Economic development agency delivers report to council

Chair of the Dryden Development Corporation (DDC), Ernie Remillard, presented the DDC Quarterly Report to city council at the Aug. 8 Committee of the Whole meeting to outline the accomplishments they’ve had throughout the summer.

Highlighting such things as the rising local mining industry and what Dryden has brought forward, councillors made comments of Dryden becoming the hub of the north for the industry.

Remillard started by outlining some of the achievements in strengthening Dryden’s capacity for economic growth and development, with the DDC having completed the annual update to the online Community Profile for the city using data purchased. This allows site selectors to access current information about Dryden in a timely fashion.

The DDC continues to market, both the Centennial and Norwill business park properties, as well as the industrial and commercial properties available at the DRA to targeted sectors through various mediums including magazines and online e-blasts.

Remillard says the DDC continues to communicate with Real-Flex regarding the construction of two built to spec buildings for Centennial and Norwill business parks. The company awaits approval from OPA on their Micro-Fit applications for new building construction.

The Northwest Business Centre (NWBiz) has been busy lately, with assisting five new businesses in the region to open their doors as retail and service companies.

Funding has been approved and a consultant hired for the DDC to conduct a Market Gravitation Study which shows “in-out shopping”. This study will help identify gaps in goods and services in Dryden and the area.

A funding application has been submitted to FedNor to develop a business plan for a mix-use business convergence centre and executive apartments in downtown Dryden as a means to revitalize the downtown core. No status has been received yet from FedNor.

Activation Labs (Act Labs) has doubled the size (capacity and human resources) of its sampling facility in Dryden in June. The company intends to convert to a full gold lab in 2012.

Remillard was quite confident with the progress in the mining industry, and the DD has been approved for funding to host “Preparing the Dryden area for Minng Sector Expansion” sessions in partnership with Eagle Lake First Nation. Public information sessions will be held on October 12 at Eagle Lake Community Centre, and in Dryden at The Centre.

Under the heading of renewable energy, the city continues to push ahead on the solar park project and has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lambion Energy Solutions of Germany and Far North Biomass, to determine if the installation of a district heating system in the Norwill Industrial Park is viable.

The DDC continues to support local foods initiatives and are working with the Northwestern Health Unit to complete an interview questionnaire as part of a research project in a partnership with the University of Guelph and Lakehead University.

As a result of the agricultural Feedstock Study completed in March, the DDC hosted a national company to determine if woody biomass could be grown and utilized as a supplement to forest biomass in the proposed district heating system. Bionera has planted a two-acre test site at the PRT facility in Dryden.

The DDC has recruited two summer students and is currently defining and building applications to a variety of funders to move forward the vision identified in the Sustainable Waterfront Development Plan.

By Ally Dunham