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It’s been a “tough go” lately for the local economy in Fort Smith, N.W.T., according to the president of the Thebacha Chamber of Commerce.
Chris Westwell, who’s also the owner of the Javapunks coffee shop in Fort Smith, said the community is feeling the effects of global economic uncertainty.
“I think everyone’s in a state of wondering where we’re gonna go,” Westwell said.
That includes wondering what the federal government’s promised spending in the N.W.T. might mean for Fort Smith, and also what the territorial government’s plan for the region is, Westwell said.
Questions about the town’s economic future come as Yellowknife and Inuvik are set to receive an influx of military-related investments. A slate of infrastructure projects in the N.W.T. has also been referred to the federal Major Projects Office, including the Taltson Hydro Expansion project near Fort Smith.
Some in the community say Ottawa’s renewed interest in the North could lead to a boost in trades training at Fort Smith’s Aurora College campus — though some also say that doesn’t have to be the whole picture of economic opportunity for the town of about 2,500 people.
Hub for trades training
For Fort Smith Mayor Dana Fergusson, Aurora College is already a key element of the town’s economy. She said staff and students are important customers for local businesses, and a key part of the community.
“Without that influx of people and spending and dollars, the whole community suffers,” she said.
However, Fergusson said there’s uncertainty about the future of programming at the college, and that’s not helping the local economy. She said houses are on the market for a long time without getting sold, and local stores are seeing declining business.
Fort Smith Mayor Dana Fergusson says Aurora College is a key component of the town’s economy. (Carla Ulrich/CBC)
She’s hopeful, though, about discussions with the territorial government about integrating the college’s programming with the local high school, which could eventually provide high school students with a trades certificate upon graduation.
That could potentially help graduates find work on federal projects, as Ottawa has highlighted demand for trades workers.
The federal government announced late last month it was investing $6 billion in recruiting, training and hiring Red Seal trades workers to support what Ottawa has deemed “nation-building” projects and new defence industries.
Fergusson believes there will be opportunities for trades workers trained in Fort Smith.
Aurora College’s Thebacha campus in Fort Smith. (Priscilla Hwang/CBC)
“There’s a lot of development happening across the North for big infrastructure spending, DND [Department of national Defence] dollars,” Fergusson said. “And all of those major projects need skilled tradesmen.”
She said the local high school already has an apprenticeship program which provides work experience, but that it’s currently under-used.
“This would be like shooting it in an arm with a steroid, boosting it right up,” Fergusson said.
Regardless of whether Fort Smith sees direct investment from Ottawa, local resident and former MP Dennis Bevington believes the town is set to benefit from projects in Yellowknife and Inuvik. (Sarah St-Pierre/CBC)
Longtime Fort Smith resident and former MP Dennis Bevington also sees the potential for the town to train the workers needed to bring Ottawa’s projects to life.
He said military officers could also receive training in Fort Smith to make sure they understand working in the North well, from working on the land to protecting it.
Other opportunities
Regardless of whether Fort Smith sees direct investment from Ottawa, Bevington believes the town is set to benefit from projects in Yellowknife and Inuvik.
“Without these types of investments […] I think the pressure would be even more pronounced on Fort Smith, in terms of our role as a government service center and as a college.”
Bevington said the town could also develop more local agriculture.
“We have land and we have opportunities in that regard,” he said.
Both Bevington and Westwell also cited tourism as another potential avenue for growth, though they acknowledge that the cost of travelling to Fort Smith by air is a challenge.
“Just a little bit of additional economic activity in almost every sector, any sector, would be huge,” Westwell said.