Four Tri-City mayors were put on the hot seat last night (Thursday) at the annual Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce Mayors BBQ.
Mayors John McEwen, Richard Stewart, Mike Clay and Greg Moore faced about 100 people at the Inlet Theatre — including a few running for a city council seat in the Sept. 30 byelection in PoMo — to field queries from the business-friendly crowd which, instead of standing before a microphone, punched in their questions via mobile devices that appeared on a large screen behind them.
Moderated by Tri-City News reporter Diane Strandberg, the 45-minute session included such topics as regional business attraction, a new federal tax hike for small business, and challenges and benefits of the Evergreen Extension.
McEwen spoke of how the IoCo lands proposal will shape his community and add a much-needed commercial component to the village while Stewart talked about the pressure to supply affordable housing. Clay said Port Moody is seeking "innovative high tech" employers while Moore, Metro Vancouver's board chair, announced a new Regional Prosperity Initiative that will launch next Friday.
Clay got frank about growth in his city around the new $1.3-billion rapid transit line that opened last December. Moody Centre, he said, is the second slowest station in the Lower Mainland because of lack of density around it.
And he compared Moody Station with the success around Burquitlam Station, where Coquitlam is revamping the neighbourhood. "We need to be willing to step up and accept this benefit in our community," Clay said of the mega-infrastructure project.
Meanwhile, McEwen also said Anmore has seen a spike in visitors to Buntzen Lake because of Evergreen, with guests catching SkyTrain and hopping on public transit to spend the day at the BC Hydro reservoir.
Though amalgamation wasn't raised like at past Mayors BBQs, Moore noted Tri-City mayors continue to work together at the Metro level to deliver sewer and water services throughout the region, of which one focus is the $550-million upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant on Annacis Island.
The sold-out event, which was sponsored in part by The Tri-City News, also featured fare from Earls, Rocco's Deli and Clever Cupcakes with beverages from Brewers Row.
jcleugh@tricitynews.com
