Summerside launches campaign to bring people back home

The City of Summerside has anew strategyin place to attract more people and business to the city.

The city has called its new program Homeward Bound a sort ofrecruitment and retention strategy for people to live and work in Summerside and centred itaround theMySummersidewebsite.

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Mike Thususka, director of economic development for the city, says they had a similar recruitment and retention program 10 years ago but decided to refresh and rebuild after speaking with members of the business community in Summerside.

You look at the three that we profiled out of thegate for the program,they're very successful individuals, they have a passion forSummerside. Mike Thususka

He hopes the program willattract young people to stay and work in Summerside andforexpat Islanders to see "the opportunities that exist"in the city and tocome home to live and work.

"Our message to local folks is we think that there is an opportunity to reach out to family, friends, sons, daughters and just share what's going on in Summerside," he said.

"If there is a desire to move back, let's have a conversation."

'They have a passion for Summerside'

Thususka said the city has invested about $2,000 into the program so far.

The strategy spotlights severalSummerside business people on its website and advertisements specifically people who decided to live and work in the city and had success doing it.

"It's our thinking that utilizing our local ambassadorsis probably the best way to get our message across," he said.

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"You look at the three that we profiled out of the gate for the program,they're very successful individuals, they have a passion for Summerside."

Thususka said they'll be sending out monthly newsletters andfine-tuning the programover the coming weeks and months.

Residents of Summersidewill also soon see posters and advertisements circulating, as well as inserts in their electric bills with more information starting this week.

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