Grand Falls-Windsor lost its main employer, but has somehow thrived

When AbitibiBowater closed the mill in Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland, most people assumed the economy of the central Newfoundland town would tank.

But the opposite has happened.

Last year by this time, there were 16 new housing starts. This year, there has already been 60.

So what is happening?

The best guess is that when the former mill workers left town for work, they left their families and bank accounts in Grand Falls-Windsor.

"I know people that did have to go away to work, but I think what happened is that some of the ones that did have to go away to work, their families still stayed here. So there's money coming from other provinces into our province now," said town resident Marion King.

The main employers in town now are the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre, and the large town mall.

Town businesses are reporting strong sales numbers and new shopping areas are in the planning stage for the next few years.

Source:

N.L. town rebounds from paper mill closure (CBC)