Around the North

A third-quarter loss of $68 million has prompted metals giant Noranda Inc. to slash 550 jobs.

The City of North Bay is exploring the idea of contracting out city services to the private sector. City council is awaiting documentation that proves privatization would save money before making a final decision.

A mining company in North Bay has been fined $5,000 for operating an aggregate pit without a licence. Northern Mining and Exploration Inc.

Longlac Wood Industries, in the Municipality of Greenstone, closed its doors in early November and company officials say the plant could remain idle for up to a year.

The former Northern Empire gold mill in Beardmore is back in operation again after remaining idle for almost a decade.

First Nations people of Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan celebrated the opening of economic development corporation offices in Beardmore in late October.

With call centre growth in Sault Ste. Marie expected to create 2,000 new representative jobs over the next two years, Sault College has introduced a call centre representative program this month to train workers for this rapidly growing industry.

Gold Corp Inc. has increased its gold reserves at Red Lake mine by 25 per cent over last year's predictions. Commercial gold production at Red Lake mine began on Jan. 1 of this year.

An undisclosed private development group is the new owner of the former Shell property on the Parry Sound waterfront. The sale of the 10-acre property closed in late October after months of negotiations between Shell and the buyers.

Sault Ste. Marie's industrial marketing strategy received a $260,000-kick-start from the provincial government, through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, during a Nov. 1 visit to the city by Premier Mike Harris.