Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission CEO Steve Demmings spoke about his optimistic view for the economy of northwestern Onatrio at a Rotary luncheon, Sept. 7 at Eagles’ Landing. Photo by Chris Marchand

While the effects of 2008’s economic downturn linger in North American stock markets, Thunder Bay’s economic development officer says the northwest should be preparing itself to take advantage of large-scale economic opportunities in the next few years.

Steve Demmings, CEO of the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission visited Dryden, Sept. 7, touring local businesses and seeking out ways for our two communities to work to mutual benefit.

At a Rotary luncheon, Demmings delivered a very optimistic assessment on what the future holds for this area of the province — steeped in largely untapped resource wealth.

While forestry has long been the staple industry of the region, Demmings says the closure of 150 out of a total of 184 pulp mills in Canada since 2001 is a hit that the sector will never fully recover from. He says he believes the next wave of development in the northwest lies in our past, in the extraction of minerals and precious metals.

“You’re seeing it materialize already,” said Demmings. “In some ways we’re going back to the future. But mining is a now high tech business. You have companies like Treasury Metals whom I hear good things about and similarily all these international companies that are outside our urban areas creating jobs and investment. Thirty-three per cent of the world’s population, places like India and China, want and need the minerals we have to grow their economies. So our future is brilliant, especially when you compare it with some other Ontario jurisdictions that don’t have our good luck.”

While plenty of junior mining firms are engaged in precious metal exploration in the Dryden area, local activity is dwarfed by the scale of international interest in The Ring of Fire — a massive chromite ore deposit close to the Far North communities of Webequie and Marten Falls.

In August the provincial government opened an office in Thunder Bay to promote Ring of Fire opportunities and facilitate development. With a new railroad planned to extend north from Nakina to the mining area, Demmings says ease of transporting products to market is the concern facing potential producers. He says that First Nations represent tremendous opportunities for partnerships and labour.

“We need superior transportation infrastructure,” he said. “The highway between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg must be dramatically improved to reflect the quality of life in Western Canada.”

As well, Demmings says roads like Hwy. 599 north of Ignace may play an increased role in transporting materials from the Hinterlands.

Demmings says educating the population to what the opportunities are will be key in transitioning the region’s economy.

“We have to change mindsets and we have to have a very proactive way of doing business,” he says. “There’s a responsibility on the part of people like myself to get out there and educate people to the awesome potential for our kids and our grandkids, to bring people to these communities, to contribute to the tax base and create healthy downtowns.”

While in Dryden, Demmings visited local businesses like Basic Machining, Alex Wilson Coldstream Ltd. and Resource Equipment Sales (RES).

“We have all the same issues and same challenges,” said Demmings.

By Chris Marchand