North Bay.

• Position: COMMUNITIES OF THE NORTH

The city's manufacturers and suppliers make a multitude of products such as engineered wood products, construction and underground mining equipment, aviation water bombers, railway passenger coaches, paddle boats and e-commerce distribution software.

In fact, multinational companies added approximately 250,000-square feet of industrial space to the city and an extra 130,000-sq. ft. for local entrepreneurs.

The city is also expanding its aviation cluster with 44 airside and 50 groundside lots in the 1,000 acre North Bay Jack Garland Airport Industrial Park.

Development over the city in the last three years has been unprecedented with increased average construction values of 73 per cent.

The picturesque lakeside city has won high marks in international surveys as an Aa 1 place to live and do business according to Moody's Investor Service.

With $1.7 million invested toward the downtown revitalization project, and brand name hotels under construction, including a 1,000 person convention centre on the waterfront, the city aims to be very pro-business.

The two post-secondary schools, Nipissing University and Canadore College have been magnets for government funding and have contributed to the city's building boom with 7,000 students, new residences, a research wing, and a shared library under construction. Many of their students are...