The Backroads Bill Podcast

In this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with Justin Wood, founder of Geneticks.ca and a staff scientist at the University of Guelph, to talk about the growing reality of Lyme disease in Canada and the personal experience that changed his life forever.

Justin shares his journey from being a healthy university athlete to suddenly dealing with debilitating neurological symptoms, chronic pain, fatigue, and years of unanswered medical questions. After being bounced between specialists and struggling to find answers, he was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease, beginning a long and difficult road to recovery.

We also dive into the science behind Lyme disease, how ticks spread infection, why early detection matters, and the challenges many patients still face when trying to access proper treatment and diagnosis. Justin explains how his own experience eventually led him to create Geneticks, a company focused on tick testing and helping people better understand their risk after exposure.

Check out Justin's website: https://geneticks.ca/

0:00 – Intro
3:31 – What Lyme Disease Actually Is
6:55 – From Athlete to Seriously Ill
10:18 – Finally Getting Diagnosed
16:05 – Turning His Experience Into a Business
24:29 – The Truth About the Bullseye Rash
29:07 – The Stigma Around Lyme Disease
33:39 – How Tick Testing Works

On this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with Brennain Lloyd from Northwatch, one of Northern Ontario’s longest-running environmental advocacy organizations.

For nearly four decades, North Watch has been involved in some of the region’s biggest environmental debates, from forestry and mining to landfill proposals, nuclear waste storage, and land use decisions that affect communities across the North .

Brennain takes us through the origins of North Watch in the late 1980s, how the organization grew out of environmental and peace activism, and why public participation in environmental decision-making still matters today.

0:00 – Intro
3:40 – Climate Change & Younger Generations
11:43 – The Nuclear Waste Debate in Northern Ontario
20:30 – Why “NIMBY” Isn’t Fair
25:23 – The Risks of Nuclear Waste Storage
33:52 – The Adams Mine Landfill Controversy
38:07 – Why Environmental Advocacy Never Stops

On this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with the team behind one of Northern Ontario’s most recognizable outdoor products, The Original Bug Shirt Company in Powassan.

What started as a simple idea to help people enjoy the outdoors without being eaten alive by black flies and mosquitoes has grown into a globally recognized brand worn by campers, hunters, forestry workers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts around the world. 

Julie shares the incredible story of how the company began in the early 1990s, how she started sewing bug shirts from home while raising her children, and how that small operation eventually turned into a thriving Northern Ontario business. We also talk about buying the company in 2019, navigating the uncertainty of COVID, and how the business adapted as more people turned to the outdoors.

0:00 – Intro
3:55 – How the Company Started
8:10 – Buying the Business
10:03 – Why Bug Protection Matters
15:21 – COVID & Going Global Online
20:08 – Shipping Bug Shirts Around the World
26:13 – New Bug Gear for Kids
30:24 – Customer Stories from the Outdoors

In this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with Otto Bedard who is an expert technologist in hydrometry, hydraulics and innovation.

With recent flooding hitting the North Bay area, the timing couldn’t be better. Otto takes us inside the system most people never think about, the network of gauges, sensors, and data collection points that track how high rivers rise and how fast water moves.

We dive into how water levels are actually measured, what “stage” and “discharge” mean, and how this data gets shared across Canada to help inform decisions around flooding, infrastructure, and safety. Otto also walks through how technology has changed the job, from handwritten logs and manual readings to automated systems that update every hour.

0:00 – Intro
4:34 – What the “Water Office” Actually Does
6:46 – How Water Levels Are Measured (Then vs Now)
9:21 – Why Water Data Is So Important
15:02 – Real-Time Data & Flood Monitoring
22:01 – Technology Changing Water Measurement
33:06 – Traveling the North to Measure Water

On this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with Curtis Lafleche, a Northern Ontario outdoorsman who has turned his passion for the backcountry into a growing presence on YouTube.

What started as simple walks quickly turned into a deep curiosity about the land, eventually leading to backcountry trips, canoe expeditions, and a love for exploring the wild spaces of Northern Ontario . We also dive into how Curtis made the leap from private adventures to sharing his experiences online.

From filming solo trips and learning the ins and outs of content creation, to finding his own voice without trying to copy others, he talks about what it really takes to build something authentic in the outdoor space.

