New direction sought for economic development: Closed-door meetings, lack of communication prompts mayor's motion to replace board membership.

• Date: 01 September 2019
• Author: MacDonald, Darren

Greater Sudbury city council will decide in September whether to keep or ditch the volunteers who direct the municipality's economic development body.

Details emerged about why Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger wants to replace all board members of the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC).

Multiple sources have confirmed Bigger was driven over concerns the board was holding too many closed-door meetings and was leaving council in the dark on important issues. As a corporation, the GSDC can go in-camera with few restrictions, unlike city council.

In one case, the board voted behind closed doors to apply for funding for a $3.5-million feasibility study for a major long-term project downtown that aims to remove the railway tracks and...