PARRY SOUND—The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) has a new president. Kapuskasing Mayor Dave Plourde was elected at a FONOM board of directors meeting on Friday, October 3, where the organization elected its new executive.
Mr. Plourde, of Kapuskasing, was acclaimed as president of FONOM, succeeding Danny Whalen, who was recognized for his 15 years of service on the board, including the past eight years as president. During his presidency, he steered FONOM through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, supported SpaceX in securing Canadian BETA Test approval from the CRTC, leveraged FONOM’s political capital to host the second and third Northern Leaders’ debates, giving Northern Ontario a stronger voice in provincial discussions, championed the GoNorth Project, which has reached over one million unique viewers, showcasing the opportunities of Northern Ontario, spearheaded advocacy on bail reform, ensuring community safety remained a top priority, worked with Minister Sylvia Jones, as Solicitor General, to secure financial compensation for volunteer fire services when called to respond within unincorporated areas, worked collaboratively with all political leaders, respecting diverse viewpoints while always advocating for the needs of FONOM’s members.
“Danny has left a remarkable mark on FONOM and on Northern Ontario,” said incoming President Plourde. “His leadership, vision, and tireless advocacy have strengthened our voice and advanced the priorities of our communities. On behalf of the board, I thank him for his years of service.”
In addition to the election, the FONOM board received a presentation from its auditor, Baker Tilly, on the 2024-2025 audit, confirming a clean audit and discussed municipal concerns regarding speed camera resolutions.
FONOM looks forward to building on this momentum under its new leadership team as it continues to advocate for municipalities across Northeastern Ontario.
