Twenty years ago, the small town of Rivers in southwestern Manitoba was dealt a harsh blow when its number one employer, one of Canada’s largest air force bases during the Second World War, closed its doors for good.
But Rivers is getting ready for the next big boom.
The abandoned hangar is now home to hogs, about 6,900 of them.
Maple Leaf hype might be the loudest in Brandon now, with the pork processing giant’s plan to build a $112-million cut and kill facility this spring, but town and business officials in Rivers say the community of 1,100 will be ready when economic spinoffs spill into the region.
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“Small communities either expand or die,” said Mike Dickson, a seasonal worker at a farm supply store in Rivers.
As president of the Chamber of Commerce, Dickson was among a small crowd that attended a March 19 meeting in Brandon that outlined business opportunities the plant may bring.
“Whether they live and work in Rivers or work at Maple Leaf in Brandon every day, we still get the benefits,” Dickson said. “They use our hospital, rinks, grocery stores, schools.”
Don Allan, manager of the Brandon Economic Development Board, told the group that for every new job at the plant, four jobs will be created in the region.
Total job creation in southwestern Manitoba, at the plant and in industries created to support its operation, could reach 13,200 with the start of the second shift.
Allan said the towns quickest to the gate will walk home with the biggest winnings.
“The region stands to see a bigger increase in income than Brandon if they’re on side,” Allan said in a later interview.
“The more we can do to get the region excited and proactive about getting into the value-added food chain, the more everyone benefits.”
Rivers was the only town to provide Allan with a community profile to accompany the Brandon information package being sent to potential investors around the world.
“Nobody’s going to go to Rivers unless Rivers is ready to toot its own horn,” said Alf Kennedy, a local agricultural credit consultant who helped compile the profile.
“It’s up to us to get on the bandwagon and do our part to make sure we get our share. Other communities aren’t going to get their share … because they’re sleeping.”
The town’s first foray into the hog business came when a company established a 6,900-sow farrowing operation in the old air force hangar a few kilometres from Rivers.
There was some community opposition, but Dickson and Kennedy say they want to get the message out that Rivers is open for business.
“The RM of Daly (which surrounds Rivers) is really receptive to listening to other swine production proposals,” said Kennedy, who used to own a hotel and restaurant there.
“There will always be opposition but remember, it is an easy thing to oppose it or say no when you’re not educated about it.”
Sandy soils in the region prevent farmers from making their living on cereal crops, so livestock is a good fit for the area, Kennedy said.
Dickson said the town is developing six residential sites and an industrial park to prepare for the plant.
In a community with an infrastructure to support a population of 4,000, there’s room to expand and the price is right, said Kennedy. “You can still get a brand new serviced lot here for $2,500. Who can say that?”
