Mayor's Breakfast

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Kate Everson

EMC News -Quinte West - Business is looking good. That was the message at the Mayor's Breakfast at city hall on Tuesday, January 24.

Chuck O'Malley, chair of the Business Retention and Expansion subcommittee of the Economic Development and Revitalization committee, spoke to a crowd of business and manufacturing representatives. Breakfast was catered by the Blue Butterfly with coffee poured by Jane Mielke. Visitors were greeted by economic development staff Linda Lisle and Chris Edward-Scott handing out the latest BR+E Report on business.

O'Malley gave a presentation on the results of the latest business survey of the industrial and manufacturing sector in the city during September and October, 2011. The previous one was done in 2007. Results from confidential interviews with 33 industries in the city included small, medium and large businesses.

"The committee is pleased to report there were no red flag issues raised during the interviews," O'Malley said. "In general, the respondents gave a high approval rate and encouraged the city to continue its work on projects."

He noted the availability of skilled labour remains an issue. "Some new entrants to the workforce seem to have difficulty adapting to industrial expectations and standards for productivity." Other issues were the lack of high-speed Internet at some locations and the quality of access roads.

Jim Pine CAO of Hastings County gave a brief presentation on what is being done to improve Internet speed with the Eastern Ontario Regional Network to be in place this fall in the Quinte area.

O'Malley said there is also a perception that taxes in this area are high. Treasurer David Clazie explained the tax ratio comparison of Quinte West with other neighbouring municipalities shows our rates are competitive and in some cases better.

O'Malley said there are some concerns with transit and doctors. Public transit needs to be extended to industrial parks for workers. Also the physician recruitment program needs to be kept up as more doctors are retiring. "Each doctor has at least 2,500 patients," he said. "That creates quite a vacuum."

Chris King of Quinte Economic Development Commission in Quinte West, Belleville and Brighton, said they are leveraging funding and partnering with manufacturing sectors in support.

Bruce Davis of Trenval is working with Loyalist College by offering financial incentives to manufacturers to hire recent college graduates after April 1, 2012. "It's an innovative program," he said.

Chris Angelo, director of Public Works said the city is investing $64 million over the next ten years on road and bridge improvements and expanding its water treatment plants.

Mayor John Williams thanked everyone for attending. "We're here to help," he said. "Give us a call."