Justine Mallah
Justine Mallah is running for Council in North Bay.
Justine Mallah (she/her/elle) has called North Bay home since 2018 and lives in the Pinewood neighbourhood with her husband, two sons, and their poodle. Her professional background is in community development and health promotion, with a focus on mental health and evidence-based approaches to community well-being. Currently serving on North Bay City Council, Justine chairs the Community Services Committee of Council and serves on several boards and committees, including the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board, Public Library Board, and Creative Industries Board. She also serves on the City’s Public Art Advisory Committee, Growth Community Improvement Plan Committee, Community Safety and Well-Being Advisory Group, and Community Safety and Well-Being Ad Hoc Committee of Council.
Why are you running for this position?
I'm running for City Council because I believe in the potential of our community and I'm committed to helping create a city where families feel supported, neighbourhoods are strong, and opportunities exist for everyone. As a mom and someone who works in mental health, I bring a perspective that focuses on creating the conditions for people to thrive while addressing the root causes of challenges such as homelessness, addictions, and housing insecurity.
What's most important to me is improving quality of life for residents. That includes community safety in a broad sense, such as safer streets, safe drinking water, strong emergency preparedness for floods and wildfires, and reliable infrastructure that supports our daily lives. Creating an affordable and welcoming community, where residents and local businesses can succeed is important to me.
Over this term, I've worked to help address housing challenges (helping to increase housing starts by 46% this term), improve community safety and well-being, expand recreation opportunities, strengthen environmental sustainability, and ensure residents have a responsive voice at City Hall by connecting with all residents who reached out. I believe progress starts with listening and bringing people together.
What do you love most about your community?
The people. North Bay is full of passionate, caring residents who step up, volunteer, support local initiatives, and continually look for ways to strengthen our community. I am constantly inspired by the countless ways residents help shape North Bay to be a great place to live.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your municipality right now?
Climate change is one of the most important issues of our time. I'm proud of the progress North Bay has made over the term, including the Tree Canopy Policy, our zero-carbon recreation centre, hybrid buses, responsible housing growth through urban intensification rather than sprawl, waste diversion initiatives, and investments in trails and sidewalks. Looking ahead, my priorities include formalizing the Climate Adaptation Master Plan, stormwater upgrades, climate-resilient infrastructure, and planning for extreme weather events, helping protect residents, property, and public assets.
If elected, what is one thing you would like to accomplish during your term?
If elected, I want to make meaningful progress on community safety. For this question, I will focus on road safety. That includes safer roads, safer intersections, improved pedestrian infrastructure, and better active transportation options that help people move around the city safely and confidently.
One thing I would like to accomplish during my next term is making meaningful progress on road safety across North Bay. We took an important step by approving the Road Safety Strategy, but I believe residents want to see more of that work translate into visible improvements on the ground.
We need continued investment in traffic calming measures, safer crossings, better sidewalk connections, and active transportation infrastructure that helps people move safely throughout our city. It's important that we focus on high-risk areas, listen to the concerns residents are raising, and use data to guide investments where they will have the greatest impact.
What is one thing you would like to see your municipality do differently?
One thing I would like to see our municipality do differently is place a greater emphasis on collaboration and respectful leadership within the Council Chambers. It's healthy for Council members to have different perspectives. In fact, some of our best decisions come from thoughtful debate and hearing a variety of viewpoints. However, those discussions should always remain respectful and focused on finding solutions.
Council should be focusing its energy on the challenges that matter most, such as infrastructure, housing, community safety, economic growth, and quality of life, rather than getting distracted by unnecessary division. The division this past term was disappointing and unproductive.
When Council and the City, as a whole, works collaboratively with residents, businesses, community organizations, Indigenous partners, and other levels of government, we can accomplish far more than any one person can achieve alone. My goal is to focus on fostering a culture of respect, partnership, and accountability so we can stay focused on delivering results and building a stronger North Bay.
What does good local government look like to you?
Listening to residents and valuing different perspectives
Making evidence-based decisions
Respecting every taxpayer dollar and spending responsibly
Building trust through action and accountability
Working collaboratively to solve problems and deliver results
Focusing on the issues that matter most to residents today while planning for the future
If you received a $1 million grant to use for your municipality any way you wanted, what would you do with it?
If I had $1 million... and now that song is stuck in my head...
I'd invest it in creating a shared arts, culture, and recreation hub for North Bay. By repurposing an old school or other underused building, we could create a community space where organizations, artists, instructors, and community groups can offer affordable programming, workshops, and events. Groups like Dreamcoat, Creative Industries, and Clean Green Beautiful could benefit from a dedicated space. I believe investments like this help build a stronger sense of community and make North Bay a more vibrant place to live.
What does having more women in local leadership change?
Having more women in local leadership, as well as greater representation from diverse communities, the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and BIPOC residents, brings a broader range of perspectives to the table. When leadership reflects the community it serves, decisions tend to be more inclusive, representative, and better positioned to meet the needs of all residents.
What is something about you that you would like voters to know that they might not learn from your campaign platform?
Campaign platforms are important but at the end of the day, there are eleven Council members. I have one vote. Real progress comes from the work we do behind the scenes: listening to residents, building relationships, asking difficult questions, advocating for stronger policies, preparing for meetings, reading reports, serving on boards and committees, and making informed decisions.
That work is not always visible, but it is what allows council members to effectively represent residents, advocate for community priorities, and make sound decisions on their behalf.
I take pride in being accessible and responsive. During my last term, I responded to every resident who reached out, attended hundreds of community events, and worked hard to stay connected to the people I represent. I showed up and I will continue to do so.
Where can people find you?
Facebook: facebook.com/justinemallah
Instagram: instagram.com/justinemallah.forcouncil/
Website: www.justinemallah.ca
