Paul Forsyth / Niagara This Week
Would see slimmed-down regional office
A new model for economic development activities at the regional level will bring more accountability and position Niagara to react to the ever-changing business marketplace, the Region’s economic development transition manager said Wednesday.
Verne Milot told the Region’s integrated planning committee that the new model in the works since last March, replacing the Niagara Economic Development Corp., will see a slimmed-down organization with the equivalent of 12 employees instead of 19.
Importantly, about five of those will be experts on contract, filling roles such as sector managers who will be responsible for pursuing job opportunities in specific sectors instead of staff wearing numerous hats, Milot said.
Those cluster experts, or “contract mercenaries,” will be accountable in terms of job performance, Milot said.
The model would also see outsourcing work to experts in areas such as tourism marketing, incubating businesses, business retention and accessing capital. Organizations such as chambers of commerce, the local EDOs, Brock University and Niagara College have already expressed an interest or will be considered, Milot said.
He said the new agency, which will have an advisory body but which will report to regional council rather than to an independent board as the NEDC did, will have to straddle the complex needs of trying to land large, new employers, maintaining current employers and assisting new ventures get off the ground.
But Milot said with Ontario having lost 118,000 manufacturing jobs from 2008 to 2010, the chances of luring large manufacturers in the next year are slim.
“I bloody well aren’t going to promise one.”
Several regional council members said they’re concerned the new model doesn’t stress the importance of local economic development offices operated by five of Niagara’s 12 municipalities enough.
“Taxpayers don’t want to see duplication of service,” said Port Colborne Coun. David Barrick. “The last thing I want to see is the Region moving forward with blinders on” and not working with the local EDOs, he said. “I think they have a tremendous role to play.”
Milot said he tried to meet with all five EDOs, but two of those offices refused. He said the various players must work together for the sake of Niagara’s economy.
“Up until now there probably hasn’t been as good a relationship as there should have been,” he said. “We have to collaborate. This isn’t an option.”
But Milot said the new organization, which will be searching for a new director as soon as the model is finalized, will also be better as identifying gaps in the current system of supports for businesses. For instance, he said Niagara has a myriad of nine chambers of commerce and numerous other economic agencies, industry organizations and networking agencies.
“There are more economic partnerships than there are weeds in the garden,” he said.
Politicians decided to give local municipalities and other parties 60 days to give feedback on the new model, rather then the 30 days recommended by staff. Welland Mayor George Marshall said that’s important so the Region doesn’t appear to be ramming the new model through. “Some (municipal politicians) are saying ‘look, the Region’s taking over again,’ ” he said.
Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn said the new model “keeps us nimble, keeps us dynamic.”
Port Colborne Mayor Vance Badawey said the only barrier to creating “team Niagara” is solidifying the link between the local EDOs and the new regional body. “I look forward to ...having a region that truly speaks with one voice.”