Determined to chart their own economic future, the Town of Iroquois Falls cut the ribbon in April on an economic development office and established a community development team. The paper mill town was almost dealt a blow last summer when Abitibi-Consolidated threatened to shut down its No. 1 paper machine. An agreement was hammered out between the company and union, but the situation made town officials more determined to pursue economic diversification opportunities. Four full-time staff positions have been created, subsidized by Human Resources Development Canada, FedNor and the town. Among projects the town is considering are: a log merchandising yard, a high-speed bandwidth network-Smart Community project, tourist development and a unique global positioning system Discovery Tour.
