Final Report
November 27, 2003

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Like all small communities, Oromocto faces significant challenges in business retention and expansion (BRE). However, Oromocto also has a unique situation with the presence of Canadian Forces Base Gagetown. The Base is the dominant employer in the town and the existence of many local businesses depends on meeting the needs of the base and its personnel.

Oromocto is a thriving, affluent community and the business outlook is positive. Most firms participating in this study anticipated business growth and many reported plans to expand in the near future. The overall level of satisfaction with community services and the business climate is favourable. In addition, there appears to be a strong sense of community, and a willingness among local firms to work collectively towards improving the commercial environment. However, there are a few areas of concern and the business community and local government officials should work together to develop strategies to address them. The main areas of concern surround:

• access to skilled labour,

• provision of on-going training and continuing education, and

• infrastructure and local amenities.

The main recommendation of this report is the establishment of an Economic/Business Development Officer in the town of Oromocto. This individual would act as a liaison between the business community and local government officials. The report also advocates a number of additional initiatives, whose development would be facilitated by the new Economic Development Officer. These recommendations focus on three main themes:

Developing Social Capital – finding ways to bring community members together to work collectively on areas of mutual interest.

Developing Clusters – facilitating ways for firms to collaborate and partner on various initiatives, and taking an outward looking view to exploit external opportunities.

Developing Human Resources – focusing on augmenting the skill set of the existing work force and finding new sources of labour necessary for expansion.

Many of the recommendations involve community level information gathering and we would advocate the use of co-op business students to do much of this leg work.

While the focus on this report has been on the retention and expansion of existing businesses, many of the recommended courses of action will serve to improve the overall business climate in the community and should facilitate recruitment of new enterprises.

 

Community Guide Advertising

The Oromocto Rotary Club in association with the Military Family Resource Center has produced the Oromocto Community Guide.  This Directory is given to all incoming military postings, Information Stations, as well as distributed throughout the Town and the Base.  For more information please contact Marty Forsythe at 506-357-5686 or Paulette Vance and the MFRC at 422-2000 ext 3402.