It was interesting to listen to Coquitlam Mayor, Richard Stewart, and Chamber Executive Director, Michael Hind, on CKNW’s Bill Good Show this morning, talking about the economic development and job creation opportunities around the Evergreen Line, which will start construction within months.
When Bill Good asks, “What is it going to mean for business in the Tri-cities?” Michael summarizes Port Moody’s situation as, “there is many developments on hold just waiting for shovels to be put in the ground, and frankly the business community is just waiting to see construction start.”
Would this lead you to believe that there is something major going on that we don’t know about yet? Hmm!
Maybe a half-dozen or so hi-rise towers in the vicinity of the West Coast Express will be thrust upon us. Remember, the Province selected this site as ideal for an Evergreen Line station where no density exists; yet!
There was of course the economic development opportunities presented by a large group from western Moody Centre, homeowners, business owners and landowners, who proposed revitalization for the “Gateway” to Port Moody, which was sadly dismissed by their elected representatives; do you think council is contemplating the big flip-flop on this? Nah; wishful thinking!
Perhaps the visionary Hi-Tech Park project brought forward by Councillor Nuttall (and rejected by council) is going to be brought back to the table?
In 2005 Port Moody taxpayers funded an update of the Port Moody Economic Profile. It was used as a resource document for the aforementioned projects.
It’s sad that Port Moody Council sat on their hands, and failed to embrace this report which, “provides necessary background information to the community in formulating economic development policies and strategies.”
It was described as a, “…valuable source of information for economic development researchers, potential business investors, and anyone interested in the economy of Port Moody.” One would think that “anyone interested” would have included our elected council; after all, they would have requisitioned the report in the first place; right? Too bad!
Here we are two full council terms later. So what has council done with this information, and what value did we taxpayers receive from the report? The answer to this question probably accounts for why nobody representing the City of Port Moody was invited to be on the CKNW program to talk about economic development.
Our elected representatives have already had their chances, and lots of time, to show us what they can deliver, so any platform promises made by incumbent candidates for the upcoming elections need to be given as much credence as their individual track records on economic development; not much!