New industries in Iroquois Falls would be great. But seven years after losing its only one – a newsprint mill – the chair of a new municipal development committee says it has to take a broader look.
“There aren’t that many smokestacks to be had out there,” remarks Town Councillor Ben Lefebvre.
He has a wide range of ideas for his committee to examine. They include recreation and entertainment facilities already in place; tourism in summer, but especially winter; and the already growing regional agricultural industry.
“But that’s something else that we need to work with and making sure that the doors are open, the bridges are built.”
The committee’s first meeting was last night. Lefebvre says its first task is to formulate a plan to formulate a plan.
As for attracting industries, Lefebvre says one of its first obstacles involves the company that mothballed the town’s newsprint mill in December, 2014, and the Sault Ste. Marie company it sold its riverside property to.
“Resolute Forest Products has a contract with Riversedge,” he says with incredulity, “that says you cannot develop that for any kind of forestry activities.”
Lefebvre calls that ludicrous, considering the century of forest industry in the town, and how it’s surrounded by valuable timber that is being cut and sent elsewhere for processing.
(Bob McIntyre, MyCochraneNow.com staff)