Community Futures Southwest funds
economic planning by City of Swift Current
By Matthew Liebenberg
mliebenberg@prairiepost.com
Efforts by the City of Swift Current
to develop a new economic development strategy for the community is receiving
financial support from a regional business development agency.
Community Futures Southwest General
Manager John Parker presented a cheque of $15,000 to Swift Current Mayor Jerrod
Schafer during the May 15 regular council meeting.
"We are very pleased with the
direction that council is taking," Parker said.
He noted that the City's economic
development strategy will have an impact on the entire region, which fits in
with the efforts of Community Futures Southwest to promote economic and
business development in the area.
"A part of our mandate is certainly to
work with communities in the southwest and to work with the City in a
partnership agreement in stimulating the economy," he said.
According to Schafer the 2013 budget
of the City's Department of Business Development includes an allocation for
developing an economic growth strategy.
"It's nice when community partners
take notice of things like that in areas that pertain to them and come forward
to help out," he said after the meeting. "So the reality of that is it's a
straight bonus to our budget and bottom line, which is a nice surprise for our
taxpayers."
He noted that the City's budget allocation
for business development and promotion has increased in recent years.
"We know our residents and business
community want us out there attracting what we can to our community," he said.
"I think we've stepped up our efforts for that pretty significantly."
The City allocated $70,000 in the 2013
budget for the development of an economic growth strategy. The first step will
be to conduct an industry gap and impact assessment analysis. Councillors
approved the appointment of the consultant group Onagon International Inc. at
their April 29 regular council meeting to carry out this study at a cost of
$67,300 plus GST.
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