Timmins Mayor Steve Black was joined by several high profile business leaders Monday to call on the new Ontario government, no matter which party wins the election, to create a formal natural resources strategy that goes above and beyond anything done before.
The event was a roundtable that brought together mining, forestry and business leaders for talks at the Timmins Chamber of Commerce.
Responding to question from The Daily Press, Black said the gathering was non-partisan and was not endorsing any single political party. He said the issue was serious enough to be embraced by all parties regardless of which party wins.
“The natural resources industry is not a partisan issue. It’s a Northern Ontario lifestyle issue. It’s a Northern Ontario family issue. It’s a Northern Ontario business issue,” said Black.
He said the importance of forestry and mining is such that it has a major impact on the provincial economy and so many small businesses, that it goes beyond partisan politics.
“When you look at the natural resource industry and the money that comes into our communities from forestry and from mining, as well as the small businesses that exist because of those industries and the wealth they bring to the community, it is an issue we need to be able to work with all three parties and whoever forms the government on June 7th,” Black continued.
Black also said that supporting the resources industries was not a message to the voters that the roundtable was endorsing a pro-business political party.
For the rest of this article: http://www.timminspress.com/2018/05/28/timmins-roundtable-calls-for-a-better-natural-resources-stategy