City, First Nation partner for prosperity
By: Brent Linton, CJ Staff
Fort William First Nation and the City of Thunder Bay are looking at ways to improve economic prosperity through joint development.
“It is a step that we’ve needed to take and it has been a long time coming,” said Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins on Wednesday. “It is about building sustainable futures.”
Representitives from Thunder Bay, Fort William First Nation and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) met to start a dialogue on how the city and neighbouring First Nation can work together through the FCM’s Community Economic Development Inititative.
One area being looked at is how land on Fort William First Nation can be developed, said Collins pointing to Resolute (Forest Products) as a prime example of how industry can be developed.
Collins figures that 75 per cent of the people employed at the Resolute sawmill on the First Nation live in Thunder Bay.
“We are looking to create a brighter future for our communities — our kids — and give them hope and take that dispair away from them,” explained Collins.
An estimated 1,100 people live in Fort William First Nation and about 1,100 people come to work in the First Nation.
“With community consultation and with council resolutions to move forward . . . we will be trying to settle on projects that would work well in our area,” said Linda Rydholm. The Thunder Bay councillor for the ward of Neebing is the city’s representative on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board and said they’re looking at several sectors, including tourism, manufacturing and agriculture.
“We will be looking to see what is the best fit for Fort William First Nation and the city of Thunder Bay.”
Helping facilitate the talks were representatives from the Community Economic Development Initiative and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
Find the full article here.