Last week a new user joined the community here at AccessNiagara and is going by the handle Margin. He has submitted a document with his thoughts and concerns about the convention centre. As I asked him why the interest in this, he said that he has “no axes to grind or money to be made from this development. The issues here need wider discussion and so far, we have had vapid rhetoric from all corners. We need to challenge the orthodoxy that growth at any cost is a public good and the simplistic idea that only a small segment of private sector should benefit from a $70m public investment. $100,000,000 is a lot of money when no one can point to a convention center that has achieved the returns that the promoters promised.”
I’ve divided his submission up into 3 parts and will present it today (Wednesday), tomorrow (Thursday), and Friday.
The last write-up by Fallsview had great feedback, so let’s continue that with this one.
Seldom do all the stars align to bring $100 million developments to regions outside major urban areas.
This is the third time Niagara has landed one of the biggest construction projects in Canada.
Perhaps three times will be luckier for the people of the region.
Now that all the funds are committed for the Niagara convention center, perhaps it is time to eliminate the uncertainty that plagued the other significant tourism related developments over the past decade, namely: who gets the lion’s share of the benefits.
We have been promised a Blue Ribbon Panel to ensure that the local property tax base will not ultimately support the facility or it won’t ultimately be sold for one dollar to some lucky consortium, when it fails to live up to the promises made in the run up to the announcements.
So, instead of another blue ribbon panel of the usual suspects, why not a group of locals to negotiate a binding agreement with the proponents of the project outlining what benefits we expect to receive.
Further, instead of a binding agreement ensure that the local tax base does not subsidize the facility, why not a binding document that guarantees a sustainable return to the regional tax base.
There are thousands of precedents across North America to show that these type of agreements work and, and in the end, build stronger communities and local economies.
The development of a community benefits agreement today would go a long way to ensure wider public support and solidify the collaboration that to date has bridged the political spectrum.
The federal contribution comes from a $4b fund that supports “investments … in areas that are vital to sustaining economic growth and supporting an enhanced quality of life for Canadiansâ€. The Ontario contribution points to ecological sustainability and a commitment “to strengthening Niagara’s tourism industry and improving the quality of life of hardworking families.” The Mayor of Niagara Falls agreed that it was “truly spectacular news and that the “chance of running annual deficits are minimal.â€
It seems, therefore, that all the major players are in favour of a development that supports families and residents over the interests of local business owners.
Let’s set that in stone.
Other parts in the series: