Wawa's Economic Development Corporation will mostly wrap up operations in the coming months - but it won't cease to exist.
Wawa Municipal Council voted last month to cease core funding for the EDC as of May 1st, based on the Municipal Government Wayfinders "municipal transformation and service delivery review" report, which indicated the Municipality could realize annual savings by discontinuing the $160,000 in annual funding, instead creating a new combined Tourism and Economic Development position within the Municipality.
A statement from EDC Chair Liz Talian-Clarke says she's "very disappointed that funding of the current model" will end, she promises the board will "work with Council to help transition the community to a new way of providing programs and services designed to assist new entrepreneurs and existing businesses".
Speaking to JJAM FM News, Talian-Clarke confirmed the EDC will essentially wind up operations by the end of April, but the corporation itself will continue to exist for now with "a much smaller board", just in case there is a need to quickly restart it to resume its current function.
Talian-Clarke emphasizes a need to "work cooperatively" with the Municipality to ensure that function's "transferred over smoothly" and ensure it's "beneficial for the whole community".
While the initial report suggested the Municipality could set up an advisory committee to Council on tourism and economic development matters - possibly transitioning the EDC Board into that role - Talian-Clarke told JJAM FM News that's an aspect of the transition that still needs to be determined, noting Council only made its decision last Tuesday and the EDC Board only met Thursday, with a task force being developed, so meetings are still necessary for the transition to be "as seamless as possible".