Echo Essentials Podcast

The Echo Podcast Network
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The Echo Essentials Podcast ties together all the elements of the North Bay Echo Community Podcast Network, hosted by Christopher Piekarski. Guests and topics on the show will reflect the challenges and issues facing North Bay, providing additional context and depth to stories that are of public interest.  Explore more North Bay podcasts and stay updated on local events and news at NorthBayEcho.ca. To inquire about being a guest or commenting on content, please email editor@northbayecho.ca Production Credits: Hosts: Christopher PiekarskiProducer: Ben SargentProduced by Clark Communications

  1. 7h ago

    Meet the 2026 Council Candidates: Sara Inch, Chris Mayne & Mike Taylor

    DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by candidates on this program are their own and are not necessarily those of North Bay Echo, its hosts, producers, or sponsors. Sponsors had no input on guest selection or interview questions, and sponsorship does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate. All registered candidates for the 2026 North Bay municipal election were invited to participate, and no candidate paid to appear. Statements made by candidates have not been independently verified. In this special election series of Echo Essentials, North Bay council candidates Sara Inch, Chris Mayne and Mike Taylor sit down for an in-depth conversation about their priorities, experience, and ideas for the city ahead of the 2026 municipal election. The discussion covers some of the biggest issues facing North Bay, including the housing crisis and addiction in the community, the city budget, and PFAS. Polls open for online voting on October 15, 2026 at 10 A.M. and close on October 26, 2026 at 8 P.M. 0:00 Introductions 3:20 Meet the Candidates 8:30 City Budget 34:05 Housing 50:30 PFAS 1:05:00 Closing Remarks

  2. 3d ago

    Meet the 2026 Council Candidates: Johanna Kristolaitis, Eric Morgan & Bill Vrebosch

    DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by candidates on this program are their own and are not necessarily those of North Bay Echo, its hosts, producers, or sponsors. Sponsors had no input on guest selection or interview questions, and sponsorship does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate. All registered candidates for the 2026 North Bay municipal election were invited to participate, and no candidate paid to appear. Statements made by candidates have not been independently verified. In this special election series of Echo Essentials, North Bay council candidates Johanna Kristolaitis, Eric Morgan and Bill Vrebosch sit down for an in-depth conversation about their priorities, experience, and ideas for the city ahead of the 2026 municipal election. The discussion covers some of the biggest issues facing North Bay, including the previous council term, accessibility issues in the city and how they can be improved, accountability from councillors, and how to improve our image to the decision makers at the provincial level. Polls open for online voting on October 15, 2026 at 10 A.M. and close on October 26, 2026 at 8 P.M. 0:00 Introductions 3:38 Meet the Candidates 12:24 The Last Term of Council 22:57 Accessibility in the City 35:41 Accountability 55:45 Budgets 1:07:00 How to Improve our Image as a City at the Provincial Level 1:13:10 Closing Remarks

  3. 5d ago

    Meet the 2026 Council Candidates: Mark King, Justine Mallah & Randall Tilander

    DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by candidates on this program are their own and are not necessarily those of North Bay Echo, its hosts, producers, or sponsors. Sponsors had no input on guest selection or interview questions, and sponsorship does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate. All registered candidates for the 2026 North Bay municipal election were invited to participate, and no candidate paid to appear. Statements made by candidates have not been independently verified. In this special election series of Echo Essentials, North Bay council candidates Mark King, Justine Mallah and Randall Tilander sit down for an in-depth conversation about their priorities, experience, and ideas for the city ahead of the 2026 municipal election. The discussion covers some of the biggest issues facing North Bay, including the previous council term, Vision 2027, how to get a council to work together, and affordability and housing. Polls open for online voting on October 15, 2026 at 10 A.M. and close on October 26, 2026 at 8 P.M. 0:00 Introductions 3:55 Meet the Candidates 15:12 The Last Term of Council 29:30 Vision 2027 39:30 How to Get Council to Work Together 1:03:00 Supporting Students in Post Secondary 1:10:00 Affordability and Housing 1:27:00 Closing Remarks

  4. Sep 28

    Meet the 2026 Council Candidates: Dave Dale, Nathaniel Lachance & Lana Mitchell

    DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by candidates on this program are their own and are not necessarily those of North Bay Echo, its hosts, producers, or sponsors. Sponsors had no input on guest selection or interview questions, and sponsorship does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate. All registered candidates for the 2026 North Bay municipal election were invited to participate, and no candidate paid to appear. Statements made by candidates have not been independently verified. In this special election series of Echo Essentials, North Bay council candidates Dave Dale, Nathaniel Lachance and Lana Mitchell sit down for an in-depth conversation about their priorities, experience, and ideas for the city ahead of the 2026 municipal election. The discussion covers some of the biggest issues facing North Bay, including housing and affordability, city spending, transparency and accountability, economic development, leadership at City Hall, arts and culture, and the future of community spaces such as the West Ferris Arena. The candidates also respond to questions about the previous term of Council, public trust, and what they believe needs to change moving forward. Polls open for online voting on October 15, 2026 at 10 A.M. and close on October 26, 2026 at 8 P.M. 0:00 Introductions 3:57 Meet the Candidates 15:00 DNSSAB 30:00 Accountability and Council Structure 46:20 PFAS 1:02:00 Closing Remarks

