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Chambers want five actions addressed in Far North Act

Four Northern chambers of commerce have released a joint statement highlighting five specific actions pertaining to the Far North Act they want to be addressed immediately. The chambers from Greater Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste.
Northern Ontario Business Staff

Four Northern chambers of commerce have released a joint statement highlighting five specific actions pertaining to the Far North Act they want to be addressed immediately.

The chambers from Greater Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay released the statement Sept. 9.

The provincial government introduced the Far North Act (FNA) for first reading on June 2, 2009 and it received Royal Assent Oct. 25, 2010. Its purpose is to permanently protect at least half of Ontario's Far North for the "sustainable development of natural resources" as well the preservation of biological diversity and ecological processes.
"The Far North Act affects us collectively and individually, and we want to ensure that it is carried out in a responsible and inclusive manner that respects all Northern groups, be they businesses, municipalities or First Nations," said Julie Dénommé, vice-chair of the Greater Sudbury chamber.
The five areas include reconsidering the setting of an arbitrary, externally developed protection target (50 per cent) and communicate instead how the land use planning process will identify areas within the Far North for protection; transferring FNA oversight and implementation from the Ministry of Natural Resources to the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry; incorporating non-First Nations communities and businesses into the development of the Far North land use strategy; providing sufficient resources for the Far North Act to be implemented responsibly, and ensuring that the FNA process does not add to the regulatory burden of business already imposed by the Ontario Mining Act and Endangered Species Act.
“The impact of the Far North Act will be will felt throughout Northern Ontario, and while its ideas of sustainable development are important, it requires a more carefully considered approach,” said Christine Leclair, Timmins Chamber of Commerce president.

“The recommendations offered by the northeastern chambers of commerce provide some important points from which the province can examine a new position that will better serve all Northerners.”