A report on a trade mission to Europe by city staff sparked debate on the city’s approach to economic development on Monday.
In November, city staff members went on a multi-city mission to drum up potential business and learn about technology options the city could use in its smart city pursuits, as well as attending a major smart city conference in Spain.
Council originally approved the trip early in 2015, which was explained as a trip to a smart city conference in Barcelona, Spain. A provincial grant was later repurposed to research target companies and the multi-city tour added on.
The original motion did not specifically mention the conference, instead authorizing the city to “participate in the Alberta Smart City Alliance’s proposed foreign market development/best practice outreach.” Nor did the motion specifically set the budget, though the report estimated $22,000 in costs, plus another $15,000 if a council member came.
A report on the outcomes of the trip, which focused on potential investment and intelligence gathering about smart city technology, was delivered to council during the standing committee of the whole meeting on Monday.
Coun. Sheena Hughes said she was “uncomfortable” with what she said was a change in scope and cost. The trip was estimated to have cost about $30,000.
City manager Patrick Draper said the city manager bylaw has delegated the ability to spend funds to the city manager, and that there had been no requirement for administration to ask permission to go to the conference in the first place, but staff had decided it was important for council to be aware of the project, plus the original proposal had included taking the mayor or a councillor.
Draper also pointed out past direction from councils have been a desire to increase non-residential economic development in St. Albert, and that the head of economic development should be out drumming up such business.
“The first mission that economic development has taken is being criticized,” Draper said, suggesting if this council has had a change of heart when it comes to those philosophies, motions should be made to change direction.
Coun. Cam MacKay suggested sticking closer to home to drum up business, suggesting perhaps trade shows in nearby Alberta municipalities are better places to look for potential new St. Albert businesses, rather than going further afield like international ventures.
“We should be looking locally first,” he said.
Coun. Cathy Heron said as council’s representative on the smart city committee, she’s already hearing the positive attention St. Albert is receiving, even on an international level.
“You’re never going to really fully comprehend what was achieved in these couple weeks,” she said. “It’s all positive in my opinion, and the pilot projects that we co uld bring into St. Albert are going to be very positive.”
Coun. Tim Osborne said when it comes to economic development, there’s a range of initiatives should be tried, and it’s hard to tell which will be successful.
He also pointed out that “at this point the money has been spent.”
Coun. Wes Brodhead said he’s heard in both elections he’s run in that residents want council to expand the non-residential tax base. He said St. Albert should be looking at the world when it comes to smart city projects, and also that the city needs to try new things to expand that base.
“We can compete with the world, I’m convinced of it, and we need to invite them to come here and do business,” he said.
