New Economic Development Committee Named
Prince George, B.C. – Seventeen people have been named to form the Economic Development Committee for Prince George.
The seventeen represent a cross section of sectors in the community. The committee’s task is to advise Council on an economic development strategy for Prince George.
The development of the committee is part of the plan of bringing economic development in-house in the wake of the dismantling of Initiatives Prince George.
Mayor Lyn Hall will Chair the new committee “This important step represents the significant progress the City is making towards integrating economic development priorities and strategies with City operations and functions.”
Twelve representatives from various organizations have been named:
- Mayor Lyn Hall ( Chair)
- Henry Reiser, President, College of New Caledonia
- Susan Stearns, General Manager, Community Futures of Fraser-Fort George
- Colleen van Mook, Executive Director, Downtown Business Improvement Association
- Zishan Shah, Community Economic Development Manager, Lheidli T’enneh
- Don Iwaskow, Vice President, North Central Labour Council
- John Gibson, President and CEO, Prince George Airport Authority
- Christie Ray, CEO, Prince George Chamber of Commerce
- Scott Bone, CEO, Prince George & BC North Construction Association
- Jim Martin, CAO, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George
- Erica Hummel, CEO, Tourism Prince George
- Daniel Weeks, President, University of Northern British Columbia
In addition, five people have been selected from the community at large:
- Mike Davis
- Sarbjit (Bobby) Deepak
- Rebecca Hasdell
Todd Molland and - Robert Schuetz
All 17 advisory committee members will serve a two year term, ending December 31, 2017.
The committee will hold its first meeting today
Comments
That’s a rather odd group for “economic development”. They couldn’t find anyone else? 8 of the 12 are in publicly funded positions, what on earth can they bring to the table?
What on earth can they bring to the table?
you should educate yourself on the purpose of each of these organizations before throwing out ignorant comments.
The Mayor, the CNC President, the UNBC President, the Community Economic Development Manager for the Lheidli T’enneh, the Regional District CAO, the CEO of tourism PG, the President of the Airport authority and the GM of the community futures of Fraser fort george know how to do one thing and one thing only, and that is to take and spend money from a captive audience.
Yeah, let’s leave out the head of the two post secondary institutes which can respond to the city’s training requirements. Let’s leave out community futures which help business. Let’s leave out tourism PG, which are in charge of selling PG. oh and the airport which will have data that will help in knowing where PG is sitting economically. Give your head a shake, each of these organizations deserve a chair at that table.
Individual business owners don’t have the full picture. These organizations will have hard data explaining the anecdotal info provided by business owners. Stacking a committee with private business could lead to issues of conflict of interest.
“…the airport which will have data that will help in knowing where PG is sitting economically”
Just had to quote that. I’ve read some stupid comments on this page but i think that one wins.
“…the airport which will have data that will help in knowing where PG is sitting economically”
Just had to quote that. I’ve read some stupid comments on this page but i think that one wins.
Let me paint it out for you in a way you may understand…
Airport passenger traffic is an indicator of economic health. How so? The more business we conduct in PG, the more demand there will be for traffic in and out of our city. In addition, high passenger volumes could indicate the financial situation of the area residents. Flying is a luxury, if more people can afford to fly, people are doing better. This is extremely simplified,so here’s hoping you can grasp it.
Not to mention the Feds poured millions into YXS as an economic development initiative. It was a poor decision, but none the less, it makes sense they sit at that table.
Airports grow to support the need of the area, airports don’t lead economic development.
I’m pretty sure you haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about.
“….educate yourself on the purpose of each of these organizations before throwing out ignorant comments…”
One can measure input … one can measure output.
“purpose” is neither of these. At best it is a goal.
Just try to enlighten me on just a few, say 4 or 5 and describe what they have put in to developing the economy in this City and what the resulting output has been. In other words, how successful they have been in meeting their objective.
Please include the DBIA as an example.
How about number of passengers flying from here or to here. How many are bringing business to town and how many are taking business away from town. In other words, how many are carpetbaggers who are offering cheaper services than those in town and removing $ from town.
Measuring the right thing is important. Show us how well you can do that. So far, you have not shown that to me and some others.
On top of that the very reason that IPG is gone is because they were unable to point to the fact that the activities they performed related to improvements in creating a more effective economic environment here.
I think its great start… Thanks to the team for there future work ahead.
Why do you say it is a start? Most, if not all of these groups have been doing what they thought was the best to improve their business or that of their association members and to compete successfully against those from outside of this community who fly into it and bring jobs from here to their office in Vancouver or Kelowna or Edmonton, or wherever.
With todays’ technology some of them can even work out of their house in Ecuador and do web pages, write reports, provide transpiration services, do cold sales calls on the phone, etc. The list is becoming endless.
Unless one is into winter sports, the further north one goes, the more susceptible a community becomes to such options.
kind of agree with axman, need to have people who made their millions from the sweat of their brows. They will give better insight to what we need than, pencil pushers that move paper from one end of the table to the other!
