Council has adopted several amendments to the 2023-2029 Economic Development Strategic Plan, aiming to refine the town's growth strategies over the next six years. These changes were proposed following feedback from department heads and stakeholders, aiming to align ongoing projects with available budgets. The adjustments are expected to enhance rental affordability communications, integrate a comprehensive active transportation plan, and streamline development approvals.
“It’s nothing too major, but it requires some rewording of the plan,” Walsham Tenshak, district director of economic development, said during a presentation to council on July 15.
During the October 2023 meeting, council approved the initial strategic plan. Since then, staff engaged with stakeholders to share the plan and gather input, leading to several key amendments:
The frequency of communicating typical rent via social media will shift from quarterly to biannual updates. This change follows advice from the town’s data analytics provider, which indicated that biannual data releases are more statistically reliable.
"If they did try to make it more frequently than that, it wouldn't be statistically accurate," Tenshak said.
The Cycle Network Plan will be integrated into a broader Active Transportation Plan for Kitimat. This revised plan aims to improve connectivity and circulation within the City Centre, ensuring comprehensive planning for all forms of active transportation.
For art visibility in the community, partnerships will now include the Kitimat Museum and Archives, replacing the defunct Kitimat Art Club. This collaboration seeks to expand artist activity and consider the creation of a space to support local creative expression.
The plan for improving access to Minette Bay West Park will focus on enhancing the surface finish of the public access road rather than paving it, reflecting more accurate project descriptions from internal departments.
Instead of implementing new software for development approvals, the focus will shift to clarifying the existing process to streamline planning approvals. The district says the current application volumes do not justify new software, but clearer procedures are expected to expedite application processing.
