Like its neighbouring communities, Black River-Matheson is reaping the benefits of a booming mining industry, but is feeling the pinch of a housing shortage.
“There certainly is a need for more housing,” said Mayor Mike Milinkovitch.
Two mining companies – St Andrew Goldfields and Brigus Gold – are in production in the area and in the past three years, about 1,000 people have been hired between them.
“We have an increasing demand for housing and we do have an approved subdivision (in Matheson),” the mayor said. “A number of developers are interested but nothing specific has come about. We are anxious for something to happen here and we are looking at building 30 to 40 homes as quickly as possible.”
Due to its small size and the fact Kirkland Lake, Timmins and Cochrane are also facing demands for housing, it's been difficult to attract a developer. In addition to the community, the township also includes Holtyre, Ramore, Shillington and Val Gagne. Matheson, located about 70 kilometres east of Timmins, has a population of 900 people.
“I was in a store recently and I was stopped by someone who said he had been looking for a house for months. He said he was bringing his family here, but he was living in a room,” Milinkovitch said. “I know there is no housing, but we can't do anything until a developer comes in.”
In mid-June, only six homes were listed for sale on the MLS (multiple listing service) website of the Canadian Real Estate Association.
The community's housing shortage is not entirely due to the mines in the area. Milinkovitch said Matheson also attracts those in Timmins who find it easier to drive from the community to Kidd Mine and the former Kidd Creek metallurgical site (when it was operational).
“If they lived on the west side of Timmins, it took them longer to drive through Timmins to get to the sites than it would from Matheson,” the mayor said. “And when coming from Matheson, it meant not driving into the sun in the morning and for the drive home. There is a housing shortage there too so what happens in that city means we get a spinoff.”
Kirkland Lake is also facing a housing shortage and a study completed last summer indicated 100 new homes a year for the next six years would be required. The Young-Davidson Mine, three kilometres west of Matachewan, has also put some pressure on the community's housing. Development proposals ranging from sub-divisions to temporary modular housing have been submitted to the municipality.
Cochrane is in need of housing due to the development of Detour Lake Mine 180 kilometres northeast of the town. It no longer has municipal residential lots, but the town is working with a developer on a proposed residential subdivision in the northeast part of the community.
Businesses in Matheson “have never had it better,” Milinkovitch said, “so I would have to use the phrase that Black-River Matheson is booming at this time.”
However, due to its diversified economy and not relying on any one industry, the mayor said it was able to ride the economic downturn a few years ago without any major negative effects.
“We don't have one major mill or one major employer that would make the town disappear if it were to close or let everyone go,” Milinkovitch said.
www.blackriver-matheson.com
