The Backroads Bill Podcast

Troy Hurtubise was a larger than life character who was obsessed with creating the next big invention. One of the inventions that defined him was the bear suit which was famously featured in the film "Project Grizzly". In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we explore Troy’s story through the eyes of someone who knew him best, his son Brett. We talk about the obsession that drove him, the...

At White Pines Collegiate & Vocational School in Sault Ste. Marie, school doesn’t look like it used to.  Alongside classrooms and hallways, students are learning trades, building real skills, and even running a working chocolate factory. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we step inside White Pines to explore how the school is rethinking education. Principal Jennifer Barbeau and fo...

For decades, Sudbury was known around the world for environmental damage. The land was scarred, the air was polluted, and few people believed recovery was possible. One person who saw something different was Jane Goodall. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with Dr John Gunn to talk about how Sudbury became an unlikely symbol of environmental hope. He shares how science, com...

Every year, Santa flies over Northern Ontario. He sees the lakes, the rivers, the towns, and the backroads most people never notice. This time, we asked him to stop and answer a few questions. In this special christmas eve episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Santa joins us to talk about Northern Ontario history, geography, folklore, and some familiar stories from past episodes of the show. 

Twenty-five years ago, Jalynn Bosley left the traditional classroom to create something different. What started with a backpack, a few brave students, and a belief in the power of nature grew into Alive Outdoors, a nationally recognized outdoor education program. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Jalynn shares how Alive Outdoors began, why she believes outdoor experiences are essentia...

Steve Hayward has spent most of his life on a snowmobile. He’s been a big part of Ontario’s snowmobile community. From helping to create SnowTrax to working closely with clubs and trail groups, Steve has seen how the sport has grown and what it’s up against today. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Steve shares stories from the trail, talks about how snowmobiling has changed over the y...

There was a time when flying into Sudbury felt like landing on the moon. The landscape was bare, the rock was black, and the air was thick with the effects of decades of mining and smelting. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with Sarah Woods and Dr. Peter Beckett, two key voices in the story of Sudbury’s re-greening movement. They share how a damaged landscape was brought...

Chris Dube isn’t your average teacher. He surfs the waves of Lake Superior, teaches outdoor education in Terrace Bay, and believes deeply in the power of getting students outside and into the wild. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Chris shares what it's like to ride cold waves on Canada’s biggest lake and how those same waters inspire his work in the classroom. He talks about growing...

When three seasoned paddlers invited a first-time canoeist from France to join them on a backcountry trip, none of them knew just how memorable it would be. In this episode we sit down with Claire and Catherine to hear the story of their journey down the Spanish River. They share what it’s like to travel off the grid, sleep under the stars, and form strong friendships without phones, timelines, or...

Most people know the Edmund Fitzgerald from the song. But few have actually seen the wreck with their own eyes. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, shipwreck diver and storyteller Ric Mixter shares what it was really like to visit the bottom of Lake Superior and come face to face with one of Canada’s most haunting maritime disasters. He talks about what he saw down there, how the dive c...

You may know the name Gah-Ning from the classic Robert Munsch book "Where is Gah-Ning?", but the real story behind the character is even better. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with Gah-Ning herself to talk about how a simple letter to a beloved children's author turned into a storybook character, a lifelong friendship, and a connection that still means everything decade...

Hornepayne is the kind of place you might pass on a map and not think twice. But what if you found out it’s actually the geographic center of Ontario? In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Mayor Cheryl Fort shares how the town is leaning into that identity and turning it into something meaningful. She talks about Hornepayne’s railway roots, the challenges of being remote, and the pride th...

They look like regular rocks during the day. But when the sun goes down and the UV light comes out, they start to glow like lava. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we meet Ray Gionet, a rockhound who has been hunting Yooperlites along the shores of Lake Superior. He shares how he first discovered these glowing stones, what they actually are, and why people are traveling from all over...

At just 23 years old, Cameron Welch is running a remote wilderness camp deep in Northern Ontario. It’s called Shooting Star Camp, and it sits along the Spanish River in a place secluded from the bustle of city life. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Cameron shares what it’s like to live and work off the grid. He talks about buying the same camp he once worked at as a teenager, learnin...

The railway helped build Canada, but it also holds stories that don’t always make it into the history books.  In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, CBC producer Melody Jacobson joins us to talk about her work on a new CBC special that dives into the history of trains in Canada. From the role of sleeping car porters to the impact on Indigenous communities to rock concerts that rolled acros...

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, explorer and author Adam Shoalts returns to share one of the most fascinating stories you've probably never heard. It's the true story of Hubert Darrell, a Canadian solo explorer who vanished in the remote north nearly 100 years ago. Most people have never heard his name, yet his influence was felt throughout history books. Adam walks us through how h...

What happens when one man sits down with 44 people to tell the story of an entire city? In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, longtime pillar of the North Bay community Peter Handley shares the inspiration behind his newest book, Vis-à-Vis: North Bay in Deed & Tale. We talk about how the project came together, how he chose who to interview, what surprised him most, and why capturing l...

People come to Thunder Bay for the views, but many leave with pockets full of purple. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we head into the hills above Lake Superior to visit Amethyst Mine Panorama. Owner Tim Lukinuk shares how his family turned a glint of purple in the dirt into a destination that draws visitors from around the world.  We talk about the history of the mine, what makes T...

Some of the best canoe routes in Canada aren’t in guidebooks. They’re shared around campfires, passed on through stories, and kept alive by the people who paddle them. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with Matthew Eberly and Robert James of the Wilderness Canoe Association to talk about what it really means to explore the backcountry. They share their favourite trips, the...

In their first interview, Sean Lougheed and Lauren Andersen were preparing to paddle 1000 miles through the Yukon wilderness in the world’s longest and toughest canoe race. Now they’re back, and they’ve done it. In just six days and 22 hours, they paddled over 1,000 miles, slept only a few hours a night, and landed a top-three finish. In this follow-up episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Sean a...

Long before northern Ontario had highways or hashtags, there was Joe LaFlamme. He ran liquor through the bush with dog teams, tamed wolves, and somehow became a national celebrity. Suzanne Charron, author of "Wolf Man Joe Laflamme: Tamer Untamed", shares Joe’s wild story. It starts with him dodging the law and living off the land, but it doesn’t end there. Joe became a performer, a public figure,...

For more than 50 years, Clermont Duval has been painting the North. His work captures the spirit of the land, the wildlife, and the quiet moments most people miss. But for Clermont, nature isn’t quiet. It speaks to him. Sometimes it yells. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Clermont shares stories from a life in art and in nature. He talks about his early years painting wolves and cano...

At just 22 years old, Mylène started Follow Her North, a guiding company that’s turning Northern Ontario into a place where people come for adventure and stay for connection. She leads everything from snowshoe hikes to getting you the right supplies for your adventure, helping people slow down and reconnect with the land.  In this episode, she shares how she turned her love for the outdoors into a...

100 episodes of the Backroads Bill Podcast has seen Bill and Ben talk to a number of high profile and educated guests focused on the outdoors, nature and Northern Ontario. For episode 100 Bill talks about the Canadian Ecology Center. How it started and how it turned into the hub for education and outdoor events that it is today. Bill also looks to the future following the devastating downburst ear...

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, bear and cougar specialist Rich Beausoleil from BearWise.org joins to talk about how to stay safe, smart, and respectful in bear country. From backcountry safety to urban attractants, Rich breaks down what really brings bears too close to people — and what works best to keep them away.  00:00 - Intro: What Is BearWise?   06:15 - Why Bears Show Up Wher...