SHUSWAP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

Note: The following minutes are subject to correction when endorsed by the Committee at its next meeting.

Meeting #:
Date:	Thursday, February 08, 2018
Time:	9:00 A.m. - 12:30 P.m.
Location:	CSRD Boardroom 555 Harbourfront Drive NE, Salmon Arm

Committee Members Present

• K. Brown, South Shuswap Chamber of Commerce
• P. Demenok, Director, Electoral Area 'C'
• L. Morgan, Director, Electoral Area ‘F’
• R. Talbot, Director, Electoral Area 'D'
• R. Martin (Chair), Director, Electoral Area 'E'
• R. Marshall, Community Futures Shuswap
• M. Makayev, Councillor, District of Sicamous (Alternate)

Committee Members Absent

• J. de Vos, Wabybrook Farms
• T. Rysz, Mayor, District of Sicamous

Staff Present

• R. Cyr, Economic Development Officer
• S. Goodey, Ec. Dev. Clerical Assistant
• E. Johnson, Electronic Records Management Facilitator

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1.

Call to Order

R. Cyr, Economic Development Officer called the meeting to order at 9:19 AM.

1.1

Guest(s) in Attendance

Kyle Dearing - Kyle Dearing Consulting, Shuswap Economic Development Consultant

Jay Simpson - North Shuswap Chamber of Commerce

Colleen Bond - EDCD Consulting

Dale Wheeldon - EDCD Consulting

1.2

Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair of the Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee

R. Cyr called three times for nominations for the position of Chair for 2018.

Director Talbot nominated Director Martin for the position of Chair of the Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee. Director Martin consented to the nomination.

Hearing no further nominations for the position of Chair, R. Cyr declared Director Martin as the Chair of the Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee for 2018 by acclamation.

 

R. Cyr called three times for nominations for the position of Vice-Chair for 2018.

Director Talbot nominated Director Morgan for the position of Vice-Chair of the Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee. Director Morgan consented to the nomination.

Hearing no further nominations for the position of Vice-Chair, R. Cyr declared Director Morgan as the Vice-Chair of the Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee for 2018 by acclamation.

 

The Chair, Director Martin, thanked the committee and proceeded to act as the Chair for the remainder of the meeting.

1.3

Approval of Agenda

• Motion
  Moved By R. Marshall
  Seconded By P. Demenok

  THAT: the agenda of the February 8, 2018 Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting be approved with the addition of the following items:

  • 2018 Budget Discussion
  • Trade War Between Alberta and BC
  
  CARRIED

1.4

Adoption of Minutes

• Motion
  Moved By P. Demenok
  Seconded By K. Brown

  THAT: the minutes of the December 7, 2017 Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting be adopted as circulated.

  
  CARRIED

2.

Discussion Items

2.1

9:30 - 10:45 Presentation – EDCD Consulting

Colleen Bond and Dale Wheeldon, from EDCD Consulting, were in attendance to give a presentation to the committee about the Shuswap Economic Development Strategy.

D. Wheeldon gave a brief overview of the goals and strategies along with the timelines associated with each project.

The eight goals of the strategy include the following:

• A Modern, Inclusive and Effective Economic Development Program
• CSRD has a Best of Class Economic Development Toolbox
• Be a Leader in Business Development and Support
• Best of Class Marketing and Investment
• A Strong and Vibrant Agriculture Sector
• Shuswap is a Film Location of Choice
• Support Community Specific Needs
• Tourism

The PowerPoint presentation and a copy of the report have been attached to the HTML version of these minutes for reference.

The committee had discussion on many of the points and asked the consultants questions about the strategy:

• Concern about trying to achieve 26 strategic priorities in year one.
• Priorities can be rearranged, not all 26 things need to happen in year one.
• What is a business guide?
• A guide to doing business in various areas. i.e. includes things like zoning requirements and how to meet land use needs, where to go for different approvals (health, provincial, etc.).
• Reduces the workload of the Economic Development Officer.
• "Business First" doesn't mean resident last. It just means focusing on business from an Economic Development standpoint.
• Enhance Business Retention and Expansion program.
• Seniorpreneurship – People who are 50+ starting businesses. Relevant to support them because most programs are designed to support young entrepreneurs. 50+ fits the Shuswap demographic.
• Pop-up shops help to drive business in an area, an attraction.
• Need balance though. i.e. have a policy to keep food trucks a certain distance from restaurants – competition.
• Regional Business Lunch and learn - Community Futures to sponsor. Allows for networking opportunity and learning. Potential topics: Employee Wellness, Financial Health, Business Resiliency, How to prepare for a disaster, etc.
• Regional Wayfinding Program to showcase natural assets.
• Support community specific needs:
• Area C has Community Forests and hut-to-hut trail; the Electoral Area Director would like to see those attractions promoted. ECDC Consulting noted that those can be added.
• Electoral Area C Director noted the need for accommodations in his area. D. Wheeldon pointed out that that is a collective need of the region and is already captured in the strategy.
• Broadband / mobility expansion.
• 80% of people who move to the region were introduced to it through tourism.
• The Electoral Area C Director requested that the Area C Labour Market Plan be referenced in the strategy.
• This is a regional strategy, not just an Area C strategy.
• Area C Labour Market Plan hasn’t been signed off by Minister, still in draft.
• Will include it as reference material so that it is in the strategy.
• Remember that this is a regional strategy, on average, 90% of all of these strategies apply to all areas of the Shuswap region, not just one electoral area.
• Community groups – sub-committee creation.

