{"podcast":{"title":"The Backroads Bill Podcast","slug":"the-backroads-bill-podcast-6610086","podcast_index_feed_id":6610086,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/5953946/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://www.northbayecho.ca/podcast/backroads-bill/","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/085f740ac769593a44f65afbc07733ac.jpg","author":"North Bay Echo","episode_count":150,"summary":"It’s time to hit the backroads of Northern Ontario and beyond with Backroads Bill! Tune in every Wednesday to explore the history and beauty of Northern Ontario. Alongside host and producer Ben, Bill (who is the founder and the GM of the Canadian Ecology Centre) goes more in depth to the stories he has been sharing for years on CBC Radio and Village Media. Whether it’s a “day-trip” “overnight-trip” or “Sunday drive” you will discover your next great adventure! Follow Bill on Facebook & Instagram: @backroads_bill and on Twitter: @steertonorthONT For the video version of this episode or to explore more North Bay podcasts and to stay updated on local events and news go to NorthBayEcho.ca. For exclusive North Bay updates and insights, subscribe to our newsletter Echo Essentials. Stay connected with Echo on social media: @NorthBayEcho Production Credits: Host: Backroads Bill Producer: Ben Sargent Produced by Clark Communications","last_synced_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:20.014224+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backroads-bill-podcast-6610086"},"episode":{"title":"Ignace: From Fading Town to Future Hub","slug":"ignace-from-fading-town-to-future-hub","published_at":"2026-03-27T19:35:52+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backroads-bill-podcast-6610086/ignace-from-fading-town-to-future-hub","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backroads-bill-podcast-6610086","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/ignace-from-fading-town-to-future-hub--70935698","audio_url":"https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/70935698/brb_ignace_audio.mp3","summary":"On this episode of Backroads Bill, we head to Northwestern Ontario to take a closer look at the township of Ignace, a small community facing a big decision about its future. Once supported by forestry, mining, and tourism, Ignace has seen its population decline and its economy slow in recent years. With mills closing and opportunities becoming harder to find, the town found itself at a crossroads. That changed when Ignace was selected as the host community for Canada’s proposed deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel, a project that could bring billions in investment, new jobs, and long-term stability. We’re joined by Jake Pastore to talk about how the community approached the decision, the years of education and public consultation involved, and what it took to earn support from residents and local First Nations partners. We also explore what comes next, from new housing and infrastructure to the construction of a major research and operations facility that could reshape Ignace for generations.","meta_description":"On this episode of Backroads Bill, we head to Northwestern Ontario to take a closer look at the township of Ignace, a small community facing a big decisio…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2926,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-backroads-bill-podcast-6610086/episodes/ignace-from-fading-town-to-future-hub/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backroads-bill-podcast-6610086/ignace-from-fading-town-to-future-hub.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}