ministry of infrastructure / ministry of northern development, mines and forestry 1 1 growth plan...

MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURE / MINISTRY OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT, MINES AND FORESTRY 11

Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, 2011

Presentation to the

Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association


Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, 2011

• Released March 4th, 2011

• A strategic 25-year plan to strengthen Northern Ontario that will:• Diversify the region's economic base• Increase access to education, training and career opportunities• Ensure communities are well positioned to attract people and investment

• Will guide regional decision-making and investment planning over next 25 years: • strategic capital planning investments • integrated, coordinated planning and economic development efforts across

government• continued involvement of northerners in implementation


Legislation• Growth Plan given force and effect through the Places to

Grow Act, 2005.

• Purposes of the Act:• Sustain a robust economy, build strong communities, and promote a

healthy environment and a culture of conservation• Promote a rational and balanced approach to growth-related decisions• Broad approach to planning across natural and municipal boundaries• Ensure that a long-term vision and goals guide decision-making about

growth

• Sets out process for Growth Plan amendments and for a review of Growth Plans at least every ten years

• Municipal official plans are to conform with growth plan within three years or an alternative date determined by the Minister.

• For the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, the Minister has set an alternative date: March 3, 2016


Growth Plan for Northern Ontario• The Growth Plan is organized into the following

chapters:1. Context 2. Economy3. People4. Communities5. Infrastructure 6. Environment7. Aboriginal peoples8. Implementation

Six key policy themes


Implementation – From blueprint to action

• Strategic provincial investment• Open Ontario Plan and annual budgets

• Inter-ministry and inter-governmental coordination• An integrated and coordinated approach to

implement Plan’s policies.

• Performance Measurement• Province will work with external partners to develop a set of performance

indicators.

• Continued involvement of northerners in implementation:• Including municipalities, Aboriginal communities, business, industry, research

and educational institutions


Economy• Sets out priorities to:

• Diversify the region’s economy• Stimulate new investment and

entrepreneurship• Nurture emerging industries

• Identifies 11 priority sectors.• Responds to changing global economy

through five-year Northern Ontario economic plans.

• Supports a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

• Aligns with integrated labour market planning.

Implementation Highlights• Modernization of the Mining Act• Wood supply competition• Promotion of wood use• Forest Tenure reform• Export assistance to mining supply

and service and forestry sectors• Northern Industrial Electricity Rate

Program • Strategic investments by the

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund• Regional tourism organizations• Thunder Bay Regional Research

Institute – now part of MARs• Northern technology centres part of

Ontario Innovation Strategy


People• Aims to expand secondary and postsecondary

opportunities, continuing education and training• Links skills development to priority economic sectors• Focuses on improving access to health care and

opportunities for health care practitioners in the North.

Implementation Highlights• Northern Policy Institute • Three-year $45-million skills training initiative for Aboriginal peoples and Northern Ontarians• Additional post-secondary spaces• New financial literacy resources for Grades 4 to 12• Creation of 29 Family Health Teams• 2100 NOHFC internship and co-op placements since beginning of program in 2005


Communities• Encourages all municipalities to

develop long-term community visions • Establishes policies for economic and

service hubs - to be identified through further consultation

• Encourages the North’s largest cities to plan for their strategic core areas, including revitalization strategies

• Calls for shared regional economic plans built on areas of competitive advantage to focus energies and investments

Implementation Highlights• Two regional economic planning

area pilots • Regional economic summits

• June 13-14 (Thunder Bay) and June 15-16 (Sudbury)

• Municipal Planning and Financial Tools for Economic Development handbook


Infrastructure• Co-ordinates infrastructure planning, land-use

planning and infrastructure investment: • Transportation planning for efficient

movement of people and goods• Education infrastructure• Information & communications technology• Reliable energy generation & transmission

Implementation Highlights• Ontario’s 10-year capital plan• Long-term Energy Plan - A new transmission supply line to Pickle Lake and a new East-West tie line

• Northern Ontario Multimodal Transportation Strategy - A long-term strategy optimizing rail, air, marine and road transportation

• Capital investments - Close to $1.2 billion in Northern Ontario infrastructure in 2010-11

• Broadband / digital economy - $32 million in a joint federal-provincial initiative to bring high-speed broadband to 26 remote communities


Environment• Promotes balanced approach to sustainable

development of natural resources• Supports planning for climate change mitigation and

adaptation.• Supports measures to protect and preserve air quality,

water quality and natural heritage.• Fosters strong environmental leadership and a culture

of conservation.• Promotes opportunities in the green economy

Implementation Highlights• Green Energy and Green Economy Act• Species at Risk • Water Opportunities Act• Climate Change adaptation and mitigation


Aboriginal Peoples• Acknowledges Aboriginal and treaty rights• Collaborative efforts to support:

• capacity building• Increased participation in economic development & labour market opportunities • Education & training opportunities• Reduced socio-economic gaps with focus

on health status and educational attainment

Implementation Highlights• New Relationship Fund• Establishment of Ring of Fire coordinator and secretariat• Far North Act and local land use planning• Aboriginal Postsecondary Education and Training Policy Framework• $45 million for three-year skills training initiative for Aboriginal peoples & Northern Ontarians• Aboriginal Loan Guarantee Program - $250 million available for Aboriginal communities to secure

financing for equity share in energy partnerships


Next Steps – Spring 2011

• Stakeholder engagement and implementation of marquee initiatives• Northern Policy Institute• Northern Ontario Multimodal Transportation Strategy• Regional Economic Summits• Two regional economic development planning area pilots

• Work with other Ministries and government partners to align existing investments with Growth Plan priorities wherever possible

• Work with other Ministries and stakeholders to develop “second round” of Growth Plan initiatives

• Continued involvement of northerners, municipalities, Aboriginal communities, business, industry, research and educational institutions and others.


Implementation - A Collaborative Effort

• Within this 25-year plan, what are key priorities to address in the short- and medium-term?

• Where are the strongest opportunities for growth in urban, rural and Aboriginal communities?

• Where do you see opportunities for northern communities and organizations to play a role in implementation?

• What initiatives are occuring at a local or regional level that are advancing the Growth Plan directions?


Ministry of Infrastructure Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and

Forestry

ministry of infrastructure / ministry of northern development, mines and forestry 1 1 growth plan...

Documents

legislation growth plan

growth plan amendments

year plan

implementation slide

review of growth plans

investment planning

annual budgets interministry

economic development