TEMAGAMI – The Municipality of Temagami has been presented with a unique business opportunity.
Fortier Beverages, of Cochrane, which in recent years has bottled and distributed Temagami Dry, has made the decision not to continue producing those products.
The company now has offered the trademark and the production/distribution rights for Temagami Dry to the municipality for $7,500.
The municipality noted that some generous donors have offered to pay for the entire purchase amount.
If the offer is accepted, Temagami would have ownership and control of the Temagami Dry trademark, which has been bottled and sold in the area since 1916, as well as the ability to licence its production and distribution.
Trademarks also are required to be renewed every five years, which, including legal fees, costs $1,000, or $200 a year.
The municipality now has three options: not purchase the trademark; purchase the trademark and associated product lines and take the necessary steps to licence their use; or do a combination of both and purchase the trademark but not do anything with it at the moment.
The municipality says it is in the final stages of approving a strategic plan for the next few years and some recommendations by its consultant included the establishment of an economic development entity.
Part of that could be a body, separate from council, which would manage the Temagami Dry trademark and its usage.
By doing so, the municipality says there could be more economic development activity centred around the Temagami Dry trademark, provided that the necessary steps were taken.
The municipality is now seeking the community’s input on what it should do regarding the trademark purchase matter. Ideas and feedback can be sent to [email protected].
Jamie Mountain is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter working out of the Temiskaming Speaker.
It's not Temagami, but see the Barenaked Ladies sing Canada Dry below!
