HomeMy WebLinkAboutEcon Development - 2002-07-24ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
July 24, 2002
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Conestoga Room, Main Floor, Kitchener City Hall
Attendance:
Staff:
Regrets:
Glenn Scheels
Peter Benninger
Jane Jantzi
Henrik Noesgaard
Councillor, John Smola
Mike Sully
George Borovilos
Kathy Bissell
Jeff Fielding
Councillor, Berry Vrbanovic
Scott Baird
Shawky Fahel
Ray Robinson
Mayor, Carl Zehr
Lawrence Bingeman
Hans Pottkamper
Peter Cook
Joan Euler
Sandy Curzon
Gord Stewart
Jeff Willmer
Councillor, Christina Weylie
Manfred Conrad
Approval of Minutes of June 26th, 2002
Minutes of June 26th, 2002 were approved as written
Moved by Peter Benninger
Seconded by Hans Pottkamper
Carried
2. Strategic Directions, Economic Development
Jeff Fielding provided an overview of the City's current financial position.
the following:
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He indicated
Sharper focus on Economic Development by doing 2-3 things and doing them well
Tax base revenue is declining
Need to increase assessment base
Increase service to residents
Need EDAC's knowledge and expertise
Using powerpoint, George Borovilos gave a brief overview of Economic Development's
Corporate Strategic Service Initiative emphasizing:
· Goal is to create revenue
· Identify current position
· Shortage of industrial land
· Manufacturing is a major component
· Need to look at new ways of growing and nurture business
· How do we reorganize Economic Development?
· How does it fit with Development & Technical Services?
· Target strategy for Downtown could pay more dividends
Aggressive:
· Employable lands
· Run out of current land inventory
· To retain existing and attract new business, we need land
· Shirley Avenue is a short term option
· Downtown
· Supportive of what is currently being done
· Buy properties before you need them
· Support arts, entertainment and culture
Targeted:
· Infill/Adaptive ReUse
· Focus on expertise
· How can be bring these building back to life
· Competitive Clusters
· Find the ones we are competitive with
· Advocacy
· Tax sharing
Committee Comments:
· Why are Toronto lease rates same as ours when land costs are $300,000/acre
· Something wrong with price of land in Kitchener
· Advocacy role - Brownfield is a big part of what we should be doiing
· Economic Development goal is too narrow
· Strategy should be broad enough so it doesn't have to change year to year
· Council and citizens need confidence in what's happening
· Council and citizens need to see returns on money spent on Downtown
· Measurable process is critical
· Kitchener's strength is manufacturing
· Joint venture between municipalities and the Region
· Need to provide land for manufacturing growth
· Chamber of Commerce doing external advocacy role
· Doing nothing to Downtown is not an option
· Aggressive side is to spend money
· Target side is not to spend as much and be more focussed
· Need enough lands to be in competition with neighbouring cities
· Service for residential more expensive than industrial
· Higher return and more money spent on residential
EDAC Minutes
July 24, 2002
· Detailed analysis needs to be done on costs vs revenue
· Need to show return on capital investment
· Residential lands don't require capital investment, however ongoing needs are
higher for residential
· Need to look at what we are doing across the Region, current structure leaves us in
a box
· If we embark on a major land development project, we need to involve Region
· Need to work/partner together to make things happen - will benefit not only
Kitchener but Region i.e. - airport lands
· Downtown is an important initiative, has the ability to be a Regional asset
· Employment is increasing in the Downtown - becoming a major employment node
· Downtown Kitchener could become an economic centre
· Need to look at ways of partnering with the Region
· Need to stay in the land game
· Combine with what's happening in Kitchener with an overall Smart City plan
· Too much time since the last land purchase, need to buy on a regular basis
· Downtown has a lot of resources - arts, culture - use these to attract revenue
· Tourism focus tends to be on Oktoberfest - need to expand focus
· We are not marketing ourselves enough
· Roads need to be build prior to development rather than after
· Transit system needs improvement
· Need industrial land on inventory ready to sell
· Without land availability, you will loose your existing businesses
· Potential sales are lost if you don't provide the services available
· Ensure development process is streamlined and user friendly as possible
· Finish benchmarking to prove that we are competitive or ahead of the pack
· Competitive with not only the Region but west of the 401
· Step up current visitation program
· Best potential for profit is existing customer base - they are the first to expand
· Focus on success of employment in the downtown - 8,000- 12,000 in 5yrs.
· Focus on sectors that produce
· Should the city be in the parking business?
· More research/data needed
Jeff Fielding left the meeting
4. New Business
CTT
· New CEO, John Tennant, former Canadian Council General in Detroit
· Funding proposal approved in Cambridge July 15, 2002
· Funding proposal to Kitchener Council August 26, 2002
· EDAC expressed interest in decision about funding CTT, put on September
agenda
EDAC Minutes
July 24, 2002
Next Meeting
· It was decided, after reviewing upcoming agenda items, that Committee will
resume in September.
Meeting called to adjourn at 10:10a.m.
Moved by: Mike Sully
Seconded by: Jane Jantzi
Carried
Sandy Curzon, Recording Secretary
Economic Development Advisory Committee
Next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 25th, 2002
11:00am- 1:00pm
Bingemans, Philip Room, Victoria Street
Kitchener
EDAC Minutes 4-
July 24, 2002