Over the last six years, Northern Ontario’s economic development agency has had 30% of its staff cut. These huge cuts in staffing are on top of the consistent cuts to program dollars. In 2009, at the height of the worldwide recession, Fed Nor was employing 120 people across the north with a mandate to promote economic development and diversification. Since then, the staffing of the agency has been steadily whittled down to 83 staff.
Charlie Angus is calling on the new Liberal government to get serious about restoring the full mandate for Fed Nor.
“How is it possible to talk about economic development and diversity in Northern Ontario if you are going to slash the jobs and budget of the agency that is tasked with making this happen? We have already seen too many projects sidelined because of a lack of funding in Fed Nor. Now we learn that the people who are employed to work with our northern businesses have been taking it on the chin year after year.”
Angus points out to the recent successes of Northern Ontario businesses at the international PDAC convention as an example of the good work being done by Fed Nor.
“Creating economic diversification in the north shouldn’t be seen as a partisan issue. I would think all parties want to commit to a strong economic base for our region. This is why I am calling on the new minister in charge of Fed Nor to end the bloodletting and restore the proper levels of funding and staffing so Fed Nor can carry out its important work.”
Link to the document outlining the cuts: