The Squamish Sustainability Corporation (SSC) may be facing its demise following recommendation from the newly minted Economic Development Committee.
The committee made recommendations this week that the District of Squamish's arm's length corporation scale back in operations by leaving the management of Adventure Centre to municipal hands and sticking with tourism.
"We want to have role clarity with respect to economic development in terms of which entities are responsible for what, and who they are accountable to," said Mayor Greg Gardner, adding some of the SSC's role is already being fulfilled at City Hall.
"We have a business lead on staff and the district has actively been providing resources to economic development through that position independent of the SSC."
While merging the SSC with Tourism Squamish has not been discussed, Gardner confirms that is the essence of the decision. A name change was not debated.
Lesley Weeks, Tourism Squamish manager of tourism development, said that Tourism Squamish - amarketing organization with the broad goal of increasing tourism - currently falls under the jurisdiction of the SSC.
"We work hand-in-hand with the SSC board and report to them," Weeks said.
The SSC's board of directors chair, Dave Crewson, is not prepared to let the corporation go quietly.
"I respectfully disagree that three members of council on the economic committee should believe they have the authority, by interfering with council's ability to make a democratic decision, to prevent the work and volunteer efforts by qualified residents on behalf of their community," Crewson said.
In terms of merging the SSC with Tourism Squamish, Crewson is resolute - absolutely not.
"The SSC's strategic recommendation still focuses on the ability to incubate jobs in a diverse economy. Tourism should be one of the key sectors within a healthy economy," Crewson said. "Currently, Tourism Squamish is a part of the SSC, but there has been discussion of moving it to a separate not-for-profit once it has the ability to fund itself."
The SSC has long been a political hot potato as an arm's-length, wholly owned district corporation tasked with managing the Adventure Centre and advancing tourism and business development. Over the years, Gardner said, the SSC mandate became fuzzy.
Recently the SSC asked to expand their mandate into business sectors outside its current focus on tourism and the Adventure Centre. Instead, the economic development committee chose to recommend that its role be scaled back.
Meanwhile, the next step for the SSC is to fight back. Crewson said the economic committee recommendation will be debated. He said the SSC board of directors spent three months analyzing various strategies to formulate their request to expand their mandate.
"Our recommendation would optimize the operations of the Adventure Centre and provide an efficient strategy to ensure job creation in Squamish," Crewson said. "It is discouraging that it appears the committee's recommendation ignores the strategic recommendations resulting from time and effort of the district staff, SSC staff and SSC directors."
Crewson said the management of the Adventure Centre is managed by the SSC for the benefit of the community.
"I am not even sure of the committee comprehensively understands the scope of the operations. Frankly, after two and half years of involvement with the SSC, I am unclear how the district will be able to operate it more efficiently," Crewson said.
He points to the benefits the SSC has brought to the community, including growth in the tourism sector and the creation of business support groups that enjoy a symbiotic relationship within the office of the Adventure Centre.
He said the SSC board is scheduled to present at a Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday (Feb. 17).
