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Manitoulin First Nation to develop industrial park, pellet plant

Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory receiving $1.1 million in provincial funds
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Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory (Supplied photo)

Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island is kicking off development of a light industrial park with $1 million from the province.

The province announced the funds in an Oct. 8 news release.

The First Nation community plans to use the funds to build roads and prepare lots with electrical, septic and water services. Eventually, the community plans to attract to the industrial park retail, service, manufacturing, distribution and assembly industries.

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The province also announced it’s providing $100,000 to the Wikwemikong Development Commission – the economic development branch of Wiikwemkoong – for an economic development plan to support a pellet manufacturing plant to be located in nearby Nairn Centre.

The plan will help determine the feasibility of building a plant capable of producing 150,000 metric tonnes of pellets per year. The pellets will be used as an alternative heating source, a cleaner technology than fossil fuels that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Wiiwemkoong Unceded Territory is located on the east end of Manitoulin Island, which itself is located in Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay.