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tkoe_ said:
No argument with providing top-notch infrastructure, encouraging incubator facilities and common sense reductions in barriers to operating a business. What I don't like is cash handouts to 'lure' companies to Edmonton. The Government is terrible at picking winners and losers and should instead focus on creating a business-friendly environment.

It is not a coincidence that most of the top business cities also offer amazing amenities, things to go, restaurants, etc. If I ran Edmonton, rather than trying to pay companies to move here I would instead work on keeping the downtown scrupulously clean, improve general maintenance and landscaping, relentlessly pursue a housing-first strategy for people experiencing homelessness, expand high-quality transit as fast as possible, new parks, more bike lanes, fewer municipal fees on festivals and neighbourhood events, more urban renewal projects. It isn't rocket science.
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I agree. I don't think cash hand outs to lure companies from elsewhere is generally very good. If cash is involved, I think the focus should be on helping local businesses start up, grow and diversify. These are businesses that are more likely to be invested in the community and not leave when the grant or tax break ends.

I went for a good long walk in the downtown core and can see how COVID and the rough economy has decimated downtown. It is going to take some work to get things back to where they should be. On a good note, it looked cleaner and I didn't notice as much of a homelessness issue as in the past So perhaps some progress is being made. With the LRT construction getting closer to being done and other construction projects done, it is a bit easier to get around and also looks better. Now, to get some restaurants, coffee shops and other retail businesses to fill at least some of the vacant spaces would help a lot.
 
David A said:
I agree. I don't think cash hand outs to lure companies from elsewhere is generally very good. If cash is involved, I think the focus should be on helping local businesses start up, grow and diversify. These are businesses that are more likely to be invested in the community and not leave when the grant or tax break ends.

I went for a good long walk in the downtown core and can see how COVID and the rough economy has decimated downtown. It is going to take some work to get things back to where they should be. On a good note, it looked cleaner and I didn't notice as much of a homelessness issue as in the past So perhaps some progress is being made. With the LRT construction getting closer to being done and other construction projects done, it is a bit easier to get around and also looks better. Now, to get some restaurants, coffee shops and other retail businesses to fill at least some of the vacant spaces would help a lot.
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If there are cash incentives that has to be a secondary reason for relocating the right fit is imperative. Dell basically just wanted to exploit lower labour costs for a call centre just as labour costs were escalating in Edmonton and call centres were relocating elsewhere. It was never going to work.
 
TAS said:
Can't you do both? Taking our neighbour to the south, they are actively engaged in their opportunity fund to diversify their economy with reportedly good early results and they are investing in better livability in their downtown with a recent investment of $200 million towards their plan.
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Sure, you could take a scattershot approach and instead of doing a few things well, do many things poorly. The fact of the matter is that the City doesn't have the money to do to everything.

And as a bit of a reality check, consider this: Calgary's 2019 municipal revenue was more than a billion dollars higher than Edmonton. The cities are not financial equals and do not have the same resources. Why isn't Edmonton launching a $200 million opportunity fund? Because it doesn't have the money.

Instead of handwringing and wondering why we can't be just like Calgary, Edmonton needs to have the courage to blaze its own trail. I've lived in both cities and I prefer Edmonton. I just wish there wasn't so much self-doubt so we could just get on with things.
 
tkoe_ said:
Sure, you could take a scattershot approach and instead of doing a few things well, do many things poorly. The fact of the matter is that the City doesn't have the money to do to everything.

And as a bit of a reality check, consider this: Calgary's 2019 municipal revenue was more than a billion dollars higher than Edmonton. The cities are not financial equals and do not have the same resources. Why isn't Edmonton launching a $200 million opportunity fund? Because it doesn't have the money.

Instead of handwringing and wondering why we can't be just like Calgary, Edmonton needs to have the courage to blaze its own trail. I've lived in both cities and I prefer Edmonton. I just wish there wasn't so much self-doubt so we could just get on w
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An opportunity fund is a show of confidence. If the revenue of Edmonton is lower, then all the more reason that the City needs to get on it and start focusing on growth. A lot of the ingredients are already there.. let's do it.
 
The world changes every day. It seems to me that there is a new era of mutual recognition of economic challenges, throughout the Edmonton metro region. Maybe it was the coronavirus crisis that brought us all together. I am reminded of the saying that for every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction.
 
It makes perfect sense Leduc would take the initiative on this. They certainly appreciate the importance of the airport.

I don't know who to give credit to, but over the last few years the region has come together more and things like regional transit are moving ahead somewhat.
 
occidentalcapital said:
The world changes every day. It seems to me that there is a new era of mutual recognition of economic challenges, throughout the Edmonton metro region. Maybe it was the coronavirus crisis that brought us all together. I am reminded of the saying that for every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction.
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I think this was a strength of Iveson as well right from the start of his tenure. He established a much better working relationship and respect with the surrounding region versus Mandel, who had more of an adversial relationship and was not as well liked by some of the other mayors.
 
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tkoe_ said:
Instead of handwringing and wondering why we can't be just like Calgary, Edmonton needs to have the courage to blaze its own trail. I've lived in both cities and I prefer Edmonton. I just wish there wasn't so much self-doubt so we could just get on with things.
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I am one of the posters suggesting we should look at what Calgary is doing in attracting business and diversifying its economy such as their OCIF fund. Why is that being interpreted to mean I'm advocating for us to be just like them? I am taking ONE thing, one stategy their council has adopted so why generalize that to mean some of us want to be just like them? It's a bit of stretch to say the least.
They are always trying to establish more international flights, now we have a fund to try and secure more flights. Should we not be doing that?
Several people have posted that Edmonton should do something to better develop Rossdale and often cite The Forks in Winnipeg as an example for us. Doesn't mean we want to be like Winnipeg, but cities can learn from each other - sometimes in what not to do and sometimes from something that has worked well that can be adopted or modified somewhere else.
 
YHZ for comparison to YEG

yhz21.png

https://www.flightconnections.com/fl...om-halifax-yhz
 
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