Head of Calgary Economic Development Corp. Mary Moran claimed at a business forum Friday that the Wexit movement had kept some unnamed company from setting up shop in Calgary and employing 1,000 people. My question to Ms. Moran is: What the hell is your excuse for failing to draw enterprise into the city for the years prior to the existence of Wexit?.I wrote on Mary Moran and her utterly ineffective management of CED just last week. Under years of Moran’s leadership along with tens of millions of tax dollars spent, CED has helped lead Calgary’s downtown into an astonishing 30% commercial vacancy rate. Even when given a $100 million corporate welfare fund to use to try and draw new enterprise into the city, Moran has failed dismally..Moran’s marketing talent was in full display last year when she took a leave from her $300,000 position with CED in order to take on another $300,000 position running the Calgary Olympic Bidco. Moran then wasted millions of tax dollars to take a city that was lukewarm to the concept of hosting the Olympics to an utterly cold rejection of the concept in a plebiscite. Moran then skulked back to her plum position with CED and continued her barren pursuit of economic investment in Calgary..It is astounding and absurd to see Moran blaming Wexit for her latest failure to draw enterprise into Calgary..Discontent within Alberta is indeed palpable right now but we are a long way from separating. While making a lot of noise, Wexit is still little more than a loosely organized group at this time. It is laughable to think that it is impacting major business decisions..Calgary has gained a reputation of being closed for business due to its habit of hitting existing businesses with 300 per cent tax increases. The funds collected from struggling local businesses are then poured into useless arms of city hall such as Calgary Economic Development Corp. so that they may try to draw in competitors who will further pressure local businesses..Nobody in their right mind would move a business with 1,000 employees into that environment and it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with Wexit..If Calgary truly wants to create a business-friendly environment that would draw in new investment, the first thing they should do is dissolve Calgary Economic Development and use the funds to give existing businesses a much-needed tax break. CED burns through well over $10 million tax dollars per year and has still somehow managed to accumulate $12 million in debt while being unable to draw so much as a growing contingent of Amway salespeople in the city. It is an embarrassment and an offence to existing businesses within Calgary that this organization even exists..Calgary Economic Development was formed in 1999 with a mandate to diversify the economy and provide business stability. With 20 years of effort under its belt, it is clear that the organization is an utter failure. The only thing Moran appears to be worse at than drawing enterprise to Calgary is making excuses for her inadequacy. Blaming Wexit for the failures of CED is outright ludicrous..If Mary Moran and her horde of compatriots employed at Calgary Economic Development truly want to see what is keeping investors from coming to Calgary they need only look in the mirror.
Head of Calgary Economic Development Corp. Mary Moran claimed at a business forum Friday that the Wexit movement had kept some unnamed company from setting up shop in Calgary and employing 1,000 people. My question to Ms. Moran is: What the hell is your excuse for failing to draw enterprise into the city for the years prior to the existence of Wexit?.I wrote on Mary Moran and her utterly ineffective management of CED just last week. Under years of Moran’s leadership along with tens of millions of tax dollars spent, CED has helped lead Calgary’s downtown into an astonishing 30% commercial vacancy rate. Even when given a $100 million corporate welfare fund to use to try and draw new enterprise into the city, Moran has failed dismally..Moran’s marketing talent was in full display last year when she took a leave from her $300,000 position with CED in order to take on another $300,000 position running the Calgary Olympic Bidco. Moran then wasted millions of tax dollars to take a city that was lukewarm to the concept of hosting the Olympics to an utterly cold rejection of the concept in a plebiscite. Moran then skulked back to her plum position with CED and continued her barren pursuit of economic investment in Calgary..It is astounding and absurd to see Moran blaming Wexit for her latest failure to draw enterprise into Calgary..Discontent within Alberta is indeed palpable right now but we are a long way from separating. While making a lot of noise, Wexit is still little more than a loosely organized group at this time. It is laughable to think that it is impacting major business decisions..Calgary has gained a reputation of being closed for business due to its habit of hitting existing businesses with 300 per cent tax increases. The funds collected from struggling local businesses are then poured into useless arms of city hall such as Calgary Economic Development Corp. so that they may try to draw in competitors who will further pressure local businesses..Nobody in their right mind would move a business with 1,000 employees into that environment and it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with Wexit..If Calgary truly wants to create a business-friendly environment that would draw in new investment, the first thing they should do is dissolve Calgary Economic Development and use the funds to give existing businesses a much-needed tax break. CED burns through well over $10 million tax dollars per year and has still somehow managed to accumulate $12 million in debt while being unable to draw so much as a growing contingent of Amway salespeople in the city. It is an embarrassment and an offence to existing businesses within Calgary that this organization even exists..Calgary Economic Development was formed in 1999 with a mandate to diversify the economy and provide business stability. With 20 years of effort under its belt, it is clear that the organization is an utter failure. The only thing Moran appears to be worse at than drawing enterprise to Calgary is making excuses for her inadequacy. Blaming Wexit for the failures of CED is outright ludicrous..If Mary Moran and her horde of compatriots employed at Calgary Economic Development truly want to see what is keeping investors from coming to Calgary they need only look in the mirror.
