Investment Ready Partnership Project (IRPP)

The IRPP came about out of an identified need to prepare the region for economic growth.  Growth in the region’s manufacturing sector was putting pressure on housing and infrastructure.  Manufacturing businesses had identified these constraints as barriers to future growth in the region.  Inevitable expansion in the potash industry could only exacerbate the problem.  As a result, PIER developed the Investment Ready Partnership Project; an innovative approach to ensuring that communities have the housing and infrastructure capacity necessary to keep pace with economic growth.  The IRPP address housing and infrastructure issues through two phases. 

Phase 1
Component A:  Community Planning 
PIER committed to matching money with communities in initiatives that would prepare the community for future growth.  The type of planning was dependent on the particular needs of each specific community.  Planning could range from Official Community Plans, to Zoning Plans, Strategic Plans, etc.
To date, the IRPP has funding the following planning initiatives:

• Village of Quill Lake Official Community Plan
• Town of Wynyard Official Community Plan
• Village of Drake Official Community Plan
• Town of St. Brieux Official Community Plan
• Village of Englefeld Official Community Plan
• City of Humboldt Strategic Plan
• Wakaw Lake Shore Management Study
• Town of Watson Infrastructure Plan

Component B:  Industry Housing Business Plan
The second component of this project is aimed at providing industry with the tools necessary to develop a “Housing Business Plan” that would address affordable housing specific to industry needs.  This was accomplished through the development of a Market Affordable Housing Toolkit.  Schulte Industries piloted this project, and the Toolkit is now available for use by businesses in the development of their own housing business plan.
To download the Industry Housing Tool Kit, click here.

Phase 2
Phase 2 of the IRPP will include the implementation of the Industry Housing Toolkit, completion of a Regional Housing Needs Demand Assessment, and creation of a Regional Housing Action Plan.  These components will provide the data necessary to match community housing capacity with industry needs.  Phase 2 is expected to begin in winter of 2011.
 Component A:  Industry Housing Tool kit Application
Industry will be approached by PIER to participate in the IRPP by applying the Market Affordable Housing Toolkit to their business.  The results will be used to   develop a housing Needs/Demand Assessment of employees.
Component B:  Regional Needs/Demand Assessment
A regional housing Needs/Demand Assessment will be undertaken to provide an understanding of the housing needs and demands across the entire continuum of markets:  ie. students, social assistance, seniors, etc.  
Component C:  Regional Housing Action Plan
The data garnered through the application of the Industry Housing Toolkit, and through the Regional Needs/Demand Assessment, will be used to develop a mechanism for addressing industry specific housing issues; this will be termed a Regional Housing Action Plan.

For more information on this, or any other project, please contact the PIER Office.