GMCC CEO John Wishart, Riverview Mayor Ann Seamans, Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold, Dieppe Mayor Yvon Lapierre at the State of the Tri-Communities Breakfast, January 31st, 2019 / Dave Heintzman
Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold says we have to change the tone of the conversation we have when speaking about our region.
She adds the municipality cannot cut their way to growth and prosperity.
“And we cannot just redirect investment dollars to social dollars, because in the end that won’t solve it,” says Arnold. “We need to address the issues progress makes, but not stop progress just to avoid the issues.”
Arnold said, while addressing the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton, that we’re no longer just competing regionally with the likes of Halifax, Saint John, and Fredericton.
“We’re competing with cities like Edmonton, Atlanta, and Dallas, and not even for jobs so much anymore, we’re competing for talent to fill the jobs that we have right now, and everyone is looking for that same talent,” says Arnold.
She says residents need to be better at articulating the good parts of living in this area.
Dawn Arnold says we are socially connected, and a welcoming community with many jobs, and positive momentum.
“We’re honest, polite, sincere, authentic, welcoming, humane, positive, you get a sense of belonging here, that you can make a difference in your community,” says Arnold. “We’ve got clean air, access to nature, reasonable house prices, and short commutes, so let’s think about changing our collective mindset.”
Arnold says we must have pride in where we live, at least in part because New Brunswick currently depends on the economic success of the Greater Moncton area.
She also reported that with only 9.6 per cent of the population, Moncton actually accounts for more than 22 per cent of the provincial GDP.
