This coming fall could mark a brand new economic development direction for the Sunshine Coast according to an announcement made at the Best Coast Initiatives (BCI) annual general meeting on July 7.
At the AGM Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk spoke of a decision made at a strategic planning committee meeting he attended in his other role as a Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) director. At the committee meeting, he proposed that a facilitated workshop be held in the fall at which each SCRD board member would bring forward their top three ideas for business projects, not only in their area but region wide. The other directors at the committee meeting indicated their support of the idea. And the 25 business people in attendance at the AGM welcomed the idea whole-heartedly.
The announcement dovetailed the presentation by SCI's economic development co-ordinator, Michael McLaughlin.
In his report McLaughlin extolled the virtues of having one "coherent coast-wide development plan." He said a common plan would allow all areas of the Coast to share costs, access additional sources of funding and bring assets together to market off-Coast.
He also reminded everyone that 2011 is a transition year; it's the last year of business commitment to the current economic development plan. Another reason, McLaughlin urged those present to advocate for Coast wide economic strategy.
In other business, Shelley McDade, SCI board chair, introduced the new board of directors and outlined the past year's economic accomplishments.
McDade spoke of the "aggressive work plan" that included an attraction video for Hillside Industrial Park, the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper impact study, an investor attraction website package for the entire Coast, a B.C. Ferry commuter study and the recently-presented retail gap analysis study.
