Plan now to attend the 2023 EDAC Conference.

To register: https://edacconference.ca/register/

Learn key concepts related to business and investment attraction in economic development. Cover community investment readiness; competitive advantage, how to select key target markets for investment attraction; working with site selectors; and, attracting foreign direct investment to help your community expand its economic base. Learn how to develop business investment strategies that will benefit your community.   

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Recognize the different types of new investment versus investment attraction
• Examine criteria to evaluate if your community is in fact ‘investment ready’
• Describe components that may be included in an Investment Attraction Strategy
• Identify methods to recognize the target industries that may be attracted to your community
• Explore investment attraction tools and resources
• Classify the different types of site selectors and what their search criteria may be
• Recognize the four basic stages of site selection
• Review types of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and support resources
• Compare methods of measuring your BI&A program or activities success
  

Online registration

Instructor: Natalie Gibson

The Town of Okotoks is hosting this Economic Development for Elected Officials Course.

If you would like to host an in-person course your community please email: admin@edaalberta.ca

Each community, organization, or volunteer approaches community economic development differently. Elected officials are the leaders of this process, setting the direction for Economic Development to occur.

This course provides the foundational knowledge and skills needed to set a clearly defined path for prosperity and gain the necessary support from communities.

By completion of this course, successful students will be able to:

• Define Economic Development
  
• Discuss how elected officials fit into these functions: Governance vs. Operations
  
• Explore how Council members can best serve their community as Economic Development leaders
  
• Examine the principles and theories of economic development
  
• Distinguish between the concepts of community economic development (CED) and traditional economic development
  
• Describe the elements of a community strategic plan and how it links to an economic development strategic plan
  

Trainer: Natalie Gibson

Host Community: Town of Okotoks

Luncheon Webinar: Hosting Investors & Site Selectors - Best Practices

Does your community host investors? Are you interested in learning some best practices in this regard?

Hosted by Invest Alberta,  EDA member and one of our strategic partners, this webinar will provide us with advice and suggestions on what they are seeing that works!

Speakers:

• Bre-Anne Smith
• Thomas Kargacin

Moderated by Lorie-Anne Watson, EDA Board Member

The purpose of the Annual EDA Ministry Dinner is to bring together EDA members and stakeholders with specific Ministers and senior staff from the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta, to network, share information about programs and explore potential partnerships. 

The dynamic format of the dinner involves rotating table visitations to maximize networking during the meal.

The event is now SOLD OUT. 

Join the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities (UAlberta) in Camrose, AB this October for a two-day conference showcasing how innovative uses of the co-operative model can drive sustainable rural economic development.

Early Bird pricing until July 15th.

Read more and register here: https://app.groupize.com/e/reimagining-rural-economic-development-cooperation-the-future-of-our-communities

Partner Webinar: 

Hosted by EDA Partner, ExecutivePulse, this is an opportunity to learn more about what is new and exciting with the CRM system for 2024!

For those who are already users, join us and learn more about the enhanced functionalities.

For those not familiar with it, or perhaps in the process of researching CRM systems for your economic development work,  join us to learn more.

ExecutivePulse is a customer relationship management (CRM) system developed by economic developers, for economic developers. The technology embraces a real-world understanding of the specific needs, opportunities, and challenges of our industry, and offers a variety of customization options to ensure your CRM helps you work the way you want to -- achieving your mission critical community goals and organizational objectives.

For more information see:

https://rmalberta.com/events-programs/rma-conventions/

This course is the first in a series that will provide you with the knowledge and skills to become proficient at economic development. The function of economic development (ED) is often complex, and understanding your role in the process will be key both to the success of your career, and to the overall success of your economic development activities.

This course is the 30,000-foot view of the process of economic development. It provides the theory and fundamentals of ED along with examples of how it can be applied. There is no one way to do ED. Each community, organization or volunteer group will do ED differently.

The primary goals of this course are to:

• Identify what economic development is;
• Determine how you fit into the function;
• Examine how you can best serve your community as an economic development professional; and
• Identify the tools and resources that can help economic developers meet local development challenges.

To register: 

https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=12618114

Instructor: Holly Sorgen

 EDA is hosting a series of FREE luncheon webinars over the next several months.

EDA’s ‘Ask an Expert’ webinars will enable rural and remote community economic development practitioners to ask an expert, or a panel of experts to provide guidance, insight, and information about possible strategies, solutions and/or resources regarding rural and remote economic development challenges and opportunities. They are scheduled every other month over the lunch hour.  

Experts will be selected based on their experience with the proposed topic, and their ability to speak to the topic in a rural context as well. The objective is to build capacity and skillsets with relevant, timely topics. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn from best practices of other communities. 

This month the topic is: Immigration as a Workforce Strategy

Your Session Expert/s:  Soheila Homayed, Rural Development Network

This webinar is part of EDA's "From the Ground Up" Program which is supported by the Government of Alberta. 

EDA is hosting a series of FREE luncheon webinars over the next several months.

EDA’s ‘Ask an Expert’ webinars will enable rural and remote community economic development practitioners to ask an expert, or a panel of experts to provide guidance, insight, and information about possible strategies, solutions and/or resources regarding rural and remote economic development challenges and opportunities. They are scheduled every other month over the lunch hour.  

Experts will be selected based on their experience with the proposed topic, and their ability to speak to the topic in a rural context as well. The objective is to build capacity and skillsets with relevant, timely topics. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn from best practices of other communities. 

This month the topic is: TBC

Your Session Expert/s: TBC

This is the annual Leadership Summit organized by IEDC.