The Chair thanked the consultants for their work on the strategy and for their presentation.

2.2

Report from Economic Development Officer (EDO)

Report from R. Cyr outlining the activities of Shuswap Economic Development from December 7, 2017 through February 8, 2018.

Discussion points (see attached EDO report for more information):

1. Rural Dividend Application.
2. Salmon Arm Economic Development Society and Shuswap Economic Development Partnership: Agriculture Business Coordinator.
3. Shuswap Economic Development Strategic Plan.
4. Business visits and business support.

The Economic Development Officer opened the item for discussion. R. Cyr gave a brief verbal update about the rural dividend application. The committee noted that the proposal written by SAEDS was well written. R. Cyr noted that the Ministry has given the impression that this will likely be supported as it is in line with the direction of the Ministry. A position to focus on Agriculture will allow significant work on Agriculture development, it’s been hard to move forward without someone focused. The committee is looking forward to see what comes of this.

2.3

Report from Kyle Dearing – Business Development Coordinator

K. Dearing gave an update of his activities for Shuswap Economic Development between December 7, 2017 and February 8, 2018:

• Support in the completion of the Shuswap Economic Development Economic Development Strategy
• Support in finalizing Rural Dividend Fund application
• 2016 Census data review/incorporating into SED database
• Terms of reference for new SED sub-regional advisory committee establishment
• Meetings with Chambers
• Regional chamber meeting helpful to connect with chambers
• Meeting with new Shuswap Food Action Co-op President
• Shuswap Tourism will help as much as it can. The Agriculture position noted in item 2.2 will be able to work with the Shuswap Food Action Co-op on some projects.
• Meeting with Community Futures
• Funding source research
• Shuswap Tourism website review

2.4

R. Cyr – BC Economic Development Association

R. Cyr was nominated to sit on the Board for the BC Economic Development Association that meets quarterly, she let her name stand but wants to make sure that the committee is supportive of that.

• Motion
  Moved By R. Marshall
  Seconded By P. Demenok

  THAT: Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee acknowledges support for Robyn Cyr, Economic Development Officer for the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, to let her name stand for nomination to sit on the Board of the BC Economic Development Association.

  
  CARRIED

2.5

New Business

2.5.1

2018 Budget Discussion

• The budget for Economic Development includes the Rural Dividend funding.
• In-kind contributions of 40%
• Increases due to regular staffing wage increases.
• Administrative costs went up slightly.
• $319,000 for projects relates to the strategic plan, rural dividend funding projects and money to support Agricultural Coordinator position.
• Losing two people (Tourism Marketing Coordinator and Economic Development Clerical Assistant), what’s happening with that? Savings?
• The Tourism Marketing Coordinator will start shortly, working with Union to determine if the Economic Development Clerical Assistant position will be filled. Budget reflects the position so that there are not annual tax fluctuations. If there's a savings this year it will move into next year.
• K. Dearing works on contract, this will stay a contract position to allow for more flexibility.
• Economic Development is subsidizing Shuswap Tourism. The transfer is scheduled to reduce year over year so that Tourism will be a standalone budget in 5-8 years.
• Changing meeting dates of Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee and Shuswap Tourism Advisory Committee so that the meetings change to two different dates, rather than two meetings on one day. R. Cyr is working on a schedule.

2.5.2

Trade War Between Alberta and BC

Alberta recently banned BC wine in response to BC’s role in the Kinder-Morgan pipeline. The committee is concerned that this trade war could grow into an issue with a more substantial impact on the local economy; it is already an issue for the wine industry. It is definitely a concern for Economic Development. We will have to see what happens.

2.6

Community Roundtable

K. Brown – Regional chamber meetings. Good opportunity to talk about what’s good for Electoral Area C, we're all in this together, when one of us wins, we all do well. The Chamber is having the Annual General meeting on February 22, 2018; wine and cheese event.

Director Demenok – Workshop with Chamber and Community Futures. Doing surveys in the field.

R. Marshall – Report signed off and distributed; good initiatives coming out of that. The action team meets monthly. Combine with strategic plan; working with initiatives that have been identified for Shuswap Regional as a whole.

Director Talbot – BMX bike track in Silver Creek. Major race days bring in 300 competitors. Huge boost for community out there. Track costs $300,000, they are working to secure funding. There is a slaughter facility proposed for Cedar Hill, causing waves with the people who live there. With the Agricultural Land Reserve, there are requirements for 50% to be produced on the property. Looking to waive the rules.

M. Makayev – Sicamous has been approved to form an economic development corporation; advertising in Eagle Valley News for a Board of Directors. Have the rip snow festival this weekend. Lit up the roundabout, CSRD contributed to that so thank you. Have a new motor sports company in town.

Director Morgan – Coordination of South Shuswap and North Shuswap Chambers. Thanks K. Brown and Director Demenok for support. Electoral Areas C and F have agreed to share Grant in Aid for Quaaout Lodge for national Aboriginal day - $3,200 for June 21 activities.

4.

Adjournment

• Motion
  Moved By K. Brown
  Seconded By P. Demenok

  THAT: the February 8, 2018 Shuswap Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting be adjourned.

  
  CARRIED