Playing favourites
And the winner of the silliest economic development strategy in B.C. is (dramatic pause) — the City of Penticton. Apparently the latest economic strategy to come out of city hall is nominating local businesses for awards and then trumpeting their success to large media outlets.
The nominations for two recent awards competitions didn't come from the customers. They came from inside city hall. It's like being named most valuable player of the local hockey team when the selection committee is headed by your aunt and mother. There's also an issue of fairness. If you study city brochures and literature over the past six or seven years, they plug the same five or six businesses all the time. These businesses, undeniably, are great and people from out of town may want to check them out. But, there are others. Many others.
How often have you heard council or staff rave about The Dream Cafe, privately owned by Pierre Couture for years and now in the hands of a notfor-profit co-op? For more than a decade, "The Dream" provided a stage for Juno Award winners and nominees as well as Order of Canada recipients. If that's not Canadian, if that's not culture, what is? (Fortunately, the Penticton & District Arts Council gave Pierre his long overdue recognition with a significant award, several years ago.)
One block over is The Book Shop, a Torontocalibre store in the heart of downtown. It's magical. Tourists love it, but mostly because of wordof-mouth. Again, the city seems reluctant to plug this store. Do they not read? Is it too academic? Or, is it because staff and ownership are liberal in their thinking and occasionally outspoken? We can name others, but you get the idea. Sure , the city may not have been approached to enter any local businesses in the Music Cafe Restaraunt Magazine Awards or Book Shop Sweepstakes. But did staff look?
And it's fine, perhaps, for city staff to make citizens aware of awards such as the Western Living Magazine "Foodies" and encourage us to vote for our favourite establishment. But playing favourites is a dangerous curve.
Thus far, $5,150 has been paid to a PR firm to help with this process.
Awards are nice. Everybody appreciates recognition. It also doesn't mean a spike in business. Something such as Burger 55 or the People's Soda Company being featured on national television — that's golden. Having a magazine include you on a list won't result in an exodus to Penticton.
And why do businesses need help promoting themselves at taxpayers’ expense? Isn’t that a core part of owning a business?
It's a nice try, but awards should be left in the hands of groups such as the Arts Council and Chamber of Commerce.