Our purpose and vision

According to Māori tradition Toi te Huatahi, (later known as Toi Kairakau), made landfall at Whakatane, about AD 1150, in search of his grandson, Whatonga. Failing to find Whatonga, he decided to settle in the locality and built a pa on the highest point of the headland now called Whakatane Heads, overlooking the present town.

Toi is acknowledged as the principal founding ancestor of many iwi in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, and it is fitting that he should be acknowledged in the name of the Eastern Bay of Plenty’s economic development agency.

Toi-EDA’s purpose and vision is to grow the Eastern Bay of Plenty. In the Maori language:

Tini o Toi – kia tipu, kia puawai
(To create, grow and blossom the myriads of Toi)

This purpose and vision is measured by:

Improved skills by higher education levels
Business growth (turnover, increased employees, new business)
Improved use of human resources by employment statistics
Increased population
Increased productivity of the Eastern Bay of Plenty, measured in conjunction with the wider Bay of Plenty region

Toi EDA also has a set of primary goals, which are:

Attract people to work, live and play in the Eastern Bay of Plenty
Encourage alignment of Maori economic development activity and Toi EDA activity
Support and develop industry
Advocate for improved infrastructure and transportation
Foster communication with the community and partners
Secure and diversify the Toi-EDA funding base