Its funny...I wrote this exactly 3 years ago this week and with the recent letters in the media
about the comparisons between Elliot Lake and Kitimat I thought maybe it was time to once again come back to what I wrote 3 years ago and see if what I had said was still relevant now or if any of the suggestions I made had occured. This was written during the kitimat dailys early days before it had really been established in the community and in the 3 years since so much has taken place that even I can hardly believe it..some good...but much of it very negative and grim.

When I wrote this piece I still had a lot of optimism and belief in the future of the community and wanted to outline some suggestions I had based on observations I had made and also from conversations and research many people from both within and outside the community had offered me.

I am sure I can expect some criticism for some of the remarks I make in this piece and maybe will also find some agreement but in the end I think most can agree that something needs to be done and that any input or ideas should be welcomed regardless of the individual or organization.

Here now below is what I wrote in 2007.

This is a community plan I wrote for Kitimat and I also intend to make an online news video for youtube based on this so that people can watch and post what they think and contribute any ideas or give there input.

Kitimat should do all it can to attract some franchise restaurants and more small business to its downtown core. businesses that wouldnt be direct competition to existing restaurants but ones that are well known and can offer some more variety, perhaps A&W, Taco Bell etc.

Kitimat needs to become what Terrace once was before Wal-Mart was brought to it. We should be seeking out those businesses that are unique and offer what even Wal-mart cannot in order to make Kitimat a more viable shopping center where Kitimat residents would shop locally and not tempted to go to Terrace & Wal-Mart as often. Kitimat is in desperate need for a clothing/department store with a wide variety and fair prices. Trigo’s department store doesn’t fit this criteria as its clothing is at times not affordable to an average income family.

The City Center Mall & its ownership should re-evaluate the amount of money it charges business’s to rent space. If the rent is not comparative to those charged in the malls of neighboring northwest communitys then there is a problem, especially if rent rates are being charged that are comparable to those charged in Vancouver. We simply must swallow our pride and make concessions in order to attract more small business and even reduce rental rates and provide either tax relief or tax breaks to start-ups in order to bring in more employment opportunities brought by a growing small business sector in the both the downtown core and even the Nechako Center.

Kiitmat’s growing population decrease must be addressed, as we have a very high vacancy rental rate. We should take advantage of what is happening in Vancouver where buying homes is becoming less and less affordable for an average income family. We should be doing some research into the skills & education backgrounds of these average income starting families in the Lower Mainland and do some promotional work in the lower mainland to these types of families that Kitimat has affordable housing options and rental rates & jobs that can fit there level of skill & education. But first Kitimat must send out some promotional material and some invitations to potential franchises and new businesse’s. We should be spending some money to invite and show potential investors and business entrepneurs the natural resources and habitat and recreation opportunitys that this area can offer. We should also be doing more follow-up as it regards to interested businesses. Too much time is wasted when getting agreements sealed and getting signed commitments which lead to deals falling through over and over again. We must cut down on red tape and to make it faster and more expedient for agreements to take place.


Kitimat should be looking at more family oriented and youth to young adult businesses and recreational businesses. Kitimat needs to stop its progression towards becoming a retirement community as that wont bring progress at all, only keep the community at a standstill for the future with no new blood to stay, start familys, and contribute and work.

Kitimats best option would be to bring in some sort of family oriented theme & amusement park to possibly occupy the area where the old hospital one was. A casino is not an option that should be recommened as it would continue the progression towards an older community and with the abundance of both bars and liquor outlets, would make the community look less attractive to potential moving families who may wish to reside here as it is well know of the effects of both alcohol and the element attracted to gambling.


Both Kitimat & Terrace seem to ignore there youth demographic to focus almost primarily on the older age demographic leading the youth of these communitys to feel isolated and ignored and this in turn leads to boredom, alienation and increased alcohol & drug abuse and vandalism to public property. The most concern is low income or at risk youth and creating the necessary programs and initiatives that are available to everyone regardless of there background, family financial situation, etc.

I would recommend a new community economic and development group called The Kitimat Youth development initiative headed by a teen to young adult board with resources supplied by local government with the express purpose of seeking out and locating viable business options for youth in Kitimat. I would also insist that it be free of any business owners or there children or anyone in the community involved in local politics which brings us to my next topic.

