The vision of future economic development in Canmore is clearer as Canmore Business and Tourism (CBT) has expanded on conceptions for the mountain town, going “beyond Alberta’s backyard.”
Andrew Nickerson, Canmore Business and Tourism president and CEO, spoke in front of a crowded hall on Thursday (Nov. 13) at Silvertip for BOWDA members (Bow Valley Builders and Developers Association) about the potential in Canmore.
Nickerson highlighted the vision and importance of growing tourism in Canmore – bumping it from a $300 million per year industry to $500 million per year by 2020, with growth in residential population, moving the needle over to more of a cultured town than an outdoor sportsmen’s dream, the high potential of creating and opening a conference centre by 2018 and, with this, a proposal of increasing business registry fees.
CBT is proposing a 50 per cent increase in business registry fees across the board, and the proposal of food and beverage to “contribute a bit more as well,” shifting to a $20 per seat business licence fee to help funding with general revenues and taxes.
“It sounds like a huge jump, but the reality is out of the 1,200 businesses in town there are over 900 of them that paid $100 for their business licences, so we’re actually talking about a $50 increase,” Nickerson said.
With the $20 per seat business licence fee proposal, it would bump food and beverage contributions from $30,000 per year to approximately $120,000 by 2015.
“Between those numbers it would allow us to meet the numbers we’re looking for in terms of driving the contract,” Nickerson said.
“So what we’re trying to achieve is we’ve been working for the last few months with (Town of Canmore) council and we’ve come up with five ideas,” Nickerson said.
“We painted in a picture and in 2020 here’s what we want the economy to look like,” said Nickerson, adding the key points of growth, authenticity, ease, resilience and affordability.
Growth in Canmore’s economy was pointed out, with food and beverage at 32 per cent ($100M per year) in 2012 as it’s largest percentage of funds coming in. Increasing the value of target growth sectors by 40 per cent, such as “off season” hotel occupancy, and affordability, which is “toughest of all” to address by attracting higher paying jobs to Canmore.
Innovation, Nickerson said, is key to reaching aggressive long-term targets in the area and marketing, which ties into creating new events, and festivals. This is where the potential construction of a conference centre fits in, he said.
“(The conference centre) fits every single part of bringing people in, making businesses stronger and having that new innovation,” he said.
“If people know where we’re going and know where the economy is going, it’s not scary.”
CBT has put forward a contract proposal through 2020 with the Town of Canmore with a vision firmly in place.
