Here is listing of some news stories across northern Ontario
over the last few days that I feel are of some economic significance for the
region.
There was actually quite a
bit going on. Have a nice weekend.
Not a surprise that the tax rate topped 3.5% - I would only have been surprised if it came in at about 2 percent.
Despite the wringing of hands and tearful debate about the poor residential taxpayers, this is pretty much on target. Only surprise was the revelation that
at least one councilor may be a fan of the Fraser Institute Blog site given
that councilor noted that high residential taxes may be
driving people out of Thunder Bay.
In Thunder Bay any fiscally conservative link is historically the political kiss of death when it comes
to future electoral prospects.
This story was a curious one as one was left wondering the political
motivation behind the assertion that the migration figure required to “sustain”
Thunder Bay’s economy to the year 2041 should be cut in half to only 1,000
annually. Given that population in
the Thunder Bay CMA over the last five years only grew by 5 people annually,
both 1,000 and 2,000 people a year are mythological targets. Really, at this point, the more people
that come the better. The oddest
statement reported was: “Pullia
pointed out the expected 4,000-person population drop due to death from old age
over that period is similar to the economic effect of local seniors spending
their winters in Florida today.”
Well, actually, there is a difference. The seniors who leave to go to Florida for the winter are
still maintaining a residence in Thunder Bay and paying bills and taxes. More importantly, unlike death, the hiatus is temporary and most of
them come back to Thunder Bay after the winter and resume their economic
impact.
Came across this in the North Bay paper. Take that Sudbury? However, the unemployment rate was apparently down.
Coming in the wake of the census, David Robinson says it’s
time to throw out current plan, before it ‘drives people out of the city.’
It turns out that Dave Robinson also
has a blog dealing with northern Ontario titled “
Economics for Northern Ontario.”
I seem to have missed this one last week so here it is today.
This would appear to be a public public partnership project
and the object of some contentious debate.
Planning for the future will probably take on some
additional urgency given
the results from the census last week.
Speaking from experience, I must say that if an economist says it, then it should be given some weight.
This apparently is part of gearing up for potential protectionist issues with the new Trump government. It is not a belated attempted to deal with the 2003 to 2007 northern Ontario forest sector crisis.
Continuing issues of importance to the future of the northern Ontario mining sector.
