Task force recommends business expansion strategies
Ways that Williams Lake can expand and attract business are the main focus of a new report received by city council at its Tuesday meeting.
Prepared by the Business Expansion and Attraction Strategy Task Force (BEAS), the report proposes 12 specific recommendations.
These include ensuring the city’s mill rate is competitive, expanding the mining sector, growing mountain bike tourism, developing orientation and training for potential developers, encouraging a lively downtown, signing a memorandum of understanding with Thompson Rivers University to expand post-secondary opportunities, developing web-based marketing tools, offering business coaching, targeting any community forest net revenues to economic development initiatives, community branding, possible acquisition of industrial and commercial property, and supporting and lobbying for appropriate rail service for industry.
Economic development manager Alan Madrigga, who presented the report to council, said the task force suggested the city view economic development with a “business lens” and a willingness to be adaptive.
“It’s a very complex world nowadays and we need to be able to adapt and roll with the changes,” Madrigga said.
Coun. Ivan Bonnell said he was glad to see the initial 40 recommendations from the BEAS had been prioritized to 12.
Coun. Geoff Bourdon said he liked the report’s business goals.
“It’s a plan, instead of just saying what we need,” he said.
Coun. Surinderpal Rathor said he’s confident this report won’t sit on a shelf and collect dust.
Mayor Kerry Cook said council will now wait for staff to report back on the cost implications of the report.
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