Page 32 - Westman Business 2017

32 THE BRANDON SUN • WESTMAN BUSINESS • OCTOBER 2017

Sandy Trudel, Deb Day and Dan Fontaine are focused on growing the local economy.
City’s Economic Development department is always on the job

The title ‘Economic Development Brandon’ has been such achievements are often many years in the making. But same time the company would coordinate with us, and we
around for decades. while those are high-profile feathers in the city’s and Eco- would deliver customized tours to each of those candidates
But exactly what is it that this City of Brandon depart- nomic Development’s caps, what’s even more important is so that they fully understand what Brandon has to offer and
ment does or is responsible for? assisting the expansion of what already exists here, in terms how it might align with what they're looking for. We'd an-
Well, probably much more than one might imagine. of businesses’ growth and the creation of meaningful jobs. swer any questions, so that ultimately, when that individual
Director Sandy Trudel and her intrepid team of business “In the industry, they refer to it as business retention and is done their hiring process, they've had the conversation
development specialist Dan Fontaine and receptionist/re- expansion visits,” Trudel said. “It's actually a recognized eco- with the company about everything employment-related,
searcher/tour guide Deb Day comprise the department, nomic development industrial tool, where you're out meet- and then they've had the conversation with us about the
which has two core functions. One is to grow the city’s pop- ing with your companies and your goal is to understand after-work elements of life. And then hopefully, by bringing
ulation. The other is to grow the local economy. where they're at in their business life cycle – what are some those two together, there's a much higher probability that
“Obviously, beneath those goals, there are a multitude of opportunities, what are some constraints, how do we help we’re going to be successful in having those people accept
different activities that have to occur,” Trudel said. “But at them work through those, and then how do we connect any offers of employment.”
the end of the day, whenever we undertake an activity, we're them with the resources they might need to be able to go Trudel said people are typically motivated to relocate for
looking at how are we helping one of those mandates. One to that next level, or to just simply remain viable.” two reasons: They're looking for something different in
of the things that is always a bit of a challenge is that when Growth can happen in any number of ways, such as mov- their lifestyle, or they're looking for a career opportunity.
people think of Economic Development, they just think of ing into an export market, for example. And in that case, So Economic Development tries to bring those two ele-
it from the lens of doing what we refer to as ‘smokestack it’s Economic Development Brandon’s job to connect those ments together, which is just another way it supports local
chasing’ – you're after the next big opportunity – whereas, businesses with trade and investment, and ensure they have businesses.
while that's an important part of what we do, given the all the tools they need to achieve that goal. Currently, Economic Development Brandon is in the
competitiveness globally for that type of investment as well Attracting the labour force that’s required is another area early phases of an industrial land secondary plan. Essen-
as how business gets done on a day-to-day basis, probably in which the Economic Development department can help. tially, it’s trying to establish a vision and understanding of
a good 75 or 80% of our time is actually spent on creating Whether it’s skilled or semi-skilled laborers, the Economic how best to service industrial ventures – either the expan-
all the foundations for the success of our businesses that are Development team will work with business to establish re- sion of existing ones or others that might be considering
already here and figuring out how to help them grow. cruitment resources, and even accompany business people setting up shop in the Wheat City.
“It's much more costly and difficult to actually just try on recruitment initiatives. “We need to make sure all of our core infrastructure that
and identify investments across the world and then go chase “We have another program that we deliver – we refer to businesses need is in place,” Trudel said. “So when oppor-
them. But certainly we have that ability to grow what we've it as our Community Champion Program – and that's tunities present themselves, … we have a firm handle on
got within, and then make sure that all of the elements of where staff, supported by some volunteers, actually conduct our capacity out in the industrial area. We had our first pub-
our community, whether they be infrastructure or quality city tours for skilled individuals who are coming in through lic consultation a couple of weeks ago and we're looking,
of life, are in place so that when those external opportunities the hiring process,” Trudel said. “So let's say you owned over the next four or five months, to wrap up that process.
present themselves, we're well-positioned for them.” Company X and you're trying to hire three engineers and And it'll be a really important building block for Brandon's
Typically, Trudel said, successes such as attracting Maple you're going through that selection process. When those future growth.”
Leaf and WestJet to town are what end up in the news, and engineers are coming in to conduct their interviews, at the » The Brandon Sun