GOLDSTREAM Small gifts potent
The Shoebox Project sees a little bit go a long way Page A3
NEWS GAZETTE
NEWS: New fibre optic lines for Colwood /A3 COMMUNITY: Saunders family creates synergies /A7 SPORTS: Westshore rugby nears midseason point /A22
Friday, December 4, 2015
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Deborah Coburn 250.812.5333 Roy Coburn 250.812.1989
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West Shore looks to help reignite region’s economic growth Three largest municipalities will pay into new regional agency, Metchosin may be an island unto itself
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members and volunteers with Scouts Canada are selling Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes at the View Royal Canadian Tire Garden Centre, 1519 Admirals Rd., from now until they sell out.
regional committee driven by a combination of the private and public sectors is moving forward in its bid to help rebuild Greater Victoria’s lagging economy and create more good jobs. The fledgling South Vancouver Island Economic Development Association received the unofficial green light this week to continue its mandate of bringing together municipal governments, business and post-secondary institutions in a unified way to reverse the Capital Region’s slide from fourth in gross domestic Don Descoteau product (GDP) growth in 2008 among CanaReporting da’s large metropolitan areas to 27th in 2013. On Monday the District of Sooke’s council voted unanimously to support a motion to fund the new regional body, thus becoming the seventh of 13 Greater Victoria municipalities to do so. Langford, Colwood and View Royal councils have already done so, as have Victoria, Oak Bay and Sidney. A simple majority assures the idea will move forward, said Dan Dagg, the association’s acting chair. He noted that the motion is being voted on at Highlands, Saanich, Esquimalt and Central Saanich next Monday (Dec. 7), and North Saanich on Dec. 14. Metchosin has voted against contributing to the agency. “We’re reaching that snowball point,” Dagg said. “The thing I want people to keep remembering is seven is the bare minimum. We’ll be twice as good if everybody comes on. We want to continue to encourage those who haven’t quite come to the decision yet.” While the Greater Victoria Development Agency, for which Dagg is a board chair, has been working for years to help bring new business to the region and strengthen its economic base, it took recognition of the stagnant growth rate for a new approach to be considered, he said. A workshop held last month for municipal politicians and senior staffers outlined the new strategy.
PlEASE SEE: Scouts tree sale, Page A10
PlEASE SEE: Economic growth, Page A12
Katherine Engqvist/News Gazette staff
Members of the 7th Juan de Fuca Scouts group Noah Armstrong, 5, with big sister Naomi Armstrong (right), 10, and Josie Robichaud, 10, hold up Christmas trees that had just been delivered for their annual tree fundraiser at the View Royal Canadian Tire.
Deck the halls for a good cause Bring the outdoors indoors while supporting youth programs Katherine Engqvist News Gazette staff
One of the best parts of the holiday season is arguably the smells. There’s the cookies baking, the turkey roasting, and of course, the smell of a freshly cut Christmas tree, filling a home with not only
that unique scent, but also creating strong memories. Scouts Canada, which aims to get children back out into the great outdoors, is doing its part to bring that holiday magic into people’s homes and raise funds to operate Camp Barnard. With a load just delivered, local
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