The region’s economic development agency is looking ahead to the next five years.
Envision Saint John revealed a five-year strategic plan to Saint John Common Council on Oct. 20.
The agency is now in its sixth year of operation. According to the chair of its board of directors, that meant it was time for a robust strategic plan.
“It was informed by the experience of our first five years of operation,” said Trisha Perry. “You can imagine there were all kinds of learning opportunities in that first five years.”
Perry said the plan was developed in consultation with mayors and senior staff of the municipalities in the region.
Envision CEO Andrew Beckett said the first of putting the plan together was articulating what the organization’s role is.
“We’re the lead economic development and visitor attraction agency for the region,” he said. “We’re tasked with sustainably growing our economy and population.
“We can’t do this work alone. It’s a complex space to work in.”
Beckett said carrying out the role means bringing various groups together and mobilizing different people to carry out actions needed to drive the region forward.
“We take that whole notion of sustainable growth very seriously and not looking at growth at any cost,” he said. “We’re trying to find the right growth that fits with the community and enhances our community going forward.”
The new plan focuses on four pillars: Growth readiness, talent attraction and retention, business attraction, retention and expansion, and visitor attraction.
Among the projects tied to these pillars, Beckett noted work being funded by the Department of Health to help attract health-care professionals to the region, nurturing business development, and awareness campaigns in strategic markets to attract more tourism to the region.
