Grand Bay-Westfield Supports Economic Development Agency

Grand Bay-Westfield has become the fourth municipality to support a proposed regional economic development agency.

Council voted in favour of the proposal during a special meeting Thursday, joining Quispamsis, Rothesay and Hampton in lending their support.

The proposed model will see the region’s four existing economic agencies and departments — Develop Saint John, Discover Saint John, Economic Development Greater Saint John and Saint John’s population growth department — combined into one single entity.

“This is the outcome we hoped for and we believe that investing in this agency is to our benefit and to a regional benefit,” said Mayor Grace Losier after the meeting.

The approval came despite concerns raised by some councillors, including about how the new organization would be funded.

Each municipality would see their annual contribution increase over the next five years until they each pay roughly the same amount per capita by 2025.

In the case of Grand Bay-Westfield, its annual contribution would be $36,000 in year one, rising to $118,000 in year five.

But several councillors said they feel the funding should have been based on the tax base of each community, not the population.

“It really is the right measurement of how we grow because the percentage of what you are to the whole is a percentage of what you pay to the ask of whatever agency you are all regionally funding,” said Losier.

“If you’ve grown in large leaps and bounds, you should expect to pay more. That would be my guess and that would be an assessment I would make to any of my colleagues.”

But Losier said they understand they cannot get everything they ask for and will not hold out in the name of making an investment that is good for the region.

Some councillors expressed doubt that local service districts would have to help fund the new organization in the future.

However, Losier said she is optimistic, adding the premier has indicated his support for regional cooperation.

“It will require all of us joining hands and getting behind this initiative in order for us to do well. We can’t be fighting each other. It is about all of us cheerleading for our region,” she said.

The proposed model still needs the approval of Saint John council to move forward. They are expected to vote on Monday evening.

An early morning meeting at Grand Bay-Westfield town hall this morning where council is considering a motion to support a proposed new regional economic development agency. pic.twitter.com/E8JWsu5jdS

— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) July 16, 2020