Is mining really Flin Flon’s largest employer? Most everyone will answer yes to this question, but I’m not so sure.
Though I could find no current census data to back this up, I think if you do the math you will find that the small, medium and large businesses of the retail and service sectors now put more residents to work than does Hudbay.
How could they not? Hudbay employs roughly 1,400 people in Flin Flon and Snow Lake, a region of about 10,000 people. That’s a lot of non-Hudbay employees who need to earn a living.
Acknowledging this reality underscores just how crucial the business sector is to the overall health of our area.
It also reminds us why “buy local” is more than a well-meaning adage – it is a vital step to ensuring our continued sustainability.
As I attended Tuesday’s Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting, one of the questions on my mind was this: Is our business community healthy?
It’s a complex query with no simple answer, as some businesses are undoubtedly thriving while others work to secure (or regain) their footing.
On the whole, however, things look bright. Over the last couple of years, a handful of existing businesses have invested in substantial upgrades. And new businesses continue to pop up, both in visible locations and inside homes.
Fortunately for them, the local economy is not as reliant on the slings and arrows of the mining industry as it once was. The growth of reserves near Flin Flon, and Flin Flon’s status as a service hub, most certainly brings hundreds of thousands of dollars to our community each year.
Of course being an entrepreneur is not always easy, particularly as good help becomes increasingly hard to find (or so I’m told) and online shopping grows increasingly common.
For entrepreneurs, the rewards can be significant, but so is the risk. When they do succeed, our community benefits through additional employment, more tax revenue and an increased selection of goods and services.
Our entrepreneurs, not just mining, help form the backbone of Flin Flon and area. Whenever possible, we need to reward them with our business, particularly with the busiest shopping season of the year getting underway.
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It’s hard to say how likely it is, but Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen may get his wish for Greg Selinger to vacate the premier’s office.
Selinger, under pressure from Pettersen and other NDP officials to resign, has called a leadership contest for March.
Those within the anti-Selinger movement fear the unpopular premier will drag the party down with him in the next
election.
The big question for the NDP (and by extension Flin Flon as a solid NDP riding) is this: Is the NDP unpopular because of Selinger or is Selinger unpopular because of the NDP?
This should be quite an intriguing leadership campaign.
Local Angle runs Fridays.
