Nairn & Hyman Township Mayor Amy Mazey says it is a tough time for the community, but they are resilient and confident that with time and effort, the community will move forward.
Mazey and township CAO Belinda Ketchabaw attended a closed-door roundtable meeting last Friday to discuss how the community can move forward with the impending closure of the Interfor Nairn sawmill and planer, followed by a town hall meeting later in the day.
She says MP Jim Belanger, MPPs France Gelinas and Bill Rosenberg, and surrounding municipal leaders were joined by employees, where she reported on efforts made to support those workers.
Mazey adds that this includes raising awareness with ministers at the FONOM meeting, a recent job fair, and local resources available to assist them.
Interfor is in the process of selling off the last of its stock before it closes the mill operations indefinitely.
Up to 250 workers are affected.
The closed round table earlier in the day included MP Jim Bélanger, MPP Bill Rosenberg, MPP France Gélinas, representatives from the Ontario Ministries of Northern Development, Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Municipal Affairs and Housing, Natural Resources, and Rural Affairs, as well as Service Canada and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor).
Regional partners also included Mayor Doug Gervais and CAO Joseph Burke of the Town of Espanola, Mayor Kevin Burke and CAO Anne Whalen of the Municipality of Sables-Spanish Rivers, and Louisa Nadeau, Manager of Economic Development for the LaCloche Region.
Discussion focused on the significant impact the curtailment will have on workers, families, contractors, suppliers, local businesses, and municipalities across the region.
The Township of Nairn and Hyman has already begun working with Service Canada and Employment Options to connect workers with available resources and is planning to host a job fair in Nairn Centre later in June to bring together employers, service providers, and support agencies.
The future of the Interfor Nairn Sawmill and the broader forestry sector was also a key focus of the discussion.
Mayor Mazey raised the concept of creating a coalition of Northern Ontario forestry municipalities to strengthen advocacy efforts and support a coordinated approach to forestry issues.
She also shared the Township’s vision of becoming a forestry anchor community by supporting forestry-related investment and innovation.
CAO Belinda Ketchabaw highlighted the challenges small rural municipalities face when responding to major economic disruptions and emphasized the need for capacity-building support and funding programs that will help communities advance economic diversification initiatives and attract new investment opportunities.
Mayor Mazey was encouraged by the strong participation and engagement, “The discussion was positive and hopeful. Moving forward, we will process all the options, go to council, and proceed to diversify and strengthen the local economy.”