  5. Sep 25

    Mayoral Special - 2026 Municipal Election: Connor Currie, Maggie Horsfield & Jamie Lowery

    DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by candidates on this program are their own and are not necessarily those of North Bay Echo, its hosts, producers, or sponsors. Sponsors had no input on guest selection or interview questions, and sponsorship does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate. All registered candidates for the 2026 North Bay municipal election were invited to participate, and no candidate paid to appear. Statements made by candidates have not been independently verified. In this special election series of Echo Essentials, North Bay mayoral candidates Connor Currie, Maggie Horsfield and Jamie Lowery sit down for an in-depth conversation about their priorities, experience, and vision for the city ahead of the 2026 municipal election. The discussion covers some of the biggest issues facing North Bay, including housing and affordability, city spending, transparency and accountability, economic development, leadership at City Hall, arts and culture, and the future of community spaces such as the West Ferris Arena. The candidates also respond to questions about the previous term of council, public trust, the mayor’s expense controversy, and what they believe needs to change moving forward. It’s a wide-ranging conversation designed to give voters a closer look at how each candidate approaches the challenges and opportunities facing North Bay. Polls open for online voting on October 15th 2026 at 10 A.M. and close on October 26th 2026 at 8 P.M 0:00 Introductions 3:50 Meet the Candidates 12:48 Is Mayor a Full Time Job? 21:40 Leadership as Mayor 47:30 Housing and Affordability 56:06 Cassellholme and Castle Arms 1:13:20 Credit Card and Expenses 1:36:00 Leading Council as Mayor 1:45:19 Arts and Culture in North Bay 1:54:30 West Ferris Arena 2:06:00 Closing Remarks

  6. Mar 12

    Gofer.Run: The Local App Changing How We Grocery Shop

    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 app scans flyers and store listings to help users map out the most cost-effective grocery run. Eric shares the story behind the idea, how the app was built by a North Bay team, and what it was like bringing the project from concept to launch. We also talk about how the technology works, the role of AI in the platform, privacy considerations, and how users can customize their search radius to find the best prices available. 0:00 – Introducing the Gofer.Run App 6:42 – The Idea Behind the Platform 15:18 – How the App Finds the Best Grocery Deals 27:03 – AI, Privacy & Building the Technology 39:47 – What’s Next for Gofer.Run

    Gofer.Run: The Local App Changing How We Grocery Shop

  7. Feb 19

    Snowmobile Season in Northern Ontario: Safety, Tourism & Trail Challenges

    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 community trail systems. We also break down the bigger picture. Snowmobiling is not just a hobby. It represents billions of dollars in economic activity across Ontario and plays a major role in supporting small businesses, hotels, restaurants, and rural communities throughout the winter months. But with that opportunity comes challenge. From trespassing concerns on private land to the cost and volunteer effort required to maintain thousands of kilometres of trails, the future of organized snowmobiling depends on cooperation, respect, and safety. 0:00 Intro 12:15 Snowmobile Safety Week Explained 27:06 The $5 Billion Snowmobile Industry 33:51Trespassing & Private Land Concerns 48:13 How Long Will the Season Last?

    Snowmobile Season in Northern Ontario: Safety, Tourism & Trail Challenges

  8. Feb 13

    North Bay’s Housing Development Boom: What Drove the 2025 Surge?

    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 the future holds for 2026 and beyond. 5:27 – 242 New Units: Breaking Down North Bay’s 2025 Housing Surge 12:31 – “Building Up, Not Out” 17:25 – Repurposing Schools Into Affordable Housing 50:15 – How City Funding & Grant Applications Actually Work

    North Bay’s Housing Development Boom: What Drove the 2025 Surge?
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About

The Echo Essentials Podcast ties together all the elements of the North Bay Echo Community Podcast Network, hosted by Christopher Piekarski. Guests and topics on the show will reflect the challenges and issues facing North Bay, providing additional context and depth to stories that are of public interest.  Explore more North Bay podcasts and stay updated on local events and news at NorthBayEcho.ca. To inquire about being a guest or commenting on content, please email editor@northbayecho.ca Production Credits: Hosts: Christopher PiekarskiProducer: Ben SargentProduced by Clark Communications

Information

  • Creator
    The Echo Podcast Network
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    117
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Echo Podcast Network
  • Show Website
    Echo Essentials Podcast