A new report for the Northern Policy Institute is out with three main recommendations to address the long-term sustainability of the rural economy in the Kenora district.
Spokesperson Amandine Martel says the recommendations include responding to the needs of the Indigenous population, creating an immigration strategy and infrastructure upgrades.
Martel says the district is currently experiencing an aging population, challenges with education and shifts in the economy.
The District of Kenora attracted roughly 27-times fewer immigrants per capita than Ontario as a whole in the 2014-2015 year.
Martel says current barriers that need to be addressed include accessibility and cost of living.
She notes close to three-quarters of the District of Kenora’s population live in rural areas, a trend that will likely continue.
