Regional voice wants to be heard: Timmins-based group promoting northeastern businesses.

• Author: Cowan, Liz
• Position: TIMMINS

Timmins' Kevin Vincent and Frank Roch say the time has'come to shout from the rooftops to promote some businesses along the Highway 11 north corridor.

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The pair are launching an association aimed at promoting and marketing the mining supply and service industry, and those involved in agriculture and forestry, to the rest of the world.

TUNDRA (The Unlimited North Discoverers and Resources Association) was launched in Timmins in May along with inaugural member J.P. Legault of Panels and Pipes Mechanical Services, and with the support of Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren.

"It's the result of some conversations we have had over the last several months with some local mining supply and service companies and a feeling that there was a need for a regional voice," Roch said. "Our goal is to be more of a resource sector association and not just mining, but our first contact was with these mining companies and they were really interested in having something like this."

The pair have been in touch with communities and a presentation was made at a recent meeting of the Northeastern Ontario Municipal Association.

Vincent, who runs an online newspaper, - said a website will be developed in the near future.

"In smaller communities especially, companies doing business in the resource industries are caught up in the day-to-day work and their message doesn't get out.It becomes difficult for them to take that next step for growth and expand their client base, even for opportunities in external markets," Roch said.

Despite the existence of the Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association (SAMSSA) which also represents mining supply and service companies, Vincent said there is a need for TUNDRA in the region.

"SAMSSA does an exceptional job of promoting the interests of its members within its mandate," he said. "But we have identified a desire in this region to do something that has more of a flavour specific to this region and there is a definite appetite for that, otherwise, we wouldn't be doing this. It isn't a make-work project by any means.

"This association is not specific to Timmins. The word Timmins doesn't appear in the name because it is about the region."

Vincent said it is not widely known that there is an abundance...