News Release
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TORONTO, ONTARIO -- Today, Progressive Conservative Leadership Candidate Vic Fedeli continued his support to revitalize an idle mill in Fort Frances, which community leaders say could create 1,000 local jobs. The mill has been shut down and a US-based company that wanted to re-open it could not arrive at a deal to acquire timber rights. Despite calls from the community for the Liberal government to help, Kathleen Wynne continues to shy away from real action.
Seventy-two hours after community leaders from Fort Frances travelled to Queen’s Park, there has still been no movement from Kathleen Wynne. In response, Vic Fedeli is calling upon Wynne to put Ontario First:
I stand with the Rainy River District Municipalities and First Nations, with the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) and the many communities across the North who have for years requested that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry transform the forest management model to a modern structure that would encourage new entrants into the marketplace. I have spoken to Fort Frances Mayor Avis and Couchiching First Nations Chief Sara Mainville and I believe it is time for the Ontario government to take action.
Since the Liberals have been in power, thousands of people have been put out of work in the forestry sector. Kathleen Wynne has created confusion and turmoil in how forest resources are allocated. This has pitted companies against each other instead of maximizing the economic resources of a well-managed forest.
Kathleen Wynne’s continued failure to take action may now result in the loss of another Ontario manufacturing facility. The Fort Frances pulp mill may be torn down instead of being sold to an innovative, growing specialty paper company who want to invest in Ontario. Ontario is now harvesting roughly half of the wood that we once did. Yet the Ontario government refuses to support new investments in forestry that will create 1,000 jobs and generate $100 million in new investments.
As the former Mayor of North Bay, I championed smart economic policy that supported Canadian jobs. Governments have a role to play supporting manufacturing jobs with policies that foster investment. I fought the Far North Act and this government’s desire to cut half of northern Ontario out of logging and mining.
As a candidate for leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, I believe that we must focus on prosperity for all and ensuring a strong quality of life. That is why I helped launch this effort by securing the media studio for community leaders, as well as put the question to the Premier as the lead question in Question Period. Still, we wait for an answer.
Kathleen Wynne needs to support community leaders in Fort Frances, help get the community back to work and put Ontario First.
