Community Futures Greenstone general manager Becky Cianflone will sit on the steering committee for the Look North Task Force, a provincial government-led initiative to boost economic growth in the north. Cianflone will serve as the committee’s lead on enterprise and lead one of the committee’s six joint action groups.
“It’s a very humbling position to be in,” she said.
“It started with a phone call with someone from the minister’s office, the Ministry of Growth, Enterprise and Trade.”
On the steering committee, a crew of northern business and political leaders will join Cianflone. Two members will hail from The Pas, Thompson and Winnipeg, while other members from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Wabowden, Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and Churchill will also take part.
Cianflone will be Flin Flon’s only representative on the committee, adding that while her focus will be on the region as a whole, Flin Flon stands to gain from the committee’s work.
“It’s an honour to represent the community, but of even larger importance is that I’m wearing a regional hat.”
“I certainly think that I really want to take the opportunity to represent the community as best as I can, but what’s more important for me and others sitting at the Look North table is that we’re all there for all of Northern Manitoba. I’m not just there to push Flin Flon interests, but to recognize that what’s good for The Pas and Thompson is good for Flin Flon and what’s good for Churchill is what’s good for Island Lake.”
Each of the joint action groups will be staffed by their chairs, meaning Cianflone will appoint eight people to sit on Look North’s enterprise beat.
“We’re building our own teams,” she said, adding that she had identified and invited eight people to participate.
Along with staffing the joint action group, Cianflone added that Flin Flon will be hosting a Look North summit in March.
“In March, we’ll be hosting a summit. It will be in Flin Flon and we’ll be talking about some of the issues and recommendations that we can bring forward.”
Cianflone will continue to sit on the steering committee of Travel Manitoba’s northern Manitoba tourism strategy alongside her post with Look North.
“It’s actually a great fit because the northern Manitoba tourism strategy actually falls under this action group. It’s a really good continuity, to have me on that committee and chairing this group,” she said.