There has been a problem brewing across Muskoka for a while now, and every so often it rears its head. This problem doesn’t seem to be going away.

The issue is, with so many economic development initiatives taking place, at so many different levels, whose job is it to do what?

And the Town of Gravenhurst and Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce are now trying to figure out a solution.

Like many Muskoka communities, chambers of commerce have planned events and promoted economic development in their communities. Municipalities budget funds for these groups as a kind of fee for service.

But now, in Gravenhurst, an economic development officer and an economic development department have been thrown into the mix, and as the budget crunch approaches, councillors are left with trying to figure out whether the fee for service is required any more, and who is responsible for what in promoting and encouraging economic development within the town.

What doesn’t help in this matter is that it seems neither the town nor the chamber knows which direction these two entities are supposed to take on this topic.

The economic development officer was hired last year, yet even town councillors aren’t sure where to draw the line on what his duties should be. And councillors aren’t sure a recent proposal from the chamber is worth a line in this year’s budget, simply because no one can figure out what the chamber’s role should be in this charade.

Gravenhurst shouldn’t feel bad about this problem; other Muskoka municipalities will eventually run into this wall too, especially now that the District of Muskoka is on board with economic development.

And while each municipality runs as a separate entity, at some point down the line, there should be some overall plan for economic development across Muskoka, before we end up with a costly, time-wasting, helter-skelter approach.

Whether the Town of Gravenhurst should continue to provide funds to the chamber of commerce is hardly the issue. The issue is that there are many hands in the pot when it comes to economic development and unfortunately, the right hand doesn’t know or understand what the left is doing.

KF