By Kate McLaren, The Daily Press

A recently released government plan has Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren optimistic that big things are in the works for the region.

The provincial government released its Northern Ontario growth plan on Friday, a document that lays the foundation for dealing with issues like supporting mining and forestry sectors, improving transportation, and diversifying the Northern economy.

Laughren said although the plan doesn’t go into great detail, he has been a supporter from “Day 1.”

“This is only the second plan of it’s kind to be released in Ontario, and it’s been approved by the Lieutenant Governor and cabinet,” he said.

“As a long-term plan, this is an important document to have. I know I attended as many public consultation sessions as I could, whether it was related to mining, tourism, or education.”

He said many of the issues examined in the plan are things he has been discussing with groups like the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) and the Northeastern Ontario Municipal Association (NEOMA.)

“We’re going to have to work on economic development,” he said. “Diversifying the economy is something that sticks out to me.

“Here in Timmins we are very much raw resources-based. If you look at something like the Ring of Fire, it shouldn’t be just focused on taking it out of the ground.

“We need to look at the big picture and question why we can’t be manufacturing stainless steel here, for example. We need to diversify the manufacturing base.”

He said another highlight of the plan is an Intermodal Travel System, an idea championed by late Sault Ste. Marie Mayor John Rowswell.

“If we can better the way the transportation system works in Northern Ontario, then why not? With this document, we can now see the big picture of how this can work to distribute goods and materials and allow passengers to travel more efficiently.”

The intermodal travel system would see the development of more integrated transportation infrastructure for road, air, rail, and water travel.

“This plan is a good base for what we have to do in the future. What they’ve done is they’ve laid out a template, and now it’s going to be our job to take that template and put it into action.”

Laughren added the document echoes the “one voice” strategy he’s been encouraging for years.

“When you look at the various principals laid out in the plan, I think they’re suggesting that exact thing. They’re encouraging us to work together as a region.

“If we do this, if we come together and take these suggestions and put them into action, we will have success.

“We have to look at the bigger picture, and think bigger than just Timmins. It’s about creating partnerships with other municipalities and working more closely together to get things done.”

A part of the province’s Open Ontario plan, the growth plan was designed to help find ways to attract people and investments to the region, support training, education and employment.

Along with plans for an improved transportation system, the document also highlighted a newly established Northern Policy Institute to implement and monitor the growth plan.

The Northern Ontario Growth Plan was drafted by the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry and the Ministry of Infrastructure.