HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-01-22, Page 1On the rails
After a successful collection process, nearly 400 bicycles were gathered at Spring Breezes
just outside of Blyth by Jack and Sylvia Nonkes, loaded and sent to begin their trip to Africa.
Several members of the community came out to help load the 383 bicycles, spare tires, spare
parts and books onto the truck and prepare it for transport. There are many variables,
including weather that could factor into travel time, but Sylvia estimates the container will be
in Africa in four to six weeks. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
While 2009 is being forecasted to
come chock-full of challenges,
Huron County residents can rest
easy knowing some of the area’s
brightest minds are on the case.
With economic difficulties
sprouting up from a stock market in
turmoil, a manufacturing sector in
transition and an auto industry
looking to be bailed out, the question
remains: what can be done at a local
level?
Economic development officers
have been hard at work prioritizing
items for implementation in the
coming months not only to keep
Huron County competitive, but to
have Ontario’s west coast flourish
when given the opportunity.
Huron County economic
development officer Mike Pullen is
looking towards a year where nearly
75 per cent of his initiatives will be
web-based.
While traditional promotion will
be required to get the word out,
using space in newspapers, posters
and tourism booklets, Pullen says
the foundation that was laid in 2008
with the new economic development
services division will soon see those
ideas implemented in 2009.
Pullen says there will soon be a
Huron County website dedicated
strictly to economic development.
The website will feature a
searchable property interface,
workforce statistics for the area, a
listing of available land and a
comprehensive county profile.
In addition to those points, there
will be particular attention paid to
the county’s four pillars of economic
development; agriculture,
manufacturing, tourism and creative
industries.
Pullen is optimistic that 2009 can
be a great year for Huron County
and with the projects in place, he
says the foundation is being laid for
an aggressive year in economic
development.
Pullen’s ideas will all require
funding. He is awaiting the final
approval of a project that has already
been approved in principle by
county council that will see a
county-wide gateway and directional
signage program implemented.
In addition, Pullen says he is
confident and optimistic that
provincial funding could be on the
way to help with some of the
county’s initiatives.
One initiative that has not yet
made its way past the planning stage
is a branding concept that has proven
to be successful throughout the
province and on a national level as
well.
A program piloted by Prime
Minister Stephen Harper has seen
Canadian food products branded
with a Canadian-made logo. In
addition the Ontario Cattlemen’s
Association has seen great success
with the Ontario corn-fed beef
brand, after it was picked up by
Loblaws for distribution.
Pullen says he is exploring the
possibilities of a branding program
for food grown in Huron County that
would tell consumers the product
they are about to buy was grown
right in their backyard.
This is part of Pullen’s attempt to
unify the county’s agricultural
sector. He says engaging this part of
the community is one of his most-
important tasks in the coming
months.
Unification is also on the minds of
North Huron councillors, who are
currently shopping a proposal that
would see municipalities band
together in a unified economic
development approach for 2009 and
beyond.
Councillor Greg McClinchey
brought the proposal to North Huron
councillors, who loved it.
McClinchey said the idea occurred
to him in order to help out North
Huron in light of tax raises at higher
government levels and in co-
ordinance with the municipality’s
recent push on economic
development.
“In the last two years, North
Huron council has really been
pressing economic development.
Municipalities are facing an ever-
increasing demand on their tax
dollars,” he said.
“It is incumbent upon councils to
come up with new ways to raise
Economic initiatives get top priority in Huron
Wescast Industries announced last
week that it was closing one of its two
Wingham plants.
A statement from the company
explained that the move, which will
result in the cutting of 140 jobs, is in
response to the problems in the auto
industry.
In a written statement, company
chair and CEO Ed Frackowiak said
“The difficult decision to close the
Wingham North Huron foundry came
after a careful evaluation of our cost
structure, expected future business
volumes and available capacity in
other facilities.”
“It’s not really a big surprise,” said
North Huron reeve Neil Vincent.
“The rumours have been floating for
some time now.”
There were those who were hopeful
that the rumours would be just that.
John Kerkhof of Brussels who has
been employed at the plant for 15
years, said staff was called to a
meeting in the cafeteria to hear the
news. “We saw it coming, but they
had sounded positive about the future.
I know that sounds like a
contradiction, but there was a feeling
things might turn around.”
Kerkhof said at the meeting they
were told the plant would close
between the middle and end of
March.
The closure is expected to save the
company about $10 million a year.
Morris-Turnberry mayor Dorothy
Kelly said the closure will mean
approximately $45,000-$50,000 in
lost taxes for the municipality. “And
of course, it will be a disaster for the
municipality in so far as jobs for
people.”
Kelly said she hopes that
infrastructure funding from federal
and provincial governments will help
create some employment
opportunities.
“The only thing the municipality
can do otherwise is keep the budget
down. We are hoping for no tax
increase. We need to keep things
lean.”
Vincent said he realizes that many
of those losing jobs will not find work
immediately. However, he thinks
there are opportunities out there if
people are willing to look. “Huron
Manufacturing Association was
talking a year ago about attracting
people to certain jobs. No, the wage
level may not be the same, but this
economic situation is so broad it
brings to fruition the concept of re-
training.”
He feels that most people in the
area are accepting of that. “I am
proud of the resiliency of many of
these workers. They are looking at
different opportunities rather than
believing that the sky is falling.”
For some, especially people
nearing retirement but not yet there,
the situation is frightening. “There is
a lot of indecision for people 55-60 as
to where they fit. Yes, this is bad, but
I want to believe when a door closes
at least a windows open and solutions
will come to you if you look.”
The foundry’s production will
transfer to the Wingham Water Street
foundry over the next few months.
The two foundries operate under the
same union contract so the
streamlining affects workers at both
plants.
Staff have taken the news as
expected, according to Kerkhof. “I
don’t know if you could say there was
shock in the room that day, but the
mood was very low.”
(More on page 7)
CitizenTh
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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009
Volume 25 No. 3FARM- Pg. 10Huron County Beef Producersget annual update WINTER SAFETY - Pg.11Promoting safesnowmobilingGOOD WORKS - Pg. 6Blyth students kick off KidsGiving Water programPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
Wescast closes its
North Huron site
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Continued on page 6