ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES of STARTING and DOING BUSINESS IN SMITHERS

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Willa Theodora Gilbert
5 years ago
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1 and of STARTING and DOING BUSINESS IN SMITHERS Dave Walgren's Comments: 1. Community College. 1. Try to be all things to all people instead of focusing on what we do best. 2. Rail line and station. 2. Taxation level is high. 3. Defined downtown. 3. Mountain Pine Beetle - there will be economic impacts in the future. 4. Stable industries and businesses. 4. We are perceived as an elitist exclusive town. 5. Regional Airport. 5. We are perceived as a non-business friendly community. 6. Large arts community. 6. Airport - airline costs to fly. 7. Well organized recreation activities: - Youth and adult - Team to individual 8. Adequate to very good recreational facilities: - Ball fields - Soccer fields and track fields - Curling - Skating arena - Ski hill - Pool - Gymnastics - Dance 9. Location: - People want to live here. 10.Mountain pine beetle because of our wood supply we are better positioned than other communities for the future. 11. Bedroom communities that are close. Kelly Ehalt's Comments: 1. Airport - we have one 1. People wanting Smithers to stay the same. 2. Scenery - mountains and valleys. 2. Unwillingness to encourage development. 3. Shopping - unique stores. 3. Lack of year olds demographic. 4. Diversity in our people. 4. Vision - lack of it. 5. Recreation 5. Tax base to pay for amenities. - Skiing 6. Expensive to fly, airport in jeopardy. - Fishing 6. Economically feasible real estate. 7. Accessible. 8. Arts and entertainment. 9. Unique. 10. Hospital.

2 and of STARTING and DOING BUSINESS IN SMITHERS Ted Bobb's Comments: 1. Airport with daily service to Vancouver International 1. Distance from major urban centers and therefore Airport. markets. 2. Air transportation: 2. Lack of available commercial land (especially highway frontage) within the Town of Smithers. - Central Mountain Air headquartered in Smithers and 3. Lack of certainty because the land claims with providing east / west Air service. First Nations are unsettled. - CMA s sister company Northern Thunderbird Air headquartered in Prince George providing service to northern half of the Province from Smithers if the demand was present. - Local helicopter service provided Canadian Helicopter and Highland Helicopter. - Float plane service provided by Alpine Lakes Air from Thyee Lake 4. Perception that Smithers is becoming or has become business unfriendly. 5. Lack of well paying jobs in low enter education jobs to hold the youth in the community. 6. Municipal bureaucratic with inconsistent enforcement and application of existing rules, regulations and by-laws. 3. Ground transportation: 7. High costs of doing business that is causing more and more small businesses to fail. -Bandstra Transportation headquartered in Smithers 8. Inconsistent and unclear parking requirements for the down town core. - CNR Railways with a divisional terminal on the 9. Lack of retail services now needed by the people northern mainline. in the traditional trading area so that they on longer come to Smithers to shop. - Local courier providers who connected nationally and 10. Lack of training opportunities (especially for internationally. trades) in the Town and area. 4. Aesthetic beauty of the Bulkley Valley and surrounding area. 5. Perception that Smithers is a friendly community with a well established community spirit. 6. Well serviced by professionals of all disciplines. 7. Cultural and religious diversified people who are hard working and industrious with an above average free enterprises spirit as well as a substantial first nation population. 8. Reasonably well serviced business community. 9. Affordable housing. 10. Recreational amenities. 11. Clean air and rural setting.

3 and of STARTING and DOING BUSINESS IN SMITHERS Kym Putnam's Comments: 1. Rail, bus, courier & air service. 1. Long distance from high populated areas. 2. Cost of living less than the Lower Mainland. 2. Higher costs of freight. 3. Small community makes for more word of mouth business. 3. Lack of population, human resources and people willing to invest in own community. 4. Route to Alaska, Queen Charlotte Island and 4. Ferry sunk. Vancouver Island. 5. Past planning makes Town attractive. 5. Some residents believe tourism is not a real industry. 6. Fairly diverse economy, therefore, more stable 6. Government cutbacks and downturn in logging. economy. 7. Outdoor recreation opportunities (tourism). 7. Conflicts with user groups. 8. Fabulous scenery (tourism). 8. Bad air quality. 9. Boutique shopping and eating establishments attractive to tourists. 10. Mining opportunities close but not in our community. 9. Some residents don't appreciate high end shopping opportunities, only see products as overpriced 10. Possible land-use conflicts with groups such as industry, aboriginal, residents and recreationalists. 11. A smart growth group established in town. 11. Airfare is too high. 12. Community spirit (Hockeyville an example). 12. Some residents are negative about our economy and that their children can't get jobs or have to leave Smithers to make a good living. 13. Amenity migrants trickling in. 14. A number of young people coming back to live because of quality of life Smithers offers. 15. Possible container port in Prince Rupert. Rick Braam's Comments: 1. Smithers is located in the middle of large area 1. Not many trades people in the area. projects and can help ensure development standards are met: - Close to the ports. 2. Not much training available for trades people. - Close to the mines. - Close to the coal bed methane.

4 and of STARTING and DOING BUSINESS IN SMITHERS Mark Bandstra's Comments: 1. Perception that it is hard to do business in Smithers due to unhelpful attitude from City Hall, such as: - Perception that the Town is not open for business. - Bylaws (parking & sign) are hindrance - Unfriendly to business - Businesses need to be able to market and expand without a lot of hassles and red tape. - There needs to be a balance. 2. Weak economy makes it hard for businesses to expand. 3. Local group of very vocal people who do not want things to change. John Bakker's Comments: 1. Smithers puts up road blocks to new businesses, while Houston rolls out the red carpet. John Dalton's Comments: 1. The Town of Smithers was very supportive to the 1. The Town should not be in the real estate 2020 Properties when we took over Ski Smithers. business like developing the Willowvale Subdivision. As it makes potential developers hesitant to invest, since the Town can sit on the land indefinitely. 2. The First Nations community is a major asset in the tourism marketing perspective. 3. Airport located at base of mountain. 4. Strong regional demand for ski hill. 5. Existing bed base. 6. Proven all season support. 7. Real estate inventory. 8. Regulatory environment. 9. Hudson Bay Mountain. 10. Community spirit. 11. Four major lakes in the area used for recreational purposes. 12. Two golf courses. 13. The rivers are home to steelhead fish; attracting fishermen from all over.

5 and of STARTING and DOING BUSINESS IN SMITHERS 14. Daily VIA Rail commuter train between Prince Rupert and Prince George that stops in Smithers.

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