True to its branding as the “Hub of the North,” Sioux Lookout is positioning itself as a strategic location to service the region.
In 2013, Sioux Lookout partnered with Lac Seul First Nation and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug [KI] First Nation. The three communities came together through the First Nations-Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI).
CEDI is a joint initiative of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO) funded by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.
The three-way partnership was selected as one of only six communities to participate in the CEDI initiative out of more than 280 applications from across Canada.
This initiative has resulted in the urban and remote communities breaking down barriers, building new economies and marking the opening of the first First Nations-Municipal Community Economic Development “Business Hub” on October 7.
It serves to illustrate that both municipalities and First Nations can deliver results by their pooling resources and capacity to reach new heights through effective collaboration.
There is no doubt that Sioux Lookout is making it easier for investors to become even more active in the Sioux Lookout-Lac Seul Region.
The economic development department continues to move forward with exciting new projects in the works and plenty of opportunities for growth and investment.
For starters, there is the $12.6-million expansion and renovation at Sioux Lookout Airport, thanks to three-way funding of $4.2 million each from the federal and provincial governments, and the local municipality.
The airport is part of the regional transportation network that connects 31 First Nations communities.
Passenger movements through the airport terminal have tripled in the last 30 years from 40,000 to more than 120,000. The airport provides a critical link for people in Sioux Lookout and the First Nations who depend on air transportation for most of the year.
As well as personal travel, the Sioux Lookout Airport is a key connection to the business, health care, social services, education and the emerging resource development sectors.
The airport began operations in 1933, and is one of Ontario’s busiest.
Construction of the new terminal is expected to start next spring and take 18-24 months to complete. It will double the size of the current 1,000-square-metre terminal – last upgraded 20 years ago to accommodate 55,000 passengers a year – and provide space for airport security screening, additional seating, better people flow and accessibility. Like a magnet, Lac Seul First Nation is drawing north some big-name businesses. Scheduled to open this year is the 16,635-square-foot Giant Tiger store, located across from the Tim Hortons coffee shop, owned by Lac Seul.
With a population of 5,500, the Sioux Lookout area has been on a major growth curve with $250 million in past capital projects and another $50 million slated for the coming year. Sioux Lookout and its First Nation partners are truly breaking down barriers and building new economies.
