A successful strategy starts with questions

Last week, I wrote about the “GROW Brandon” organization receiving hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to chart the economic future of Brandon and surrounding area. This week, my focus will be on some of the many “threshold issues” that must be navigated prior to arriving at a viable economic development strategy.

That list must begin with the reality that we are often told that “growth is good” and “the bigger, the better,” but that isn’t always true.

Do Brandonites really want their city and region to grow significantly in size, population and economic activity? If we grow to even 25 per cent of the population of Winnipeg or Regina, we should prepare ourselves for the types of problems those cities have. Are we prepared to pay that penalty in order to grow our local economy?

Those questions must be addressed because unplanned and uncontrolled urban growth can cause tremendous economic and social instability, making the quality of life in the community worse, not better.

Beyond the question of whether Brandonites have provided a mandate for large-scale growth, we must also ask whether the city has the essential ingredients for sustainable economic development.

Is Brandon as safe, clean and affordable as the communities we are competing with for investment? Do we have amenities, including recreation and arts, entertainment and education opportunities, that put us on par with those other communities? Do we offer something special that other communities don’t have — something so unique that it causes people to want to live in Brandon?

If the answer isn’t an absolute “yes!” we will have a serious problem attracting investment and workers.

In addition to lifestyle issues, several other important factors must also be considered and resolved. For example, climate change threatens the stability of our water supply and the city has relied upon wells to supplement that supply. During some years, the city has limited water use during the summer (for example, limiting days when lawns can be watered) in order to protect the water supply.

Are we sure that Brandon has a reliable water supply that is capable of meeting the needs of a larger population, along with the needs of new businesses? Given the impact of higher temperatures and the increased likelihood of drought conditions, can we be sure the volume of water currently available will not decline in the future, due to climate conditions and/or depletion of the water supply upstream of Brandon?

Similarly, can we be sure that Brandon has an adequate supply of electricity to meet the needs of a growing population and new businesses? The reality is that Manitoba Hydro is facing a serious shortage of electricity, and dozens of electricity-intensive projects have already been put on hold because of the electricity shortage that already exists. That’s a province-wide obstacle to growth.

With few exceptions, sustainable economic growth requires a ready supply of qualified workers. Does Brandon and Westman have a surplus of skilled workers capable of filling positions for new and/or expanded businesses? That’s far from clear, given that several local businesses already rely on a steady stream of foreign workers to satisfy their staffing requirements.

Just as importantly, does Brandon have the numbers of doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals in order to serve a much larger population? Do we have enough teachers and classroom space for the children of all those new workers?

Do we have enough housing to accommodate a large increase in the city’s population? If not, how quickly could developers and government construct that additional housing? Would the new jobs pay high enough wages to enable those new workers to afford the rent or purchase price of that new housing?

Is the city capable of adding the infrastructure and services that would be required as a result of significant population growth? How many miles of roads, sidewalks and sewers would be required, and at what cost to local taxpayers via higher property taxes and utility rates? Would those infrastructure requirements impair the city’s ability to address the large (and growing) infrastructure deficit the city is already struggling with?

In past columns, I have criticized the “can’t do” attitude that is so prevalent in the city. The questions and concerns I am asking aren’t examples of that sentiment. Rather, they are a reminder that successful, sustainable economic development isn’t a “shoot from the hip” endeavour. It requires careful planning, followed by a sequenced process that begins with a stable foundation for success.

If we want to get this right, we have to do it right. By focusing first on creating a strong foundation, the rest of the process will have a greater chance of success.