No easy task!

Dr. Bob Rosehart posed the following question to a group of people last Thursday evening “What three things could the government do to change the economy of Northwestern Ontario?” His job is to be the NW Ontario Economic Facilitator.
Appointed by the premier Dalton McGinty to look at the economy of Northwestern Ontario and to report back to the province by December of this year, Rosehart’s job is no easy task. Back in 1986 Rosehart headed up a similar task group to look at the economy of Northern Ontario. At that time he was president of Lakehead University. He was focusing on single industry communities.
Today following his retirement from Wilfred Laurier University Dr. Rosehart is facing the back to the future dilemma.
In 1986, his recommendations included the construction of a Northern Medical School, improving highways, diversification of the economies of the north and creating centres of excellence.
The medical school became a reality only a few years ago, beginning to answer the needs for doctors across Northern Ontario. Roads and passing lanes have been constructed on the Trans Canada across Northern Ontario. Today roads continue to be an issue across the north.
Using the base of industries in Sudbury, and Thunder Bay, centres of excellence have been built.
The strength of the forest industry in Northwestern Ontario that was so vibrant in 1986, has seen the loss of thousands of jobs. Kenora, Red Rock, Nipigon, Marathon, Ignace have watched their mills shut down. The number of workers remaining in successful mills has declined as technology and innovation have required fewer personnel.
Mining exploration appears to be strong, but no major mines have sprung up since Marathon boom. Pockets of mining activity have surged particularly in Balmertown, Redlake and the Muscle White Mine north of Thunder Bay.
He addressed several potential solutions.
One was the issue of developing a different pricing structure in Northwestern Ontario for electricity where a surplus exists.
A second was bringing true broadband technology to every community and household to allow citizens to take full advantage of the information era to create jobs and do work in communities that provide a different quality of life and lifestyle.
A third was placing the forests and minerals into the hands of communities who would use those assets to encourage development and create a different revenue source.
One of the questions he tossed out was the question of what role the Federal Government plays in the role of the Fort Frances and the district, followed by “Do you see a role for the Federal Government to play in the community?”
Back in 1986, his report urged communities to be much more proactive, lobbying senior levels of government for change. Today that lobbying need is no less important.
Should you have some ideas for Dr. Rosehart, you can email him your ideas by sending them to his research assistant Megan Chochla whose email address is Megan.chochla@ontario.ca

–Jim Cumming,
Publisher