Souris facing tough economic winter

Community leaders in Souris are warning of a hard economic winter ahead.

Two fish plants shut their doors this year in eastern P.E.I. Ocean Choice International and the North Lake Fishermen's Coop, which put 220 people out of work.

Some Souris retailers say Christmas shopping is down 40 per cent this year.

"You can just tell.Things are slower.You can tell that itis affecting people," said Souris resident Tara Rice.

Government spentmore than$1 million to create temporary summer jobs.

But as those jobs now wind down and winter approaches, peoplein Sourisare worried. For manytheir employment insurance will run out around February.

LocalMLA Colin LaVie said, "What I'd like to see happen now, I'd like to see government sit down with OCI, right at the first of the new year.If we can't get it open as a fish plant, we'll have to see what we can get in there."

But the province is now in a legal battle with Ocean Choice International, and the company has just closed two of its other fish plants in Newfoundland.

"Ocean Choice have the plant tied up.We can't go and take over the plant. If we could, we certainly would be out there encouraging someone else to come out and take over the plant and get it up and running," said Innovation Minister Allan Roach.

The province said it is pursuing new industries for Souris with an emphasis on manufacturing.

The minister said he's now in negotiations with at least one company.

The province said it may also resort to a repeat of this past summer and create more temporary jobs for unemployed workers.