It’s not a pretty picture, but Community Matters’ David Durance says an up-to-date study of the community impacts of forestry downsizing may have also revealed insights into how the Dryden and the surrounding area can shape its own future.

Presented to Dryden city council, Dec. 7, by Durance and Community Matters chair Roger Valley, Taking Stock: A Socio-Economic Impact Study is a detailed look at Dryden and the surrounding area (Ignace to Vermilion Bay), prepared by consulting group Blackstone between August and October of this year.

The study found that the loss of approximately 1,000 jobs in Dryden since 2001 amounts to an annual loss of nearly $50 million to the local economy. As the city’s large industrial tax base declines, the burden has shifted to residential and commercial taxpayers.

To no surprise, the local unemployment rate (13.5 per cent) currently exceeds the provincial average while education levels in the area are lower than that of the province as a whole.

School enrolments have declined steadily over the past several years while social assistance cases have increased from 99 in 2002, to 197 in 2009.

While these trends may be of no surprise to anyone, Durance says the study provides a reasonably accurate measurement of the challenges that face the community and has even found a few assumptions to be false.

For one, the study indicates that a massive population decline is not evident, a fact that may be somewhat attributable to an in-migration of First Nations populations as well as a desire for many to remain in Dryden, regardless of their circumstances.

Durance says that the level of ‘topophilia’ (love of place) demonstrated by Drydenites is a significant asset.

“When you see it all together, this study does present a sobering picture,” said Durance. “On the same token, it gives us a better understanding of where we are and allows us to move forward. I think we can work with people’s desire to stay within the community to try and get some of them engaged in community building activities.”

Community Matters is the second incarnation of the Community Adjustment Partnership, the first of which resulted in the formation of The Dryden Development Corporation. With the agency’s mandate due to expire in March of 2010, Durance says his hope is that a legacy of ‘community building’ will endure from this exercise, helping make a difficult shift in mindset on the heels of a century of profitable forestry.

“If we can accomplish nothing more than coming to some sort of consensus in the community as to what we want our future to be, then I think we will have accomplished a lot,” said Durance. “If we’re to have a bright future, then I think it’s critical that we become more able to do things for ourselves as people living here.”

Durance says a strong connection to the community will be key in re-igniting an entrepreneurial spirit which may have gone somewhat dormant over generations of well-paying resource extraction jobs.

“We’ve been blessed with a lot of natural resources and a lot of wealth has come from that, whether you’ve been directly involved in the forest sector or not,” said Durance. “When you’re blessed with those sorts of resources, sometimes it’s not a requirement that you be as resourceful, creative, or innovative in trying to create livelihood. I think we’re up to the challenge, but I think that up to this point we haven’t had to face that challenge.”

- Chris Marchand