The South Island Prosperity Project is disappointed with LangfordB次元官网网址檚 recent withdrawal of support.

B次元官网网址淲e would love to have them,B次元官网网址� said Dan Dagg, past-president and interim chair of the regional group, previously known as the South Vancouver Island Economic Development Association. He added that the B次元官网网址渄oors are always openB次元官网网址� for the city to rejoin.

While the association has been seeking the support of all of the municipalities in the region, it was built on a model that only required majority support, which it has received, Dagg said.

B次元官网网址淭hings are going extremely well for the association. WeB次元官网网址檙e adding new businesses all the time.B次元官网网址�

Now that the registered not-for-profit society is up and running, he said, the group can focus its energy on expanding membership and achieving more goals.

But he noted, B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 inaccurate to say there is only a few partners.B次元官网网址�

He gave as examples such current member associations, such as the Victoria Real Estate Board, Tourism Victoria and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, which represent a large number of businesses.

After Langford council voted last month to reject the cityB次元官网网址檚 membership in the South Island Prosperity Project, Mayor Stew Young said that B次元官网网址渘ot one business person in Langford put up the fee to join.B次元官网网址� He believes the fee is too high and tried to have it reduced to encourage more involvement from all levels of business.

B次元官网网址淲e couldnB次元官网网址檛 really see the benefit,B次元官网网址� he said, noting itB次元官网网址檚 hard to justify spending tax dollars on a business initiative not supported by the Langford business community.

B次元官网网址淭hat was really the bottom line.B次元官网网址�

Young also noted that municipalities were expected to sign on for a five-year commitment, which he thought was too long. Such a commitment would restrict the City from pulling its financial support, even if thatB次元官网网址檚 what taxpayers wanted. B次元官网网址淵ou should never tie taxpayersB次元官网网址� money into something that could fail,B次元官网网址� he said.

While Langford gave support in principle to the project last fall, council members voiced concerns about the future boardB次元官网网址檚 make-up and withheld financial support in December.

Dagg, a founding member of the group, clarified that the five-year commitment included B次元官网网址渁n opt-out for non-performance.B次元官网网址� If the group isnB次元官网网址檛 performing and meeting expectations, he said, members will be able to pull their support.

The groupB次元官网网址檚 municipal funding model is based on a 50-50 formula of $1 per capita plus .07 per cent of total tax collected, for an annual total of roughly $650,000 per year for the region. Other members, including those in the private sector, were asked to collectively contribute an additional $400,000 per year to help leverage matching provincial and federal funds.

Young said regional economic development groups have failed in past because they have not been inclusive of all levels in the business community. He said the group has too much government involvement and does not give an effective voice to companies of all sizes.

Dagg said the Prosperity Project is in a transition phase that will eventually see its new board, made up of individuals from the public and private sectors, take over operations. The expectation is that a new executive director B次元官网网址� as well as some federal funding B次元官网网址� will be announced soon.

The group is working with 10 municipalities, the Songhees Nation, one not-for-profit organization, three regional post-secondary institutions and 11 private sector enterprises and business associations (West Shore Chamber one of them?).

Langford is one of just three Capital Region municipalities not supporting the Project. Metchosin council rejected supporting the group from the start, while Sooke recently announced its withdrawal of support.

Langford has a volunteer economic development committee, Young noted, so it doesnB次元官网网址檛 cost taxpayers. That committee, he added, has been instrumental in seeing the CityB次元官网网址檚 recreational facilities built, as well as bringing Rugby Canada here.

katie@goldstreamgazette.com