Smooth Rock Falls, a town of 1,300 people on the shores of the stunning Mattagami River, has recently issued a request for proposals to purchase and develop 44.77 acres of surplus municipally owned industrial land. The lot, selling for a minimum of $96,000, is in a prime location fronting Highway 11.
Speaking of the lot and of Smooth Rock Falls at large, Shannon Piper, the town’s economic development officer, told Northern Ontario Business, “It has a lot of great potential. We’re a little hidden gem.”
Ideally, the town is hoping to see the lot purchased by light to medium industrial operations or commercial development that will continue to foster economic growth and job creation that’s sustainable within the local ecosystem and the region.
“There isn’t a specific target area,” said Piper. “We’re open to any possibility that maximizes the site’s potential and strengthens the town’s position as a business friendly community.”
Possibilities could include anything from equipment servicing companies to supply chain logistics companies, or manufacturing. The lot is fully customizable for a number of different uses, with access to utilities that can be connected at the purchaser’s cost.
So far, the property has garnered a handful of interest ahead of the request for proposals closing date on April 25.
The interest, said Piper, demonstrates the lot’s strong development possibilities.
“It’s looking very positive and we’re happy that we’re able to attract the most suitable economic partners that fit with our economic vision.”
The central location of Smooth Rock Falls within the Cochrane District, and its strategic position near budding industrial projects, is the town’s most attractive business feature, Piper said.
The town is located on the Highway 11 corridor within easy driving distance of Timmins, Cochrane, and Kapuskasing.
Highway 634, which originates in Smooth Rock Falls, affords access to seven hydro generating stations in the North and offers winter access to the James Bay Coast, making it convenient for businesses that operate in the Far North of the province.
The town also has proximity to major industrial projects in the area, such as the upcoming Canada Nickel Company Crawford Nickel Project, an open-pit nickel-cobalt mine 43 kilometres north of Timmins.
“There’s a lot of talk and waves in the region about this project,” said Piper.
The sale of the lot is in alignment with the town’s 20-Year Comprehensive Vision and Strategic Plan, which aims to help the town reinvent itself by supporting economic growth through industrial development that contributes to long-term sustainability.
The plan was put in place in 2015 as a result of the closure of the Tembec Mill in 2006.
The forestry sector had provided the majority of Smooth Rock Falls’ employment for over 90 years, and the closure forced the town to pivot and develop new ways to thrive. According to the 20-year plan, Smooth Rock Falls is eager to leave no stone unturned in its quest for the “next big thing (or more appropriately things).”
Businesses looking to purchase the lot will receive access to fantastic development tools and support through the Community Improvement Plan, including programs that help with municipal grants, loans, and rebates for private sector improvements.
The town facilitates loans or grants for business owners up to a maximum of 15 per cent of eligible costs, to a maximum of $1 million. It also offers loans of up to 50 per cent construction costs of non-residential construction projects, up to a maximum of $500,000.
Additionally, the generous Tax Increment Grant Program gives businesses a 75 per cent rebate in year one, a 50 per cent rebate in year two, and 25 per cent rebate in year three, said Piper.
The town also offers assistance leveraging funding programs from organizations like the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), a crown corporation that invests in Northern Ontario businesses and municipalities, and Ontario’s Rural Economic Development Program (RED), which supports rural communities’ economic development.
The town hopes the incentives will attract and help business owners who might not have the funds to start a business elsewhere get their foot in the door.
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So far, the town has achieved a marked success with its 20-Year Plan, becoming a regional leader in medical care with a state-of-the-art hospital that has an emergency room waiting time “measured in minutes.”
The town has also focused on key economic development issues such as senior housing, waterfront residential properties, agriculture, economic development and partnerships with First Nations and Aboriginal organizations, and solid waste management.
“We’ve sustained our population, we’ve overcome the loss, we’ve stabilized, and we’re still working hard to make things as prosperous as they were,” said Piper. “When you lose a population like we did, it affects businesses, but by doing these economic initiatives we generate more revenue.”
Piper said even small influxes of new residents or business to the town is a big win.
“We’re doing things bite-sized.”
The decision to sell the Highway 11 lot comes on the heels of the town’s creation of the Near North Industrial Centre, a 27-acre industrial park purchased in 2018 that currently offers 12 lots for sale.
“That project has generated interest and we have received another handful of inquiries. While rising inflation costs have impacted the timeline in recent years, the town remains committed to its completion.”
The town is constructing a road to the centre in the hopes that, by summer 2025, three of the lots will be ready for businesses.
Looking farther into the future, the town hopes to increase its waterfront development opportunities.
“We’d love to see housing development on the waterfront and we would like to see walking trails on the municipally owned waterfront property,” said Piper.
The town is also looking to take advantage of its stunning outdoor setting to increase tourism activities in the spring, fall, and summertime by promoting things like kayaking, canoeing, summer sports, fishing, ATV riding, boating.
“I grew up in Smooth Rock Falls,” said Piper. “So I know how special it is in terms of it being a safe, quiet, fun outdoor community. If you love the outdoors, this is your playground.… We have an arena, an outdoor pool, a golf course, a beautiful splash pad, and a beautiful park. The list goes on.”
