At least one member of the transition committee assigned to help Queens County residents cope with the closure of its paper mill says there’s reason for optimism.

The committee members were revealed Monday and have already held meetings with community and political leaders to figure out the next steps in the wake of the closure of the Bowater Mersey paper mill.

The shutdown eliminates more than 300 jobs and will affect thousands more in the forestry industry, prompting concerns that a region already suffering from a dwindling population will be even more severely drained.

But Andrew Button, executive director of the Lunenburg Queens Regional Development Agency, said his agency has already been working to identify growth sectors in the regional economy.

“We have a lot of really great things that are happening in this region,” Button told News 95.7 “They sort of fly under the radar in a lot of cases. I think we’re well positioned to be connected with businesses and to bring those opportunities to the forefront to be able to see the development.”

Button is a member of the transition committee and says there’s lots of potential in a burgeoning “creative economy” taking root in the South Shore.

“Those are the businesses that seem to cluster in an area,” said Button. “We’re already starting to see that here in both Liverpool and north Queens, all the way through to the Hubbards area in our region where we have telecommuters and knowledge-based workers who call this beautiful piece of paradise home.”

However, local residents still reeling from Resolute Forest Products’ decision to idle the mill indefinitely say they’re not sure what to think.

“Nobody’s happy about it. That’s for sure,” said Frank, a Queens Country resident. “I think everybody’s worried about where the town’s going to go, what direction.”

Brian, a retired mill worker, said it was a dying industry and the closure was expected.

“Hopefully something else will move in,” said Brian. “Everybody in Queens County should be concerned about it. Our taxes will probably go up and the power bill too.”

The provincial government had offered Resolute a $25 million bailout to keep the mill open, which has now been returned to the government.

“I think really it made the province look a little like a fool,” said Doug, an area resident. “I think they knew what was happening before they asked for the money.”

Doug also said he doesn’t have much faith that the provincially appointed committee will made a difference to the region.  

Committee leader Ron Smith said there’s likely no single industry that can replace the revenue and jobs provided by the Bowater Mersey paper mill.

The committee also includes Kathleen Rafuse, CAO for the Region of Queens Municipality, Barry Tomalin, president of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce, and Blair Douglas, former president and owner of NF Douglas Lumber Ltd.