The Rainy River Future Development Corp. held its annual meeting here at La Place Rendezvous last Tuesday night (June 17).
Gord Armstrong, Janice Beazley, and Russ Fortier were acclaimed to sit on the board of directors for a three-year term, ending in 2011.
As well, Freeda Carmody was elected to the board for a one-year term.
Also at the meeting, economic development officer Geoff Gillon presented the RRFDC’s 12 strategic directions for the next three years. They are:
•to promote new opportunities and expand the viability of district agricultural producers;
•to research the potential for alternative energy within the district (including bio-fuels, solar power, and wind power);
•to assist the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce in its response to the needs of business, and will continue to support improved customer service as the means for attracting and maintaining shoppers to the area;
•to improve the economic development ties between area First Nations and municipalities;
•to evaluate the potential for expansion of community housing, reviewing such opportunities as condominiums, apartments, and more housing lots;
•to market and promote Rainy River District as a location for agricultural and business immigration;
•to continue to work with participating communities to enhance and/or develop community investment readiness;
•to continue the strategy to work towards expanded broadband service in Fort Frances and district;
•to work on bettering the district’s tourism marketing campaign;
•to continue to assist any district business seeking to expand through exports to develop materials that will support attraction efforts;
•to develop a strategy to position Fort Frances as a distribution gateway to the United States; and
•to assist the seven participating rural municipalities in project development.
The RRFDC also is aiming to increase sales of local produce in support of local agriculture—trying to show district residents the benefits that can come from buying locally.
Another facet of the agricultural project, which ties in with the search for alternative energy the RRFDC currently is working on, is the bio-fuel trial.
The three-year trial will see the RRFDC work with numerous partners in order to collect data on two types of grasses that may be harvested and used in AbitibiBowater’s new biomass boiler in Fort Frances.
The grass species of interest are reed canary and switchgrass.
The RRFDC estimates that with large enough tracts of land devoted to these species, they can produce a better yielding grass, which will open up the opportunity for agricultural producers to perhaps generate significant revenue through co-operation with AbitibiBowater.
The mill is suggesting these grasses can be used with a mixture of wood wastes for the biomass boiler.
The trial aims to determine whether or not this opportunity is economically viable for district agricultural producers, taking into account the production costs.
If it proves successful, this could mean the creation of new revenue opportunities in the district without displacing current crops.
Another project is the continuation of telecommunications upgrades. Since 2004, the RRFDC has improved broadband access, and upgraded digital telephone access, within municipalities across the district.
Having recently acquired funding through FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp., the RRFDC now is working towards obtaining true DSL service as well as determining wireless hotspots.
This funding also is being put towards upgraded digital telephone service, as well as broadband, along Highway 11 from Rainy River through to Shabaqua.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
