Queens-Lunenburg Can Build Future on Forests, Innovation, Small Business

People in Queens, Lunenburg and surrounding counties have a bright future if everyone keeps working together, builds on the region's strengths, dares to innovate and seize new opportunities.

This collective effort will help diversify the economy, and keep and attract families in the region says the team appointed by Premier Darrell Dexter to support the community following the loss of its biggest employer, Bowater Mersey.

The Transition Advisory Team, chaired by Ron Smith, released its report, Our Community Our Future, today, Dec. 7, in Liverpool.

"This is a region that is hurting because of the mill closing and there are still big challenges ahead. But this is also a community that is not sitting still and waiting for someone to make it all right," said Mr. Smith.

"A lot of great things are happening in Lunenburg, Queens, and what the families and businesses of this community need is for everyone to continue working together."

The team makes recommendations focused on making the most of the region's people and its resources, including seizing on opportunities in research and development into new value-added forest products such as biofuels and advanced wood products, promoting innovation, supporting new and small businesses, expanding tourism through more focused marketing, and capitalizing on the region's current advantages in seafood and agricultural production.

Premier Dexter thanked the advisory team members for their many hours of work and everyone in the community who brought forward their ideas and concerns.

"These recommendations show that you, the residents of southwest Nova Scotia, are ready, willing and able to chart a new path for the future," said Premier Dexter.

"The province stood by you in the early days of this crisis situation, and will continue to stand beside you in the days ahead. You have my word, and you will see quick action on some of your highest priorities in building a more prosperous South West Nova Scotia."

Recommendations include:

• two or three project managers hired to work on community priorities
• small business hubs to support new and home-based businesses
• better access to capital for small businesses
• more flexibility and simpler access to government support programs
• a research-development-demonstration site at the former Bowater mill property to develop and commercialize new value-added wood products, such as biofuels and engineered wood products.
• promotion of a community forest model
• work with the construction industry on the merits of wood and wood products in commercial construction
• work with farmers to identify new agricultural products and value-added businesses for their produce.

"As a first step and as an immediate response to the recommendations, the province will provide resources to hire two project officers to pursue many of the good ideas in the report," said Premier Dexter.

Chris Clarke, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality, welcomed the report.

"The report is a good beginning. It points us in several directions on which to re-build our economy. This is a proud, resilient community.

"In fact, since becoming mayor, I have been enormously impressed by the spirit of support in Queens and the determination to push ahead with re-building our future. We will continue to move forward with the confidence that we will continue to have strong, the province's support."

The transition team, whose mandate was to engage residents in a discussion about the economic future of their community, heard from more than 500 residents, community and business leaders and youth over six months.

The team held two public forums, hosted two online surveys, visited local high and junior high schools and received more than 70 written submissions from community members.

A copy of the report, a full summary of the written submissions, surveys and ideas heard during the consultations are posted online at http://novascotia.ca/bowatertransition. Copies of the report will also be available at the Bowater Transition Office and the South Shore Opportunities Office at 7 Henry Hensey Dr., Liverpool and Employment Solutions Society, 110-215 Dominion Street, Bridgewater.

The advisory team was also instrumental in ensuring issues and concerns of workers and the community, such as worker retraining and pensions, were relayed quickly to government and other agencies for action.

An interdepartmental provincial response team from Economic and Rural Development, Labour and Advanced Education, Natural Resources and Career Counselling Centres and Community Business Development Corporations continue to support the community's needs.