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Smooth Rock Falls introduces new attraction and retention incentives

Community looking to entice new businesses, residents
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The community of Smooth Rock Falls is located about an hour north of Timmins.

The Town of Smooth Rock Falls has rolled out new incentives in an effort to attract new businesses and residents to the community.

“Smooth Rock Falls is open for business and everyone’s welcome here. Our new tagline, logo and website accurately capture what life in our community is like,” Mayor Michel Arseneault said in a release.

“We’re very, very serious about our invitation to move to our ‘near north, near perfect’ community. To show how serious we are, we’re offering unparalleled community and financial incentives to encourage families, seniors and businesses to make the move.”

Highlights of the new incentives include:

  • land offered for up to 90 per cent below market value; serviced land in town and on the golf course can be purchased for $500;
  • enormous tax breaks for new homeowners over three years: 100 per cent the first year, 75 per cent the second year and 25 per cent the third year;
  • economic development incentives for business owners: loans or grants up to a maximum of 15 per cent of eligible costs, up to a maximum of a million dollars;
  • loan guarantees for residential and non-residential construction projects up to 50 per cent of construction costs: up to a maximum of $100,000 for residential and $500,000 for non-residential projects; and 
  • a generous Tax Increment Grant Program for businesses, including: a 75 per cent rebate in year one, 50 per cent rebate in year two and 25 per cent rebate in year three.

“After the town’s main employer, Tembec mill, closed in 2006, we knew we had to be creative and take charge of our destiny or the town would disappear,” said Arseneault.

“At town council, we looked at what we wanted to achieve and we developed bold incentives to help us accomplish our goals. We’re a community that is not afraid to embrace change and take risks.” 

Smooth Rock Falls is a safe, friendly, bilingual town of 1,300 residents. Home to a state-of-the-art regional hospital, library, numerous churches, French and English schools and an assortment of well-maintained recreational facilities, Smooth Rock Falls is a great place to live and work.

Visit Smooth Rock Falls’ new website here.