Centre Wellington council has approved a strategic plan for its economic development department.
The plan was presented to committee of the whole on June 13 by economic development officer Dave Rushton. He noted a number of goals from the 2007 plan are completed, and several more are in progress.
Those include:
– a plan for development and promotion of the arts, culture, recreation, and tourism industry, including the Elora Centre for the Arts, which will also consider development of a hotel and conference facility in Elora;
– to lobby and promote the idea of a post secondary facility in the township, possibly a satellite of a nearby university or college; and create a downtown improvement and development strategy.
Under the economy, the new plan includes industrial park expansion as the township runs out of serviced land. The township is the main developer of industrial land, and will need to purchase and service available properties in Elora and Fergus.
The plan includes a proposal to develop a business park strategy to enable growth of the knowledge based employment sector, and, along with that, create a marketing plan to sell the community as a place to build creative industries and occupations.
A goal in redevelopment is to have brownfield development plan.
Conduct a business and retention and expansion study with the help of the two Business Improvement Area groups.
Continue to support those BIAs and Fergus Elora Retail Alliance with a focus on downtown revitalization and beautification.
Under new business development, the plan includes a youth incubator program in the Fergus Marketplace. That is a plan to engage people aged 18 to 29 in entrepreneurship in partnership with the Guelph Wellington Business Enterprise Centre, the Wellington Waterloo Community Futures, and several local businesses and organizations. Rushton said in an interview it would possibly help immigrants to the area get a start in business and learning the language, with local businesses providing mentoring services.
That program is dependent on grant cash.
Another item is pending grant approval and would work with Parks and Recreation, and planning departments. The township would develop a cultural master plan.
The township will also continue with Wellington County on a municipal economic development group. It will also work with provincial and regional bodies to develop tourism.
The township will continue to provide information services at the Elora and Fergus locations “supporting all marketing channels, and redesign and launch a new tourism website.
Working with stakeholders, economic development will create a strategy to promote areas of “boutique conference, group, and sport tourism and continue with festival and events promotion.
Through Savour Elora, the township will continue to support a local food network, and work to ensure continuity of funding.
Council reaction
Councillor Mary Lloyd said she thought the township had already approved the community improvement plan and brownfield redevelopment proposal a few weeks earlier.
Rushton explained that is just a part of downtown revitalization.
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj remarked that a number of the items in Rushton’s report need to be placed on the township tracking sheet. That is a method for councillors to follow the progress of its plan, to ensure they do not get lost and are followed up. It is reviewed near the end of every council meeting.
Councillor Walt Visser said council knows there are a lot of items that are the purview of the economic development committee and, “There’s a lot of items in this plan – but where is that money coming from?”
Councillor Kirk McElwain said a number of them are already funded, and others will have to wait until cash is available.
Visser said, “I’m concerned this is a justification for funding.”
McElwain replied, “Every department’s strategic plan is a justification for funding.
Councillor Mary Lloyd wondered about a Fair Trade proposal being placed under culinary tourism.
“I think it does fit in,” she said. “It’s something more and more communities are going to be aware of.”
McElwain said that will be up to the local Fair Trade group, which made a proposal to council, was told to obtain more information, but has not returned with it.
“It’s up to Fair Trade to come back to council,” he said. “It’s been left at that.”
Rushton said he has attended some of the group’s meetings and “told them to do their homework.” He said he would like to see them stay on track but it has not been a part of economic development to date.
Council eliminated mention of being affiliated with a radio station and accepted the report. Councillor Fred Morris was absent.
Council ratified the decision at its June 20 meeting.
