The chief executive of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce says municipal governments are "missing the mark" when it comes to tapping into the cash available for infrastructure improvement projects.
"Construction funded through economic stimulus investments should have benefits that reach beyond the construction industry with positive spin-off to our local economy long after the projects are completed," Bruce Carter said in a release yesterday.
Municipalities across the region have listed several proposals, ranging from bridges and storm water system repairs to shoreline restorations.
Carter said the chamber's position is that those projects that provide long-term benefits and household sustaining jobs should be given priority over maintaining existing infrastructure.
"Projects such as the Victoria Runway expansion and installation of pylons at Ogden Point will significantly enhance our tourism and conventions business," said Carter. "The expansion of the Vancouver Island Tech Park will provide much needed capacity for the region's high technology firms and the development of the Marine Ocean Tech Park will allow us to create more jobs in the marine industry.
"The maintenance and development of our infrastructure of water, sewers, bridges and roads is very important and deserve support," he added. "However, special attention should be given to those projects that will create long term household sustaining jobs."
The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has approximately 1,550 members.
