Abridged candidate profiles courtesy of the Atikokan Progress. See Wednesday’s Progress for full versions.
After 12 years on council, Shine is an incumbent councillor running to become the next mayor of Atikokan. “My reason for running is because I care about the community and the individuals who live in Atikokan. I have lived in our hometown for the last seventy years, raised my family here, and want to continue to help make it the best place to work, live, and raise a family
Shine emphasized that she does believe she has “all the answers,” adding she will not make promises that can not be kept. “I’m running because I’m willing to listen, learn, and work hard for the people I hope to represent.”
“Many of you know me already through my job over the last 45 years and through many of the boards and organizations I belong to. One of the things that was brought to my attention was that I’m a busy person, so where will I find the time to commit to the mayor position?
“Well, I will be retired on Nov. 27, but of special note, I thrive on being busy but have learned to put time aside for myself so I can continue to work, volunteer and give my all to this community, my hometown.”
Shine articulated an enthusiasm for municipal government.
“It is easy to notice things that may need to be changed, but it takes everyone working together to make the changes, and I want to continue to be a part of this concept. Our community, council, mayor and town staff working together are a force to be reckoned with.”
***
Rob Ferguson called it an “honour and privilege” to serve as Atikokan mayor for the past four years. He was born and raised in Atikokan, and except for living in Kenora for four years, he spent his whole life in the town, raising a family alongside his wife Sheila.
“I have had the opportunity to manage a number of businesses in my career, responsible for multimillion-dollar budgets”, he said. Upon retiring in 2023, he has dedicated his time to “working hard to make Atikokan a better place to live. We’re proud to call Atikokan home. This is home, our hometown.”
Ferguson is optimistic about the future.
“We have made great strides in the past four years on our roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. We have seen new businesses opening up, new investment in our community and jobs created. Serving as mayor, I have worked well with the rest of council to make this happen, and there is more to come. I want to finish what we have started and keep the momentum going. Atikokan is on the verge of a number of big opportunities, and I want to be there to help make sure it happens.”
The connections he has developed over the past several years in municipal politics, he believes, will continue to benefit the town.
“I have had the privilege to represent Atikokan throughout the province, speaking with provincial and federal officials, other Crown corporations, and private investors. Not only about our challenges, but also what Atikokan has to contribute. As we say in municipal politics: ‘You make a friend before you need a friend,’ and this has served me well. We are now being looked at as a reliable partnering community.”
***
Syed Ali’s work as a primary care paramedic brought him to Atikokan, and he has settled in nicely over the years. He is proud to call Atikokan home.
He has been remarkably successful in his work, earning a King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025 for “exceptional dedication to patient care and to supporting his colleagues, consistently demonstrating the highest standards of service and teamwork.” (He and fellow paramedic Raphaël Desautéls also won a bravery medal for their response to a house fire here in 2023.)
Ali serves on the board of Community Living Atikokan and NTAB (Northwest Training and Adjustment), and represents the Rainy River District as vice-president of the Northwestern Ontario CUPE Council.
“I enjoy volunteering at local events and believe in giving back to our community. I am running for town council because I care about Atikokan.”
“My experience as a paramedic, board member, union leader, and community volunteer has taught me leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. I believe these experiences will help me collaborate with fellow Council members, municipal staff, community organizations, and residents.”
As a councillor, Ali’s priorities would include supporting local businesses, attracting and retaining families and workers, maintaining infrastructure, and strengthening healthcare and community services.
***
Shane Fiore was born in Blind River, grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, and attended Queen’s University. He completed his B.Ed. at Nipissing in North Bay, where he met his wife Elizabeth. The couple came to Atikokan to teach in August of 2002, where they’ve raised a family. They own a home in town and have owned several rental homes as well.
“I am excited for the future of Atikokan and I look forward, if elected, to working with the rest of the Council and the Town to move Atikokan forward in positive directions,” he said.
He sees Atikokan’s wilderness setting as an asset that helps attract residents and business.
“My passion is outdoor recreation and I look forward to working with the Charleston Rec Area committee to further leverage the amazing natural environment surrounding Atikokan. I also want to help bring new business and opportunities to Atikokan to increase our tax base without having to rely on increasing taxes beyond the rate of inflation.”
Teaching is a very public occupation, and over the past 25 years Fiore has worked with students and families from all walks of life. That experience, as well as his work as a negotiator with the OSSTF (his teachers’ union) has prepared him well for the councillor role. And as a leader of the corps of ski hill volunteers, he has come to “understand the challenges Atikokan faces in maintaining aging infrastructure.”
“Volunteers are the rock upon which most good things in Atikokan rely upon, and I hope to use my experience to improve recreational opportunities for visitors and locals alike, so everyone wins.”
***
After his family moved to Atikokan in 1966, Johnson found a home. He settled here, raised four kids with his wife Lisa, and worked as the town garbage man for 37 years. This job was fitting, as Johnson enjoys working hard and hates litter. He told the Progress that since 1973 he has had a routine of picking up trash on the street each morning, reflecting an ethic he believes carries over to his work on Council.
Johnson has been described as a “proverbial bull in a china shop.” When he first ran for council in 2018, he was hell-bent on “getting things done”, angered by what he saw as a lack of action on important town issues. After eight years of experience, he has come to realize that public matters take time and are “a process” usually requiring a degree of compromise.
In spite of challenges, he wanted Atikokanites to know his “get er’ done” energy still remains: “Your fight will become an obsession for me”.
With this experience behind him, he believes he understands the process of moving policy forward much better now than when he first began.
Johnson believes “the next four years are going to be very important for Atikokan,” and that his experience on Council can help bring projects in the works to fruition in the years to come. A group of projects he specifically mentioned was recreational.
