In Timmins

The Timmins Gold Mine Tour, a tourist attraction. This story in the Timmins Daily Press describes a retail construction boom, as the city of about 40,000 benefits from its resource/mining base, including gold.

I'm in Timmins today, probably the northernmost community with city-type resources (Wal-Mart, other big box stores, etc) in Ontario. Timmins is enjoying a healthy economic boom in part because of its nearness to a wealth of mineral resources -- including gold. (It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that in the current economic environment, a community with gold mines in the immediate region is a good place a construction business to be.)

To make things more interesting personally, this visit gave me the opportunity to see one of my nieces and her fiancee, just days before she becomes a mother. She moved here several years ago in search of a teaching job after completing her education degree; and settled.

Reflecting the local boom, house prices are skyrocketing -- but by southern standards, things are surprisingly inexpensive. Timmins has good road and rail connections to the rest of the world, so transport costs here are reasonable -- in fact, this is perhaps why it has become a hub for mining and exploration companies working in more remote regions.

After my meeting with a local contractor here today, I will return home -- then Vivian and I will head off to Vermont tomorrow for a four day break. However, I expect to be able to continue blogging during the vacation.