Tangent: I lived in the north for many years, including two summers in Thompson.
Getting people to stay in the north is pretty much impossible. It doesn't matter how much you pay someone -- aside from early career (big fish in small pond) opportunities, nearly everyone will inevitably return south.
And it isn't the cold weather or the mosquitoes or the lack of sunlight in winter (although these are factors). It is rather the constant poverty, crime, and hopelessness. If you're in any job that has to fight against these things (teacher, nurse, firefighter), you are exposed to it even more so than most. And it chews at your soul.
Sadly, any solution that stands a chance in the long term, is entirely unpalatable in the short term, politically. So we will have to cope with this status quo.