Most of us are familiar with the Northern Ontario Growth Plan which is a 25-year plan that was released on March 4, 2011 by the Ontario government that aimed to strengthen the economy of the North by:
- Diversifying the region's traditional resource-based industries
- Stimulating new investment and entrepreneurship
- Nurturing new and emerging sectors with high growth potential.
The Plan's policies were
built upon six themes that each was to contribute to the region’s long-term
sustainability and prosperity: Economy, People, Communities, Aboriginal
Peoples, Infrastructure and Environment.
I have discussed this plan in several posts on this
blog.
Well,
it turns out that the federal government also has a growth plan for northern
Ontario though I must admit that it has flown under my radar. I guess, when one works in an ivory tower,
one sometimes loses sight of activity on the ground though how I never got wind
of the extensive range of consultations escapes me. I am obviously moving in the wrong social circles. As part of the follow up to
the 2017 budget, FEDNOR began to put together a
Prosperity and Growth Strategy for Northern Ontario (PGSNO) as a “roadmap
to economic development and success” for the region.
FEDNOR undertook a series of
engagement activities from June to November 2017 which included
round tables, meetings and online tools aimed at reaching stakeholders across the
region. According to FEDNOR, there was an online questionnaire with over 600 respondents, 33
round tables and 12 presentations with over 400 participants. The result was a report with 12 common areas/themes
of action (see the report for details):
1.
Infrastructure (broadband;
transportation; and, energy)
2.
Diversification and self-sufficiency
3.
Northern image
4.
Rural and remote communities
5.
Timely and effective support
6.
Shortage of human resources
7.
Indigenous participation
8.
Building on regional strengths
9.
Business supports
10. Indigenous enterprises
11. Technology adoption
12. Access to support for innovation
There was an item by MP Bob
Nault in February 2018 discussing the report and its availability online but there
seems to be little else until now.
Apparently, on Monday April 9th there will be an announcement
by federal ministers Navdeep Bains and Patty Hajdu with respect to the
PGSNO. One imagines that there will be an announcement of federal development money to implement or address some aspect of the PGSNO. Or perhaps there will be an announcement of further study and consultation. Maybe both? Nevertheless, given that the federal report had
twelve themes as opposed to six for the provincial growth plan, I would imagine
that it will be twice the fun.