The Backroads Bill Podcast

Living with Lyme Disease: One Northern Ontario Story

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

Inside the Environmental Battles Shaping Northern Ontario

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

The Story Behind The Original Bug Shirt Company

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

How Experts Measure Water Levels Across Canada

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

From Trails to YouTube: Curtis Lafleche’s Outdoor Journey

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