qathet Regional District’s finance committee has recommended providing letters of support for two Sunshine Coast Tourism initiatives.
At the June 17 finance committee meeting, directors heard a presentation from Paul Kamon, executive director of Sunshine Coast Tourism, and deliberated on correspondence from Kamon, asking for two letters of support from the regional board.
One letter of support was for the Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT), levied on tourism accommodations to help underwrite tourism marketing and other initiatives. In his correspondence, Kamon outlined that while the MRDT could be increased to three per cent from the current two per cent, a poll indicated the majority of accommodation properties surveyed wanted it left at two per cent.
The second letter of support was for the Online Accommodation Platform (OAP), which would support workforce housing projects that help the tourism industry workforce.
A motion to receive the correspondence was made and city director George Doubt, chair of the finance committee, said it would be appropriate to do a couple of different things. One was to pass the motion and have a subsequent motion to send one or both letters.
Doubt said he served with Tourism Powell River for City of Powell River as part of his city portfolio. He said he knows there is in the exchange of ideas between Sunshine Coast Tourism and Tourism Powell River about how they divide responsibilities for tourism.
“There is progress being made on that,” said Doubt. “There are about three outstanding items they have on their agenda and they are working towards a solution for that, and I’d like to see them continue down that road; it’s a positive thing.”
Doubt said destination marketing is in the hands of Sunshine Coast Tourism and visitor centre operations are in the hands of Tourism Powell River.
“It’s in the interest of the regional district that the two work together, as they both receive funding from the regional district,” he added. “I don’t think we should let that get in the way of actually being able to allocate the provincial money to destination marketing and to housing opportunities we have in the OAP funding.
“There is work going on in Sunshine Coast Tourism and Tourism Powell River and we need to encourage both groups to do that in good faith. I would like to see us receive this report and write both of those letters.”
A motion to receive the SCT letter was carried unanimously.
City director CaroleAnn Leishman moved that the board provide a letter of support for the MRDT.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said she wanted to move postponement until such time as SCT engages the regional district regarding concerns of Tourism Powell River.
“I would like to see SCT sit down with the board of TPR and come to an agreement about the roles and responsibilities of the two organizations and work positively together,” said McCormick. “I don’t see a lot of coming together right now. I would like to see an agreement that is forever binding on the two organizations regarding their respective roles.”
Electoral Area A director Patrick Brabazon said he understood McCormick’s concerns. He said many years ago he was the regional district’s TPR representative. He added that at the time TPR and SCT “got married,” there were concerns. He said when he left the board the concerns had not been addressed.
“However, the fact that they have not been addressed should not prevent us supporting this MRDT letter of support request,” said Brabazon. “It’s straightforward, it’s an ongoing program, so I don’t think it’s appropriate for us to weigh in and stir the waters on this one.”
Leishman said there are issues but she did not want to hold up these two items.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said he didn’t think the board should get in the middle of a disagreement between the two organizations.
“I’m not entirely sure what all those issues are but I hear there has been some progress and movement in the right direction,” said Gisborne. “The board’s support doesn’t send a signal to SCT that they can stop their efforts. The message is: our community wants the money and we want to make sure we get the funding, but we also want to make sure the relationship between SCT and TPR continues to improve, and at some point they should finally resolve their differences.”
Doubt said as an ex-officio member of TPR, he sees what’s going on. He said he would not want to see the dispute result in the MRDT or OAP funds not being received in this district.
The motion to postpone was defeated.
The finance committee went back to the main motion, which was the board providing a letter of support for the two per cent MRDT. The motion carried.
The committee then carried a motion that qathet Regional District ask Sunshine Coast Tourism to engage directly with Tourism Powell River and that the regional district encourage the tourism groups to come to an agreement as quickly as possible.
Finally, the committee adopted a motion that the board send a letter of support to the Online Accommodation Platform guidelines.
