It’s just the beginning, but a positive start, Mayor Patricia Heintzman said after Friday’s breakfast meeting with more than 100 businesspeople at Startup Squamish.
“The idea is to start the community dialogue and have people engaged and networking,” Heintzman said.
People poured themselves coffee and walked around the room, shaking hands and chatting about their entrepreneurial pursuits.
Startup Squamish co-founder David Crewson wants to see a business “ecosystem” that allows enterprises to live and prosper, ultimately creating higher tax revenues and employment in Squamish.
“With a vibrant economy, everyone benefits,” Crewson told the crowd. “What are we going to do as a community to encourage the growth of this ecosystem?”
The audience of business people, prompted by the mayor, had plenty of suggestions.
Dave McRae said the District of Squamish needs to ensure that businesses are not “stuck in a bureaucratic loop.”
Doug Day, owner of Garibaldi Springs Golf Course, called for a reduction in municipal business taxes, which in Squamish are 2.5 times higher than residential taxes.
“It’s a complete ripoff,” Day said, calling it “a perversion of taxation.”
Urban farmer Stefan Butler said government support for enterprises is important. “It’s there, the community supports us, but when it comes to the bureaucracy… there are a lot of avenues we can’t use.”
He said he and his partners must commute to Vancouver to generate much of their revenue.
Matt Blackman suggested Squamish needs a directory of people who can form connections for business. “How can we get that talent pool together?” he asked.
Rolf Papsdorf said in Bavaria, a big tree displays the symbols of the businesses in the town. He suggested the Adventure Centre could have a display featuring every Squamish business.
Jen McGinnis of Green Thumb Technology, a new enterprise, said the Startup Squamish incubator provides the perfect place to begin. As a professional skier and mountain rescue person, “I know nothing about running a business,” she said, and Startup provided guidance and a physical space where she could meet other entrepreneurs. “I couldn’t have run a business without it.”
Duane Hepditch, who has a software business in Whistler, suggested Squamish specialize in a certain industry to become a hotbed of startups that complement each other.
Heintzman, however, is aiming for diversity in Squamish businesses. “I would rather see 500 businesses than one business contributing to the community, to the tax base.”
In an interview following the breakfast, the mayor said the event went well.
“As a government, we’re not a business,” she said. “We don’t create jobs… we hopefully lay the groundwork for the success of these businesses. It’s helpful to hear from them.”
Some industries, such as wood products or “rec tech” (recreation technology), are “intuitive ones that make sense here,” Heintzman said.
“It makes sense to have a rec tech sector here because we have the best testing ground in the world,” she said, noting there is already a cluster in the business park.
“Spectacular” was how Crewson described Friday’s event with the mayor. “It’s amazing, the people who showed up.”
He was pleased the business community could connect with Heintzman. Three councillors – Peter Kent, Ted Prior and Karen Elliott – also attended.
The next monthly breakfast with the mayor event will focus on housing issues. Details have not yet been announced.
See related editorial in this week's edition of The Squamish Chief.
