Growth Plan for
Northern Ontario, 2011
Presentation to the
Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, 2011
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Released March 4th, 2011
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A strategic 25-year plan to strengthen Northern Ontario that will:
• Diversify the region's economic base
• Increase access to education, training and career opportunities
• Ensure communities are well positioned to attract people and investment
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Will guide regional decision-making and investment planning over next 25 years:
• strategic capital planning investments
• integrated, coordinated planning and economic development efforts across
government
• continued involvement of northerners in implementation
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Legislation
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Growth Plan given force and effect through the Places to
Grow Act, 2005.
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Purposes of the Act:
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Sustain a robust economy, build strong communities, and promote a
healthy environment and a culture of conservation
Promote a rational and balanced approach to growth-related decisions
Broad approach to planning across natural and municipal boundaries
Ensure that a long-term vision and goals guide decision-making about
growth
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Sets out process for Growth Plan amendments and for a
review of Growth Plans at least every ten years
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Municipal official plans are to conform with growth plan within
three years or an alternative date determined by the Minister.
• For the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, the Minister has set
an alternative date: March 3, 2016
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Growth Plan for Northern Ontario
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The Growth Plan is organized into the following
chapters:
1. Context
2. Economy
3. People
4. Communities
Six key policy themes
5. Infrastructure
6. Environment
7. Aboriginal peoples
8. Implementation
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Implementation – From blueprint to action
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Strategic provincial investment
• Open Ontario Plan and annual budgets
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Inter-ministry and inter-governmental coordination
• An integrated and coordinated approach to
implement Plan’s policies.
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Performance Measurement
• Province will work with external partners to develop a set of performance
indicators.
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Continued involvement of northerners in implementation:
• Including municipalities, Aboriginal communities, business, industry, research
and educational institutions
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Economy
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Sets out priorities to:
• Diversify the region’s economy
• Stimulate new investment and
entrepreneurship
• Nurture emerging industries
Identifies 11 priority sectors.
Responds to changing global economy
through five-year Northern Ontario
economic plans.
Supports a culture of innovation and
entrepreneurship.
Aligns with integrated labour market
planning.
Implementation Highlights
• Modernization of the Mining Act
• Wood supply competition
• Promotion of wood use
• Forest Tenure reform
• Export assistance to mining supply
and service and forestry sectors
• Northern Industrial Electricity Rate
Program
• Strategic investments by the
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
• Regional tourism organizations
• Thunder Bay Regional Research
Institute – now part of MARs
• Northern technology centres part of
Ontario Innovation Strategy
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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People
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Aims to expand secondary and postsecondary
opportunities, continuing education and training
Links skills development to priority economic sectors
Focuses on improving access to health care and
opportunities for health care practitioners in the
North.
Implementation Highlights
• Northern Policy Institute
• Three-year $45-million skills training initiative for Aboriginal peoples and Northern Ontarians
• Additional post-secondary spaces
• New financial literacy resources for Grades 4 to 12
• Creation of 29 Family Health Teams
• 2100 NOHFC internship and co-op placements since beginning of program in 2005
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Communities
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Encourages all municipalities to
develop long-term community visions
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Establishes policies for economic and
service hubs - to be identified
through further consultation
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Encourages the North’s largest cities
to plan for their strategic core areas,
including revitalization strategies
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Calls for shared regional economic
plans built on areas of competitive
advantage to focus energies and
investments
Implementation Highlights
• Two regional economic planning
area pilots
• Regional economic summits
• June 13-14 (Thunder Bay) and
June 15-16 (Sudbury)
• Municipal Planning and Financial
Tools for Economic Development
handbook
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Infrastructure
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Co-ordinates infrastructure planning, land-use
planning and infrastructure investment:
• Transportation planning for efficient
movement of people and goods
• Education infrastructure
• Information & communications technology
• Reliable energy generation & transmission
Implementation Highlights
• Ontario’s 10-year capital plan
• Long-term Energy Plan - A new transmission supply line to Pickle Lake and a new East-West tie line
• Northern Ontario Multimodal Transportation Strategy - A long-term strategy optimizing rail, air, marine
and road transportation
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Capital investments - Close to $1.2 billion in Northern Ontario infrastructure in 2010-11
Broadband / digital economy - $32 million in a joint federal-provincial initiative to bring high-speed
broadband to 26 remote communities
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Environment
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Promotes balanced approach to sustainable
development of natural resources
Supports planning for climate change mitigation and
adaptation.
Supports measures to protect and preserve air quality,
water quality and natural heritage.
Fosters strong environmental leadership and a culture
of conservation.
Promotes opportunities in the green economy
Implementation Highlights
• Green Energy and Green Economy Act
• Species at Risk
• Water Opportunities Act
• Climate Change adaptation and mitigation
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Aboriginal Peoples
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Acknowledges Aboriginal and treaty rights
Collaborative efforts to support:
• capacity building
• Increased participation in economic
development & labour market opportunities
• Education & training opportunities
• Reduced socio-economic gaps with focus
on health status and educational attainment
Implementation Highlights
• New Relationship Fund
• Establishment of Ring of Fire coordinator and secretariat
• Far North Act and local land use planning
• Aboriginal Postsecondary Education and Training Policy Framework
• $45 million for three-year skills training initiative for Aboriginal peoples & Northern Ontarians
• Aboriginal Loan Guarantee Program - $250 million available for Aboriginal communities to secure
financing for equity share in energy partnerships
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Next Steps – Spring 2011
• Stakeholder engagement and implementation of marquee initiatives
• Northern Policy Institute
• Northern Ontario Multimodal Transportation Strategy
• Regional Economic Summits
• Two regional economic development planning area pilots
• Work with other Ministries and government partners to align existing investments
with Growth Plan priorities wherever possible
• Work with other Ministries and stakeholders to develop “second round” of Growth
Plan initiatives
• Continued involvement of northerners, municipalities, Aboriginal communities,
business, industry, research and educational institutions and others.
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Implementation - A Collaborative Effort
• Within this 25-year plan, what are key priorities to address in the
short- and medium-term?
• Where are the strongest opportunities for growth in urban, rural and
Aboriginal communities?
• Where do you see opportunities for northern communities and
organizations to play a role in implementation?
• What initiatives are occuring at a local or regional level that are
advancing the Growth Plan directions?
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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Ministry of Infrastructure
Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry
MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY
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