Check out Curtis' Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/@NotSoEpicAdventurer

0:00 – Intro
3:06 – Finding the Outdoors
8:28 – Why He Started YouTube
13:22 – Backcountry Trips & Florence Lake Story
20:41 – Entering the Quiet & Winter Camping
34:33 – Gear, Filming & Outdoor Lessons

In this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with one of Canada’s most recognizable voices in weather, climatologist David Phillips, for a conversation that spans more than five decades of forecasting, storytelling, and scientific change.

From his early days with Environment Canada to becoming a familiar presence on The Weather Network, David reflects on how both the science and the public’s relationship with weather have evolved. We talk about how forecasting has changed, from simple observations to advanced technology powered by satellites and supercomputers, and why predicting the weather is still as challenging as ever .

The conversation also dives into the bigger picture. David shares how climate change has reshaped not just long-term trends but the day-to-day weather Canadians experience, with storms becoming more intense and patterns less predictable. Along the way, he offers stories from across the country, highlighting the moments where weather has left a lasting impact on people and communities.

0:00 – Intro
3:18 – Why Canadians Love the Weather
6:16 – How His Career in Climate Began
12:04 – Climate Change & Human Impact
22:20 – How We Consume Weather Today
46:20 – Memorable Weather Stories

In this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with Juno-nominated artist Adrian Sutherland to explore how his music is deeply rooted in his life in Attawapiskat and his culture.

From early influences at home to performing on national stages, Adrian shares how his sound has evolved while staying true to where he comes from.

We also dive into his new book The Work of Our Hands, and how storytelling, music, and culture all connect.

Adrian opens up about life in the North, the realities of remote communities, and why he continues to create from a place that means so much to him.

Learn more about Adrian here: https://adriansutherlandmusic.com/home

0:00 – Intro
03:06 – Life in Attawapiskat
05:23 – Early Music & Influences
08:54 – The Story Behind the Book
15:04 – Music, Culture & Community
21:10 – Life on the Land & What’s Next

On this episode of Backroads Bill, we head off the highway and into the small Northern Ontario community of Gogama, a place with a population of just a few hundred but a story that runs deep.

We’re joined by longtime resident Gerry Talbot, who has spent his entire life in Gogama and has been involved in nearly every aspect of the community. From local services and volunteer boards to preserving the town’s history, Gerry shares what it takes to keep a small town going and why people continue to call it home .

We talk about Gogama’s past, from its days as a much larger mill town to the challenges that came with population decline. We also explore how the community has adapted over time, from improving internet access and infrastructure to maintaining essential services through volunteer efforts.

0:00 Intro
3:29 Where Gogama Is & Who Lives There
10:18 From Boom Town to Decline
17:05 Housing, Growth & Challenges
28:03 The Legend of the Wolf Man
39:59 Derailment, Recovery & Moving Forward

On this episode of Backroads Bill, we head to Northwestern Ontario to take a closer look at the township of Ignace, a small community facing a big decision about its future.

Once supported by forestry, mining, and tourism, Ignace has seen its population decline and its economy slow in recent years. With mills closing and opportunities becoming harder to find, the town found itself at a crossroads. That changed when Ignace was selected as the host community for Canada’s proposed deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel, a project that could bring billions in investment, new jobs, and long-term stability. 

We’re joined by Jake Pastore to talk about how the community approached the decision, the years of education and public consultation involved, and what it took to earn support from residents and local First Nations partners.

We also explore what comes next, from new housing and infrastructure to the construction of a major research and operations facility that could reshape Ignace for generations.

On this episode of Backroads Bill, we head to Northwestern Ontario to explore one of the most intriguing archaeological discoveries in the region in recent years.

Local historian Johanna Rowe joins the show to talk about the discovery of the Wawa Runestone, a rock carving hidden in the bush that contains more than 250 characters written in runic script.

Johanna walks us through how the discovery first came to light, the process of bringing archaeologists and language experts into the investigation, and the years of careful research that followed.

Find out more here: https://www.ocare.ca/ 

0:00 – The Wawa Runestone Discovery
4:37 – First Seeing the Carvings
9:51 – Translating the Runic Message
17:02 – Who Might Have Carved It?
31:36 – Why the Discovery Matters