RRFDC asks leaders for more money

Ken Johnston
Editor

The Rainy River Future Development Corporation (RRFDC) pitched the Rainy River District Municipal Association (RRDMA) on a 42.8% increase in per capita fees from $7 to $10.
RRFDC Economic Development Officer Geoff Gillon highlighted several ways the money contributed by the members of RRDMA has been used to leverage a great deal more money and what has resulted from those projects.
On a huge marketing project $18,000 of municipal money saw the federal government contribute $184,000 and private partners contribute $166,000 towards large scale marketing for the region.
The Fort Frances border banner project saw $8,215 of local money leverage $57,433 of FedNor money as well as $49,290 from partners in the project.
Nearly $2 million was leveraged for cell phone and broad band projects across the district. Gillon added that the work on the Bergland and Morson towers will begin as soon as the frost is out of the ground.
Work on an abattoir for the district is also continuing. Gillon noted there will be a public meeting on Feb. 15th at the Barwick Hall. “We are asking people to spend $500 to join and to loan the cooperative $2,000 each.” He noted that the plan now has seen the project come back to a provincial rather than federal facility, due to the high costs of doing the latter.
The increase in per capita funding would allow RRFDC another $38,000 per year to leverage another $38,000 from FedNor to hire an assistant economic development officer.
RRFDC board member Ken McKinnon urged all councils to consider how important the work of the RRFDC is and to approve the increase, which would come into effect in 2007. McKinnon also noted that with the change in government that all should lobby their MP to push for continued support from FedNor so that the work can continue at RRFDC and throughout the district.