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PODCAST

The Backroads Bill Podcast

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:

history

All Episodes

46:31

The Real Gah-Ning: How a Letter to Robert Munsch...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/11/05

You may know the name Gah-Ning from the classic Robert Munsch book "Where is Gah-Ning?", but the real story behind the character is even better.In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with Gah-Ning herself to talk about how a simple letter to a beloved children's author turned into a storybook character, a lifelong friendship, and a connection that still means everything decades later.She shares what it was like to grow up in Hearst, how her Chinese-Canadian identity shaped her

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40:27

The Town at the Center of Ontario

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/10/29

Hornepayne is the kind of place you might pass on a map and not think twice. But what if you found out it’s actually the geographic center of Ontario?In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Mayor Cheryl Fort shares how the town is leaning into that identity and turning it into something meaningful.She talks about Hornepayne’s railway roots, the challenges of being remote, and the pride that comes from building trails, drawing visitors, and putting your community back on the map.0:00 – Welcome

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38:13

The Rocks That Glow in the Dark: Discovering...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/10/22

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 to find them.0:00 Intro to Yooperlites and how people find them5:45 Ray’s first glow rock discovery12:30

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34:08

Life at Shooting Star Camp Off the Grid and On the...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/10/15

At just 23 years old, Cameron Welch is running a remote wilderness camp deep in Northern Ontario. It’s called Shooting Star Camp, and it sits along the Spanish River in a place secluded from the bustle of city life.In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Cameron shares what it’s like to live and work off the grid. He talks about buying the same camp he once worked at as a teenager, learning to maintain old cabins, and welcoming guests who paddle in looking for something real.Find out more

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40:22

Telling Canada’s Story by Rail with CBC’s Melody...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/10/08

The railway helped build Canada, but it also holds stories that don’t always make it into the history books. In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, CBC producer Melody Jacobson joins us to talk about her work on a new CBC special that dives into the history of trains in Canada.From the role of sleeping car porters to the impact on Indigenous communities to rock concerts that rolled across the country, Melody shares what she learned along the way.Listen when it goes live here:

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51:28

Canada’s Greatest Unknown Explorer: Adam Shoalts...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/10/01

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, explorer and author Adam Shoalts returns to share one of the most fascinating stories you've probably never heard.It's the true story of Hubert Darrell, a Canadian solo explorer who vanished in the remote north nearly 100 years ago. Most people have never heard his name, yet his influence was felt throughout history books.Adam walks us through how he stumbled across Darrell's story, what he uncovered on the ground, and why some mysteries stay buried for

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52:39

The Story Behind Vis-à-Vis: North Bay in Deed & Tale

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/09/24

What happens when one man sits down with 44 people to tell the story of an entire city?In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, longtime pillar of the North Bay community Peter Handley shares the inspiration behind his newest book, Vis-à-Vis: North Bay in Deed & Tale.We talk about how the project came together, how he chose who to interview, what surprised him most, and why capturing local stories is more important than ever.0:00 Intro5:15 How the book’s title and concept came to be9:00

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36:44

Hunting for Purple Gold in Northern Ontario

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/09/17

People come to Thunder Bay for the views, but many leave with pockets full of purple.In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we head into the hills above Lake Superior to visit Amethyst Mine Panorama. Owner Tim Lukinuk shares how his family turned a glint of purple in the dirt into a destination that draws visitors from around the world. We talk about the history of the mine, what makes Thunder Bay amethyst so unique, and why people are still showing up with buckets and rock hammers after all

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43:51

Finding Adventure in the Backcountry with the...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/09/10

Some of the best canoe routes in Canada aren’t in guidebooks. They’re shared around campfires, passed on through stories, and kept alive by the people who paddle them.In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with Matthew Eberly and Robert James of the Wilderness Canoe Association to talk about what it really means to explore the backcountry. They share their favourite trips, the friendships they’ve built along the way, and how the club helps new paddlers find confidence and

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50:25

6 Days, 1000 Miles, Top Finish: Inside Sean and...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/09/03

In their first interview, Sean Lougheed and Lauren Andersen were preparing to paddle 1000 miles through the Yukon wilderness in the world’s longest and toughest canoe race.Now they’re back, and they’ve done it. In just six days and 22 hours, they paddled over 1,000 miles, slept only a few hours a night, and landed a top-three finish.In this follow-up episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Sean and Lauren talk about what really happened out there. From exhaustion and hallucinations to wildlife,

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38:51

From Fugitive to Folk Hero: The True Story of the...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/08/27

Long before northern Ontario had highways or hashtags, there was Joe LaFlamme. He ran liquor through the bush with dog teams, tamed wolves, and somehow became a national celebrity.Suzanne Charron, author of "Wolf Man Joe Laflamme: Tamer Untamed", shares Joe’s wild story. It starts with him dodging the law and living off the land, but it doesn’t end there. Joe became a performer, a public figure, and a legend.In towns like Gogama and Kapuskasing, people still remember the man who rode through town

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65:39

Why Nature Still Yells at This Northern Ontario Artist

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/08/20

For more than 50 years, Clermont Duval has been painting the North. His work captures the spirit of the land, the wildlife, and the quiet moments most people miss. But for Clermont, nature isn’t quiet. It speaks to him. Sometimes it yells.In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Clermont shares stories from a life in art and in nature. He talks about his early years painting wolves and canoes, what it's like to paint in complete silence, and why he still feels surprised every time someone

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50:00

This Young Guide Is Making Northern Ontario an...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/08/13

At just 22 years old, Mylène started Follow Her North, a guiding company that’s turning Northern Ontario into a place where people come for adventure and stay for connection. She leads everything from snowshoe hikes to getting you the right supplies for your adventure, helping people slow down and reconnect with the land. In this episode, she shares how she turned her love for the outdoors into a business, what it's like being a young woman in the guiding world, and why she believes nature is the

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46:42

A Love Not Forgotten: The Story of the Canadian...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/08/06

100 episodes of the Backroads Bill Podcast has seen Bill and Ben talk to a number of high profile and educated guests focused on the outdoors, nature and Northern Ontario.For episode 100 Bill talks about the Canadian Ecology Center. How it started and how it turned into the hub for education and outdoor events that it is today.Bill also looks to the future following the devastating downburst earlier this summer and how the Canadian Ecology Center will come back stronger than ever!

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48:24

Think Like a Bear: Expert Tips to Stay Safe in the Wild

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/07/30

In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, bear and cougar specialist Rich Beausoleil from BearWise.org joins to talk about how to stay safe, smart, and respectful in bear country.From backcountry safety to urban attractants, Rich breaks down what really brings bears too close to people — and what works best to keep them away. 00:00 - Intro: What Is BearWise? 06:15 - Why Bears Show Up Where You Live 13:40 - Bear Spray vs. Guns: What Actually Works 19:55 - Bird Feeders, Garbage & Campfire

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39:35

Memoir, Mystery, and Mortality: Claire Cameron’s...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/07/23

Author Claire Cameron has written about bear attacks, wilderness trauma, and the raw edges of motherhood — but in her latest work, the story turned inward.After receiving a cancer diagnosis, Claire began writing not just about danger out there, but the uncertainty inside her own body.In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Claire reflects on grief, nature, storytelling, and resilience — and how Algonquin Park, literary fiction, and a real-life bear attack all shaped her view of mortality and

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53:55

This Biologist Helped Build Science North and Left a...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/07/16

What does it take to inspire a generation? In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with legendary science communicator Franco Mariotti, one of the original minds behind Science North.Franco shares how his passion for biology and the natural world helped shape the early days of the centre. From bringing in live beavers and flying squirrels, to building exhibits that changed how kids (and adults) understand science.He shares personal stories of working with Jane Goodall, the

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46:17

From Fighter Jet to Final Tribute: A Cold War Story...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/07/09

This week's episode revisits a previous podcast where Bill and Ben talked with Denny Treu who's father Gaylord crashed his fighter jet during a training exercise in Northern Ontario during the Cold War.Bill and friend of the show Brian Emblin where planning to take a Denny and his family up to the crash site so they could honour his father's memory with a plaque.Unfortunately Denny unexpectedly passed away days before the trip. Bill and Brian talk about the trip up with a new plaque to honour both

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44:10

1,000 Miles. 10 Days. No Help: Inside the World’s...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/07/02

In this week's episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, endurance paddlers Sean Lougheed and Lauren Anderson take us deep inside the preperation for the upcoming Yukon 1000, the longest canoe race on Earth — from Whitehorse to the Arctic Circle. For roughly 10 days, they will paddle 12+ hours a day, braving storms, sleep deprivation, and total isolation with only a GPS and each other to rely on.The toughest part? Getting accepted into the race in the first place. Follow their journey starting July

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48:32

The Next Great Resource War May Not be Over Oil — But...

The Backroads Bill Podcast ·

2025/06/25

This week journalist and author Peter Annin joins Bill and Ben to explore the geopolitics, climate threats, and cross-border tensions surrounding the Great Lakes Water Basin.From the shocking history of water diversions to modern battles over access, privatization, and climate migration, this episode reveals why the next great resource war may not be over oil — but over water.Annin, author of The Great Lakes Water Wars, explains why this region could become a global flashpoint — and what’s being

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113 results

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