Project Title:

Sunshine Coast Economic Development Charter

Project Organization:

Sunshine Coast Regional District

Project Investment:

  • Island Coastal Economic Trust: $7,500
  • Sunshine Coast Regional District: $7,500
  • Total Budget: $15,000

Project Highlight:

The Sunshine Coast Economic Development Charter establishes the parameters of a regional economic development partnership between communities in the Lower Sunshine Coast.

The Sunshine Coast is made up of several small communities, geographically isolated from the Mainland and Vancouver Island.  Various communities have long been discussing how they could address economic development and support business and community development from a regional perspective.  The development of a regional economic charter will assist these communities in developing a collaborative approach to common goals with a view to maximizing each community’s efforts.

Through a series of three facilitated full-day workshops hosted by the Sunshine Coast Regional District, a charter will be developed to define the role and mandate for regional economic development. A vision was identified, key principles outlined, and rules governing decision making were set. Citizen and government engagement strategies was also part of the project.

The communities of the Sunshine Coast are taking a pro-active approach to develop the most efficient and responsive method to achieve economic self-reliance.  A common approach to strengthen the region’s voice and avoid duplication of services and costs while identifying service needs helps foster economic self-reliance in the region.

Island Coastal Economic Trust funded this project on 2014 through the Investment Readiness program.