing development of the waterfront area and what...

Politics is moving fast, and the forces shaping Canada today are tied closely to what is happening in Ontario and around the world. In this episode of Echo Essentials, friend of the show and professor of political science Dr. David Tabachnick joins the podcast for a wide ranging conversation on the current state of politics at every level. We tackle the recent happenings including the threats to G...

What happens when elected school trustees lose their power, and what does that mean for democracy in Ontario? In this episode of Echo Essentials, Jay Aspin and Bill Steer join the podcast to talk about the petition to keep trustees in Ontario's public school system. Both men bring deep experience in public life and education governance, and they speak candidly about what has unfolded and why it ma...

In this episode of Echo Essentials, North Bay City Councillor Mark King joins the show to talk candidly about the state of housing and homelessness in the city. As chair of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board and vice chair of the Northern Ontario Service Delivery Association, Mark brings a regional and on the ground view of what is happening and why. The conversation co...

Impaired driving is not something from the past. It is still happening in our communities, and the consequences are still devastating. In this episode of Echo Essentials, we sit down with Shona Camirand and Bobbie-Lyn Shank, members of MADD Nipissing, about the ongoing fight against impaired driving. They share why education and awareness still matter, how attitudes around drinking and driving hav...

In this episode, we sit down with Pierre Ranger, the voice behind the Let’s Remember Adam campaign. Pierre shares the heartbreaking story of his brother Adam, a young boy who was hit and killed by a driver who didn’t stop for a school bus. Since that moment, Pierre and his family have made it their mission to make sure no one else has to go through what they did. The campaign has become a powerful...

North Bay is heading into an important stretch. Major projects are underway, big questions remain, and decisions being made now will shape what the city looks like in 2026 and beyond. In this episode of Echo Essentials, Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield joins us to talk through what’s on the table. From the work that FONOM is doing for our community, to a look back at the centennial, to long-term budg...

As the year comes to a close, it’s a good time to step back and make sense of everything that happened in politics. In this Christmas Day episode of Echo Essentials, political scientist Dr David Tabachnik joins us to reflect on the stories that shaped politics over the past year. From local decisions to national debates and global shifts, we talk about what mattered, what surprised us, and what ma...

Every year in North Bay, hundreds of people gather for something truly special. It’s called The Big Christmas, and it’s more than just a meal. It’s a place where anyone can come in, sit down, and feel like they belong. In this episode of Echo Essentials, we talk to Shawn Kettner one of the many people behind the event to hear how it all started, what it takes to bring it to life. To find out more...

In Northern Ontario, something serious is happening in public education. The Minister of Education has stepped in and taken control of the Near North District School Board, removing authority from elected trustees and shifting decision-making away from the community. In this episode of Echo Essentials, former trustee Louise Sargent shares her perspective on what led to this decision, how it has im...

PADDLE is a community-based day program in North Bay that supports adults with developmental disabilities. It’s a lifeline for families, a space of independence for participants, and a model of care that should be celebrated. In this episode of Echo Essentials, we sit down with executive director Megan Johnson to talk about the growing funding crisis, what PADDLE does every day, and why people acr...

In this episode we are joined by Dr David Tabachnick, Professor of Political Science at Nipissing University, to talk about the current provincial government. We also talk about the newest bills that have past in the province and he gives his take on why the Near North District School Board should not be taken over by the ministry.

In this episode, we introduce Isaac Sturkey, the newest member of our team. He’s stepping into the role of Content Director and Client Strategy with a passion for storytelling and a strong connection to the North Bay community. Isaac shares a bit about his background, what drew him to Echo, and how he hopes to shape the stories we tell going forward. Chris also shares his future plans and how he w...

North Bay’s drinking water might look, taste, and smell normal—but do you really know what’s swimming around in your glass? In this week's episode of Echo Essentials, host Chris Piekarski sits down with Liza Vandermeer and Carol Hansman to detail the shocking story of PFAS contamination in Trout Lake, North Bay's main drinking water source. From discussing how the decades-long dumping and use of f...

City Council has made it's decision, so it's finally time for us to talk about it... The City of North Bay has been buzzing after Mayor Peter Chirico’s expense controversy, and former host Dave Dale is back to break it all down with Chris. From questionable meal claims to battalion tickets and golf outings, we dive deep into what the integrity commissioner said in his report, and whether 60 days o...

Former MP of Nipissing-Timiskaming and the 37th Speaker of the House Anthony Rota returns to Echo Essentials for an open book conversation with Chris Piekarski. From Pierre Poilievre’s missed opportunity to Trump’s impact on Canadian trade and how Mark Carney is toeing the line for centrist policies, Anthony shares what life is like post-politics and offers his unfiltered take on Canada’s politica...

In this episode of Echo Essentials, we’re joined by Leah Pierce and Lisa Henry from The Compassionate Committee for the Homeless in North Bay. They share the story of how one emotional moment sparked a movement that's bringing churches from across the City together, by providing unhoused persons with essentials, and challenging the stigma around homelessness in our community. Leah and Lisa also de...

This week on Echo Essentials, Chris sits down with Bernadette Lindsay, Fund Development Coordinator at the Nipissing Serenity Hospice, to uncover the financial truths behind hospice care in Ontario. From eye-opening budget gaps to heartwarming community efforts, this episode is dives into what it really takes to keep the doors open and the lights on for end-of-life care facilities. Bernadette and...

In this week's episode of Echo Essentials, we go behind the scenes at The Gathering Place—North Bay’s frontline solution to food insecurity. Chris Piekarski visits The Gathering Place to sit down with Board Chair Peter Gregory and Operations Manager Alicia Smith to unpack the truth about who really uses the service, how they've slashed costs by 31%, and why sustainable monthly donations are now mo...

In this episode of Echo Essentials, host Chris Piekarski sits down with the City of North Bay’s Planning Manager Beverley Hillier to unpack the long-awaited Trout Lake Watershed policy review. Beverley reveals the reason why lot creation was frozen in the 90s, what 400+ new lots could mean for Trout Lake, and how phosphorus, septic systems, and shoreline buffers are now at the center of North Bay’...

In this episode of Echo Essentials, host Chris Piekarski sits down with Brannyn Hale from Green Vision Developments to discuss Vision Park North, a transformative waterfront condo development that’s set to reshape the downtown and waterfront of North Bay. Brannyn shares the years-long journey behind this project, what makes this development unlike anything else in the region, and how it was design...

What does it really take to lead a university, through good times and bad? In this episode of Echo Essentials, host Chris Piekarski sits down with Dr. Kevin Wamsley, President and Vice-Chancellor of Nipissing University, to talk about the behind-the-scenes decisions that helped the school avoid the financial collapse many thought was insurmountable. From strategic budgeting and expanding STEM prog...

In this week's Echo Essentials episode, Chris sits down with Malinda and Kyla from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) North Bay to talk about World Suicide Prevention Day.  From new suicide grief support groups to free SafeTALK training, discover how CMHA is equipping people with the tools to save lives and heal from traumatic loss. The conversation dives into stigma, the power of resto...