The question of hiring a community economic development officer (CEDO) has long been on the minds of Niverville developers and businesspeople. Many town councils have a full-time CEDO on staff, recognizing the important role they play in a community through their distinct skills of development and acquisition of business.
Their role, though, is not limited to assisting business. Lesley Gaudry works as a full-time CEDO for the RM of Ritchot.
“Communities can benefit from investing in economic development because [it] will help increase the tax base for additional revenue to support, maintain, or improve local services such as roads, parks, libraries, and other community services,” says Gaudry. “Job creation and expansion is always a goal, so that we can increase local employment.”
Creating more tax dollars and jobs, notes Gaudry, results in greater economic stability for the whole community because it raises the overall standard of living. CEDOs also assist in providing financial and non-financial assistance to community organizations, and they do the heavy lifting when it comes to finding grants.
Gaudry says there are never slow periods for her as a full-time CEDO. “Projects are year round,” she says, adding that she works with numerous community organizations that are always up to new and exciting projects. Some of the projects she’s worked on are tree planting for Main Street beautification, community greenscaping and playgrounds, needs assessment
for a daycare facility, and market analysis studies for long-term business growth. The list goes on.
On the corporate side, Gaudry recognizes the importance of business retention and expansion so that local business can prosper and stay in the community. Gaudry says that 80 percent of the work of a CEDO should be assisting existing business, with 20 percent given to new business development.
“Heavily relying on one industry is risky,” says Gaudry. “Look at the changes Pine Falls has experienced since Tembec withdrew from the community.”
Tembec, a paper mill employing 300 workers, shut its doors after operating in Pine Falls for 84 years. It was the backbone to the area’s economy. Its closure crippled the community and stands testament to the need for continual commercial growth and development.
The town of Morris is another community with a CEDO on staff.
“Attracting commercial growth is very difficult,” says Morris mayor Gavin van der Linde. “As a community it is very important to focus on your strengths, otherwise you will find yourself swimming upstream. As much as we try and attract development to Morris, we focus even more on removing obstacles and creating an environment conducive to accommodating development. Our CEDO is a part of that process.”
The Niverville Chamber of Commerce has been one of the driving forces behind the push for a CEDO in our community.
“[Chamber] has been anticipating for a couple of years now the hiring of a full-time EDO for the town of Niverville,” says Mel Buhler, president of the Chamber. “It is disappointing that this has not been able to happen as it was one of the most recognized needs for business for the town of Niverville during the last election.”
Niverville mayor Myron Dyck is a proponent of a strong business sector, recognizing that businesses create jobs which in turn bring in more people to fill those jobs. Adding residents means that businesses need to grow and expand to meet more needs. This growth will increase property values for everyone.
The mayor is reluctant, though, to assume that a full-time CEDO is necessary. “We have business owners and residents who are doing a lot of the economic development already,” he says. “Why don’t we just stay out of their way and let them do what they’re going to do instead of paying another salary?”
He also suggests that some groundwork needs to be laid before we can be a draw for new business. “We need land and utilities to attract business,” says Dyck. He reiterates the need for infrastructure for quality water and fire suppression. Council has also put forward a proposal to annex another 80 acres of land on the southeast end of town which, if approved, would be zoned for commercial and light industry use.
“We want to make sure that Niverville has an even playing field to provide business owners the opportunity to give Niverville consideration,” says Dyck.
On the upside, Mayor Dyck is excited about the town’s newest staff member, Eric King. Though hired to take on council’s finances, King has an economic background which could eventually lend well to performing the duties of a CEDO on a part-time basis.
With council’s current partnership with the Chamber and local developers, Dyck feels that Niverville is well-
positioned for further economic development.
