Budget could transform FedNor: MP – The Chronicle Journal

This years federal budget included a boost to Northern Ontario with an additional $25 million over the next five years for the regions economic development driver.

The enhanced funding for FedNor was part of the national spending plan, which was unveiled by the Liberal government last week.

Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu sees the new funding commitment as having the potential to transform and change the focus of FedNor.

(FedNor has) been sort of playing jack-of-all-trades for far too many years. Its been called on for everything from economic development to small and remote community infrastructure needs, Hajdu said after a Thursday morning news conference at Confederation College where she and fellow Liberal MP Don Rusnak (Thunder Bay-Rainy River) presented details of the budget.

What I want to see is FedNor really focus its energies on driving that economic change, making sure that innovation, small business and those kinds of projects have the support they need.

Last year the FedNor budget was $31 million, much less than half its previous annual high of $76 million a decade ago.

Hajdu spent a significant amount of her time speaking to the assembled audience talking about how the budget will encourage skills development and innovation, which she said FedNor can play a role in creating.

She noted there is an emerging bio-tech sector cluster in Thunder Bay that makes her really optimistic.

Diversification is really how were all going to survive here in the North. Weve relied for a long time on resource extraction, Hajdu said.

Its still going to be a large portion of our bread and butter but the more diverse our communities get, the more we are resilient. When the economy falters based on resource extraction, then we will have other options.

Hajdu pointed to a commitment of $2 billion over 11 years for rural and northern infrastructure as an initiative that can take further pressure off FedNor.

That will really address some of the infrastructure deficits we see across Northwestern Ontario, Hajdu said, with things for fundamental things like water treatment plants, roofs on community centre, like pool liners in Manitouwadge, which dont seem like huge investments but are actually very critical to the safety and security of those communities. Communities need to feel like their basic needs are being taken care of and they cant attract new residents if they dont have those fundamentals.

Coun. Joe Virdiramo, chair of the citys intergovernmental affairs committee, said its too early to reach conclusions about whether this is a good budget for Thunder Bay.

We dont have the details. Really, when we have more info well certainly apply for whatever but it doesnt look very hopeful for us, Virdiramo said.

Were looking for some housing money, hopefully that will come.

Virdiramo also expressed concern about how effective the additional FedNor money will actually be across all of Northern Ontario.

See the full story on page A3 of the print and digital editions of The Chronicle-Journal.

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Budget could transform FedNor: MP - The Chronicle Journal