Major Initiatives
Comprehensive Community Investment Readiness and Capacity Building Master Plan
The Town’s clear mandate is to complete an innovative, extensive and comprehensive Community Investment Readiness and Capacity Building Master Plan. Recognizing the importance of Vision and Long-Term Planning, moving in this direction through a Master Plan exercise, will take the community beyond a short-term thinking approach to one that is long term and comprehensive.
The Master Plan which includes eleven (11) economic development projects, is designed to take the Community to the next level of Long Term Community Growth and Sustainability. By building the right capacity to accommodate the right type of investment, the community is positioning itself for growth and development. Given the progressive decline in population and business activities in the community and the fact that the community still faces pressures that challenge its long-term sustainability, the continued ability of the Town to grow and develop with the hope of becoming a vibrant community necessitates on the planning and implementation of the proposed Master Plan.
The urgency and critical need to become investment ready by building the right capacity is further justified by two extensive regional economic development projects that are currently being developed; these being the ‘Ring of Fire’ development and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) used nuclear fuel. The community is now promoting Highway 599 as the best route to the ‘Ring of Fire’ mineral wealth in the far north. The Township is also a prime candidate in the site selection process for a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel.
The Township of Ignace believes that if these projects (Ring of Fire and geological repository) materialize, Ignace is going to boom in years to come because of the 5000 plus jobs that will be directly created, not withstanding the indirect job creation. That is why we are being proactive by anticipating these changes and putting plans in place to ensure the community is investment ready to respond and capitalize on the proceeds that would result from these developments. Even in the absence of these future projects (Ring of Fire and geological repository) Ignace has the potential to become a thriving community given our strategic location, natural features and assets. The Master Plan has been designed to allow for growth and development to take place in Ignace with or without these regional projects.
For more information on the specific projects with the Master Plan, contact the economic development department; staff is ready and available to answer all of your questions.