McDonald's coming to Sechelt

Page 16

The Sechelt Indian Band has made a deal with McDonald's Restaurants of Western Canada to build a franchise on the band's land.

"We have an agreement in principle and we will be meeting with them one more time in Vancouver. We've got a couple of legal constraints and highway access concern (to work out)," said band councillor Calvin Craigan, following a recent council vote.

Details of where and when the fast food chain will set up operations are still being negotiated, but the band is "90-per-cent sure" the deal is a go, he said.

The band has been discussing the possibility of the restaurant chain occupying one of two centrally located properties in Sechelt for the last six months. Craigan did not specify exactly where the properties were located, but added that discussions have also been held with Dairy Queen over the last year.

"We seem to be getting inundated by fast-food order conglomerates," he said.

If McDonald's bid is accepted, the chain and franchise owner will be required to develop a restaurant that fits in with the aesthetics of neighboring properties and traditions of the band.

"Not that it is going to be a tipi," Craigan said.

The restaurant would also bring considerable job opportunities, "not just our students," he said, adding that the franchise should provide up to 60 new jobs.

It wouldn't be the first time the chain has formed a partnership with a band. McDonald's currently operates a franchise on the Waddling Dog Reserve outside Saanichon Vancouver Island.

Nevertheless, the imminent arrival of the golden arches on the coast has caused much consternation from local business owners and longtime residents either fearing the restaurant will negatively affect their own business or inflict unnecessary change on the community.

"I wish it wouldn't come because it is going to kill all the small restaurants on the Coast," said restaurant owner Sue Hergott. "There is no way you can complete with a $1.89 hamburger."

Ron Marcoux, CEO of McDonald's of Western Canada, has responded to residents' complains that a franchise will disrupt life on the Coast by downplaying its impacts on the environmental local businesses.

"I've heard some of these arguments before but our proposal is to ask council for what we need to build a McDonald's restaurant and I'm sure council will make the decision of what is right or wrong," Marcoux said.

One of the main reasons McDonald's is beneficial to a community is its low prices, he added.

"Usually, for the young families that can't afford to eat at fancy restaurants that exist and can't afford to go out, this gives them a chance to do that," he said.