Summerside's business community weathered recession well

Lots of projects this past summer that kept people working and dollars being spent around the community. Just in Wilmot, Crozier Drive had all the ditches filled in, Water Street East completely repaved, Weschester Street repaved, walking bridge at Reads Corner removed (filled in and repaved) and some side walk repairs.

Summerside's business community weathered recession well
STEPHEN BRUN The Journal Pioneer
SUMMERSIDE - The financial crisis may not be over yet, but the Summerside Chamber of Commerce says local businesses are doing well. The chamber held their annual meeting Wednesday at the Silver Fox Curling Club. Outgoing president Rudy Smith said, despite some lingering challenges with the economy, the city's businesses are in good shape."The three levels of government did a fabulous job of working together to get the stimulus packages out there and the money back into the economy right away," said Smith. "They (the governments) want alignment of goals as opposed to friction and conflict. Our businesses in the Summerside area are doing a very good job of co-ordinating our goals, but there's always room for improvement in that area." Executive director John J. MacDonald said the chamber is focusing on member retention in 2010. The chamber's membership grew last year despite the recession, and MacDonald said the Canada Games played a big part in keeping the city's economy afloat. "The Canada Games allowed people to at least reach their budget goals, whether it was the accommodations or the service sector," he said. "We don't have a lot of manufacturing so that eliminates (business) closures. As long as you don't have closures and people are employed, the economy will usually do fine."Incoming chamber president Blair Dunn pointed to new tenants in the Holman building over the past year, including e-health company MDDx, as positive signs. Smith said he'd like to see that trend continue in 2010. "It's been a little bit slow and a challenging time for the powers that be to get new tenants in the Holman building, so we want to see that refocused in 2010 and assist the people at Summerside Regional Development Corporation in moving that forward."