Northern Business Leaders Urged To Be Innovative
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 14:23
Today is Day Two of a major economic summit underway in Prince Albert.
Yesterday, attendees at “The North: Unleashed” braved the winter elements to hear a number of presentations on uranium, forestry, diamonds and tourism-related issues.
Saskatchewan economist Paul Martin says the future of the northern economy depends on what citizens want to do with it.
He argues the North is full of resources everywhere you look, and all that’s required is a little imagination and marketing expertise for residents to cash in.
Martin also openly wonders whether it is best to sell fish commercially at a low price, or to have tourists pay top dollar at catch-and-release outfitting camps.
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve McLellan says the tourism industry must try and use local flavour to entice Alberta residents into spending more money.
McLellan says not enough is done to hook tourists onto the culture, food and artwork of northerners.
He notes his own son can’t stop talking about a dish of wild rice he had over a year ago — and since that time, he’s spent a fair amount of money making sure wild rice is on the table.
McLellan also says Manitoba outfitters have convinced tourists there to pay money to spend a day with a commercial fisher.
He says that type of approach is needed in this province.
Meanwhile, a change in mill design and shift in market focus are being touted as possible roads to take when it comes to addressing the forestry crisis.
Robin Woodward, the executive director of the Saskatchwan Forestry Council, says Finland is a country we could take a page from.
He notes they only have about five per cent of the wood supply Canada does, but manage to produce about a quarter of the commodities.
Woodward also says it’s noteworthy that some of their mills only employ 10 to 15 people.