A Tri-Council initiative launched by the Town of The Pas, Opaskwayak Cree Nation and the Rural Municipality of Kelsey is providing tangible inspiration for the Flin Flon area.
“Instead of competition, we need collaboration,” said Dianne Russell, president of the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce.
Even the chamber’s name tells the story of bringing communities together to form partnerships and help drive economic development. The district covered by the chamber includes the communities of Flin Flon, Denare Beach, Creighton, Cranberry Portage and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.
Russell recognizes the challenges that come with setting up a cooperative initiative, but sees the chamber as an important part of the process.
“Politically it may be hard for the different governments to work together but, as a chamber, which is not political, I think it’s possible for us to do this,” she said. “We want to find ways that we can have a more powerful voice.”
Russell attended the unveiling of the Tri-Council Initiative held in The Pas recently and came away with renewed interest in developing a plan for this community.
“It was amazing and very exciting,” she said. “I’d love to work toward accomplishing this in our area.”
Economic development was the main driver behind the Tri-County initiative, according to Russell.
“If businesses see cooperation between the communities it mitigates risk,” she said. Russell went on to explain that businesses doing research about coming to an area will turn away if they see discord or conflict.
By developing a professional website with information on demographics, trading areas, infrastructure, taxes and development opportunities, Tri-Council has a marketing tool to present to potential businesses.
The Pas, Opaskwayak Cree Nation and the Rural Municipality of Kelsey worked behind the scenes for two years to develop a cooperative plan before launching the marketing material.
Russell applauds them for getting the project underway.
“They weren’t afraid to start,” she said, recognizing that starting the project is perhaps the hardest step.
“They inspire me because they are doing it.”
Russell said that conversations have started in Flin Flon and the surrounding communities, and that potential partners are expressing interest in forming a similar campaign.
“Right now it’s a small, grassroots idea, asking how we could create a collaboration,” she said. “I think it could work locally, but right now we don’t know how to make it happen.”
“We know the question, but we don’t know the answer,” she said.
If large projects begin with conversations, the chamber is already on track. Russell has arranged for members of the Tri-Council to speak at a community event in Flin Flon in the fall and hopes people will come forward to collaborate locally. By using a model that has already been established, she hopes they can get things started in this area.
“We need the right people in the room and we need to try to make this happen,” she said. “I don’t know if it can be me that gets it going, but I’d sure like to be part of it.”