I also agree with axman! Ultimately, economic development comes from individuals and companies making the decision to invest their hard earned dollars in the creation or expansion of a business! Have any of the individuals named to this committee had any experience with this?
I take it they all get paid?
No. This isn’t a paid committee
This article reminds me of a tale of another under developed region of China 20 years ago . It was rural , small farms and no industry . The folks running the place had had little to no money to do anything about it . So what they came up with was so simple that it worked . What they did was to make a print run of pamphlets describing the place , where it was and its attributes . Then they hired people to put them directly into the hands of arriving business people at their international airports . This worked better than any of them imagined . They are now one of the biggest industrial centres in China . You’ve probably heard this story before . I would bet that very few if any arriving at YVR have ever heard of Prince George or where it is or what it has to offer .
Ataloss, you would bet that very few if any arriving at YVR have ever heard of Prince George or where it is or what it has to offer?
Really? You can’t be serious! So, you think that very few if any people boarding a flight TO Prince George have EVER heard of Prince George?
I can see it now…line ups of people at the Vancouver Airport, lining up to buy tickets, saying to the ticket agent: “Give me a ticket, any ticket, but don’t bother to tell me where I will be flying to!”
Really Ataloss, Really?? You don’t even live here, but you seem to know where Prince George is!
So what are your solutions for pg HG ? I’ve lived in pg . I’ve worked in pg . My kids have gone to school ( post secondary ) in PG . I’ve worked in and out of pg for 35 years . I’ve shopped for high end products in pg . I buy online from a few businesses in pg there by employing pgers for delivery . And unlike you and your ilk I understand that what is good for pg is good for the region and BC . Maybe instead of your constant tearing down of us that care . You should perhaps use a little of your vast intellectual prowess to help this new effort to improve economics for us all . What are your ideas ? The target of the pamphlets are those that have not heard of pg . Not those that are booking flights to pg . Duh !!!!! How stupid can you possibly be ?
Hey Hart Guy, YVR is Vancouver, YXS is Prince George. If you’re going to slag another poster you might want to double check your facts before you pull the trigger.
I concur, there is probably a large contingent of international passengers arriving at the Vancouver Airport who have never heard of Prince George!
When I arrived here some 40 years ago, I had never heard of Prince George. I had never been west of Ontario. I had heard of Prince Rupert, but not Prince George. I answered an ad for a job position, had a phone interview and was paid to come here and look around to see if I liked it.
Remove all those people who are from PG and I think that of those who arrive here for the first time to sell something, to get a job interview, etc. have never heard of PG and many more do not have the faintest clue what to expect if they are from large metro areas.
Due to the size of large metro areas and the number of them in Canada as well as other countries with whom Canada does business, the probability that those people come from other communities that are similar in size to PG is very low.
Ataloss, I humbly apologize! I misread YXS for YVR! Must have been a brain fart!
I also apologize for not realizing how you got the wrong end of the stick .
The city motto also needs a rework . Go to pg wiki page . Look at the map . Pg is almost dead centre making the motto a bit disingenuous . Being in the centre is a great attribute . Use it .
When I moved here in the 1970s it was known as the Central Interior. There was a reason for that; it was in the interior and in the center.
I associate Fort St. John and Dawson Creek with the center of the north.
At best, it is where the south stops and the north starts. I believe Vanderhoof is the closest community to the actual geographic center.
How about ? If it’s good for PG , it’s good for BC .
Last summer we were on our way to Edmonton . The change oil message popped up on the computer . Change oil soon . So mr. Quick lube came into our sights . We pulled in and got the friendliest , quickest oil change ever . We were on the road again , fresh coffee in hand , in under five minutes . Those guys are great . I highly recommend them .
I would trust a sub five minute oil change about as much as I would trust a fart after a night of heavy drinking and Taco Bell.
Ataloss. Nice to see that you can follow directions. Others , check their oil periodically and change it when needed. Hmmmm.
So, Initiatives Prince George was not a ‘winner’–Give this new organization a chance.
I would not call it a new organization. The organization is the City of Prince George. Been around for 100+ years. It is a department of the City now. I suspect it was before the regional economic development corporation was formed and then IPG as a result of the City feeling it was not getting the bang for the buck they were putting into regional matters.
First thing they may have to relearn is that how goes the region so goes PG since the servicing of the region is one of the business generators for PG.
Seeing that, I see no clear representation from “businesses” and government and non-government services which have grown over the most recent decades such as retail, silviculture and forest services, etc. Just take a look at all the care dealerships that are moving into newer and larger digs over the last decade. Look at the increase in hotel rooms over the last decade. look at the increase in shopping centres in number as well as in size. There really is no increase in population to support it. The support probably comes from increase in disposable income as well as young families from 20 years ago having offspring who are ready to go out on their own and rent/purchase goods and use services.
