Pictou places conditions on REN involvement

The Town of Pictou is willing to enter into an inter-municipal agreement for a regional enterprise network, but it has some stipulations.

A committee of Pictou council agreed recently to recommend to council that the town become part of a Pictou County REN, but it wants make sure its annual contribution isn’t any more than $20,000 each year and it also wants the town commitment to be only for three years.

“I am not opposed to the commitment, but let’s set the number of years on it so we can see what is actually being done,” said Coun. Eric Daley. “That seems like a fair approach to me.”

Pictou CAO Scott Conrod cautioned

“I am not opposed to the commitment, but let’s set the number of years on it so we can see what is actually being done … That seems like a fair approach to me.” Coun. Eric Daley

council that making too many amendments to the motion to enter into an inter-municipal agreement could make it more difficult for everyone to accept.

“The more restrictions you put on it will have to cycle through five different councils,” he said. “The more layers on it, the more it can go off the rails.”

Regional Enterprise Networks provide regional economic leadership and help develop regional economic strategies, while supporting small, local businesses. They were introduced in 2013 after the federal government cut funding to the 12 regional development agencies in the province.

It’s estimated that Pictou’s contribution will ring in at about $18,000 a year, based on the funding formula that’s in place. The funding formula for REN is based on 50 per cent of the municipal contribution being shared equally and the remaining 50 per cent is shared based on population.

The idea is to have a board of directors made up of private sector business people, with oversight by a committee of elected officials.

The local municipalities had been trying to develop an intermunicipal agreement with East Hants, Truro, Cumberland and Amherst to form a REN, but in 2015 several councils decided not to participate due to the large geographical area, administration concerns and costs.

Earlier this year, the six Pictou County municipalities discussed trying to join the Eastern Strait REN with Antigonish and Guysborough counties, but that didn’t work out because those municipalities were already too far along in the process.

The town has also stipulated that money credited to the now defunct Pictou Regional Development Association be used in the first year prior any money being issued by municipal units.

Town staff say Pictou’s share of money given to PRDA before it closed comes in at around $11,000.

All municipal councils in Pictou County are voting on whether they will be part of the REN that will work towards making the county attractive to new business.

Trenton, Stellarton, New Glasgow and the Municipality of the County of Pictou have all discussed the REN and all agreed to continue working towards drafting an inter-municipal agreement. However, some have set their own stipulations that include Stellarton being able to access the PRDA money and the county making sure that the inter-municipal agreement comes back to councils for approval. Westville will discuss the matter at next week’s council meeting.

The province said all six units must sign an inter-municipal agreement in order for the REN to proceed.