Tri-city mayors/Chambers of Commerce seek economic development synergy
By Kyra Hoggan
Riding the high of a successful tri-city bid to host the 2011 B.C. Senior Olympic Games, the tri-city mayors and Chambers of Commerce met last week to discuss further economic development in the region.
Castlegar Mayor Lawrence Chernoff, along with Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs and Nelson Mayor John Dooley, met with Chamber of Commerce representatives on Nov. 29. in Castlegar.
“We met to discuss economic development, to get to know each other, and to find out what we can best accomplish together,” said Chernoff. “When we pool our resources, we can get more done, and with all our heads together, we can come up with some really great ideas.
“Anything that helps one community is likely to help the others as well – it’s in all our best interests to collaborate.”
He said talks are just in the preliminary stages, so the group has no new initiatives to unveil at this point, but he’s hopeful future meetings will bear fiscal fruit for everyone involved.
Chernoff said the group is considering meeting every quarter to continue the dialogue, but that no schedule has yet been agreed upon.
Castlegar Chamber of Commerce executive director Pam McLeod said she felt meeting was positive.
“On behalf of the chamber and our board of directors, I’m working with all three mayors on the Highway 3 Mayors Coalition to lobby the province for infrastructure upgrades to that critical thoroughfare,” McLeod.
