Sidney is asking residents to help shape the municipality’s economic future by inviting them to fill out a survey.
The survey, open until Feb. 28, is part and parcel of efforts by Vancouver-based Lions Gate Consulting Inc. to develop an economic strategy for the community.
Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith said in a release that a vibrant and livable community like Sidney doesn’t happen by chance. “Careful planning, including an Economic Development Strategy, enables us to step back and consider how we can support the success of local businesses and industries that contribute to our quality of life.”
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To encourage participation, the municipality offers a weekly prize draw among survey respondents with winners receiving a $50 gift certificate to a Sidney business of their choice.
According to the release, the strategy will look at a cross-section of Sidney’s economic sectors including marine, industrial, tourism, commercial, retail, and transportation in making recommendations for near-term initiatives designed to support the local economy.
The online survey is part of a larger engagement process that will also involve meetings and focus groups with key stakeholders such as the Sidney Business Improvement Area Society, Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, Sidney’s Economic Advisory Committee, and South Island Prosperity Partnership, among others.
The plan is being funded through Canada-B.C. safe restart funds with the survey available at tinyurl.com/yepx3x67.
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