Merritt’s city council was presented with an annual economic development report for the period ending December 31, 2009.

Patrick Lindsay, general manager of Community Futures Nicola Valley, was on hand to deliver the report at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

Lindsay provided a summary of the CFDC’s priorities for 2010.

At the top of the list were the continued efforts to re-vitalize the downtown core so that it can support existing businesses and attract new business.

“We absolutely believe we have to have a solid downtown core,” says Lindsay.

“One thing that has always bothered me is that we have a population that chooses to shop elsewhere instead of supporting local businesses.”

Enhancing Merritt as a creative, healthy and sustainable community by improving its green infrastructure with a stronger focus on recycling is also a priority.

“We were able to remove the bee hive burner,” said Lindsay.

He went on to say this was an important step in creating the perception that Merritt is a clean and healthy community to live in.

The forestry sector is expected to continue to take a hit though and this is an area of great concern for Lindsay.

“I have been told that one of our mills will be closed within five years.”

“We need to increase the employment opportunities so that our young people do not have to move away to find good jobs.”

Lindsay stressed the continued importance tourism will have on Merritt’s economic growth in light of the insecure nature of the forestry sector.

Attracting more people to move to the Nicola Valley was also highlighted, with the biggest challenge to this being Merritt’s lack of full health care access.

“Merritt must continue to identify new sources of power over the next two to three years,” says Lindsay.

Lindsay said that the Nicola Valley’s lack of abundant hydropower has been a major factor in its inability to attract a number of strong businesses to the area and must be addressed.

He cited a classic catch-22 for the region because hydro will not increase power to the area without an increase in industry but the industries are reluctant to locate to Merritt without the power.