Business Opportunites
- Key Available Sites
Vacant industrial lands/prime redevelopment sites are available, ranging from small industrial lots to a 635 acre site. - Emerging Sector Opportunities
The region is an important forestry hub, but there are emerging opportunities in biomass and other renewable energy.
Key Economic Sectors & Employers in the Region
Key Economic Sectors
Forestry: The major sawmills operating in the Hearst to Kapuskasing region are: Tembec, Lecours Lumber and Columbia Forest Products. A few smaller sawmills also operate in Hearst.
The amount of forest harvested in the Hearst Forest from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 was 1,360 hectares, which falls short of the forecasted annual average of 7,814 hectares (forecast as of 2007 to 2017). The amount of forest harvested in the Gordon Cosens Forest from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 was 4,781 hectares. The following tables summarize wood utilization by mill for 2009 to 2010. The total volume harvested from the Gordon Cosens Forest was 434,696 m3 for all tree species. The total volume harvested from the Hearst Forest was 80,371 m3 for all tree species.
2009–2010 Annual Report of Wood Utilization by Mill – Gordon Cosens Forest (Volume m3)
| Mill | Product | Biofibre Mixedwood | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abitibi Consolidated Co. (Iroquois Falls) | Paper Mill | 3,069 | |
| Capital Power Corporation | Bioproduct | 5,782 | 5,782 |
| Cheminis Lumber Inc. (Larder Lake) | Sawmill & Special Product | 1,376 | |
| Columbia Forest Products Inc. (Old Fort, Veneer) | Veneer/Plywood | 16 | |
| Columbia Forest Products ltd. (Rutherglen) | Veneer/Plywood | 123 | |
| Commercial Fuelwood | Fuelwood | 651 | |
| EACOM Timber Corporation (Timmins Sawmill) | Sawmill & Special Product | 2,061 | |
| GP North Woods LP Comp | Composite Wood Panel | 34,232 | |
| Levesque Plywood Limited (Columbia Forest Products Ltd. Hearst) | Veneer/Plywood | 31,707 | |
| Niska North | Sawmill & Special Product | 298 | |
| Personal Use Fuelwood | Fuelwood | 1,059 | |
| St. Mary’s Paper Corp. (Sault Ste. Marie) | Paper Mill | 581 | |
| Starview Specialty Sawmill Inc. | Sawmill & Special Product | 15 | |
| Tembec (Chapleau) | Sawmill & Special Product | 59,607 | |
| Tembec (Cochrane) | Sawmill & Special Product | 14,457 | |
| Tembec (Hearst) | Sawmill & Special Product | 75,548 | |
| Tembec (Kapuskasing Biomass Cogeneration) | Bioproduct | 36,865 | 36,865 |
| Tembec (Kapuskasing Paper) | Paper Mill | 33,171 | |
| Tembec (Kapuskasing Sawmill) | Sawmill & Special Product | 134,081 | |
| Total | 42,647 | 434,696 | |
Source: 2009-2010 Annual Report – Gordon Cosens Forest
2009-2010 Annual Report of Wood Utilization by Mill – Hearst Forest (Volume m3)
| Mill | Product | Biofibre Mixedwood | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brushmat Material Camp Construction Bridge | Construction (Other) | Not Elsewhere Specified | 0 |
| Capital Power Corporation | Bioproduct | 1,372 | 1,372 |
| Commercial Fuelwood | Fuelwood | 0 | |
| Lachance Saw & Planer (Cyprien Lachance) | Sawmill & Special Product | 38 | |
| Lecours Lumber Co. Limited (Calstock) | Sawmill & Special Product | 0 | |
| Levesque Plywood Limited (Columbia Forest Products Ltd. Hearst) | Veneer/Plywood | 11,410 | |
| Personal Use Building Material (Sawmill) | Sawmill & Special Product | 132 | |
| Personal Use Fuelwood | Fuelwood | 317 | |
| St. Mary’s Paper Corp. (Sault Ste. Marie) | Paper Mill | 0 | |
| Tembec (Hearst) | Sawmill & Special Product | 54,160 | |
| Tembec (Kapuskasing Biomass Cogeneration) | Biomass | 0 | |
| Tembec (Kapuskasing Sawmill) | Sawmill & Special Product | 0 | |
| Tembec (Kapuskasing Paper) | Paper Mill | 12,942 | |
| Temlam Inc. (Amos) | Veneer/Plywood | 0 | |
| Total | 1,372 | 80,371 | |
Source: 2009-2010 Annual Report – Hearst Forest
Mining: Agrium – Kapuskasing Phosphate Operations is currently mining year-round. It is an open-pit operation and is located 40km southeast of the town. In 2009, the production of phosphate concentrate totalled 744 919 tonnes from 1 119 666 tonnes milled at a grade of 35% P2O5. The daily milling rate was 6,320 tonnes. Phosphate concentrate is shipped via rail from the mine site to Redwater, Alberta for processing into agricultural fertilizer. Exploration drilling during the year amounted to 30,084 m. In 2009, the mine had 87 employees and an additional 200 to 300 regular contract workers.
