Happy New Year, North Bay As we step into 2026, we wanted to take a quick moment to step away from the mic and say thank you. Last year was a milestone for the Echo Podcast Network. Together, we’ve surpassed 1.8 million views and listens across all platforms for the year of 2025. This number proves what we’ve always believed, that North Bay’s local voices deserve to be heard. Our goal remains the same: to provide a healthy dose of insight and context to the stories that matter and shape our...
8 days ago • 3 min read
The Elected Voices of the North, The Youngest Vintage Dealer in Town & A Life on the Trails Who Speaks for Our Schools Now? A Former Trustee’s Take on the Near North Shakeup 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. Watch Here Who Speaks for Our Schools N... Dec 11 ·...
22 days ago • 2 min read
Has The Provincial Government Turned It's Back On North Bay PADDLE? Fighting for PADDLE When the Province Looks Away 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 across the North are stepping up to keep it alive. Watch Here Fighting for PADDLE When the... Dec 4 · Echo Essentials Podcast 49:16 Inside the Near North Makerspace: Creativity, Community, and Cool Tech in...
29 days ago • 2 min read
Talking Doug Ford and Ontario Politics, Celebrating 100 Years Of North Bay & More This Week At Echo Talking Doug Ford and Ontario Politics In this episode, we are joined by Dr David Tabachnick, Professor of Political Science at Nipissing University, to talk about the current provincial government. Watch Here Talking Doug Ford and Ontari... Nov 28 · Echo Essentials Podcast 55:23 100 Years of North Bay Captured in One Poster What does a hundred years of history look like on one sheet of paper?...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
A New Era Begins At The Echo Podcast Network A New Era Begins: Introducing Isaac to the Echo Team! 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. Watch Here A New Era Begins: Introducin......
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Would You Still Drink It If You Knew What Was In it? Echo Podcast Roundup Would You Still Drink It If You Knew What Was In It? 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 story of PFAS contamination in Trout Lake, North Bay’s main drinking water source. Watch Here "Would You Still Drink It...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Did North Bay City Council Get It Right? Echo Podcast Roundup Dissecting the Mayor’s Expense Scandal Saga 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...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Trudeau, Trump & Carney: What's Next? Echo Podcast Roundup Anthony Rota Reflects on the State of Politics in Canada 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...
2 months ago • 5 min read
The Rocks That Glow in the Dark! Echo Podcast Roundup Discovering Yooperlites in Northern Ontario 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...
2 months ago • 4 min read