Moncton, Fredericton leading for growth
Published Friday October 31st, 2008
It's been a good year for Moncton and Fredericton.
In March, these municipalities were ranked the No. 1 and No. 2 most cost-competitive cities in northeastern North America. This week, they were listed among the 21 smartest communities worldwide.
Saint John did not place on either list - and the responsibility lies with local political leadership.
Saint John remains a cornerstone of the provincial economy, with industrial growth projected to generate as much as $44 billion in new economic activity over the next decade. The city's retail sector is also growing phenomenally. But all this growth has been driven by the private sector. Saint John has not adopted a co-ordinated, community-wide approach to development. Moncton and Fredericton have - and the difference in results is becoming apparent.
Saint John's failure to register on these international performance rankings has not inspired a call to action by common council or members of the Liberal government caucus. Elected leaders seem more focused on how Saint John places in the beautification contest, Cities in Bloom, than on improving the profile it presents to potential employers and investors.
Saint John could be pursuing new business sector development, through emerging opportunities in energy, medical research and financial support services. It could be courting retail development more aggressively. It could be lobbying for more direct flights to other business centres and vacation destinations as the energy boom puts money in people's pockets. Saint John could create a new, diverse economy - and it must.
Prosperity isn't going to drop into the laps of city residents. New opportunities must be secured through strategic planning, steady lobbying and supportive public policy. Fredericton and Moncton have been transformed because their councils have shown foresight and leadership. Saint John's mayor, councillors and MLAs must do likewise.
Politicians should resolve to put Saint John at the top of some lists that matter - "best business environment,-most intelligent city,-best productivity." Then, they would have more resources to get Saint John off the lists it is on now - like "highest taxes,-oldest infrastructure," and "most extensive child poverty."
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Everyday, it is negativity, negativity, negativity. As someone with some background in economic development, I'd like you to know that businesses from away, airlines etc, tend to scan the local papers to get a feel for what is going on in a community. Reading the TJ, certainly doesn not help Saint John attract anyone to our city because all that is ever reported is all of the negative things you report.
I'd like to issue a challenge to the TJ to try to initiate a positive article on something happening in the city each week. Most people know that there are a lot of good things happening in Saint John. I'd challenge your Publisher and Editors to highlight some of our positives.
Start working with the community not against it.
Your suggestion reminds me of the old joke where the doctor tells the patient "I have some bad news and some good news for you,the bad news is that you are going to die".The patient asks. "So whats the good news". The doctor replies, "The guy in the next bed wants your shoes". Its all relative isn't it?
If you find it acceptable that our Finance Commissioner tells a taxpayer he will have information for him in a couple of days; and fifty two days later still has not given the taxpayer the numbers, you deserve the poor service that is so readily available from our city.
They treat our dollars like they are their own. Their arrogance and stonewalling when questioned about a matter of taxpayer concern is totally unacceptable.
Thank you Telegraph Journal for finally throwing light on these inept senior bureaucrats who would be fired promptly in the real world for their wretched performance.
It is our money and we have a right to know how it is being spent - anything less is reprehensible!
School teachers can bully children but council members and the Mayor should realize they are dealing with adults with as much or more reasoning powers than them.
Moncton, New Brunswick
Twenty years ago, the Moncton region was a former railroad and industrial hub facing a doubtful future. Strong leadership in the municipalities of Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview focused on information and communications technology as key to the future. Since then, this bilingual community has become a major Canadian customer contact and back office center, and built a "near-shore" IT outsourcing industry. Private-sector carriers have collaborated in the city's growth as a telecom-centric economy, and helped power the addition of 20,000 new jobs since the early 1990s, largely in management, finance, health services, technology and education. Moncton is now leveraging this success with a Vision 2010 plan. It calls for partnership with regional universities to deepen the region's knowledge economy, diversifying its IT economy into new sectors, and actively promoting tech-based entrepreneurship.
A good example of the TJ's constant negative focus was the Saint John: On The Move insert that the TJ did last year. It was mostly positive and could be used as a good selling tool with the exception of your feature Herb. I know that a follow up is planned for this year and I hope that you will take me up on my challenge and write something positive. (I don't even care if you write about your own business success. Just write something positive.)
And for once, smile in your picture. You can't be unhappy all of the time. Show us a smile. You'll look more approachable and you could help us attract more of what the TJ wants. Thanks
Read the article.
"It's been a good year for Moncton and Fredericton."
"In March, these municipalities were ranked the No. 1 and No. 2 most cost-competitive cities in north-eastern North America. This week, they were listed among the 21 smartest communities worldwide."
"Saint John did not place on either list - and the responsibility lies with local political leadership."
When Eaton’s and the CN Shops closed, Moncton was on its death bed. Fredericton was a small university town with little claim to fame at the time.
To place 1st. and second, not only in the nation but in the world is an outstanding achievement.
Saint John meanwhile was the largest city - with the majority of the businesses in the province - and a bright future then as now.
That our city didn't even place is understandable with the antics of the council and senior staff.
Welcome to Keystone Kops 2008!
Are we going to blow it again?
Business will look at a lot of things before they invest in an area, but a report like this would hold little, if any sway. They always fail to give solid, current data for their conclusions. And they have not failed this time to do the same.
Saint John has a very bright future to look forward to.
Every day another local or distant person speaks a positive word about the economy of Saint John is one day closer to ridding the city of it's reputation of the past which was of a city in decline.
The city finally has a seat in the ruling government. And the provincial government seems to finally be realizing that Saint John's geographic location is one of the province's greatest assets.
All cities have conflicts and problems, and nobody expects perfection, but attitude speaks volumes.