EDC to focus on business support and promotion

Council members spent some time hashing out their vision for economic development in Clearview Township last week.

Councillors participated in a round table discussion Thursday, April 9 in review of the current terms of reference, guiding principles, communication and specific action plans in an effort to revamp and redefine the township’s economic development committee (EDC).

Throughout the discussion council members, the majority of whom operate small businesses in Clearview, expressed interest in an EDC that supports existing businesses while aggressively promoting the municipality as a place for new business, all with a sense of urgency.

Councillor Kevin Elwood said the market dictates business success.

“I don’t believe the township can create business opportunities but the township can enable business to establish here,” he said.

Financial barriers are the biggest hindrance to business in Clearview, said Elwood.

“If I had to establish my business today, I don’t think I could do it,” he said.

Elwood said the EDC’s role should be to mentor, connect people and host functions while the other barriers need to be addressed through the planning department. By creating low overhead costs and spreading out development fees, businesses would be encouraged to set up shop in Clearview, he said.

“It all comes back to the township,” said Elwood. “The township has to step up and make it happen.”

“The committee should go out and tell people what Clearview has to offer,” said Councillor Deborah Bronée.

She said there is a reluctance for people to come to town hall seeking information.

“If they don’t have to deal with the township, they don’t want to because they are afraid they’ll open a whole can of worms. Our answer is not always yes.”

“We have to identify the stumbling blocks when people come to the counter,” said Councillor Connie Leishman.

Councillor Thom Paterson said the EDC should be highly collaborative with existing business and plan well into the future.

“An economic plan could affect the way we develop the township,” said Paterson. “The EDC comes in later on. We have been trying to plan through zoning and the Official Plan but its not granular enough and opportunistic enough. It doesn’t bring in the big players.”

He suggested council plan 10 years out and then focus on what can be accomplished within the next three years, during the current term of council.

“There are so many intangibles with economic development,” said Councillor Shawn Davidson. “These plans and objectives can not be put into place in a couple of years.”

He said entrepreneurs typically want nothing to do with government when business is good.

“It’s only when things go bad that the township hasn’t done enough,” said Davidson.

“One of the roles of the EDC should be, in my opinion, to help some of the existing groups to provide more resources. The overall strategic plan of the municipality comes first. It needs to be updated before an economic strategy is written… We are setting people up to fail because the budget’s not there and the resources aren’t there.”

Davidson suggested the municipality advertise for EDC members immediately under the existing structure and have the members tell council what the goals and objectives of the EDC should be. He said the committee, operating under some restrictions, should formulate some new ideas and run with them.

“It’s about community,” he said. “Get people engaged so they work locally and spend locally. Why walk when you can run?”

Deputy Mayor Barry Burton said recruitment should be a priority, flushing out the right people who have experience and enthusiasm.

“Don’t drag it on,” said Burton.

Members of the public who attended the session were given a chance to weigh in on the issue.

South Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre chair Bill Wall said he has served three terms on the EDC. He said part of the reason the first two failed is because the chair and vice chair were volunteers, adding the chair has to be a member of council.

Stayner B&B owner and auctioneer Bill Roskar said he has been a member of many EDCs and said Clearview has to be more aggressive going as far as stealing business from other communities if possible.

“You have to target what you are after and then go for it,” said Roskar.

B&B owner Dave Huskinson said the EDC should be out there knocking on doors and providing recognition.

“Taking ownership of past difficulties, you would be commended for that,” he said.

Larry Culham, also a past EDC member, said the committee’s role should be to support existing business, helping them to succeed and grow so that more jobs are created. He said the creation of a part-time position at a small business equals 50 per cent job growth.

“And when someone doesn’t build here, where is the third party objective review of what we did wrong? Where is the funding for that?” asked Culham.

Culham and Wall noted that some of the EDC’s training initiatives have been very successful, and should continue in the form of ad hoc events, rather than regular networking meetings.