Monday 17 October 2016

Council merger aimed at boosting city’s economy

Christchurch will follow in the footsteps of other major cities such as Brisbane, Melbourne and Auckland by having a single organisation responsible for promoting tourism, events, international education and economic development, Christchurch City Council has confirmed.

The Council has agreed to consolidate its existing tourism, major events and economic development functions by bringing together Canterbury Development Corporation (CDC), Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism (CCT), and some activities currently undertaken by the Council’s Events Unit.

The decision aligns with the Council’s recently approved Christchurch Visitor Strategy, as well as the Government’s latest tourism figures which estimate the city is currently missing out on revenue of $500 million per year compared to the pre-earthquakes economy.

Council Chief Executive Dr Karleen Edwards says the creation of a single organisation will allow it to more clearly focus on maximising social and economic opportunities for the city.

“Reviewing the way we do things to support the city’s growth is an important part of the Council's processes.

“As the rebuild moves into a regeneration phase, the timing is right to look to the future and bring together the fundamentals that will drive our economy forward. That means thinking differently about how we approach the areas that make Christchurch such a vibrant, enjoyable and prosperous place to live.

“The new organisation will allow us to build a stronger, combined approach to the delivery of the Christchurch Visitor Strategy, business investment, talent attraction, international education, and the city’s range of high-profile events,” adds Edwards.

Canterbury Development Corporation Holdings Limited (CDCHL), which holds the Council’s shares in CDC and CCT, will oversee the establishment of the new organisation.

Two new board appointments to CDCHL have been announced so far. These are Therese Arseneau (Chair Elect) and Raewyn Idoine (Director).

The Council is currently consulting with potentially affected staff and expects to release further details about the organisation’s structure early next year.

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