Langley City

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Initiative

The arrival of the SkyTrain will be catalytic for Langley City. But for all things bigger, Langley City residents aspire to better. CONNECTIVITY to people and place is deeply valued. To “belong” to community and greater purpose is powerful. The challenge – and opportunity – is to translate connectivity in economic development terms.

How will Langley City be different and better in future in a way that inspires both residents and enterprise alike? Some key legacy-building foundations are established in the City’s new – and first-ever – Economic Development Strategy.

Six GOALS define bold priorities that step into an elevated set of opportunities with greatest potential for transformative community progress: A FoodTech INNOVATION District celebrates and leverages greater Langley’s status as one of the most productive agricultural areas in Canada. Innovation is additionally linked to Intelligent Communities initiatives. This crystalizing vision connects a number of dots – from food and beverage manufacturing, to technology innovation. ENTREPRENEURSHIP aims to “grow their own”. A re-energized DOWNTOWN enables the community to gather soulfully, and entrepreneurs to prosper. Every square metre matters in a Langley City that is only 10 sq. km; LAND strategies are imaginative to achieve a balancing act between aesthetic, well-appreciated walkability, and the economics required to have builders build. ENABLERS – from healthcare to public transit – are recognized and activated across all community plans to build a solid community-minded foundation.

Breakthroughs include: 1) clarity of economic direction; 2) downtown-as-destination planning; 3) land intensification tactics focused on development economics; 4) linking to key enablers; 5) investment readiness initiatives that build new organizational economic development capacity; 6) simplified vision statement and story to articulate the goal line and focus future strategic actions; 7) extension of corporate brand to economic development.

Resources are needed to put plans to action. This Strategy is right-sized to introduce economic development programming in Langley City for the first time.

Why pursue economic development? Enterprise makes a significant contribution to municipal ability to provide desired services and amenities. And whether Langley City residents break bread together around a restaurant table or walk to their job down the street, to be enterprising is to help weave the threads of community life together into a fabric that defines “the good life.”

The Strategy is presented in a visual, easy-to-read format to better communicate with the community and investment interests. The Strategy is designed in PPT for ease of City use in implementation.

Langley City. Be. Enterprising.