Business Development

I have worked with numerous businesses in Fort St John and area to build capacity and innovation.  Many needed resources to take their innovation from concept to commercialization and I am proud to say that I was there when the ribbons were cut at the openings. Businesses don’t need a hand out or a hand up, they just need an environment that is conducive to operating efficiently.

As the Executive Director for Sci-Tech North, I was successful in getting a pilot project for the Petroleum Human Resources Council of Canada’s “Increasing the Talent” project.  Understanding the decision-making points that a potential employee makes when they choose an industry, career, community and why they would exit or stay is imperative to recruiting.  We developed tools that are now a part of a toolkit that assists with this.  I understand this process.

Economic Development must be taken seriously, be proactive and effective. Taxation Policies must be fair and future solution oriented.  They must keep us sustainable, financially responsible and accountable to new development. While the first dollar industries will bring the dollars to the community, it is the retail, hospitality and other services that must be enhanced to ensure that we get that dollar floating around town several times before it leaves.  In the economic development world it is known as the multiplier.