Priority Sectors

Labrador West has numerous strengths. Specifically, Labrador West is in an envious position of economic strength. It is rich in natural resources and abundant raw materials that can sustain its future for many generations. Its mining industry is growing and the number of businesses supplying the mining sector is increasing.

One of the area's greatest strengths is its mining sector. The area has developed specific industry expertise and has the potential to expand into industry sub-sectors currently not recognized.

Another of Labrador's greatest strengths is it hydro resources. Hydro power has four major advantages: it is renewable, produces negligible amounts of greenhouse gases, is the least costly way of storing large amounts of electricity and it can easily adjust the amount of electricity produced to the amount demanded by consumers. It is also the only renewable energy technology currently commercially viable on a large scale. Hydro power, accounting for about 17% of global generating capacity, is about 20% of the energy produced each year.

The presence of hydro-electricity can be considered one of the foundations stones of the current and potential success of Labrador West. As much as iron ore mining affects the region, hydro-electricity does as well. A sufficient and reasonably-priced power supply to the mining operations has been critical to the past and existing success of the region.

Due to the region's remote location, the area is very much a microcosm with many of the necessary elements for business to prosper: large purchasers of supplies and services, a skilled and highly paid workforce; low electricity rates, an abundance of raw materials (water, forests, minerals, etc.), space for industrial expansion, and a well-established and improving transportation infrastructure. Our "community voice" is an important strength when lobbying on behalf of interests within the region.

Labrador West has much of the necessary recreational infrastructure that makes living in the region very attractive. The region's crime rate is low and there is an obvious pride in property ownership. There is a well-developed spirit of volunteerism which is evident in many of the marquee recreational activities in the area.