Retirement living initiative continues to grow.

• Author: ROSS, IAN

The City of Elliot Lake is forging ahead with a number of economic development initiatives designed to build upon its success in retirement living and in attracting more tourists.

The influx of retirees has been a stabilizing influence on the community's tax base since 5,000 direct and indirect jobs were lost when the mines shut down in the mid. 1990s.

"Retirement living continues to grow and we have to ensure that. we have all the facilities and amenities to participate in that market," says Elliot Lake Mayor George Farkouh. "We want to make sure we remain the leading retirement community in Canada."

Richard Kennealy, general manager of Elliot Lake Retirement Living, says 40 per cent of the city's 13,500 residents are retirees most of whom moved north from the Greater Toronto area and southwestern Ontario.

With retirement occupancy around 93 per cent, the city is preparing to establish between 500 and 600 waterfront lots in the coming years for retirement and seasonal cottages. The property is formerly Crown land spread out over 14 lakes within a. 10 to 15minute drive of the community's boundaries.

The city also recently opened two assisted-care homes providing 36 and 50 beds...