By Rafael Ruffolo
A new business advisory committee will aim to give small- and medium-sized businesses a voice at city hall, but not all owners are convinced that the committee is worthwhile.
“The business community has often said they don’t feel like they are part of the process,” says Cumberland Ward Coun. Rob Jellett.
He says he hopes the new committee will create increased communication between government and businesses.
The committee will consist of business owners from around Ottawa. Its first meeting will be held this April.
Their mandate will be to advise city council on bylaws, policies and developmental issues that affect the business community.
Jellett, along with Goulbourn Ward Coun. Janet Stavinga, will be on the board’s selection committee and will decide which business owners sit on the committee. He says interest is already high.
“I have heard from many business owners, both in rural areas and in the city, who are very pleased about this,” says Jellett.
However, one local business owner doesn’t think the committee will be very productive.
“The city seems to enjoy taking suggestions and not taking action,” says Paul Couvrette, owner of Gladstone Avenue’s Couvrette Studio. “Lip service is in order whenever the city relates to small businesses.”
Couvrette says he likes the idea on paper, but adds he feels the committee will not work fast enough to create any significant changes.
“The mill of the gods grinds slowly,” says Couvrette. “Any input from small businesses is good, but will (the city) actually act on them?”
The committee will include one member from each of the following organizations: The Building Owners and Managers Association, the Business Improvement Area Network, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Greater Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, the National Capital Business Alliance, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and the Regroupement des gens D’affaires.
The committee will also include businesspeople from around the city.
For the last two weeks, the city has also been accepting application letters for the seven seats available to local businesspeople.
Ian Boyd, owner of Bank Street’s Compact Music, has applied to join the committee. He says small businesses are the engine of the economy and better representation is needed.
“Hopefully, the committee can affect change for not only the better of the city but for the small business community as well,” says Boyd.
The motivation behind the committee may link back to last year’s decision by the city to cut garbage collection services for downtown area entrepreneurs and businesses.
Centretown businesses were furious over the lack of consultation about the cut and it appears the committee’s objective is to avoid similar situations.
Boyd says that cleaning up and promoting the downtown area should be a high priority for the committee.
“We need to effectively market the downtown core,” says Boyd.
“We don’t want a Wal-Mart drawing everybody, so there needs to be an effort to get people coming down from the suburbs to enjoy the small business community.”
Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes hopes the committee can save the city time and the taxpayers money.
She says while many major downtown streets are represented by Business Improvement Area groups, the committee will give a voice to those businesses without representation.
“The whole health of downtown is not tied to one street or the other,” says Holmes. “We need a co-ordinated business voice in order to get together and get things done.”
But Couvrette says that a co-ordinated voice won’t make up for the lack of money spent by the government.
“It takes money to make money,” says Couvrette. “Show me changed lampposts and show me widened curbs. Show me the money!”