Esquimalt is hanging out a shingle to let the world know it's open for business as the municipality embarks on a six-month strategy session to stimulate economic development.
The project, which will feature a series of roundtable discussions covering all economic sectors, is a bid to determine the issues facing the area's business community, attract investment, diversify the economy and determine the best course of action to take advantage of a rejuvenated shipbuilding industry.
"The timing of [an economic strategy session] is ideal," said Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins. "There were a number of catalysts for it, but the shipbuilding contracts with Sea-span is an opportunity to say to Esquimalt we have to get onside and support it in any way we can, and it's [an opportunity] to take advantage of it."
Last year, Seaspan won the right to negotiate $8 billion worth of non-combat ships for the federal government as part of a $33-billion, 20-year federal shipbuilding program. Seaspan's construction of the ships will start in Vancouver, but the finishing work and trials will take place at Victoria Shipyards in Esquimalt.
Desjardins said that work and the money being plowed into projects at the Department of National Defence in Esquimalt sets the table for economic stability in the area for as many as three decades.
It should allow the municipality to avoid the chicken-and-egg thinking it's dealt with over the last several years.
"We know we need a greater population base to help spur these things, but the development community asks 'why Esquimalt?' " said Desjardins. "There is steady work here for a number of years and with the challenges in the region around transportation and the growth of gridlock it will make Esquimalt look that much better for people who want to be close to what's happening and close to work."
Desjardins said there are as many as 6,000 people working at Dockyard and the base on any given day, yet many of them live outside Esquimalt. "If we can provide places for them to live, can we not bring much of that population closer and wouldn't that be better for Esquimalt?" she said.
It would stimulate investment by drawing in new businesses to service a growing population and fill gaps in the existing business mix.
Desjardins said during discussions to develop an action plan, everything will be on the table, as the municipality acknowledges the status quo is not an option.
"Over the last four, five, 10 years, we haven't been able to make something work. Our business community does feel challenged," she said. "There's a recognition that it wasn't working."
The first roundtable, a small-business discussion, kicked off the series last week and will reconvene Nov. 7 at Esquimalt Municipal Hall chambers at 7 p.m. A tourism roundtable has been set for Nov. 14 at the same time and a roundtable on shipbuilding will be held either in late November or early December.
The goal is to produce a game plan in the spring.
