EECONOMICCONOMIC DDEVELOPMENTEVELOPMENT AACTIONCTION PPLANLAN TTHEHE TTHOMPSONHOMPSON EECONOMICCONOMIC DDIVERSIFICATIONIVERSIFICATION WWORKINGORKING GGROUPROUP FFINALINAL RREPORTEPORT MMarcharch 22013013 Thompson Fur Table EECONOMICCONOMIC DDEVELOPMENTEVELOPMENT AACTIONCTION PPLANLAN TTHEHE TTHOMPSONHOMPSON EECONOMICCONOMIC DDIVERSIFICATIONIVERSIFICATION WWORKINGORKING GGROUPROUP FFINALINAL RREPORTEPORT MMarcharch 22013013 AActionction PPlanlan ##5:5: EEconomicconomic DDevelopmentevelopment Supported by: CITY THOMPSON (CHAIR) UNLIMITED PROVINCE of MANITOBA THOMPSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FEDERAL THOMPSON GOVERNMENT VALE ECONOMIC MKO UNITED DIVERSIFICATION STEEL WORKERS LOCAL 6166 WORKING GROUP KTC rePLAN MMF NCN Working Group Members NACC Invited Stakeholders THE THOMPSON ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION WORKING GROUP The City of Thompson | Keewatin Tribal Council | The Manitoba Metis Federation | Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak | Thompson Unlimited ACTION PLAN #5: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 1 4.5 Reporting 8 1.1 The Thompson Economic Diversifi cation Working Group 1 4.6 Links to Other Organizations 8 1.2 Purpose of this Document 1 4.7 Financing 8 1.3 Area of Study and a Note on Jurisdiction 2 5.0 Five-Year Strategic Plan (2013-2017) 9 5.1 SWOT Analysis 9 2.0 Regional Economic Profi le 2 5.2 Service Area: Regional Service Centre 10 2.1 Regional Overview 2 5.3 Service Area: Winter Weather Testing 12 2.2 Regional Labour Force 2 5.4 Service Area: Tourism 14 5.5 Key Functions 16 3.0 Re-Tooling Thompson Unlimited 4 3.1 The Re-Tooling Process 4 6.0 Annual Work Plan (2013) 17 3.2 The Technical Implementation Committee (TIC) 4 3.3 Implementing TIC Recommendations 4 4.0 Thompson Unlimited Mandate 7 4.1 Preamble 7 4.2 Priority Areas 7 4.3 Priority Tools 7 4.4 Board Governance 7 Province of Manitoba | Northern Association of Community Councils | Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation | Thompson Chamber of Commerce | Vale THE THOMPSON ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION WORKING GROUP Churchill Lac Brochet Tadoule Lake Brochet Lynn Lake South Indian Lake Leaf Rapids Fox Lake Split Lake Gillam Granville Lake York Landing War Lake Shamattawa Nelson House Pukatawagan THOMPSON Pikwitonei Thicket Portage Sherridon Setting Lake Snow Lake Oxford House Gods River Wabowden Flin Flon God’s Lake Cross Lake Cranberry Portage Gods Lake Gods Lake Narrows 8 | Red Sucker Lake Garden Hill Norway House Wasagamack Island Lake The Pas St. Theresa’s Point Figure 1.1 - The Thompson Region The Thompson Region The City of Thompson | Keewatin Tribal Council | The Manitoba Metis Federation | Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak | Thompson Unlimited ACTION PLAN #5: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Thompson Economic Diversifi cation Working areas and prepare plans that support immediate action. Group In addition, the TEDWG stakeholders are committed to The need to broaden and diversify the economic base in strengthening the City of Thompson’s governance frame- Thompson and surrounding region is a long-standing prior- work through an updated District Development Plan and ity. Economic volatility in recent years, coupled with the Zoning By-Law. The dynamic relationship between the City November 2010 announcement that Vale will transition its of Thompson and regional communities will be better de- operations in Thompson to mining and milling by 2015, fi ned through another initiative of the TEDWG, the Thomp- have underlined the need for the City, the region and com- son and Region Infrastructure Plan (TRIP). When taken munity partners to tackle this issue head on. together, the District Development Plan, Zoning By-Law and Thompson and Region Infrastructure Plan provide a 20- The Thompson Economic Diversifi cation Working Group year strategy to stimulate and manage both economic and (TEDWG) was formed to spearhead this effort. Launched population growth through targeted infrastructure develop- on May 18, 2011, the TEDWG has a simple mission: to ment and sustainable land use planning in Thompson and accelerate Thompson’s development as a regional service region. centre in Northern Manitoba with a strong mining pillar. The TEDWG is chaired by the City of Thompson, and enjoys The TEDWG process will provide immediate direction on | 1 broad and diverse stakeholder participation with repre- specifi c priorities, such as Economic Development. It sentatives from the Province of Manitoba, Vale, Manitoba will also provide a framework for continued collaboration Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), Keewatin Tribal Council between regional stakeholders and continued action to (KTC), Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF), the Northern As- support economic diversifi cation and development over the