Margaret Graine will no longer be providing exclusive economic development services to the Village of McBride.
“Margaret has done an excellent job for us in her term,” Eliana Clements, the Village’s Chief Administrative Officer told the Goat.
Graine Consulting Inc. has been providing economic development advisory and implementation services to McBride since late 2007. In a letter to the Village presented in the Jan. 14 Council agenda, Graine says the main commitment to the Village has been fulfilled, and the foundation for future economic activities has been built, although it took longer than anticipated. The letter says Graine Consulting Inc. will continue to offer services to communities and businesses in BC and Alberta, including McBride and area.
The letter notes infrastructure development was targeted as the foundation for sustainable community development in McBride, and “a fully integrated approach resulted in a number of partnerships, fund raising activities” and the completion of construction projects such as the installation of back-up generators in the Village, waste water capacity expansion, street paving and the Gagliardi Park and boat launch. Also noted were the establishment of the Fraser River Boating and the Robson Valley Mountain Biking associations and a multi-phase plan for an urban walking trail system, and the implementation of the Business Facade Improvement Grant program.
The letter did not mention the ecoTECH Energy project. Graine helped coordinate a job fair for the company, which promised 300 jobs. No construction has materialized yet on the project.
Clements says Graine will be working with the Village until the end of January, and Council will likely look at options for further economic development services at upcoming meetings.
Several attempts by the Goat to reach Graine for comment were unsuccessful.
