anonymous - October 28th, 2005
Create initiatives that strengthen small businesses, including resort wide service training strategies, the development of an innovation center, and the creation of small business incubation units.
Other policy initiatives that lay the foundations for long-term, sustainable prosperity include improving our “value proposition” through better service, the aforementioned resort wide service training strategies, would go a long way to improving service. Other ways to stimulate the economy would be to develop new tourism products particularly educational tourism products, arts products, and food and wine tourism. Other efforts would include Support/ direction for WEB and developing events. It’s important to have lofty goals that we can all rally around. Let’s make Whistler the world’s number one destination for events. We can accomplish any objective with the right amount of enthusiasm, and effort.
Ralph Forsyth

anonymous - November 27th, 2005
Yes!!! Diversify.

After the Olympics where will we be? How will the small retailers be able to sustain their businesses until this two week perios of busy-ness? Diversification will draw other business interests to the resort which can hopefully support local business NOW as well as THEN.

1. Offer a tax incentive to new business development in the resort. Make a long term plan for the employees of the resort to be able to start local businesses, ie with incentives or tax breaks. More education/support in small business operations would also be helpful.

2. Do a study on rental costs in the resort for small business and compare with other resorts as to the sustainability of operating a business in Whistler.

Thanks for asking.
Sonya McCarthy

anonymous - November 29th, 2005
Great ideas Sonya. Although the CSP doesn't advocate for diversification, it's something that needs to be explored if this town is going to survive, nevermind flourish. There are so many resources in Whistler that could be make into products, adding value while limiting waste. We need to revisit these issues. Garbage for example can be made into energy which we could actually use. That is sustainability. That is healthy development.