Our economic future won't look like the past.
Owen Sound's golden manufacturing years, with large and medium-sized plants, well-paid jobs and pensions, railway and water transport and associated services, are over.
Ontario has lost its competitive edge and no longer attracts new plants. Globalization with lower wages in other countries has drained our manufacturing sector.
Electric power rates are prohibitive to industrial expansion.
By Hub staff
Owen Sound mayor Deb Haswell, currently embroiled in a three-way fight for re-election, is chastising area MP Larry Miller for failing to include dredging of the harbour in his list of priorities for the coming Parliamentary sitting.
"Bruce Grey Owen Sound's MP did not include the unresolved issue of harbour dredging on his "to do" list of priorities Monday when he outlined his agenda in his public statement on the autumn session," Haswell said in a news release."I hope Larry is not avoiding or minimizing this obstacle to Owen Sound's economic growth."
"In the coming term of council, I will join forces with affected citizens and harbour front property owners and developers to get the harbour dredged," Haswell continued.
Owen Sound needs new blood on city council and a fresh approach to drawing business to the city and to its downtown, council candidate Steve Hencze argues.
By Anne Finlay-Stewart
Once upon a time, Owen Sound had the highest number of gas stations per capita in Ontario. Maybe even in Canada. But the "filling station" business just isn't what it used to be, and it is hardly a local phenomenon.
In the past twenty-five years, the number of gas stations has declined almost 40 per cent, from over 20,000 to barely 12,000. The profit per litre at the pump has remained stagnant, environmental safety rules have tightened, and car maintenance services are often delivered elsewhere, at specialty outlets. Big-box stores offering discounts have further squeezed the "corner gas" owners, and the real money now is in the Tim Hortons or other retail offerings. Gas is just the necessity.
By Anne Finlay-Stewart
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