Town of Cochrane Strategic Plan – Final Report October 2014
no affordable accommodations, it becomes challenging to attract employees and their
families, even when good jobs are available. The District of Cochrane Social Services
Administration Board is currently undertaking a study to explore potential solutions.
8. Perceived lack of support for entrepreneurs: Participants in several sessions felt that the
municipality does not have adequate resources to support local business people and
entrepreneurs.
9. Low use of Polar Bear Express train: Visitation numbers on the Polar Bear Express have
declined from a peak in the 1980’s. One of the problems with the tour is that there is very
little to see in Moosonee and Moose Factory once people a rrive after the five-hour train
trip. Tourists are using on-line tourism review sites, such as Trip Advisor, to help them
decide which attractions to see, and the comments about the Polar Bear Express reflect this
lack of activity.
10. Closure of campgrounds: In early 2012, the Ministry of Natural Resources closed several
underutilized provincial parks that offered overnight camping. Greenwater Park, near
Cochrane, was one of these parts. The park requires significant capital investments in its
water system, and park revenues are not enough to cover the cost. Ontario’s provincial
parks are some of the best-maintained and well-appointed in the world, and the loss of this
camping opportunity further reduces opportunities for tourism in the area.
11. Loss of spring bear hunt: Participants at the tourism and public sessions believe that the
Spring Bear Hunt cancellation in 1999 has had a negative impact both on the tourism
industry and on local residents.151 Residents claim that nuisance bears have since become a
significant problem, especially since cutbacks to the Ministry of Natural Resources halted
the BearWise Management Program. Nuisance bear problems have been downloaded to
municipal police, who have neither the training nor the resources to effectively deal with
them. In the summer of 2013, one local man was severely injured when a black bear broke
into his cabin. In response to growing concerns from northern Ontario residents,
November 2013, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that the hunt would be
reinstated in certain areas of Northern Ontario as a pilot project. Cochrane was not one of
these areas, although local politicians have been lobbying to have it included.
12. Increasing cost of housing and rental units: This issue was a matter of concern for nearly
all focus groups. Rising accommodation costs are not unusual in communities
experiencing sudden economic booms. According to the Town Management focus group,
the vacancy rate is extremely low, which creates difficulties for young people, newcomers
and families on the lower end of the economic spectrum. This also reduces the opportunity
151
Aube, Benjamin (2013) Northern leaders say hunt pilot project falls short. Timmins Press, November 29, 2013.
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