After the September 14 deadline passed for declaring candidacy in the upcoming City of Powell River general election on Saturday, October 20, the Peak asked mayoral candidates: Why should Powell River vote for you?
Here is the reply from incumbent David Formosa:
My work is not complete, but getting closer.
There are still three large projects that truly need my expertise and attention. They are large economic development projects that are critical to the long-lasting economic viability of our community. The three projects will hire hundreds of workers and be commercial taxpaying enterprises for years to come, which the city needs badly.
These three projects will help sustain Powell River:
Santé Veritas Therapeutics, the medical cannabis business, still needs my help for its growth plans and helping them negotiate with the mill for more land to complete expansion plans.
The airport project was a concept I created for economic diversification through the aviation industry. Powell River is a strategic location to Vancouver and the growing needs in aviation.
The paper mill and all its problems with changing dynamics of product mix, access to fibre and need for patient capital to maintain and/or change the machines’ abilities to create new paper products. I came up with a plan and a group to look at the realistic possibility of doing just these things within the mill’s footprint as well as value added enhancements for other economic opportunities. We have a deep-sea port just sitting there not used. Let’s make use of it as well as the many paper needs that have growing markets.
In addition, I have a vision of seeing us become a campus community.
We can make this happen. We have started down this road already.
