In her 25 plus years of living in Red Lake, Linda Craven has never seen so many cranes operating before - a good sign of development that she hopes will continue for some time.
As an economic development co-ordinator for Chukuni Communities Development Corp., Craven has seen a town of 4,600 blossom to over an estimated 5,000 due to mineral exploration.
“We seem to be in a bit of a boom,” she says, with hopeful restraint.
“Both Goldcorp Inc. and (Placer Dome’s) Campbell mine are expanding. Goldcorp is actually sinking a new shaft and that will bring quite a few new jobs to the community. I believe Campbell is adding about 25 jobs. I think they are hoping to go deeper with the existing shaft.”
Mineral exploration in the area has been abound as companies like Candor Ventures Corp., Hawkeye Gold & Diamond Inc., Placer Dome Canada, Rubicon Minerals Corp. and Redstar Gold Corp. along with 80 other companies jockey for findings that could result in mine(s).
It may take years before any precious metals will come out of the ground, she explains, but companies are buying property in town and setting up shop, which means they aim to stay in the area for some time, Craven adds.
So too are employees of the mines. Last spring there was a seller’s market.
Craven says there is talk of building new houses to accommodate the influx of workers.
“I think what’s been happening is a lot of the miners who have been contract miners at Goldcorp are seeing that they can move their families up and be quite comfortable in the community.”
Gary Worrall, owner of the local newspaper The Northern Sun and Red Lake Digital Media Inc., a design graphics business, says local entrepreneurs were buying up some of the older buildings that have not been used in a while and renovating them for the contract workers.
Red Lake has motels and hotels, along with a bunkhouse that was once used for the Griffith mine workers.
“Everybody is full and everybody is scrambling to look for additional accommodations,” he says.
The feeling around town is described as “almost a gold rush” and many miners and engineers come from Quebec, Newfoundland and Manitoba.
Companies were jumping at the opportunity to stake out land claims and purchase local property in the area.
Looking at the tourism sector, Craven says the region has been fuelled with a boost from government and municipal funds. Last year a committee was formed to approach different tourism groups for financial support. So successful was the initiative that they used the money to apply to FedNor for the half a million over three-year tourism grant.
“We actually received $439,490 and all the partners are contributing around $600,000.”
A recent meeting with a Thunder Bay consultant who did a three-month study to asses tourism activity in the area indicates where the town should hone in on to create opportunities. Only two months old, the Red Lake Touring Region, which represents the tourism sector of Ear Falls, Red Lake, Balmertown, Cochenour, Madson and McKenzie Island, have set dates to attend hunting and fishing trade shows, boating and golf shows to attract visitors to the area.
“We are trying to expand our summer tourism. We have a lot of hunting and fishing and the tourist camps do that well, so what we are trying to do is expand to winter tourism to keep the hotels full.”
Currently there is talk of expanding the golf course to accommodate snowmobilers during the winter season.
