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Echo Essentials Podcast

Echo Essentials Podcast

By: The Echo Podcast Network
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About this listen

 The Echo Essentials Podcast ties together all the elements of the North Bay Echo Community Podcast Network, hosted by Essentials newsletter editor Dave Dale and Echo's principal partner Scott Clark.

Guests on the weekly show will reflect the challenges and issues facing North Bay while Scott and Dave discuss the topics and podcasts featured in the newsletter ... as well as upcoming projects.

References to the To North Bay With Love, Backroads Bill, Frontline and Cheap Seats episodes will be common.

The Echo Essentials Podcast drops online each Thursday at 2 p.m.

Billed as North Bay's oddest couple, Scott and Dave are patently different in both manner and outlook despite being born within a mile of each other and a month apart in 1965. Scott was born for theatre and built up a 20-year career in radio in split between Toronto and North Bay before entering the marketing game with Clark Communications celebrating the 20-year milestone in 2024.

Dave took the print media route, beginning in 1986 as a Canadore College student and taking a journalism journey through B.C., North Bay, Kapuskasing and Orillia before a seven-year stint with the Anishinabek News and 18 years as a Nugget reporter, photographer and columnist. He is also the publisher of the Back in the Bay Magazine, a quarterly print product with 12 editions since launching in 2021.

Explore more North Bay podcasts and stay updated on local events and news at NorthBayEcho.ca.

To inquire about being a guest or commenting on content, please email editor@northbayecho.ca



Production Credits:
  • Hosts: Dave Dale & Scott Clark
  • Producer: Ben Sargent
  • Content Specialist: Dave Dale
  • Produced by Clark Communications
The Echo Podcast Network Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Gofer.Run: The Local App Changing How We Grocery Shop

    Gofer.Run: The Local App Changing How We Grocery Shop
    Mar 12 2026
    In this episode of Echo Essentials, we take a closer look at a new piece of local tech that could change the way people shop for groceries.

    Eric Dion, co-founder of Gofer.Run, joins the show to talk about the launch of the locally developed app designed to help consumers save money by comparing grocery prices and planning smarter shopping trips. Instead of guessing where the best deals are, the app scans flyers and store listings to help users map out the most cost-effective grocery run.

    Eric shares the story behind the idea, how the app was built by a North Bay team, and what it was like bringing the project from concept to launch. We also talk about how the technology works, the role of AI in the platform, privacy considerations, and how users can customize their search radius to find the best prices available.

    0:00 – Introducing the Gofer.Run App
    6:42 – The Idea Behind the Platform
    15:18 – How the App Finds the Best Grocery Deals
    27:03 – AI, Privacy & Building the Technology
    39:47 – What’s Next for Gofer.Run
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • Snowmobile Season in Northern Ontario: Safety, Tourism & Trail Challenges

    Snowmobile Season in Northern Ontario: Safety, Tourism & Trail Challenges
    Feb 19 2026
    On this episode of Echo Essentials, we take a closer look at snowmobile season in North Bay and Northern Ontario and what it really means for our region.

    We’re joined by Shawn Flindall from the North Bay Snowmobile Club to talk about Snowmobile Safety Week, the realities of riding in ever-changing winter conditions, and the responsibility that comes with operating high-performance machines on community trail systems.

    We also break down the bigger picture. Snowmobiling is not just a hobby. It represents billions of dollars in economic activity across Ontario and plays a major role in supporting small businesses, hotels, restaurants, and rural communities throughout the winter months.

    But with that opportunity comes challenge. From trespassing concerns on private land to the cost and volunteer effort required to maintain thousands of kilometres of trails, the future of organized snowmobiling depends on cooperation, respect, and safety.

    0:00 Intro
    12:15 Snowmobile Safety Week Explained
    27:06 The $5 Billion Snowmobile Industry
    33:51Trespassing & Private Land Concerns
    48:13 How Long Will the Season Last?
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • North Bay’s Housing Development Boom: What Drove the 2025 Surge?

    North Bay’s Housing Development Boom: What Drove the 2025 Surge?
    Feb 13 2026
    In this episode of Echo Essentials, we break down what’s behind North Bay’s banner year for housing development.

    With 242 new dwelling units approved in 2025, more than double from 2024, we sit down with Councillor Justine Mallah and Beverley Hillier from Planning and Building Services to unpack what drove the surge.

    We also take a look at the continuing development of the waterfront area and what the future holds for 2026 and beyond.



    5:27 – 242 New Units: Breaking Down North Bay’s 2025 Housing Surge
    12:31 – “Building Up, Not Out”
    17:25 – Repurposing Schools Into Affordable Housing
    50:15 – How City Funding & Grant Applications Actually Work
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
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