VICTORIA – South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP), an alliance of 67 public and private-sector partners in Greater Victoria, today received $100,000 from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) to support the work of the Rising Economy Taskforce. SIPP convened the Taskforce on April 16, 2020, to speed the pace of economic recovery in the South Island region.
Between now and November 2020, the multi-sector Taskforce will establish recovery priorities for the South Island to support the region as it transitions from relief to recovery. It will also help coordinate recovery actions that build resilience, are designed to be inclusive and create partnerships to help the region build back better.
SIPP is one of seven BC organizations, and two Vancouver Island organizations, including the Alacrity Foundation, to receive WD funding to mitigate COVID-19’s devastating impact on the economy and help businesses build capacity to emerge successfully from the economic downturn.
“As we move into the economic recovery phase, our key priority is to ensure strong growth for western-based SMEs throughout our many communities and sectors,” says Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada.
“We are grateful for the Government of Canada’s support for our region’s recovery efforts,” says Emilie de Rosenroll, CEO of SIPP and Chair of the Rising Economy Taskforce. “The proactive work being done by the Taskforce today will accelerate the pace of our economic recovery and help shape our region’s future as we become more diversified and resilient to withstand future disruptions.”
Rising Economy Taskforce Vice-Chair Frank Bourree says the Taskforce’s inclusive and regional approach is important to the South Island’s recovery efforts.
“The Rising Economy Taskforce has an important wide lens on economic recovery for our entire region, across multiple sectors,” says Bourree, Vice-Chair of the Rising Economy Taskforce. “That’s vital because we are a regional economy where collaboration is essential for our greater good.”
