Business News

Cluster Strategy Pays Off

Ray Turner - Feb 26, 2005 / 12:41 pm | Story: 7390

The Okanagan Partnership, a volunteer group of Okanagan business, education and community leaders, today issued a progress report on the results of its Cluster Competitiveness Strategy, a plan to encourage sustainable prosperity across the region. A copy of the report can be found in the Okanagan Saturday.

Co-chaired by Brad Bennett and Gordon Fitzpatrick, the Okanagan Partnership was established to promote sustainable growth and regional competitiveness. Okanagan Stewards from the Central Okanagan include Nick Arkle, Theresa Arsenault, John Byland, Diana Groffen, Gordon Hotchkiss, Lorraine McGrath and Christina Rowland.

In June 2004, the group announced it would focus on practical, realistic steps to support seven key "economic clusters" within the Okanagan region: tourism, life sciences, forestry and wood products, wine and beverage, knowledge services, value-added agriculture and aviation.

"The report is intended to update residents across the Okanagan on our progress," said Fitzpatrick. "A year ago we chose a grassroots approach and to take small practical steps to help make the Okanagan a better place to live work and invest. And now we're beginning to see some real progress."

Fitzpatrick points to a number of areas where the Okanagan Partnership's efforts have begun to show results. The group worked closely with UBC Okanagan regarding its decision to offer a full engineering program, an announcement last week.

"Our group has often acted as a sounding board for both UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College as they developed their plans and programs," said Bennett. "I think it's been helpful for them to have a group of people from across the valley, from every major sector, to explore options with."

The Okanagan Partnership has also championed the creation of a regional water board in order to better manage the growing demand on our water supply. The Progress Report also covers steps taken to promote research in agriculture, improve relationships with First Nations, coordinate regional planning and establish a high-speed broadband network to enhance research and development across the Okanagan.

"The expansion of a high speed broadband network will allow the medical community, government, businesses, educators, and researchers to connect and share valuable information across BC and around the world," said Fitzpatrick.

"We encourage people to read our Progress Report, to think about these issues, and we welcome their involvement," said Brad Bennett. "Our goal as a region should not be to amplify our differences but to explore, celebrate and develop what we have in common."

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