Development Sault Ste. Marie, a division of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation (SSMEDC), was started in 2005 as a two-year pilot project to develop and service major private sector investment opportunities and economic development in Sault Ste. Marie. It consisted of a comprehensive marketing campaign, dedicated sector staffing, strategic planning, expert client/investor advice and consulting.
Development Sault Ste. Marie will be the leading economic development driver of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation strategies and will operate as a partner in Pan Northern Ontario Economic Development activities with other community, government and private sector entities.
There are a number of key drivers that led to the decision to establish Development Sault Ste. Marie:
à Significant growth in private-sector client activity at Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation;
à Expiry/renewal of the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s Industrial Marketing Strategy effective in January, 2005 along with the City’s recommendation to transfer this program to Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation;
à Transfer of the FedNor Trade and Investment Program (formerly housed under the Rapid Business Success organization) to Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation;
à The addition of Labour Development Services to Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation;
à The engagement of Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation in increasingly complex private/public sector partnerships;
à The need and opportunity to improve services to private sector clients by consolidating the aforementioned programs into a single new division focused on private sector economic development and growth.
Mandate and Goals
The core mandate of Development Sault Ste. Marie is to work proactively and effectively to realize economic growth for the community of Sault Ste. Marie.
Development Sault Ste. Marie will be operated and recognized as the “go-to” organization for the evaluation, start-up and expansion of significant new business, industrial investment and employment opportunities in Sault Ste. Marie.
Development Sault Ste. Marie will take the lead in expanding the role of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation to work with key industry sector consortiums, expanding new economic engines and increasing the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation’s capabilities in delivering private/public results built on strong strategic alliances with the private sector.
Development Sault Ste. Marie will operate concurrently and seamlessly with the other operating divisions of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation, namely
Tourism Sault Ste. Marie (tourism marketing services) and Enterprise Centre Sault Ste. Marie (business start-up and support services to youth, and small and medium sized enterprises). Development Sault Ste. Marie will also receive strategic and administrative support from Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation Corporate Services (CEO, Managers of Finance and Corporate Services).
Development Sault Ste. Marie will have a strong private sector focus and will be built and operated on a number of fundamental guiding principles, among them a focus on activities based on basic (wealth-generating) employment/economic activity.
The goals of Development Sault Ste. Marie are as follows:
à To be a catalyst, facilitator and advocate of new private sector investment and job creation in Sault Ste. Marie.
à To increase the municipal tax base.
à To be a facilitator and advocate of business and industry retention and the preservation of existing jobs in Sault Ste. Marie.
à To establish awareness, credibility and relevance among local and external investors and potential investors of Development Sault Ste. Marie and its core services.
à To provide a positive return on investment to all financial supporters of Development Sault Ste. Marie.
à To participate and contribute, along with other member organizations of Sault Ste. Marie’s economic development “platform” on the achievement of the economic development activities.
à To build and maintain key investment-related data on Sault Ste. Marie and its competitive strengths.
à To provide access to government funding programs.
à To have an increased focus on targeted international markets.
à Provide corporate aftercare to ensure long-term sustainability of businesses.
à To be the lead on the identification and development of key infrastructure to support economic development and growth.
Development Sault Ste. Marie has a diverse and comprehensive range of clients. This includes:
- Businesses (local, national and international)
- Government agencies (Federal, Provincial, Municipal)
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Multinational corporations
- Canadian and International Consulates and Embassies
- Foreign governments/municipalities, including trade commission
- Members of government (Federal, Provincial, Municipal)
- International Heads of State