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Executive Summary
The Pine Beetle epidemic’s alteration of our region’s landscape, economy and social fabric is being felt
and will be witnessed for years to come. As such, we must continue to support the transition and
diversification of the forest sector while also expanding other areas of the economy. Achieving a new
level of prosperity is a very real possibility, but it will take the efforts and ingenuity of us all and, the
continued and strengthened support of the provincial and federal governments. To guide regional
diversification efforts and implementation of OBAC strategies, OBAC presents these 5 Key Priorities:
- Create mechanisms and capacity that will enable community leaders (both Local government and
First Nations government), practitioners and business to work together as a regional community to
achieve shared interests and priorities.
- Encourage the growth and expansion of focused training and certification opportunities in the
region to develop, attract and retain the workforce needed to diversify the economy.
- Ensure that the region’s new and existing infrastructure provides for safe, cost effective, and
expeditious movement of information, people, goods, and services.
- Remove impediments for access to and, encourage more diverse use of natural resources.
- Undertake public information, awareness and information programs to help citizens contribute to,
and benefit from opportunities.
OBAC is ready to immediately enter into priority implementation activities that will deliver value. To this
end, we are presenting a 3‐5 year implementation phase with a focused proposal for the first year. The
3‐5 year period enables the coalition to build capacity and momentum on projects and, establishes a
horizon to assess performance. A commitment to the first year enables implementation relationships
and action to begin immediately. The 1 year term will be from October 1st 2009 to October 1st 2010 with
a work plan and budget allocations that focus on: 1) Maximum project leveraging and delivery; 2)
Relationship building with existing and prospective implementation partners; and, 3) Support for Board
operations and communities’ delivery capacity.
We as community leaders believe that OBAC is the relevant vehicle to deliver this mandate by
contributing a combination of funds, knowledge, additional capacity, extended relationships and
networks to the implementation equation. Local leaders are often the first point of contact for investors
and prospective businesses. We are well positioned to understand the concerns and opportunities of
the community, and to build and broker relationships in our communities and across the region that will
deliver on these priorities. This will enhance value for communities and, senior governments’ efforts to
deploy resources and meet governments’ strategic priorities.
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