The Blue Mountains seeks public input for new economic development plan

The Blue Mountains is looking to develop a five-year strategy to ensure the commercial part of town grows with the rapidly-expanding residential sector.

“We have a huge residential development here that is almost feeding itself. And so, we need the business development in the area to keep pace,” says Councillor Rob Sampson. “Without growth in the business development area, it will eventually kill any residential growth.”

With this notion, The Blue Mountains is focused on creating a new Economic Development Strategy aimed at providing direction so the community grows in an economically viable and sustainable manner.

The new strategy will provide a roadmap into 2025 and include input from the town’s Economic Development Advisory Committee and the Ontario Ministry of Agricultural Food and Rural Affairs.

Consultation and feedback from business leaders and residents is essential, according to the town. Public engagement is now underway with a goal of gathering feedback from residents and the business community to understand what business, services and offerings the town is currently missing.

A public survey was launched in early 2020.

“We need to have a residential growth strategy followed, or better patterned with a business economic development strategy, and that is what this survey is trying to get at… what is missing for area residents?” Sampson adds.

There are two versions of the survey available, one for the business community and another for the general public and town residents.

Survey questions offer residents a chance to detail the challenges of living in the community, what types of businesses they think would better the community, what goods and services they purchase outside of the community, and how can the town better support local business.

The survey will close on Feb.19, at which point the results will be reviewed and analyzed by the Economic Development Advisory Committee and town staff.