You see, I am putting out some theories here. Who on the committee can provide some good economics background that is relatively solid and can also bring some high level analytical thinking to the group and not just accept some numbers regurgitated by this organization or that organization.
BTW, the group is far too large based on current thinking of such Board/committees. A core group of 6 to 8. Bring in others from the outside as need to provide data specific to discussions at the table from time to time.
Here is the Kelowna Economic Development Commission:
The Economic Development Commission Executive consists of the following seven members: (that is a workable size)
• Victor Narynskyyi, Chair – Centro Consulting Inc.
• Larry Widmer, Past Chair – Community Futures of the Central Okanagan
• Domenic Vinci, Vice Chair – Coast Capital Savings
• Martin Cronin – Helios Global Tracking Ltd.
• Jim Grant – Grant Thornton LLP
• David McDougall – Blendz Coffee
• Raghwa Gopal – Accelerate Okanagan & Saavani Skin Care
8 others to make up the full group of 15.
James Calissi Calissi Farms Agriculture
Mike Checkley QHR Technologies Health Care/Technology
Alex Greer Adaptive Ventures Inc Technology/Manufacturing
Lynn Heinrich Sun-Rype Manufacturing/Communications
Peter Jeffrey Okanagan Peer Mentoring Group Manufacturing
Brad Klassen Troika Group Trades/Construction
Richard Luehr Composite Panel North America Manufacturing
Karen Olsson Community Sift Technology
Virtually no Associations or Government organizations. Mostly people who own or manage businesses which do work in the sectors.
The are the generators of new businesses as well as knowing what it takes to keep businesses in the region/city.
Very few of the groups/individuals on the PG group generate new businesses. Most service new businesses when they establish here.
17 people on an economic development committee, most of whom are on the public trough is a sick joke.
I agree 100%. They have been at it for some time, maybe not around the same table, but same ideas over and over again is not going to cause change. In fact, they may very well be the problem rather than the solution. We do not know that for sure, but intuition and past knowledge about their work and results, or lack thereof, tends to confirm that evaluation.
I want to see their CVs, especially the 5 from the community at large. We should have access to those. It is a public group. In fact, their meetings should be public, times and dates as well as locations posted so that we can attend as observers. This is not an in-camera group.
I have looked up some of the firms represented on the Kelowna economic development corporation. I realize it is just input from the point of view of what the businesses do, but it is probably a good cross section of businesses for the community.
Remember, it is a community which used to be smaller than PG until sometime in the early 1980s. It has grown for some very obvious reasons – climate, natural year-round amenities, including proximity to at least three superior ski hills within one hour drive and last but not least, the new 4 lane 120km/h connection to the GVRD which puts them 3.5 hours away in non-rush hour traffic.
It will likely continue to outpace PG for a long time until a major change happens here which will increase road connectivity to the satellite communities of PG, modern, knowledge based industries which would likely have connections to the traditional forestry and mining industry (take a look at “Helios” in Kelowna, as an example), not that we do not have 2 or such industries here – but they are no represented on the group that is supposed to market this city. THAT is the problem as I and a few others on here see it.
Too many people on the committee who are not (apparently) involved in business, whether small privately owned, or larger. I’ll call them academics, for want of a better descriptor.
They outnumber the random 5 by a wide margin.
Is there a reason they chose 5 random people?
Perhaps to provide a perception that this group can fairly represent our community?
Not saying that there should not be any ‘academics’ on such a committee, but I am saying that there does not seem to be a very broad cross section of talent.
metalman.
The most difficult task this committee will have is:
1. establishing a data baseline from which to start measuring,
2. developing indicators which will measure both increased income to the region/city and leakage from the region/city, preferably with some indication of where it is leaking to so that the competition becomes known,
3. developing strategies and tactics for change with appropriate indicators to keep track of the results of the strategies and tactics,
4. identifying the changes from the baseline over time and determining whether the changes, both negative and positive, had any relationship to the implemented strategies and tactics or whether they simply occurred by chance.
Let us take the airport, for instance. There have been a significant number of changes at the airport over the last decade for such a small regional airport which no doubt make the airport building much more pleasant. Only some of the changes were associated with passenger travel.
1. How much effort was put into responding to increased passenger traffic so that the quality of experience for the travelers did not deteriorate and hopefully improved.
2. How much of that change actually caused an increase in passenger traffic as opposed to that traffic increasing for other reasons. In other words, was the airport a generator of more passenger travel or was it some other causative factor.
3. How much of the non-stop international travel (to Mexico) caused more people to leave PG and the region on a vacation to spend money earned here in Mexico rather than in Canada, BC, or locally. (leakage from PG and region).
Without such detailed statistics, we will learn nothing. So far, I have not seen any such statistics. Traffic increase is not a good indicator of anything other than an indicator that service at the airport has to increase to accommodate the traffic which may mean more construction and additional staff, both of which will benefit PG.
However that may come at a cost of additional leakage, which means that the productivity of the city/region declines, not increases.
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