Port Alberni is one of three cities in British Columbia chosen to showcase local investment opportunities to approximately 80 Global Affairs Canada staff around the world in a virtual presentation.
The City will participate in an Economic Impact Study of the Highway 4 Road Closures. The study will be led by the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District because the highway closure took place in their jurisdiction.
Choose Port Alberni is our investment attraction website that was built with matching funding from ICET. The work was done by Community Futures Alberni-Clayoquot in 2022 and we will be ‘refreshing’ it.
A leasing policy for municipally-owned facilities will be proposed to Council for their consideration. The program is intended to assist in developing best practices including market rates for leasing.
A sponsorship program will be proposed to Council for their consideration. The program is intended to relieve the municipal tax burden for the maintenance of facilities and programs while giving corporations the opportunity to increase their visibility and individuals the satisfaction of contributing to our community.
The City has received $20,000 from the Union of BC Municipalities ‘Community to Community’ Program to examine ways of including Tseshaht First Nation and Hupacasath First Nation in Council decisions. The City will contribute $5,810 to the project from the Reconciliation Fund.
The Façade Improvement Program provided matching funding for improvements to commercial storefronts over a seven-year period. City Council provided $50,000 annually to this initiative. The program was very successful but has become increasing difficult to administer given changing regulations. Options for assisting the small business community (including restarting the Façade Improvement Program) will be prepared for Council’s consideration.
Prepare a business case for the Clutesi Haven Marina Uplands Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) to determine if an application can be made to the Tourism Growth Fund. The CEDI is being done in partnership with Tseshaht First Nation and Hupacasath First Nation.
The City has applied to the National Anti-Racism Fund for a grant to implement a series of initiatives designed to address racism in the community. The application is for $102,063; no municipal funding is required for the project.
The City received $435,978 in funding from the BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Program to connect the trail in Roger Creek Park to the western end of the Scott Kenny Trail. A significant portion of this multi-use path was developed in late 2023. A section of the trail will be done in the 2024 fish window. The City is contributing $290,000 to the project.
The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District is conducting a ‘situational scan’ that will inform the development of a business case for a possible Regional District service to recruit and retain health care professionals. The City is participating in the situational scan along with many other organizations.
The Western Vancouver Island Industrial Heritage Society and the Alberni Pacific Railway have launched an effort to fund a business case for getting the rail line between the Train Station and McLean Mill operational again.
We will prepare a plan detailing economic development strategies to support Council’s 2023-2027 Corporate Strategic Plan and the Master Plans being developed for all areas of municipal governance.
We will work with the community to identify, adopt and build a ‘brand’ that the City will become known for.
We are partnered with Tseshaht First Nation and Hupacasath First Nation in a process to further our economic development and planning work together. The program is funded by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and we are mentored by a staff member from the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers. The CEDI partners are exploring an economic development initiative on the Clutesi Haven Marina uplands.
