services in the downtown ensures that we have consistent traffic as far as our residents needing to visit for certain services. And of course that helps support the businesses that serve the wants instead of the needs like the boutiques and the retail stores.” ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT BARRIERS West Nipissing has never charged development fees, a policy that sets it apart from most Ontario municipalities and recently aligned with provincial directives eliminating such charges. The municipality’s industrial park outside town offers available land for businesses seeking Northern Ontario locations with access to both Sudbury and North Bay markets. “We’ve always been very open to people approaching us with opportunities and understand the value to the community of that economic development,” Mayor Rochon explains.“We don’t necessarily need to make money on development charges because it is about increasing the tax base, increasing employment opportunities.” This approach has attracted new restaurants and shops to the highway commercial zone while maintaining space for industrial growth. An economic development advisory committee brings together representatives from agriculture, tourism, resource development, downtown businesses, and commercial sectors. The diverse membership provides the council with expertise across West Nipissing’s economic spectrum. “It’s really quite 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 WEST NIPISSING, ON
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