Dubreuilville (Canada): A Strategic Action Plan for a Rural Community
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33423/jabe.v25i1.5916Keywords:
business, economics, rural communities, town planning, municipal planning, rural exodus, youth retention, rural entrepreneurship, agriculture, remote communities, towns, mining, lumber, indigenous communities, cultural tourism, nature-based tourism, eco-tourism, worker attraction, worker retention, economic diversificationAbstract
The town of Dubreuilville, with a population of just under 1,000, is located in Northern Ontario, Canada, approximately one thousand kilometers North-West of Toronto. The region was previously known for lumber production. When the Canadian lumber market collapsed due to the imposition of duties by Washington, the local mill shut down. Large gold deposits were found nearby, and Dubreuilville became a mining town almost overnight. Half of the population had left by the time the mine opened, and part of the workforce commutes from cities located up to six-hour drives away. With the opening of a second gold mine in the area planned for 2023, Dubreuilville had to prepare to attract and retain more workers for the project to succeed and for the town to prosper. Below is the strategic plan that was prepared by Mayor Nantel and Economic Development Officer Melanie Pilon, with the help of a Laurentian University Management professor and three students.