sociation of Community Councils (NACC), Nisichawayasihk long-term. Cree Nation (NCN), Thompson Unlimited, and the Thomp- son Chamber of Commerce. The Government of Canada 1.2 Purpose of this Document and USW Local 6166 have also been invited to participate. TEDWG is being support by rePlan, a Canadian planning The Thompson Economic Diversifi cation Working Group organization that works with resource-based communities has identifi ed Economic Development as a priority area in Canada and internationally. for action. This Action Plan describes the “re-tooling” of Thompson Unlimited (TU), the City of Thompson’s economic This group is responsible for identifying and pursuing the development corporation (formally incorporated as the most promising opportunities to help Thompson and the Thompson Community Development Corporation), to sup- surrounding region diversify its economy and strengthen its port the implementation of TEDWG outcomes. position as an economic contributor in Northern Manitoba. Priority areas identifi ed by TEDWG stakeholders include: The themes of job creation and investment attraction and retention are embedded in the TEDWG process. These • Restorative Justice themes are evident in all Action Plans developed by the TEDWG, specifi cally: • Education and Training • The Restorative Justice Facility Action Plan, which • Housing implies substantial public and private sector invest- • Fostering a Local and Regional Identity ment and associated new jobs in the City and regional Corrections system; • Economic Development • The Education and Training Action Plan and Industrial Sub-committees, including representatives of the above Skills and Trades Training Master Plan, which include a mentioned organizations as well as other regional stake- focus on training local people for local or regional jobs holders, have been established to address these priority in sectors with high labour market demand; Province of Manitoba | Northern Association of Community Councils | Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation | Thompson Chamber of Commerce | Vale THE THOMPSON ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION WORKING GROUP • The Housing Action Plan, which explicitly addresses mission lines to export much of this power are under housing market pressure associated with economic development. cycles and the alignment of housing supply and labour force requirements; and There are small commercial fi sheries on a number of lakes in the Region, although the output and the employment • The Local and Regional Identity Action Plan and City of of this sector has been declining since its peak in 2003- Thompson Place Branding Strategy, which address the 2004. image of the city to both internal and external audi- ences to support the attraction and retention of skilled Commercial fur trapping continues in the Region and labour in Thompson. Thompson’s annual Fur Table is a key marketplace of this sector’s output. Hunting and trapping also serve as an Job creation and investment attraction and retention goals important food source for people and communities in also inform the Regulatory Framework developed by the Northern Manitoba. TEDWG, as noted in Section 1.1, above. Forestry is centred in The Pas and harvesting operations The purpose of this document is to align Thompson Unlim- extended to near Thompson when the sector was more ited’s mandate with the outcomes of the broader TEDWG active prior to the collapse of the US housing market in process in order to empower TU to support or actively 2007-2008. implement TEDWG recommendations. This document includes a Five-Year Strategic Plan that identifi es the orga- Even the Region’s northern climate has become a renew- nization’s broad service areas and general functions. The able resource through the development of cold weather 2013 Annual Work Plan is also included and details the testing of jet engines and vehicles. Thompson hosts GLA- specifi c tasks of the organization in achieving its mandate. CIER, a modern dedicated jet testing facility and has some dedicated and general facilities that are used by automo- 1.3 Area of Study and a Note on Jurisdiction tive companies for cold weather testing of vehicles. The area of study for the Economic Development Action 2.1 Regional Labour Force Plan includes the City of Thompson and surrounding region. The boundaries of the surrounding region were defi ned by Thompson’s regional labour force refl ects the fact that the Thompson Economic Diversifi cation Working Group and Thompson is fi rst and foremost a modern service economy: 2 | are highlighted above in Figure 1.1. The broader regional context is essential to understanding the City of Thomp- • About 72% of the labour force in Thompson is engaged son’s role as a service hub and speaks to the need for new in government and a commercial services, compared or enhanced relationships between the City’s economic