Town of Cochrane Strategic Plan – Final Report October 2014
Its location at the bottom of the James Bay lowlands has made it a natural transportation hub for
goods and passengers on their way to the communities of the James Bay Coast.61
4.3.2 Roads
Northern Ontario comprises 90% of the geographic area of the province, but has only 10% of the
population. Road maintenance has become an increasingly contentious issue between Northern
MPPs and the provincial government.62 The only section of the Trans-Canada highway in the
country that is not four-laned runs through northern Ontario. Moreover, the extremes in climate
and the increased wear-and-tear from industrial trucking often result in greater highway
maintenance costs than those experienced in southern Ontario. The New Democratic Party began
compiling a Northern Roads Report in early 2012 to document the state of Ontario’s northern road
network in a bid for more funding.63
4.4 Technology Factors
4.4.1 Telecom
Cochrane Telecom Services, a public utility owned by the municipality, provides high speed
Internet (7Mps, soon to be 20Mps) and local telephone service. There are no competitive Internet
providers in the community, although residents not served by high-speed connections can
purchase satellite internet service from various vendors.
While we found no reported studies or statistics on technology uptake among local businesses,
respondents in the community engagement process believe that it is quite low. There is a strong
perception that Cochrane businesses are failing to invest in technologies or processes that would
improve customer service, productivity and efficiency. For example, very few accommodation
facilities allow guests to book their rooms via internet; guests can send booking requests via email,
but can’t complete and pay for the process immediately and autonomously.
Canadians spent more than $18.9B on line in 2012, an average of $1,450 and 13 transactions per
person. This represents an increase of 24% over 2010, and 50% over 2007. 64 Increasingly,
consumers are ordering items from on-line providers even when they are available locally; for
example, in Timmins, local businesses can order office supplies from Staples using its on-line
catalogue, and the local store delivers the items the next day. In 2012, most on-line sales in
Canada were for travel expenses, such as airline tickets, hotels and car rentals. Just 4% of
61
Gingras & Associates. (2008) Market Analysis of the Mining! and Exploration Business,!Air Cargo Opportunities and
Francophone Tourism for the Town of Cochrane.
62
Ontario NDP. (2012). NDP asks motorists to report dangerous roads. Available at: http://ontariondp.com/en/ndp-asksmotorists-to-report-dangerous-roads
63
The Sudbury Star. (2012). NDP sets up Northern Road Report. Available at:
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2012/01/17/ndp-sets-up-northern-road-report
64
Statistics Canada: Internet Shopping Trends in Canada (2013).
30