This week on Moose Mornings with Tim, we’ve been discussing how to attract more people to our towns and keep them here.
In Iroquois Falls, Mayor Pat Britton says one method is offering affordable housing along with all the other amenities the former paper town has to offer.
“When I was doing my door-to-door campaign (during the 2018 election),” he says, “I was very surprised to find a lot of younger people in town. Some of them were from Timmins, who’ve actually moved here, bought houses and travel to work in Timmins.”
Another thing the mayor sees in the Falls – and encourages – is people who grew up in town, moving back once they retire.
On a larger scale, an outdated Official Plan, Community Improvement Plan, and Zoning Bylaw are preventing the town from offering incentives like Smooth Rock Falls did, to businesses and individuals.
Photo credit: iroquoisfalls.com
“They were offering lots for like $10, and they had over 2,000 people apply for them,” Britton points out. “We waited way too long for the Official Plan to even look at that, which is unfortunate, but you live and learn.”
The mayor hopes to have the new plan in place by fall, next spring at the latest.