Nault to host economic seminar

The importance of diversifying Northern Ontario’s economy will be front and centre during a half-day seminar next week in Kenora being hosted by local MP Robert Nault.
The seminar, slated for Tuesday (March 11) from 1-5 p.m. at the Best Western Lakeside Inn, will address how the federal government can help the local business community build a diversified economy.
Representatives of FedNor, Public Works and Government Services, and the Canadian Tourism Commission also will be on hand.
Business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs from across the region are encouraged to attend. Those interested are urged to register by calling 1-800-465-7226.
“It’s important to get information on how we can work together to diversify our economy [in the north],” Nault said while in Fort Frances this week. “It’s all about diversifying our economy.
“We want to stimulate discussion of public and private sectors,” he added. “All sectors need to partner together to diversify the economy.”
Nault said it’s important for businesses and communities to give serious thought to the economies they are in, and develop ways to diversify and create value-added industry within those economies.
“We need to know where we’re situated in the North American marketplace,” he said, adding our proximity to the centre of the continent and access to major national rail lines can be used to the area’s advantage.
Many economic development corporations in the region have been working on solutions over the last several years—and are at a point to begin implementing some strategies, Nault said.
“Documents are being produced by communities,” he remarked. “[It’s] the first generation of work from them.”
One example he cited was the “Re-inventing Fort Frances” feasibility study unveiled last week.
“This group deserves a lot of credit,” Nault said of the committee that was involved in developing the plan to stimulate business and tourism here.
He noted the need for such a plan grew out of the need for a new Customs facility here.
“This port of entry was on of the worst in the country,” Nault said of the former border crossing. “My personal view [is] people haven’t come across this border [in the past] because of the hassles.”
Nault said the new facility has eliminated much of the “hassle.”
Once the new port of entry was completed, a plan to revitalize the downtown—with the specific goal of getting those crossing the border to stop and spend money in town—had to be created.
“That’s what this [document] deals with,” he said. “We have to have attractions that interest people.”
Tourism was one of the main industries Nault stressed needed improvement to diversify the economy in Northern Ontario. “We’re talking about benefiting from our natural beauty,” he said. “Diversifying our tourism industry.”
He cited the annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship as an example of ways to go about doing that.
He also said embracing the “history, culture, and tradition of the aboriginal people” in this area is a way of creating a successful and diversified tourism economy.
Nault noted the other, resource-based industries in the district have come along in adding value to the base product. But he suggested more could be done, especially in an effort to stem the out-migration of the area’s youth.
“We want to stimulate employment opportunities,” he said. “[Create] employment to keep kids here.”