Industry on the upswing in Manitouwadge
Manitouwadge is looking for a few new people to call neighbour. The small town in northern Ontario is seeing an upswing thanks to an increased demand for natural resources.
"Manitouwadge is like a hidden gem," said Mayor-elect Jim Moffat.
“People travel here for the wilderness, the fresh air, it's just a great place to be.”
Manitouwadge is a town of about 2,000 people located on Highway 614, smack dab in the middle between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie.
The name means 'cave of the great spirit' in Ojibway, a testament to early residents of the area.
"Work-wise, there is a lot of forestry work in Manitouwadge, there are many miners who still live in Manitouwadge and they travel to the local mine at Hemlo or they fly in and fly out," said Moffat.
The long-time local politician said nature is also a recreational must for many.
"You can't beat the snowmobiling out here, lots of snow in the wintertime. We have the best ski hill on the north shore," he said.
"Summertime we've got a great golf course there and fishing, hunting galore."
CLOSE TO BARRICK GOLD
The job bank on the town's website currently has several openings for high-level jobs.
Barrick Gold is also a short commute from the town.
One of the employers helping to sustain the town is Manitouwadge Contracting Ltd. Owner Craig Schut said you can't beat the lifestyle.
"It's a very small, tight-knit community, small in the middle of nowhere," he told CTV News.
"You go around and ask people what brought them here and most people like myself will tell you it was a short-term job. Twenty years later and I'm still here."
Schut said it was mining that really helped create the town. Forestry has always been there.
"We don't have a facility for forestry in town, we deliver the product to other areas," he said.
"We're a stump-to-dump operation for forestry. We rely on ourselves for all aspects of it. So we do everything from building the roads, to harvesting the timber, to processing the timber and looking after getting that timber and all that maintenance that is required in getting that to the mills. We do it all in-house with our employees and direct contractors."
"We are a fully furnished community, we have a wonderful hospital, we have schools," added Schut.
"This is about a small as town as you can get where you have everything. Nobody gets trucked anywhere – a lot of other communities, your kids are on the highway for an hour or two on a school bus. We're very lucky. We're self-sufficient but there is, in between mining and forestry, a need for people here."
Cost of living has been a common joke for many of them. Until recently, it didn't cost much to set up shop.
"For a long time, that was the running gag. You pay more for your vehicle than you do for your housing, but now people are catching on and our values are going up so if you're coming up here, hurry up," laughed Moffat.
A decent price to pay for community, in a peaceful setting full of nature.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.