To find out more information: 

https://www.iedconline.org/events/2024/02/04/conferences/2024-leadership-summit-in-phoenix-az/

Business retention and expansion (BR&E) is a primary economic development strategy. BR&E supports and fosters the development and growth of the business community. The result of a strong BR&E strategy is a healthy and thriving business community which in turn provides a long term sustainable community foundation. Long-term BR&E programs are a means of connecting businesses with resources and opportunities that will improve their competitive position, market networks and ultimately their profitability.

If you wish to have credits applied to Continuing Education’s Professional Management Certificate – Economic Developers, you will need to contact our office at 403-220-2866 . Credits for the Community Economic Development courses equals 2/3 of the instruction hours to a maximum of 30 hours, i.e. for a 15 hour course you will receive 10 hours credit.

Instructor: Natalie Gibson 

To register: https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=15264259

Learn key concepts related to business and investment attraction in economic development. Cover community investment readiness; competitive advantage, how to select key target markets for investment attraction; working with site selectors; and, attracting foreign direct investment to help your community expand its economic base. Learn how to develop business investment strategies that will benefit your community.   

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Recognize the different types of new investment versus investment attraction
• Examine criteria to evaluate if your community is in fact ‘investment ready’
• Describe components that may be included in an Investment Attraction Strategy
• Identify methods to recognize the target industries that may be attracted to your community
• Explore investment attraction tools and resources
• Classify the different types of site selectors and what their search criteria may be
• Recognize the four basic stages of site selection
• Review types of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and support resources
• Compare methods of measuring your BI&A program or activities success
  

Online registration: https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=15410870

Instructor: Natalie Gibson

For more information see www.rmaalberta.com.

Once again, our AGM will take place online.

Only EDA VOTING members in good standing are eligible to attend the AGM.

Please ensure you are signed into the EDA website with your user email and password associated with your membership. If you are having trouble registering please check your membership to ensure you are a voting member.

Please register in advance if you can. You will be sent a password. All voting will be done during the meeting. 

At the AGM we will be electing our 2024-25 Board of Directors. 

All documents required in advance will be available on our website, under the members-only section. Please note only EDA voting members are able to access this web page.

If you have trouble accessing this page, please ensure you are logged in to the EDA website with your user email and password. 

Are you thinking of coming to the conference early?

Then think about coming to our pre-conference mixer to enjoy some drinks, tasty snacks and catching up with new and old friends!

Kickstart in Kananaskis is held in the Rockies Room in the rear of the Forte Restaurant at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. You must register in advance to attend. 

Your ticket will include a some tasty snacks and a beverage ticket (wine, beer, highball or pop). Cancellations will be refunded before March 24 with a $25 cancellation fee.

No refunds after March 25, 2024.

EDA Xperience 2024 Leaders' Summit and Conference attracts more than 400 economic development experts and elected officials from across Alberta, Canada and around the world.

2024 will mark our 50th Anniversary! Like previous years, we expect in- person registration to sell out quickly. 

Important information:

1. You must register for EDA Xperience 2024 in order to receive the link to book your accommodation under the EDA group rate. 
   
2. Please ensure the email used to register matches the delegate who is attending. 
   

We are enhancing the virtual component for our delegates who plan to attend the conference online.  

This course is the first in a series that will provide you with the knowledge and skills to become proficient at economic development. The function of economic development (ED) is often complex, and understanding your role in the process will be key both to the success of your career, and to the overall success of your economic development activities.

This course is the 30,000-foot view of the process of economic development. It provides the theory and fundamentals of ED along with examples of how it can be applied. There is no one way to do ED. Each community, organization or volunteer group will do ED differently.

The primary goals of this course are to:

• Identify what economic development is;
• Determine how you fit into the function;
• Examine how you can best serve your community as an economic development professional; and
• Identify the tools and resources that can help economic developers meet local development challenges.

To register: 

https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=12618114

Instructor: Holly Sorgen

Our strategic partner, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) has designated the week of May 6-10, 2024 Economic Development Week.

We invite you to take part in this North America-wide campaign that consists of activities designed to create awareness of the economic development programs in your communities that enhance your quality of life.

Check www.iedconline.org for updated resources to help you get started on your campaign to increase exposure for the profession and the benefits of economic development. 

View our video @ www.economicdevelopmentmatters.com.

Email us at nancy.toombs@edaalberta.ca with your iconic development week initiative and we will post it on our website. 

To find out more information on IEDC's Economic Future Forum go to:

https://www.iedconline.org/events/2024/06/16/conferences/2024-economic-future-forum-in-spokane-wa/

Business retention and expansion (BR&E) is a primary economic development strategy. BR&E supports and fosters the development and growth of the business community. The result of a strong BR&E strategy is a healthy and thriving business community which in turn provides a long term sustainable community foundation. Long-term BR&E programs are a means of connecting businesses with resources and opportunities that will improve their competitive position, market networks and ultimately their profitability.

If you wish to have credits applied to Continuing Education’s Professional Management Certificate – Economic Developers, you will need to contact our office at 403-220-2866 . Credits for the Community Economic Development courses equals 2/3 of the instruction hours to a maximum of 30 hours, i.e. for a 15 hour course you will receive 10 hours credit.

Instructor: Natalie Gibson 

To register: https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=15264259

Join us at the Annual Alberta Municipalities convention.

Come and visit us at our booth. We look forward to seeing you there!

For more information and to register go to www.abmunis.ca.

For more information see www.rmaalberta.com.

For more information see www.rmaalberta.com.

Plan now to attend the 2025 conference. 

For more information see www.rmaalberta.com.

Plan now to attend the 2026 conference.