Businesses in Port Coquitlam will get a chance to weigh in on the city's economic development plans at an open house next week.
Coun. Mike Forrest, who chairs the Mayor's Task Force on Business Development Opportunities, said PoCo council is hoping to identify some of the challenges local entrepreneurs face.
"We want to find out the things that might entice business to come to Port Coquitlam and help businesses that have challenges now," he said. "We want to see if there are things that are fixable that we can address."
Information from the open house and an online survey will be used to help shape the city's economic strategic plan, a document Forrest said will be drafted in the new year.
The Mayor's Task Force was launched last December and includes Forrest and fellow city councillors Brad West and Dean Washington as well as PoCo Business Improvement Association president Lih-Ming Tam, Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce president David Fantillo, Urban Development Institute director Maureen Ensor and local business representative Chris Galer.
The Oct. 23 PoCo BizForum will be held at the PoCo Inn and Suites.
It will start at 6 p.m. with a networking reception, with an input and discussion period taking place between 7 and 8:30 p.m.
