EDITOR,
Re. Appointment of the SODC board in the context of the economic development strategy.
Present council (whose term is to expire in less than a month) made appointments to the board with a 3-2 split vote. This has come under criticism because two of the new appointees are members of the present council and will not be running for re-election.
Procedurally, council's action is perfectly legal and the soon-to-be former council members are well-qualified citizens of our community. However, the appointment of the new board could have been left for the new elected council coming into office with a fresh mandate of the electorate.
A delay of one month had no apparent consequence. In this context, council's decision appears to be made more for political considerations than what is best for Squamish. It therefore deserves criticism.
Over the past few years, the economy of Squamish has been hit hard. Well-paying industrial jobs provided by BCR and forest industries (including Interfor sawmill and West Coast Woodfibre) disappeared in a relatively short time. The fact that the closing of the Woodfibre alone meant an annual loss of $2 million in municipal taxes speaks to the scale of enormous negative impact on the local economy.
The 2010 Olympics promised a ferry terminal that did not materialize. As well, little direct economic benefit flowed to Squamish from this event of a lifetime.
The transfer from the Nexen lands offered (and is) a great opportunity to attract new investment and jobs to Squamish. Through a national search, SODC board managed to attract a developer willing to invest in land development but this opportunity, in large part, was missed due to politics by the council of the day. Rather than taking a lesson from this, it appears that the same politics continue to lead the way.
Squamish is reduced to bedroom-community status, but community economic development did not come up on the agenda of the outgoing council until this year. Budget was approved but council did not enter into any discussion to determine the organizational structure that would be best suited to achieve results.
Council chose to have economic development staff be within a structure of direct political control, which is less effective for results than an independent "economic development commission" at arm's length. The latter model produces best results, as is the experience in many other municipalities across Canada.
It is my hope that the new council will give priority to this item and opt for the establishment of an "economic development commission" with responsibility to develop an economic development strategy and related infrastructure to attract jobs focusing on sectors identified in previous studies, including:
Knowledge-based institutions and work establishments (the economic impact study for Quest University indicated that at full operation it will generate economic impact equivalent to three Squamish sawmills that were closed);
Value-added wood products;
Water-based recreation (marina);
Others for which Squamish offers locational advantage.
As I understand, such was the intent for SODC to operate at an arm's length and not be burdened with political maneuvers.
As part of its strategy, new council needs also to give priority to transportation policies (in the Sea to Sky Corridor) addressing the needs of commuting Squamish residents north and south.
Mohammad Afsar
Squamish
