Economic Development Transition Strategy
The City’s Economic Development Department focuses on activities that support business retention and expansion, resident, visitor, and business attraction, workforce development and attraction, and occasional sector specific projects. This Plan builds on those services by targeting initiatives aimed at economic diversification and community well-being.
While each initiative is mapped out separately in the Strategy, it is important to remember that many are connected and support each other to deliver the desired outcomes to the City. Specifically, many of the activities supporting destination development also make the City a more livable community. Community marketing and the Regional Skills Gap also support Innovative Resource Industries. Meanwhile, a more robust agriculture sector and local food culture, supports tourism development and so on.
The Plan at a Glance
The Strategy is organized into three themes including: Destination Development, Innovative Resource Industries and Business & Resident Retention & Attraction.
| Destination Development | ||
|---|---|---|
| Destination Development | Innovative Resource Industries | Business and Resident Retention & Attraction |
| Waterfront Development | ||
| Increased visitors and length of stay with new activities | Diversified economy with growth of tourism | New business development and resident attraction |
| Tourism Tax | ||
| Increased visitors and length of stay with improved marketing | Diversified economy with growth of tourism | Resident attraction from increased visitors |
| Trails | ||
| Increased visitors and length of stay with new activities | Improved forest fire resiliency | Resident attraction and retention for active lifestyle |
| Hosting Community | ||
| Increased events and event-related visitors | Opportunity to host resource forums (Minerals North 2020) | Business expansion and development related to hosting |
| Indigenous Tourism | ||
| Increased visitors and length of stay with new activities | New business development related to visitor economy | |
| Wayfinding | ||
| Increased visitors and length of stay with better signage | Diversified economy from growth of tourism | New business development and resident attraction |
| Innovative Resource Industries | ||
|---|---|---|
| Destination Development | Innovative Resource Industries | Business and Resident Retention & Attraction |
| Forestry | ||
| Increased visitors to Forestry Innovation Centre | Strengthened forestry sector; improved forest fire resiliency | Resident and business retention related to forestry |
| Agriculture | ||
| Potential for farm tours, local food experiences | Increased local food production and processing | Increased local food availabile for residents |
| Regional Mining | ||
| Strengthened mining service sector | Establishing Quesnel as home base for mine workers | |
| Business & Resident Retention & Attraction | ||
|---|---|---|
| Destination Development | Innovative Resource Industries | Business and Resident Retention & Attraction |
| Community Marketing | ||
| Increased visitors through improved marketing | Increased targeted business development | Increased population through improved marketing |
| Business Retention, Expansion, and Attraction | ||
| Ensuring a positive business climate | Business retention and new business development | |
| Community Livability | ||
| Increased length of stay with new activities | Workforce stability with better resident retention | Attracting young families and retaining senior population with availability of healthcare, housing, and amenities |
| Resident Recruitment | ||
| Workforce stability and attraction | Increased working age population through targeted marketing and working with employers | |
| Industrial Lands | ||
| Improved opportunity to attract new light/heavy industry | Business expansion and attraction (job creation) | |
| Regional Skills Gap | ||
| Improved understanding of skills gaps and training needs to strengthen the visitor economy | Improved understanding of skills gaps and training needs to support industrial workforce | Improved understanding of skills inventory and gaps to inform targeted resident and business recruitment |