Sally Ann: Boost or bust for Vanier
Salvation Army’s consultants forecast 400 jobs and a ‘catalyst for growth’ We expect the proposed community hub, and the renovated Thrift Store to have significantly positive impacts …
Relocating the Salvation Army’s shelter and social services to Vanier would infuse at least $15 million annually into the community’s economy and create hundreds of spinoff jobs, according to an analysis obtained by the Citizen.
The Salvation Army hired Shore-Tanner and Associates to study the potential impact of a social services complex on Vanier as the organization moves ahead with a plan to build a $53-million “community hub” at 333 Montreal Rd.
The consultant believes the Salvation Army will spend $15 million in its first year of operation on community and family services, outreach services, arts, education and spiritual care programs, client housing and operation and maintenance. The estimate increases to $17 million in the fifth year of operations.
When it comes to associated benefits, the consultant predicts there would be 137 new full-time jobs in agriculture, professional services, trades, utilities and property maintenance that would be open to Vanier residents. Another 275 full-time jobs could be created in other related areas and there would be demand for a new 7,000-square-foot retail and service space near the Salvation Army complex, the study says.
The consultant highlights the potential for an economic boon to Vanier with the roughly 150 employees and 300 volunteers who would be working directly at the complex throughout the year.
The construction of the complex would have a one-time employment impact, resulting in 480 direct and indirect jobs with a total payroll of $20.1 million, the study says.
Based on its conversations with the Salvation Army, the consultant also calculated how much money clients would receive from government and personal sources and potentially spend in Vanier. The estimate is $3.3 million annually.
Rideau-Vanier ward has huge potential on the horizon with more residential developments attracting people to the central-east part of the city, the consultant points out.
The Salvation Army’s proposed complex would be “a catalyst for more growth and prosperity on Montreal Road” and the surrounding area, the report says.
The development application to relocate the Salvation Army’s shelter and health services from the ByWard Market to Vanier, replacing a motel with a 103,000-squarefoot complex, is expected to go through the municipal political approval process this fall.
There would be 350 beds at the complex, with the emergency shelter using 140 of them. Most of the beds would be for other health and social service programs.
The Salvation Army also plans to spend $350,000 to upgrade the existing Thrift Store in Vanier.
The organization hopes to have the new complex open in 2020 if it receives the necessary planning approvals from city hall.
While the Salvation Army has political support from Mayor Jim Watson, the organization is facing strong opposition from the local councillor, Mathieu Fleury, and many of his constituents in Vanier.
Shore-Tanner and Associates in the past has done work for the Quartier Vanier BIA, which has voiced skepticism about locating the complex on Montreal Road.
The consultant believes it has a good grasp on Vanier and the potential impact of the Salvation Army’s operations to the local economy.
“We expect the proposed community hub, and the renovated Thrift Store to have significantly positive impacts on Vanier’s business community, and will therefore be an effective contributor to the achievement of the goals of the Vanier BIA,” the study says.
The BIA, local councillor and community have been critical of the Salvation Army ’s lack of public consultation.
The Salvation Army has now delivered flyers around the community and scheduled a single-day consultation. The organization is inviting people to drop in and see the plans and meet staff. The open house will be on Sept. 13 from 1to 8 p.m. at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre at 200 Coventry Rd.