The report, Nova Scotians Without Borders, recommends the end of regional development authorities in Nova Scotia saying they have failed to improve the economies of their target regions.

[AMHERST, NS] — The executive director of the Cumberland Regional Development Authority feels a report by the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies paints a very narrow picture of her organization and other development authorities across the province.

The report, Nova Scotians Without Borders, recommends the end of regional development authorities in Nova Scotia saying they have failed to improve the economies of their target regions.

Rhonda Kelly does not agree with the paper’s recommendations, pointing out the development authorities are making a difference in the communities they serve by promoting tourism and economic development, youth retention, business and human resource development and business recruitment and retention.

“If you look at the track record of the organization and the recent change over the last couple of years to go to performance-based funding, CREDA is noted as being one of the highest performing regional development authorities in the province,” Kelly said. “To understand that you have to have a full picture of what we do. Joggins (Fossil Centre), Thinkers Lodge and Cape Chignecto are high profile projects, but the work we do is on a much broader scope.”

Kelly said there’s no way of knowing what terms of reference AIMS used, what data it considered and who financed the paper.

She also feels the AIMS report may discourage community volunteers from participating in projects.

“It’s not an accurate depiction of the work they’ve done and it certainly challenges them in terms of their motivation as volunteers,” she said. “It’s critical of the work they have done in the bigger picture in Cumberland and as part of a political framework of RDAs over the last 15 years.”