The following notes represent a consolidated record of all group discussions held in The Pas on January 30, 2006. The final Creating Opportunities report reflects the input received at this and other consultations held throughout Manitoba.

Opportunities | Supports | Entrepreneurship

OPPORTUNITIES

A number of value-added opportunities exist in Manitoba.

What opportunities exist for value-added business in this area?

• Manufacturing to support farms

• Hog processing to consume local barley.

• Hog farming and processing

• Tour companies to promote travel packages, such as fishing, hunting, birding, ecotourism, canoeing packages.

• Use of wheat and canola for local bio-energy production.

• Smallscale flour mill

• Inland terminal for grain destined for Churchill.

• Concentrate on meat as a use for local grain, first more hogs and cattle, then processing.

• Ship meat to north from The Pas.

• Specialty meat products

• Hay compacting

• Sell garden products like Bayline Regional Round Table that provides tillers.

• Growing and processing of vegetables.

• Greenhouses

• Food development centre in The Pas.

• Small winery

• Processing of dried berries, etc, at wild rice plant.

• Import of more products through Churchill.

• Increased harvesting, production and sales of non-timber forest products, such as mint tea, poplar buds, birch sap, maple syrup and liqueur.

• Wild rice (wine)

• Herbs and spices

• Copper and gold artwork

• Spruce tops for Christmas trees.

• Diamond Willow “crafts”

• Organic pet food from fish refuse.

• Roof rafters and floor joists.

• Re-use of old mine shafts.

• Limestone (pink) and other stone for landscaping.

• Promote local products to tourists.

• Promote northern cuisine to tourists, tie in with test kitchen.

What is preventing the area from taking advantage of these opportunities?

• Distance and resulting transportation costs are an issue.

• Port of Churchill is underused.

• Government regulations in transportation and marketing.

• Canadian (versus U.S.A.) pricing of crops.

• Other countries use Canada’s resources for value-added production.

• Need processing facilities

• Need better loading facilities in The Pas.

• Need better highways from The Pas to Saskatchewan.

• Need education and technical advice.

• Lack of start-up, investment dollars.

• High cost of local labour.

• Lack of initiative and leadership, need champions.

• Uncertainty about the future of the community – Tolko, industry, town.

• No local branding, such as “Gateway to the North”.

• Need to market beyond the area.

• Non-timber forest products are a new industry, Northern Forest Diversification Centre (NFDC) is still determining products that will generate revenue, still selling lots of raw product.

• Need co-operation at all levels of government.

• Need better communication within communities in the north.

• Need better communication technology (highspeed Internet).

• Need information on new enterprises – technical support, information meetings, tours.

• Cost of supplies

SUPPORTS

Communities, industry and government can support value-added development.

What can the community and industry do to promote and support the development of value-added opportunities?

Which government activities would be the most effective in supporting value-added development?

• Remove government “hoops” that stop new initiatives, such as site licenses and access to money.

• Need a government gateway plan for using resources.

• Better road accessibility

• Better communication, such as highspeed Internet.

• Providing a satellite certified kitchen processing plant.

• Better co-ordination between ministers and bureaucracy (frustrates entrepreneurs).

• Build hydro dams to create jobs.

• Work for construction trades

• Use University College of the North (UCN) for research and development.

• Government hiring policies that encourage youth employment.

• Review government youth employment policy for northern students.

• System to allow entrepreneurs to step forward with an idea, incubate the idea, supports to help guide the idea and a system to keep you accountable.

• Product development

• Move to specialty products, niche markets.

• No tripwires in government policy.

• Provide expertise, and unbiased advice and information.

• Education and training

• Need better and easier apprenticeship programs to get skilled workers.

• Provide subsidies to place students in functioning businesses in the north.

• Promote summer jobs for students in local businesses.

• Re-adjust government for better support to small businesses, business in rural northern communities – avoid making government a competitor with unemployment cheques being more attractive than training and small local jobs.

• Marketing and promotion

• Implement “buy local” strategy for stores.

• Provide facilitator to help new businesses access capital, or existing businesses develop value-added opportunities.

• Venture capital pools, start-up dollars, low interest loans and loan guarantees for the North.

• Funding assistance book in a central local community.

• Use of foundations and funds for risk capital.

• Better information through government agencies.

• Better government assistance for marketing and product promotion.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Entrepreneurship drives value-added development and innovation.

What specific efforts or programs are currently being pursued in this region to support entrepreneurial development?

• NFDC program supports 450 harvesters in numerous northern communities.

• 4-H training

• MAFRI business development

• Culture, Heritage and Citizenship

• Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF)

• Agri-Food Research & Development Initiative (ARDI)

• Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) – VLT dollars

• Rural Entrepreneurial Assistance (REA)

• Youth Employment Program (YEP)

• Self Employment Program

• Cedar Lake Community Development Corporation

• Pesquia Business Development Corporation

• Greenstone Development Corporation

• NorMan Regional Development Corporation

• Aboriginal Business Development Federation

• Chamber of Commerce

• Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce

• Town of The Pas Economic Development Office

• Banks and credit unions

• Sustainable Development Technology Fund (SDTF)

• Community Economic Development Fund (CEDF)

• WEC

• Environmental Farm Plans

• Western Economic Diversification Fund

• Farm Credit Corporation (FCC)

• ABC Aboriginal Business Plan

• UCN

• Local, regional and provincial tourism agencies.

• Biomass ethanol plant through Town of The Pas, Tolko, MAFRI.

• Manure for ethanol

• Saleable products from biomass (straw, manure) off the farm.

• Wild rice

• Bed & breakfasts

How can entrepreneurial development be better supported?

• Need to break “single industry” town mold.

• Need to recognize agriculture and promote value-added opportunities.

• Use older mines in Flin Flon for growing vegetables, taking advantage of geothermal opportunities.

• Resource centre is needed to have funding agency information readily available from provincial, federal, municipal and producer associations.

• Assistance for business start-ups with limited capital.

• Additional supports in development of business planning and financial services.

• Accountability of all funding agencies.

• Use of economic development officers (EDOs), better knowledge of their role and responsibilities.

• Better co-ordination between government officials and ministers on public enquiries, less filtering.

• Get government staff out in the field.

• Small regional group with direct access to the Minister.

• People should use their politicians.

• Use of GO Team ongoing, need follow-through and elimination of false hopes.

• Better communication and support between big and small businesses such as HBMS, Tolko, farms, HBR, Gardewine, Conservation.

• Protection from lower standards of foreign competition.

• Better “truth in labelling” laws.

• Work co-operatively on transportation issues.

• Deadheading opportunities in long hauls.

• Grower groups working together to transport.

• Advance Payment for Crops Act (federal program) for wild rice, corn growers, mushroom pickers, birch syrup.

• Better use of municipal leaders to promote entrepreneurial activities.

• Tax sharing arrangements between municipalities and OCN (strength in numbers).

• Level of service from businesses and social services needs to improve to keep young people and jobs.

• Better use of Norman, Town of The Pas and other websites.

• Travel Manitoba

• Mentorship

• Apprenticeship

• Credits for education and training.

• Education and training for young people in business.

• Partner with UCN for feasibility studies and mentorship.

• Training partnerships with educational institutions, providing short courses that are less costly and require less time commitment.

• Use Young Farmers program as a model for other industries.

• Succession planning

• Incubator tradeshow