2008-2012 Action Plan

Témiscaming’s economy relies mainly on the development of forest resources and tourism. In view of the crisis within the forest industry, the Town of Témiscaming recognizes the urgency of diversifying the local economy and has adopted the following action plan to ensure its continued development.

Promote entrepreneurship

• Attract and welcome promoters.
• Act as a link between local promoters and developers, and the “Société de développement du Témiscamingue (SDT)” which provides to the territory’s client group, a set of basic services supporting industrial and commercial development, promotion and tourism development, financing, and community development.

Develop our tourism potential

• Interest promoters in the development of lakefront properties.
• Develop activities and services on Lake Témiscamingue.
• Realize the Five Year Action Plan set out in the Village-relais Recognition Program.
• Promote the Lake Témiscamingue Loop Tour project with the municipalities of Témiscamingue and Northeastern Ontario.

Tembec
Témiscaming is a single-industry town dominated by the forest industry whose main employer is Tembec, a pulp and paper company that employs 880 workers on its Témiscaming site and 100 managers at its corporate office situated in the White Oaks building in Temiscaming.

Tembec is a leading integrated forest products company, with extensive operations in North America and France. Tembec has sales of approximately $2 billion and some
6 000 employees and operates over 30 manufacturing units.

Commercial pulp, paper and wood products are its main products. It also manufactures silvichemicals products from its pulp production process. The company commercializes its products worldwide and has sales offices in Canada, the United States, China, Korea and Japan. It also manages in four Canadian provinces, forest lands in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and has committed to obtaining certification of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for all forests under its responsibility.

A tourism sector under development

From a tourism perspective, Témiscaming is the western gateway to the Témiscamingue County. Located along majestic Lake Témiscamingue and near Lake Kipawa, many fishermen, hunters and vacationers cross our territory to access the Restigo and Kipawa ZECs, and area outfitters. More than 250 cottages are built on lakefront properties within municipality’s territory. We have high-quality infrastructures such as a marina, a campground, hiking trails, city parks, snowmobile and cross-country ski trails, a bike path, a superb recreational and cultural center and a museum. Thus, Témiscaming offers good development prospects in the tourism sector.

Our strengths

• Exceptional quality of life
• French and English primary and secondary school
• Located 4 hours from Toronto and Ottawa
• Many houses available at affordable prices
• An excellent quality multi services health center
• Modern communication systems
• Very low crime rate
• A beautiful and fascinating natural environment
• Bilingual community
• Welcoming people

CURRENT PROJECTS
Opémican National Park project
In the spring of 2009, the Service des parcs from the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs began intensive work leading to the creation of the Opémican National Park.

Kipawa Hydroelectric Project
This project involves the construction of two hydroelectric plants along Gordon Creek with the expertise of Innergex, an independent developer and operator of renewable power generating facilities. The First Nations communities of Wolf Lake and Eagle Village will be majority owners while substantial royalties will be distributed to the Témiscamingue MRC, the municipalities of Temiscaming, Kipawa and Laniel.

Témiscaming (according to Statistics Canada 2006)