The City of Williams Lake and a Regional Economic Development Function

A few years ago, the City of Williams Lake elected to use the same Economic Development Corporation model that the City of Quesnel uses to assist with Economic Development activities in Williams Lake. Last week, the Cariboo Regional District received $60,000 from CEDI (Community Economic Development Intiative) to begin research work into developing a Region-Wide Economic Development Function for the Cariboo Regional District

Now, I believe if the City were to keep its' Economic Development Corporation and yet participate in some way in a Cariboo Region District Regional Economic Development Function would be, I believe, at the height of hypocrisy

After all, this is the same City who complains about the costs the City incurs in being a member of the Administration Function of the Cariboo Regional District (note - the City is required, by provincial law, to be a member of this Function) and yet has its' own Admin Budget

I believe the City would be much further ahead by dissolving the local Economic Development Corporation and immediately transfer all EcDev activities to a Regional Economic Development Function. Benefits would include:

i) economy of scale of purchasing of marketing materials and other EcDev material
ii) Similiar EcDev Goals, by sub-region (North, Central Cariboo-Chilcotin and South Cariboo)would require fewer dollars from each participant as now you would have a bigger pool of dollars to draw from