Economic development in the Comox Valley
Comox Valley taxpayers spent more than $1.2 million for economic development services in 2019 and provincial taxpayers added another $290,000. Courtenay hotels and small bed and breakfast inns added another $321,000. But did taxpayers get a reasonable return on their investment through the Comox Valley Economic Development Society, a nonprofit run at an arms-length from local government? Decafnation spent several months and conducted nearly 30 interviews in an attempt to answer that question. This series of stories is the result of that investigation.
The Week: Doing it right on the wrong side of town, CVRD gets a good result for wrong reasons
The Comox Valley Regional District did the right thing in terminating the CVEDS contract. But they did it for the wrong reasons.
Regional District terminates CVEDS contract, opposing views were too entrenched
After more than a year of divisive conversations about the future of economic development, the Comox Valley Regional District plans to terminate its contract with the Comox Valley Economic Development Society
BC Seafood Festival cancelled at last minute, two more CVEDS directors quit
The Comox Valley Economic Development Society pulled the plug on next week’s BC Seafood Festival after public health officials stepped in this week to ensure pandemic protocols were being followed
The Week: Comox has a hissy over CV Economic Development Society changes
Local governments are taking oversight seriously and pushing the CV Economic Development Society toward new directions that will benefit broader sectors of the community. Comox Town Council doesn’t like it.
Comox, Area C may derail regional economic development planning
The Town of Comox and Electoral Area C have asked the Comox Valley Regional District for a formal service review of the regional economic development function even though regional directors were already headed toward their own informal review
CVRD initiates discussions about Economic Development Society reforms
Conflicting views about sustainable economic growth have caused Comox Valley Regional District directors to initiate discussions that might reform or replace an organization that it created in 1988
Tensions rise as Liaison Committee explores integration for CVRD, CVEDS
The Comox Valley Regional District may have signed a two-year agreement with the Economic Development Society but the work of reforming that 32-year-old entity carries on through a select committee and board-wide workshops
A shifting political climate means change for 32-year-old society, but board still divided
A changing political climate that brought new faces and fresh perspectives to the Comox Valley Regional District boardroom has thrust the three-decade-old Comox Valley Economic Development Society into an uncertain future.
Survey shows Comox Valley’s economic development model the outlier on Vancouver Island
On Vancouver Island, every community except the Comox Valley handles economic development with municipal or regional district staff, and none of them mixes economic development with tourism marketing