by Karina Hunter

Manitouwadge residents are eager to learn of the properties that will be chosen for improvement by the township in the wake of an announcement this week from the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister responsible for FedNor, that the community is receiving a $490,000 investment from the Government of Canada.  aimed at providing a foundation for economic recovery and development across Northern Ontario. Though there is much speculation regarding which properties will be included in stage one of the rehabilitation project, Manitouwadge Economic Development Officer, Dave Raymond explained that negotiations are planned to determine which properties
will ultimately be included.  

The funding was part of an application to the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) focused towards single industry communities that have suffered from either sudden or mass unemployment. The Manitouwadge Community Rehabilitation project will focus on tearing down and cleaning up substandard residential, commercial, and industrial properties in order to make them marketable for future developments.  

In November 2008, Eric McSweeny and Associates came to  Manitouwadge as part of a province wide study on investment readiness and conducted a series of tests. The study determined that Manitouwadge “needs to be cleaned up, buildings removed, and certified clean”. From their perspective, Eric McSweeny and Associates objectively noted that the “…rundown, unoccupied buildings”, as well as a lack of “shovel ready sites” required that these delinquent properties be cleaned up and sold off to give the community a face lift and encourage new investment. 

With FedNor’s investment of $490,000 to complete the project, Manitouwadge is well on its way to becoming clean, and ready for future developments. FedNor’s contribution represents 100% of the proposed cost for the first stage of the rehabilitation project. As a result of the contribution, tax payers in Manitouwadge are not anticipating the cost of the rehabilitation (Stage 1) to be passed on them. Private and government support continues to be sought out by The Township of Manitouwadge to provide further funding for the completion of the project in it’s entirety. Stage 1 is expected to begin November 1, 2009 with a proposed completion date of March 31, 2011.

Completion of the project will provide three major benefits to the community.  The availability of prime residential, commercial, and industrial lots will encourage new investment helping Manitouwadge diversify its economy, create new jobs, increase tax revenue, and potentially bring new skills and opportunities otherwise unavailable. There will be immediate job creation within the region as the township hopes to hire local contractors negatively affected by the downturn in the economy facilitating employment of people recently laid off.  Finally, the project will provide a much needed face lift to the community; several buildings being negotiated for demolition are in prime locations, noticed immediately upon entering Manitouwadge and giving a poor first impression of the community which reduces residents’ moral. The town’s restoration will increase community pride, decrease out migration, and attract new investments.