Ore Reserves at the Kapuskasing Phosphate Operations, 2009
| Category | Tonnes | Grade (% P2O5) |
|---|---|---|
| Proven | 6,128,750 | 27.75 |
| Probable | 8,792,715 | 27.75 |
| Total | 14,921,465 | 27.75 |
Source: 2010. Government of Ontario. Ontario Geological Survey Regional Resident Geologist Program (Timmins District).
The mine is closing its extractive operations in 2013 and decommissioning over the following 2 years to 2015. Additional phosphate mining opportunities are being investigated in the Hearst area.
The Clay-Howells Prospect, acquired by Rare Earth Metals Inc, sits 50 kilometres northeast of Kapuskasing and contains light and heavy rare earths. The property has 45 patented mining claims and over 300 unpatented claims .
Renewable Energy: There are a number of micro-FIT and FIT programs going on in the region. Two large hydro-electric projects are also underway in the immediate area of Kapuskasing. Hydromega is developing four waterpower facilities which will add 22 MW of energy to the grid, and the Town of Kapuskasing has 25% equity in one of the sites (Old Woman Falls). The Lower Mattagami River Project also involves four power generating sites which will add almost 450 MW of energy to the grid.
Employers in the Region
Nearly 30% of the Kapuskasing-Hearst Region labour force was employed in resource-based sectors and manufacturing sectors in 2006.
Largest Private Sector Employers – Kapuskasing
| Name | Year Est. | Product or Service | Sector | No. of Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tembec – Spruce Falls Operations | 1926 | Pulp and Paper | Natural Resources/ Forestry | 530 |
| URS Canadian Operations | 1999 | Engineering, construction and technical services | Natural Resources | 185 |
| Wal-Mart | 1996 | Mass retail | Retail | 120 |
| Your Independent Grocer | 2000 | Mass retail | Food/Retail | 100 |
| Agrium Inc. – Kapuskasing Phosphate Operations | 1999 | Phosphate/Fertilizer | Natural Resources/Mining | 95 |
| Caisse Populaire de Kapuskasing | 1940 | Financial Services | Finance | 55 |
| Extendicare Nursing – Kapuskasing Nursing Home | Health Care | Health | 45 | |
| General Motors Cold Weather Development Centre | 1971 | Vehicle Testing Facility | Research and Development | 20 |
Source: McSweeney & Associates from the Town of Kapuskasing
Largest Public Sector Employers – Kapuskasing
| Name | Sector | No. of Employees (approx..) |
|---|---|---|
| Sensenbrenner Hospital | Health Care | 210 |
| School Boards | Education | 150 |
| Town of Kapuskasing | Municipal Government | 100 |
| North Centennial Manor | Health Care | 80 |
| Ontario Power Generation | Crown Corporation | 50 |
| Services Familiaux Jeanne Sauve Family Services | Family Services and Health | 30 |
| Ontario Provincial Police | Protective Services | 30 |
| Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | Experimental Farm/Research and Development | 15 |
Major Employers – Opasatika
| La Maison Arc-enCiel | 1981 | Rehabilitation Centre | 10 |
| Opaz Gas & Outdoor Store | Gas Station | 6 | |
| Caisse Populaire | 1981 | Finance | 1 |
| L.A. Electric | Electricity | 3 | |
| Canada Post | Mailing Services | 1 | |
| Murray OK Tire Sales 96 Hwy 11, Val Rita | Mechanical/Garage | Automotive | 32 |
| Manitoulin Transport RR #2 Kapuskasing | Transportation/Courier/General | Transportation | 22 |
| Chez Dagenais Minimart, Restaurant, and Motel 98 Government Road, Val Rita | Hospitality | Accommodation | 8 |
| Fraser’s Machine Shop 6 Avenue des Aulnes, Val Rita | Machinery | 16 | |
| Val Rita Chip Stand 124 Government Road, Val Rita | Restaurant | Food | 5 |