Elitism:

A community is based on sharing, and caring for the whole. The reason Kitimat is having so many problems is because there is a group of people who are controlling the city's agenda. These people don't care about the whole city, they only aim to please their demographic. We need a city council & community that cares about everyone, not just business owners and their children. We need representation of people who didn't grow up as part of the elite ten-percent of this city.

I believe allowing such a small contingent of the community to control and make decisions for the whole is a failed concept and morally reprehensible and the temptation of business owners to dictate what business’s can or cannot be established due to possible competition is wrong, as is nepotism…how many business’s here either employ or are run by the children of business owners., This once again raises the problem of elitism and that a only a small portion of kitimat makes the decision’s and caters only to there demographic or there friends and family.

Recommendations for Kitimat:

Here are the recommendations and plans to implement them here in Kitimat to improve the situation facing the community.

There should be the creation of a new group called The Kitimat Youth Development Iniatitive. This group would be headed by young adults for the youth of Kitimat.

Its purpose is seeking out and locating viable small business options for kitimat. It would conduct market research and do surveys on shopping patterns, trends in youth culture. The youth population would get an opportunity to make there voice heard and offer there ideas and perspectives on the community. Market research would be done from surveys and public meetings/gathering where local youth are invited to give input on what they feel is needed. Once research is gathered, it would then be up to This group to either make contact with potential franchise’s or look into local entrepreneurs who may be interested in running a franchise business.

Provided here are a list of small franchise business’s that would appeal to a younger age demographic and also families and I will provide a brief description of each and a website link for each with more information about each franchise.

Winners: www.winners.ca

Winners is an established Canadian company providing name brand clothing at very reasonable prices & this franchise is one Kitimat should attract as it would cater to youth and family shopping needs and has an established track record.

Garage: www.garage.ca

Garage is another Canadian clothing franchise specifically catered to a youth audience and is one that offers a variety of clothing options and is an attraction sure to draw even Terrace residents.

Dinotown: www.dinotown.com

Dinotown is an established attraction from the lowermainland perfect for a family audience and educational as well and would be a perfect fit in the former old hospital location. This is the type of attraction Kitimat would do well to seek out.

Burger King: www.burgerking.ca

Burger King is a successful franchise restaurant that would fit perfectly into Kitimat and is one of the few franchises Terrace does not have. Also it wouldn’t be direct competition to a few already established restaurants.

Mcdonalds: www.Mcdonalds.ca

How Kitimat has not had a Mcdonalds restaurant I’ll never know since it seems every place in the world has one and if you don’t then your really never on the map…this is a no brainer to establish and there are so many available spots in the downtown core and even The Nechako Centre.

The Gap: www.gap.com

This is another well known clothing store that Terrace once again does not have and is perfect for all ages and is an attraction to draw in potential Terrace shoppers.

Famous Players: www.cineplex.com

Kitimat no longer has a movie theatre,forcing people to drive to Terrace in order to see the latest releases. I am sure the realization of having to spend money on gas to drive to Terrace has made residents appreciate the fact they had a theatre. Lets take advantage and bring in a new, established franchise theater that will deliver new films in a timely mammer and offer more options then we previously had in the former theatre.


Future Shop: www.futureshop.ca

Future Shop is an established franchise dealing with electronics. Computers, accessories, dvd movies and is a perfect fit and once again…it’s a business not seen in Terrace.

Kiitmat should also create a public relations/ media group designed to improve the communitys image and also give itself a media presence and a forum for local issues similar to what Terrace has with Standard Radio/CFTK news.

I would suggest talking with Standard Radio CFTK to once again establish a radio station in Kitimat and also some weekly television programming and that this programming reflect Kitimat and that local youth are able to take part and be involved and those who show interest in TV production be able to be taken on and trained in the field as well.

And finally we should do all we can to foster a better image to our elected officials in Victoria, our Premier Gordon Campbell and Alcan and other potential corporate investors in the community. My proposed new public relations firm would seek out these groups and invite them to the community to enjoy the recreational opportunitys and show them what kitimat has to offer, this would then be followed up with market research and studies done to show Kitimats potential for investment and the possibilitys it offers.