RRFDC lands federal funding

Local MP Robert Nault was in Fort Frances last Wednesday to announce a FedNor investment of $300,000 to the Rainy Lake Future Development Corp. and a continued funding commitment to the organization for three years.
“Rainy River Future Development Corp. makes a very positive impact on business in the Rainy River District,” Nault said at a cheque-passing ceremony at the RRFDC’s office on Scott Street.
The money includes $250,000 in operating costs and an additional $50,000 for local initiatives.
The funding, which already had been incorporated into the RRFDC’s budget, came as no surprise to local economic officer Geoff Gillon.
“It isn’t about the money we are getting today,” he said during his brief remarks last Wednesday. “It’s that Nault is giving us a three-year commitment to further fund our economical development plan.”
Gillon added the RRFDC’s mandate is to find out which is the best industry to bring to the sector. According to board chairman Telford Advent, the three industries currently being considered are value-added wood products, a call centre, and a machine manufacturing plant.
“We are working very dutifully on the call centre right now,” Advent said.
Gillon also took the opportunity last Wednesday to reach out to the communities of Atikokan and Rainy River to become more involved with district-wide business initiatives.
“We need a long-term plan,” he stressed. “We need commitment from the other municipalities to come on board.”
One example of district-wide co-operation that Gillon touted last Wednesday was the re-branding of the highway linking Winnipeg and Thunder Bay via Fort Frances.
The 400-mile strip of highway now is being marketed as “M.O.M.’s Way” (standing for Manitoba, Ontario, and Minnesota) as a result of a five-year effort by the RRFDC.
“It’s a huge success,” Gillon declared. “It strings together a whole bunch of attractions, all of which reinforce each other and are marketed as a collective.”
“It’s a fantastic promotional tool,” agreed Advent, saying that with the long-term commitment of federal funding, more projects like it should be undertaken.