Around the North

The confidence of small business owners took a hit in March after two months of encouraging growth, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

Lake Shore Gold Corp. announced Feb. 6 that Brian Buss, its vice-president of project development, is leaving the company on Feb. 15 for personal reasons.

Sudbury's BESTECH has been named among the 50 Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada for the second consecutive year. The list appears in the March issue of Profit magazine and is viewable online at www.profitguide.ca .

Northern Iron Corp. announced the completion of the winter dewatering program of its open-pit Griffith Mine in northwestern Ontario until the spring thaw.

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and the federal government has launched a new online tool – thegreenestworkforce.ca – that provides information on the direction of the industry and career opportunities across Canada.

Canadian National Railway (CN) plans to spend $1.9 billion this year for maintenance and upgrades to its rail network.

The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre will host a Feb. 13 workshop to discuss biomass and biofuels in Ontario.

The Xstrata Nickel Sustainable Energy Centre (SEC) at Cambrian College in Sudbury has earned gold status in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

Miners in Sudbury have made a contribution of more than $60,000 to the Northern Cancer Foundation following a recent hockey tournament.

Pele Mountain Resources has released the results of a 13-hole drill program that began in October at its Elliot Lake uranium project.