PARRY SOUND — The leaders of Ontario’s three main political parties are scheduled to debate in Parry Sound Friday, less than a month before the provincial election.

The debate is scheduled for Friday, May 11 at 11:30 a.m. as the finale to the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities’ (FONOM) annual conference that begins May 9 at the Charles W. Stockey Centre.

The debate will host Liberal leader and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, PC Leader Doug Ford, and NDP leader and sitting MP Andrea Horwath.

Questions will be specific to northern Ontario municipalities as compiled by FONOM in partnership with its sister organization, and whittled down by a small number of members before being given to moderator and FONOM president Alan Spacek.

Concerns at the top of mind for northern Ontario’s small, rural municipalities include provincial downloading without increased funding and infrastructure costs.

“Honestly, I don’t know how specific it’ll be to that or if they generalize to a theme,” said Spacek, who is also the mayor of Kapuskasing.

In elections past, northern Ontario has felt overlooked for the more voter dense southern Ontario and there’s been calls before for the north to separate from south.

Having the leaders attend the conference of small, rural municipalities speaks to the importance they place on the region, said Spacek.

It could also signal an effort to listen to the north that has been negatively impacted when a southern Ontario problem led to wide-sweeping policy.

“I’m hopeful, certainly,” said Spacek. “I’ve spent all my time with the organization talking about the dynamic difference between northern and rural Ontario versus urban, southern Ontario.”