Municipality Of Greenstone

If you wish to live your life in French, search no more. This municipality boasts an impressive proportion of its inhabitants who have French either as their first or second language (35%). The vast majority of the Francophone community came to this area in the 1930’s, from Northeastern Ontario or the province of Quebec, following the mining and forest industry boom.

Greenstone map

Its closeness with Hearst ensures that to this day, a strong link with the Franco-Ontarian community is maintained, which contributes to the vitality of the local French-speaking community. Many Francophone clubs and associations are still alive today and they ensure that the Franco-Ontarian culture and language are passed on to future generations. It is also worth mentioning that there is a French-language Community Center located in Geraldton serving as a real hub for the region’s Francophone community.

It is, in fact, in Greenstone that the Franco-Ontarian flag was first flown permanently in our region, and it is no surprise that the municipality has three French Elementary schools and one French High school. This is yet again more proof of the importance of the Francophone population in the history and the future development in Northwestern Ontario.

Learn more about living, working, doing business and playing in Greenstone in the sections below.

Visit the Greenstone Community Portal.

Living

The Municipality of Greenstone is a place that values its residential life and takes good care of its communities which include: Beardmore, Caramat, Geraldton, Jellicoe, Longlac, Macdiarmid, Nakina and Orient Bay. As a Municipality, the communities of Greenstone share a common focus to strengthen social, environmental and economic well-being so that every resident can benefit from high quality living standards.

Greenstone residents enjoy the daily privacy of small town living with the added benefits of an organized municipal government. These benefits include excellent public infrastructure and residential services, accessible health and social care, active seniors programming, good childcare, a four-Branch Public Library system and all season recreation facilities.

Places of worship are located throughout the Greenstone region and service most denominations including Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal and Anglican.

There are numerous private and public health-related services and programs available including medical, counselling, dental, mental, palliative and in-home care. Many services and programs are delivered in both French and English languages and access tends to be very quick, if not immediate.

The Geraldton District Hospital is the area’s multi-care facility and has a 24 hour emergency department staffed with dedicated emergency nurses. When specialized medical attention is required, patients are easily transferred to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Learn more about residential life in Greenstone.

Working

The communities of Greenstone create a busy working centre in the rural North. There are many businesses and organizations in a variety of private and public sectors that contribute towards a healthy local economy.

Manufacturing, agriculture, health care and transportation businesses are major employers in Greenstone. The service industries including retail, professional and administrative sectors also employ a significant portion of the population.

Positions in sales, services and trades, as well as equipment operation, business, finance and administration are the most prominent.

The Greenstone workforce is characterized by large francophone and aboriginal populations, high skill levels and unmatched employee loyalty, resulting in low staff turnover and positive working environments.

Learn more about working and employment in Greenstone:

Learning

A selection of education and learning opportunities are available in the Greenstone region from pre-school through to post-secondary. Within the region’s education system, students of all ages and abilities are encouraged to reach their full potential in their academic and personal interests.

Childcare - Three licensed childcare facilities operate in Greenstone: Geraldton Day Care Centre, Friends of the North Day Care Centre, and Beardmore Family Resource Centre - Beardmore Child Care Centre. These Centres provide childcare for children from 18 months to 12 years of age and include programs for special-needs children, toddlers, pre-school, before and after-school care and emergency or drop-in care.
Elementary Schools - Eleven elementary schools serve the communities of Greenstone, offering a mix of publicly funded, catholic and francophone options for children.
High Schools – A public and a catholic high school serve secondary students between the ages of 14-18 years of age in the area.
Post-secondary - Confederation College is a world-class institute that offers academic and vocational certificate and diploma courses. It is based in Thunder Bay but operates a regional campus in Geraldton, Greenstone. Both Hearst University and Lakehead University are within a 3 hour drive from Greenstone for students who wish to pursue under-graduate and post-graduate studies.
Alternative Education - Contact North/Contact Nord offers distance education and training access centres including sites in the communities of Geraldton, Longlac, Nakina and Beardmore.

