Town of Cochrane Strategic Plan – Final Report October 2014
Cochrane may choose to license the brand to organizations for use in promoting products for sale,
or may wish to restrict its use only to non-profit applications.
Other methods of maximizing the brand utility include:
• Establishing conditions and parameters for brand use in municipal communications policy.
• Ensuring that community-related organizations, such as libraries, the Polar Bear Habitat
and other facilities are using the brand in their marketing and communications materials.
• Ensuring that there is a Brand Usage Guidelines manual readily available to all city
personnel involved in developing or distributing communications materials.
Potential Community Leaders
The Town of Cochrane and the Economic Development Officer (see project 7.1.1).
Potential Funding Sources
The Town will incur legal fees to register the brand as a trademark. Expect to pay $3,000 to
$5,000. The process may take anywhere from six to eighteen months.
7.5.2 Maintain and Enhance Current Tourism Infrastructure.
Exploring the potential for tourism development has become an increasing priority for many rural
communities that traditionally relied on resource-based sectors for their prosperity.131 In relatively
remote areas such as Cochrane, tourism attractions must be especially unique to attract enough
visitation to be financially sustainable.
7.5.2.1 Continue to Promote Current Attractions
Cochrane’s first tourism attraction was established in 1964 with the introduction of the train
service to Moosonee. In the summer months, the train has daily departures (except Saturdays) and
is known as the Polar Bear Express. For the rest of the year, service is three times per week, and the
train is called the Little Bear. In 2013, the train carried 62,389 passengers, most of whom live in
the region and use the train to travel between Cochrane and Moosonee/Moose Factory.
In the 2002 fiscal year (April 2002-March 2003, 13,054 people travelled on the Polar Bear
Express; ridership on the Little Bear was 35,054, for a total of 48,108 passengers on the CochraneMoosonee line.132 By 2014, the total number riding on the line was 62,389, but ridership is no
longer broken down to reflect what percentage is Little Bear ridership, and what percentage is
131
Koster, Rhonda. (2010). Rural Tourism and Recreation in Canada. Journal of Rural and Community Development,
ISSN: 1712-8277.
132
Ontario Northland Transportation Commission. (2002). Annual Report. Available at:
http://www.ontarionorthland.ca/images/annualreports/2002ar.pdf
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