Johnson said that one of his best qualities, and one that has gotten him elected in the past, is authenticity. Sometimes this gets him into trouble, but more often than not, Johnson believes, his authenticity has benefitted the Council and the Town. “I don’t walk down a straight path. I go my own way.”
***
Knowles, an incumbent with four years of experience on Council, is the youngest candidate running in this election.
Reflecting on his time in office, he believes his strongest quality has been his willingness to “listen, attack a problem with logic and clarity, and my ability to build bridges and build consensus. They have served us well in updating policies, attracting new investments and improving our relationships across the spectrum.”
As the director of economic development for Destination Northern Ontario, Knowles travels across much of the country, and even internationally, advocating for the region. This has allowed him to see the issues facing Atikokan in a larger context.
“My most pressing issue is to continue the good work we have done on investing and diversifying our industry, especially in light of the US economic threats and the boom and bust cycles of a resource-based community,” he said. “We need our community to be inviting to new opportunities so that we can justify increasing our housing stock, which in turn creates an opportunity to improve and grow our workforce with qualified workers, and create a resilient cyclical economy.”
As part of his work in and outside of Council, Knowles advocates regularly with provincial ministries for more transparent funding formulas for what he calls “real rural” communities – places under 10,000 in population as opposed to the ministry’s definition of 100,000.
***
With her family’s roots here going back to the early 1950s, Lyons has a long personal history in Atikokan, one that she deeply cherishes. After high school, she left for several years for post-secondary, earning an honours Bachelor of Science degree, a master’s degree in Rural Planning and Development, and additional education from Osgoode Hall Law School.
“I left for post-secondary education and made the deliberate choice to return afterward,” she said. “Atikokan was where the community felt like home. My husband also grew up here. Although career opportunities presented themselves elsewhere, we chose Atikokan as the place to raise our family and build our life.”
Outside of council, Lyons works for the Ontario government in policy and planning, and previously worked in operations at Quetico Park, with responsibilities including budgets, contracts, project management, staffing, infrastructure, enforcement, and emergency management. Serving on Council over the past year and a half, she is very motivated to keep moving current goals forward.
“I have a much better understanding of where we are, the work still to be done and where I can contribute. Part of that is looking after what we already have: infrastructure and municipal facilities, but also services people rely on, from recreation to specialized transit. We need to use our existing plans, bring outdated plans up to date, and let them guide decisions rather than reacting to the next issue.”
***
More than 10 years ago, Munro moved to Atikokan to manage the Rentech Pellet Plant. He later started a consulting company focused on helping private investors turn around underperforming biomass operations from both operational and financial perspectives.
During COVID, he joined the Resolute Sapawe sawmill, which eventually led to his current position as general manager of BioPower Sustainable Energy Corp., where he has been for the past five years. Outside of work, he has been involved as a volunteer on the Atikokan Sno-Ho board, participant in our local motorcycle community, and spending time with the off-road community exploring the area.
He is running because he believes in Atikokan has tremendous potential, and he wants to play a part in helping build a bright future for the community.
“We have hard working people, a strong community spirit, an incredible history and many recreational opportunities. Most importantly, I want my focus to be on Atikokan and the people who call it home.”
His professional experience has largely been focused on managing businesses and dealing with both operational and financial challenges. That experience, he believes, has taught him the importance of making informed decisions, understanding financial realities, managing resources responsibly, and working with people to solve problems.
“I believe those are skills that are directly relevant to municipal government.”
***
Stimson’s family moved from Brandon, Man., in 1969, and after a few years away pursuing a degree in Botany and Zoology, he came back to stay, marrying Joan in 1976. Throughout the years, he worked at a few of the biggest operations in town, including Caland Mining and ProBoard.
“I’ve seen the booms and the almost-busts. I feel the boom is coming back and I would like to be on council for it.”
Stimson has spent six of the past eight years on council. Over those years, he has served on several boards, including the Museum, Library, AEDC Investments, as well as the former Public Works committee.
This, he believes, has familiarized him with a variety of aspects of municipal government, and made him a more effective councilor. In addition to his experience, he believes people have voted for him in the past because he is not simply a “seat filler” on council. “I bring forth what taxpayers ask me to find out,” he said. “I am not afraid to speak my mind.”
As for project and policy goals, Stimson is focused on infrastructure and housing. Optimistic about the future of industry in Atikokan, he believes that new housing must be built in the next few years in order to accommodate new workers and families who may want to settle in town.
“We need to get sewer and water lines in the ground in order to make this happen.” He would also like to see daycare services, which are currently at Northern Lakes, increase capacity.
***
Jim Turner and wife Martine have been proud to call Atikokan home for the past 17 years. Having lived in other northern towns, they understand both the rewards and challenges of life in Northern Ontario.
During their years here, they have become involved in the community, built lasting friendships, and developed a deep appreciation for Atikokan’s people, natural surroundings and community spirit. They have chosen to put down roots and spend their retirement years here.
Turner is running because he wants to help protect what makes Atikokan special while contributing to a strong, welcoming, and sustainable future. If elected, his priorities will include responsible municipal spending, reliable infrastructure, increased housing opportunities, support for existing businesses, responsible economic growth, and open and accountable local government.
He believes the Town must plan carefully for its roads, water and sewer systems, buildings and other essentials while recognizing what taxpayers can reasonably afford.
One of the projects he is most proud of is Aspen Court Senior Living. As project manager, he oversaw the development of the 38-unit seniors’ complex, including securing financing and government funding, coordinating the planning and development, and overseeing construction. He continues to oversee the facility’s management.
For Turner, this campaign is about helping to shape the future of the community that he and Martine have chosen as their permanent home.