Learn more about our education and learning opportunities at the Greenstone Community Portal.

Doing Business

With a strategic location, a skilled workforce and market access to over 100 million customers within a one day drive, the Greenstone region has significant strengths for doing business.

Target sectors for business development and expansion in Greenstone are:

Mining/Mineral Exploration
Value-Added Forestry
Renewable Energy
Training
Education

Greenstone offers every modern convenience that companies and entrepreneurs need to do business globally, including:

World-class telecommunications services
2 local airports (Geraldton and Nakina) and Thunder Bay International Airport
Mature road networks and regional highways.
Bus and rail services
Available commercial real estate
Abundant land for building or development
Public-private partnership opportunities

Two active Chambers of Commerce (Geraldton and Longlac) provide focal points for local business owners who require additional information or services.

Funding Opportunities:

Greenstone has access to capital and other incentives to encourage investment and job creation in the area. We are committed to helping prospective employers secure public funding.

FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP) promotes economic growth throughout a large and diverse geographic area including Greenstone.

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) purpose is to work with northern entrepreneurs and businesses to foster private sector job creation while supporting critical infrastructure and community development projects that build a foundation for future economic growth and enhanced quality of life.

Human Resources and Social Development (HRDC) is a Federal Ministry that has plenty of program capital that might offset training and labour development costs associated with creating new employment in Greenstone.

Learn more about doing business in Greenstone at the Greenstone Municipal Economic Development portal.

For more information on the Greenstone business climate, please contact our Economic Development Officer, at 807-854-1100 ext 2033 or at edo@greenstone.ca. Additional information can also be found at the Greenstone Municipal Economic Development portal.

Playing

Greenstone offers year-round, organized and affordable activities for residents of all ages. From live music festivals, fairs and carnivals, to community classes, sports and clubs, the opportunities to get involved, participate and meet new people are nonstop.

A community swimming pool, a weight room, a golf course, hockey arenas, curling rinks and gymnasiums provide venues for exercise and sporting events.

A large number of charitable organizations within the Municipality also engage residents in volunteer activities. Many people participate in charity events which provide entertainment and social occasions for residents throughout the year.

Greenstone is home to three municipal campgrounds and four provincial parks, as well as a collection of natural attractions like High Falls, the Pijitawabik Palisades and Lake Nipigon. Here, the options for outdoor recreation are endless. Some of the best hunting, fishing and snowmobiling in the world is available on every doorstep. In addition, residents participate in activities like world-class rock and ice-climbing, canoeing, bird watching, hiking, camping, off-roading and geocaching.

Promoting a healthy lifestyle in Greenstone is not difficult. There are many active community groups to join and a never-ending list of individual pursuits offered by the natural landscape. Learn more about recreation in Greenstone here, or visit the Greenstone Community Portal.

GEDC

About The GEDC

Greenstone Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) is a community-based, non-profit organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, representative of the communities within the Greenstone area, whose mission is:

“To foster and encourage the start-up and operation of successful enterprise in all economic sectors within the Greenstone Service Area.”

GEDC is part of the Community Futures Program in Northern Ontario administers by FedNor, which offers a wide variety of programs and services supporting community economic development and small business growth.

GEDC Services

Business Development

The GEDC Business Centre encourages and strengthens the growth of new and existing businesses in the Greenstone region through resources, knowledge and support.

Some of our no-cost services include:

Access to Capital
Business Workshops, Seminars and Training
Advisory/Counselling Services
Assess viability of Business ideas

The primary objective of GEDC financing is to invest in sound businesses that create and maintain sustainable employment in all economic sectors.

3-Tier Lending Program

The GEDC Business Centre 3-Tier Lending was developed to assist new and existing small to medium enterprises (SME) to finance start-up, expansion, purchase of assets or working capital.

Micro Loans $500 - $10,000
General Loans $10,001 - $150,000
Pool Loans $150,001 - $500,000

Community Development

The GEDC Business Centre pursues projects and activities based on community needs and priorities. We develop and maintain partnerships to support growth and sustainability of the region.

Some of our support services include: