Goderich, Ontario

we had a telecom company (HuronTel) install fibre optics throughout the town over a two-year peri- od and so, there is fibre available to all homes and businesses in Goderich. You’ll hear a lot about the SWIFT program and bringing broadband to every house and business throughout the province–Goderich is already there” Sicoli: “That’s always a challenge for people who live in rural areas and smaller communities; they have gaps in the technological infrastructure, but that’s not a problem here. With the potential to ex- pand residential development there is an excellent opportunity for growth due to an enhanced avail- able labour market.” McCabe: “Healthcare is an important asset in Goderich.We built a $4 million medical clinic in 2005, and last year did a $2 million expansion.All the 18 doctors in town (a good number for a small community) are in that centre as a family health team, along with nurse practitioners, support staff, physio, etc.The Town acts as the landlord and, other than the repayment of debt incurred for the facil- ity,we turn a small $50,000 profit annually which goes back into reserve for future expansion.Across the road from the clinic, the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital is a full-service facility serving all of Huron County.” BVM: Given your location on Lake Huron, is cli- mate change being addressed, and how do you foresee the future of the town? McCabe: “We formed an Emergency Operations Control Group in 1995 after a cyclone hit Goderich. In the 2000s, the province created mandatory GODERICH, ONTARIO legislation for the same. Every year,we have either a mock disaster or a tabletop exercise; we have a full-time person dedicated to emergencies.We built a state-of-the-art addition on top of the Town Hall where we monitor everything. Communications systems are in place and we’re ready to deal with storms and related flooding. The area around us is the breadbasket of Ontario, producing wheat, corn, and beans and we support that through the Port.The port is the home of the largest, purest operating salt mine in the world. Parrish & Heimbecker now owns Goderich Eleva- tors and they also operate at the Port.With all the capabilities of rail,water, highways (8 and 21) and hopefully, air,we’ll continue to support the strong surrounding agricultural economy, and growwith small and moderate sized businesses. For residents, we have all the amenities of a city with a lifestyle that’s unsurpassed.” Sicoli sums up the best about Goderich: “I just moved here in the spring, seeking to achieve that high quality of life where there’s affordability, less traffic and you’re away from the rat race. Goderich is a beautiful community that provides all of the amenities with none of the urban stresses.” PREFERRED VENDOR n Goderich Port Management Corporation www.goderichport.ca Goderich has been a key port in Ontario since it was a trading post. With the only deep-water port on the east side of Lake Huron it has a long maritime heritage that continues to be reflected in the work the port is doing to attract new users and cargoes.