On the map: Mattawa pushes turnkey properties.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: NORTH BAY - Mattawa-Bonfield Economic Development Corporation using online databases

The Mattawa-Bonfield Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has a new site selection tool to attract investment to this corner of northeastern Ontario.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The corporation has put a database online to showcase the best publicly and privately owned properties that are available and ripe for development.

"It's another tool promoting that were open for business and moving forward," said Jason McMartin, Mattawa-Bonfield's economic development director.

The EDC represents five municipalities on the Quebec border, namely the town of Mattawa and the nearby townships of Bonfield. Calvin. Mattawan and Papine-au-Cameron, with a collective population base of 6,000.

The property site selection tool was put together by CGIS Spatial Solutions of Perth.

Known as the Investment Readiness Site Selector. McMartin said he always wanted to map all the available commercial and industrial properties--which range from an old schoolhouse to a forestry mill--since he took the job in early 2010.

The EDC has been using the system for internal office use for more than a year.

By posting the information online for all to see, McMartin said now he can easily and more efficiently handle over-the-phone inquiries since both parties can simultaneously scroll through various properties and later make arrangements a site visit.

"It's made the interaction in getting information to the end-user a lot quicker."

McMartin said the beauty of GIS mapping technology is that you can keep adding layers of data, beyond just identifying roads, rail and rivers.

The properties are identified with stars that, when clicked on, provide details on acreage, zoning, realtor information, property tax rates, soil conditions, road access, infrastructure servicing, plans and permit information, any legal and survey issues, and sometimes site photography.

The properties are posted online free of charge.

One of the prime properties is a former Tembec mill with 138 acres of yard space and...