During the last decade the struggling Canadian forestry industry has been in steady decline with sawmills and paper mills having borne the brunt of recent closures. When a mill closes, the repercussions for a small northern Manitoba town can be nothing short of disastrous. The closure not only affects mill employees but the ensuing trickle-down effect has an impact on the entire community with far-reaching ramifications for contractors, secondary and tertiary workers. With the recent announcement that the Tolko paper mill will cease operations on December 2, 2016, again we’re faced with the age-old question: How can a community prepare for the potential loss of its primary employer?