Fort Frances limited to single provincial ministry meeting at Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference

Fort Frances is not getting the ear of many government cabinet ministers at this year’s Rural Ontario Municipal Association in Toronto.

The town was only approved for a meeting with the Ministry of Finance.

Mayor Andrew Hallikas says he is a little disappointed.

“I don’t want to be a poor loser, but we are a little miffed about it,” says Hallikas.

“Our CAO has reached out to the government and contacted them to see if there’s some reason, other than the luck of the draw, why we only got one.”

Hallikas says they were hoping to speak with the Ministry of Transportation about capital funding for the municipal airport.

Another request was made to the Ministry of Economic Development and Job Creation to discuss the international bridge.

The town also sought a meeting with the Solicitor General regarding border security on international waters.

Hallikas acknowledges that the government received thousands of applications for delegations with the limited number of cabinet ministers.

He says they will keep trying to seek meetings.

“You just have to keep beating that drum and keeping beating that drum and drawing attention to it,” says Hallikas.