In the face of hard economic times, the District of Squamish is getting creative with its plan to erect a billboard on Highway 99 exclaiming the town is "open for business."
The idea is still in infancy stages, but members of the Economic Standing Committee agreed the initiative has merit. The committee forward a recommendation to discuss the "open for business" billboard at a future committee of the whole meeting.
The City of Chilliwack has an open for business sign that carries the mayor's phone number. The district would employ a similar model. Dave Thomson, District of Squamish business development lead, said Chilliwack is reaping the rewards.
"The sign in Chilliwack has been up for 10 years now and it has been effective. A number of clients have been referred from the mayor's office," Thomson. "It's so tacky, it's retro."
The standing committee does not have the power to make decisions for the district, but instead makes recommendations, which are later discussed by council as a whole.
"This proposal from my point of view is an inexpensive and effective way of advertising the community," said Mayor Greg Gardner. "The other issue is whether we are really open for business or not."
So is Squamish really open for business? Thomson thinks so. He said a lot of work has gone into creating collateral such as available lands and a community profile for potential businesses.
"In good times you are never ready for business, but in bad times you have to be ready because the world is coming in 2010," said Coun. Paul Lalli, chair of the economic standing committee. "It's one of the cheapest ways of advertising, and I think it couldn't hurt."
Coun. Patricia Heintzman didn't jump on the "open for business" bandwagon. She said the crowd in Chilliwack is very different than Squamish residents.
"What works there might not work here, and we need to evaluate this idea on a bigger picture scale," Heintzman said.
Heintzman said Chilliwack actually set up a corporation to deal with responses from the sign. She said Squamish would need to create the necessary groundwork.
"They knew exactly what they were trying to achieve and we need to as well," Heintzman said.
The Dalai Lama in Squamish?
Squamish might play host to the Dalai Lama or even former British Prime Minister Tony Blair if plans for an economic summit move forward.
The Pace Group, which has been responsible for the Surrey Regional Economic Summit, is looking at Squamish. The Surrey event featured speakers such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Blair. The idea was to put Surrey on the map.
"They are proposing a Squamish economic development summit to happen pre-Olympics in order to take most advantage of the Olympic Games," Gardner said.
He said the Pace Group has not lost money on a summit or conference yet.
The Squamish summit would include a comprehensive one-day agenda of topics and speakers that would reflect Squamish's growth and bring together a who's who of business and community leaders, as well as experts in the areas of business, economics, urban growth and municipal affairs.
The initial theme for the summit is ecotourism, but Gardner said the committee is open for suggestions. The plan so far is to hold the summit in November 2009.
The cost for high profile speakers is not cheap. Lalli said Blair costs $320,000 for a half-hour presentation. But a summit with high profile guests could put Squamish on the map in time for 2010, said Lalli.
The Surrey summit attracted approximately 450 delegates and considerable media attention. The success of this first event has also paved the way for the summit to become an annual event.
"The Surrey event attracted 78,000 people from the region so we would be targeting rubber based attendees," Lalli said.
The committee is waiting for the Pace Group to complete a viability study on the event before moving forward with recommendations.
