Breaking down barriers to entry into the workforce, investing heavily in Victoria鈥檚 competitive advantages, buying into the innovation economy and buying local are among 50 recommendations to be released Monday in a report designed as a blueprint for the region to dig itself out of the economic crater created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spearheaded by the Rising Economy Taskforce, struck in the spring by the South Island Prosperity Partnership, the report 鈥� Reboot: Greater Victoria鈥檚 Regional Economic Recovery Plan鈥� 鈥� was designed to identify the region鈥檚 priorities and opportunities that would align with government stimulus funding to speed recovery and establish a more resilient economy.
The report breaks down the regional economy into 10 key pieces, each of which has a number of recommendations that can be put into action either immediately, over the short-term or in the next few years.
Emilie de Rosenroll, chief executive of the South Island Prosperity Partnership, suggested the plan could be a blueprint for the region鈥檚 future, but still requires buy-in from all corners.
鈥淭here are still a lot of unknowns, but one thing is certain, we need to embrace the idea that we are in this together and go all-in,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 partial recovery is not a recovery. Recovery for some sectors and not others is not a recovery.鈥�
The recovery task force pulled together representatives from business, government, academia, the community and all economic sectors to develop specific actions laid out in the 48-page report.
Some of those actions include developing an 鈥婭ndigenous Economic Development Office鈥� for the South Island, owned and operated by First Nations that will help close the equity gap between First Nations and the rest of the economy.
There are also recommendations for new 鈥媎igital skills education, 鈥渦p-skilling鈥� and programs to leverage e-commerc鈥媏, a push to establish an Ocean Innovation Hub to pursue emerging opportunities in the global 鈥渂lue economy鈥� and invest and promote buy-local programs on a bigger scale.
鈥淸The plan] is the best of our region coming together to plan for a resilient, inclusive and prosperous future,鈥� said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
鈥淣ow is the time to play a bit of offence, to play to our strengths, and not sit back and hope for recovery to happen.鈥�
