That’s the view of George Pirie, Timmins MPP and Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth, who is excited about the economic boom in his part of the province.
“Northern Ontario’s got everything the world needs right here,” he said in an interview with the Temiskaming Speaker while attending the Earlton Farm Show on April 11.
“You know, there are eight billion people in the world and seven billion people are hungry, and we can feed them from the agricultural sector that we have here in Northern Ontario. We are expanding the rail facilities, we’re again investing in the infrastructure that’s going to increase the yields. All very important as we pivot and turn our back on the dependence of the U.S. markets and export our product around the world.”
Pirie said the Ontario Conservative government of Doug Ford has “huge belief” in the potential of the North and credits its policies for helping to give the region a renewed chance for growth.
“Gone are the days of tearing down refineries,” he said. “Gone are the days that Northern Ontario is called a ‘No Man’s Land.’ Don’t insult us like this. We’ve got what the world wants, right here in our backyard. If there’s one silver lining that we have with (U.S. President Donald) Trump, it’s the fact that we have finally realized who we are and how proud we are and we are seizing the day.”
Despite criticism from the NDP opposition, including Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof, Pirie said the government is on the right track when it comes to supporting the Northern Ontario economy and the infrastructure that supports it.
“We’re doing more than talking,” he said in reference to ongoing concerns about Northern highway safety.
“We’re meeting with people, and we’re dialoguing with them, we’re effecting pragmatic solutions as we speak. There’s the difference – we’ve been working on this. We’ve got a number of pragmatic solutions that we’ve announced. We’ve got the full backing of the mayors of NOMA (Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association) as well as FONOM (Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities).
“We’re building the four-lane system and the priority for the four-lane system is between Thunder Bay and Nipigon and that’s, of course, where we have (Highways) 11 and 17 merge. We’re also building four lanes west to the Manitoba border past Kenora. And again, we have been dialoguing with the mayors, the communities, all through there.”
Although the FONOM executive has been struggling to get a commitment from the provincial government supporting its 2+1 proposal to three-lane Highways 11 and 17, Pirie said Doug Ford is not only on board, but ready to go further where warranted.
“The Premier has endorsed this, but we’re always listening. Because the economy in the North is booming, the traffic has increased exponentially, and I think they’re now talking about four-laning and we’re a government that listens. So if it needs to be four-laned, it’ll be four-laned.”
Pirie said Northern Ontario is well positioned to benefit from the new economic realities of the world spurred by disruptive U.S. trade policies.
“I think everybody here in Northern Ontario recognizes that the economy in the North is booming, and every single sector, the agriculture sector, the mining sector, critical minerals, base metals. The forestry sector is rebounding very, very nicely. And the manufacturing sector is certainly withstanding the challenge of Trump’s tariffs in Sault Ste. Marie,” said Pirie.
“It’s all part of our government’s policy about protecting Ontario, sourcing the supply chain as much as possible out of Ontario. And it’s, again, all designed so that we can pivot quickly, away from the dependence on the U.S. market, and preserve our sovereignty. This is what this is all about.”
