Collingwood staff and council will be working with local businesses on a new task force whose mandate is to plan for life post-pandemic.
The idea for the economic support and recovery task force was pitched to council during the March 25 meeting, and approved unanimously.
Chief Administrative Officer Fareed Amin pitched the idea, stating the impact of the pandemic is severe enough that the recovery will take planning.
“We need to think about what happens when we are in some sense of normalcy and we need to rebuild locally, provincially, and nationally,” said Amin. “I think we have to do this now to prepare for economic recovery.”
Amin said the task force would come up with ideas for how the town can manage support, what support is needed, and what the town can do to prepare for recovery post-COVID-19.
The task force will be co-chaired by Mayor Brian Saunderson and the chair of the development and operations standing committee (Councillor Deb Doherty), and would include local business owners.
The task force will work to come up with ideas and plans and will report to the Strategic Initiatives Committee for approval.
Amin said the task force wouldn’t have financial decision making powers, but would instead be advising council on what would have a meaningful impact for the town and help the local economy recover.
The task force would also be there to promote continued investment in Collingwood both throughout and following the COVID-19 crisis.
For more information on the Town of Collingwood’s COVID-19 response and support services, visit the town website here.
