Cranbrook Kimberley Development Initiative means business

Cranbrook and Kimberley are collaborating to further develop the economy of the two communities

(L to R) Cranbrook mayor Lee Pratt, Kimberley mayor Don McCormick and Cranbrook businessman Rick Jensen announced the Cranbrook Kimberley Development Initiative. — Photo compilation

Before they were even elected as mayors of Kimberley and Cranbrook respectively, Don McCormick and Lee Pratt agreed there are practical advantages to working together on the issue of economic development for the two communities. They said they intended to collaborate, and they meant business.

On October 28, 2015, Pratt, McCormick and Rick Jensen, a Cranbrook businessman, held an invitation-only business promotion event at Cranbrook’s Heritage Inn. There was standing room only at the event, and guests listened intently to the three speakers.

Announcing CKDI

Jensen spoke about the wisdom and timeliness of a collaborative effort to improve the state of business in Cranbrook and Kimberley. He announced the formation of the Cranbrook Kimberley Development Initiative Society (CKDI), an initiative to recruit investors to bring their businesses to the Cranbrook-Kimberley area.

Pratt and McCormick are the core of the sales team that will seek out potential investors and sell the communities to them. The two mayors expressed their commitment to the initiative and their belief that taking the lead in economic development will work much better than a wait-and-hope approach.

Funds are needed to finance the recruitment of investors, and Jensen asked for a show of hands from those business people in attendance who would pledge financial support. Sign-up sheets were circulated through the room so that the commitments could be made on the spot.

The initiative is begun

On November 4—just one week after the meeting—Jensen said that the local business community has committed $145,000 to the initiative, and the goal is to reach $270,000 by the end of November. Matching funding is being sought from agencies with money available for such projects. Project funders look favourably on initiatives where more than one community is involved and where individual businesses are already invested—it’s called having skin in the game.

While there certainly has been some growth in Cranbrook and Kimberley in the last 20 years or so, the growth has pretty much been confined to the service sector—Walmart, Real Canadian Superstore, Home Depot and the like. CKDI will focus on attracting and recruiting both large and small growth-generating businesses—predominantly light industry and tech-related industry—offering well-paid employment.

To keep costs to a minimum, CKDI is being administered by a five-member volunteer board.