Duane Hicks
Whether it has meant layoffs at the local mill or fewer tourists because of the lower U.S. dollar, the recession no doubt has had an impact here and elsewhere in 2009.
But Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce president Cathy Emes is optimistic that 2010 will be a better year for local businesses.
“According to all reports, the recession in Canada should be over so we hope that our economy perks up again,” Emes said Monday.
“At our annual general meeting, [mill manager] John Harrison had very encouraging news regarding the Fort Frances paper mill, and we were pleased to hear that information and looking forward to Fort Frances hopefully being able to retain its employment where it is now,” she noted.
Emes added the Chamber also is encouraged to hear town council will be “trying its darnedest to keep the tax increase as low as they possibly can.”
“We encourage them [council] and look forward to working with them to still create the quality of life we want in the town,” she remarked.
While opinions are bound to vary from business owner to business owner, Emes said she personally felt local businesses have dealt fairly well with the recession.
“It’s encouraging to see that basically they are all still there,” she reasoned. “Having been through other recessions and seeing the things that have happened . . . overall, I think that Fort Frances, compared to other communities in the northwest or even the rest of Northern Ontario, has weathered the storm.
“It’s been a storm. I know it’s been a struggle,” Emes conceded. “It isn’t just the downturn in the forestry industry, there’s also been a downturn in tourism, there’s the recession in the United States, it’s been a whole combination of things.”
As for upcoming events, the local Chamber is holding a noon-hour luncheon tomorrow (Jan. 7) at La Place Rendez-Vous with Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak and Randy Hillier, the party’s critic for northern development, mines and forestry, to discuss the Ontario PC Northern Ontario Jobs Plan and strategies to improve the local economy.
This will be followed by the 14th-annual Bell Business Awards coming up Saturday, Feb. 13 at the Adventure Inn here.
Nomination forms are now available at the Chamber office (474 Scott St.) or by downloading them from their website at www.fortfranceschamber.com
“We are hoping that a lot of businesses in the whole district are nominated, not just Chamber members. This is for the Rainy River District,” Emes stressed.
“People seem to think only Chamber members are going to win and that’s not the case. We want to celebrate businesses throughout the district.
“That fits in with our ‘Shop Local’ campaign,” Emes noted. “We see shopping local as shopping within the Rainy River District.
The deadline for nominations is a week from Friday (Jan. 15).
This will be followed by the home and leisure show on the first weekend in May (more details will be forthcoming).
Likewise, the Chamber will review how it will present the annual “Quest for the Best” singing competition this summer.
Held in conjunction with the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship for many summers, “Quest” instead was held separately on June 30 at the arena last year, but didn’t do nearly as well as hoped.
Looking back to 2009, Emes said the celebration of the local Chamber’s 100th birthday went over well—spread out over the very successful home and leisure show last May and even during the Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce fall meeting in late September, which NOACC agreed to hold here because it was the Chamber’s centennial.
“The birthday celebrations were a highlight. We celebrated it well and in several locations,” she noted.
Emes said another highlight was a change in management at the Chamber office, referring to the hiring of Anthony Mason in early September.
