Blue chip prospects: the stable of new mine projects has northwestern Ontario hopping.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: FIVE NEWSMAKERS

Mining is on everyone's lips in northwestern Ontario.

With 13 new mines and mine expansions anticipated to go into operation over the next five years, many communities and companies are positioning themselves to take advantage of the spinoffs that are sure to come.

Thunder Bay contractor Don Wing said mine development and ongoing exploration has had a profound effect on the region in the wake of the wave of forestry mill closures and layoffs that began in the early 2000s.

"The economy's flipped," said Wing, Ontario vice-president for Wasaya Dowland Contracting, a new construction joint venture with the Wasaya Group. "There was $1.5 billion spent last year in the mining sector in northwestern Ontario that you can't touch or see, but when you look at the things that are going on and the excitement, it's huge.

"And that will keeping happening next year and the next year ... you'll see the growth that is happening in each one of the communities."

A recent Lakehead University socio-economic study focussing on nine "mature" mining projects, indicated more than 13,000 jobs could be created across the region. The gold, chromite, platinum group metals, nickel, iron ore and lithium-rare earth metals that are yet to be mined have a collective value of $136 billion.

Senior levels of government may be strapped for cash to provide mining-related infrastructure, but the region's vast mineral potential is attracting considerable interest from Asian companies and investors.

The former iron ore mining town of Atikokan is on the radar again with an open pit gold mine under development by Osisko on the outskirts of the community.

The community of 3,300 that's situated 180 kilometres west of Thunder Bay anticipates a housing shortage with two mines expected to be in operation by 2017.

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Combined with other area industrial development, there could be 800 to 1,000 permanent workers funnelling into town. With all kinds of accommodations in short supply, municipal officials decided to stage an investors presentation in Thunder Bay last...