Sudbury/Thunder Bay (Tuesday, April 19, 2005) – Contact North/Contact Nord, as Northern Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network, is ready to play a key role in the implementation of the educational and training recommendations outlined in Creating our Future – A New Vision for Northern Ontario.

Creating our Future proposes a series of recommendations to prepare the Northern Ontario’s workforce for the challenges of the 21^st century economy.  These recommendations are critical to the development of a highly skilled workforce and if implemented, will build upon Contact North/Contact Nord’s existing strengths and expertise in facilitating access to education and training opportunities.

“Through our Network of Distance Education & Training Access Centres in communities across the North, Contact North/Contact Nord facilitates access to education and training opportunities offered by Northern Ontario’s colleges, universities and a school board”, stated Doug Smith, Chair, Board of Directors, Contact North/Contact Nord and President, Smith Boshcoff Insurance Brokers in Thunder Bay.  “Contact North/Contact Nord is in a unique position to support the educational recommendations in Creating Our Future by ensuring that residents of Northern Ontario have access to the education and training opportunities that they need.”

“Creating our Future and the Northern Ontario Prosperity Plan developed by Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci provide a comprehensive blueprint to create a prosperous Northern Ontario”, said Maxim Jean-Louis, President & CEO, Contact North/Contact Nord.  “We are ready to work with Minister Bartolucci and our community partners across the North to implement this vision.”

Contact North/Contact Nord has already taken a number of steps towards increasing access to education and training opportunities.  As part of its recent submission to the Postsecondary Review, it proposed to increase participation in higher education by expanding services to more small and remote communities in Northern Ontario thus providing greater access.

Creating our Future – A New Vision for Northern Ontario was prepared and released by the Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors, Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association and the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities as a blueprint for prosperity across the North.

- 30 -

About Contact North/Contact Nord

Contact North/Contact Nord, Northern Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network, facilitates access to the education and training programs offered by Northern Ontario’s colleges, universities and a school board through audioconference, videoconference, and e-learning. In 2003-2004, Contact North/Contact Nord facilitated close to 15,000 course registrations in over 730 full and part-time credit courses and programs offered over its Network. Contact North/Contact Nord services are available in both official languages in the majority of small and remote communities in Northern Ontario.