White River Integrated Sustainable Community Plan

The White River Integrated Sustainable Community Plan (WRISCP) demonstrated how a remote community could wisely use local resources. Having survived the closing of the sawmill that was the community’s largest employer, White River wanted to plan how it could more fully and sustainably exploit its exceptional road and rail access, its excellent service facilities and its outstanding recreational opportunities. Some of the more interesting possibilities included producing value-added dimensional lumber at the recommissioned mill; growing food and seedlings at greenhouses heated with surplus thermal energy; and creating bio-oil, pellets, and briquettes from forest feedstock — all of which could be moved to markets in Canada and the United States using the town’s transportation links. The WRISCP was expected to mesh with existing plans including the 1995 District Heating Plan, the White River Community Plan, the Year-Round Tourism Marketing Plan, the Downtown Business Development Plan and the 1992 White River Cogeneration Initiative. It would also complement initiatives such as the town’s state-of-the-art water and wastewater plant, and its regional recycling partnership with nearby towns. A coordinated systems approach aimed to ensure optimal outcomes in all GMF sectors. White River saw itself as an ideal demonstration site for emerging technologies suitable for any small northern community. With support from the Lakehead Centre for Tourism and Community Development Research, the town expected to use its experience to assist other communities thinking of implementing similar projects.

(Project description from original funding application)