EDA News Centre

The County of Grande Prairie has once again secured a booth at the World Agri-Tech Summit and Future Food Tech Summit in San Francisco March 11-14, 2025 and would like to give EDA members the opportunity to join Team Alberta.

On Thursday January 23, from 10:30-11:30 they will be hosting a call to discuss this opportunity and to answer any questions you may have.

Please click this link to read the details including the meeting ID and password.

If you have questions, please contact Cindy Paton Economic Development Officer - Investment Attraction, directly at: cpaton@countygp.ab.ca

Thank you.

A New Year's Message from Amanda Mercer, Chair of Economic Developers Alberta

As you open your 2025 calendar, I invite you to begin filling its pages with the exciting initiatives EDA has planned for the year ahead. This year, we are building on a strong foundation to continue supporting your critical work as economic development professionals.

At Economic Developers Alberta, our members are at the heart of everything we do. You inspire us! Your dedication to building thriving and resilient communities drives us to continually enhance our programs, tools, and connections to support your success.

In 2025, we’re proud to expand our offerings. The EDA Institute will continue to grow with new courses ensuring you have the training and resources to make a lasting impact. We’re also introducing the EDA Invitational Golf Tournament—a fresh opportunity to network and collaborate in a meaningful way.

These initiatives, alongside EDA Xperience 2025 Leaders' Summit and Conference, the Annual Ministry Dinner, the Invest in Alberta/Xperience Alberta Magazine, the EDA Annual Awards of Excellence Program, and the Gerry Gabinet Mentorship Program, reflect our dedication to providing tools and platforms that amplify your impact. 

Through our process of continuous review and refinement, these cornerstone programs will deliver even greater value in 2025.

None of this would be possible without the dedication and hard work of our staff, whose commitment ensures the success of every program and initiative we undertake; and the support of our partners, who help us achieve even greater results.

On behalf of the EDA Board of Directors and myself, thank you for your continued engagement and contributions. Let’s make 2025 a year of bold steps and shared success.

Sincerely,

Amanda Mercer

Chair, Economic Developers Alberta 

As we wrap up 2024, I want to take a few moments to celebrate—and thank those who helped make the year unforgettable.

This year EDA celebrated its 50th anniversary which was a huge milestone! Our Leaders Summit & Conference and our Ministry Dinner both sold out in record time, bringing our amazing community together to learn, network and celebrate. 

We also launched the EDA Institute with a variety of courses designed to give economic developers the tools they need to make a real impact in their communities.  also want to thank our government and corporate partners—your support helped us achieve even greater results! 

Finally, I want to thank our members- our family- you are the reason we do what we do. Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement. 

Next year, we’ll be adding more courses to the EDA Institute, hosting another spectacular conference and Ministry Dinner, and launching the EDA Invitational Golf Tournament to continue building on Gerry Gabinet’s legacy.

I look forward to working together next year—as we continue to build this province we’re so lucky to call home. 

On behalf of EDA, I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a safe holiday season. 

See you in 2025!

We are excited to announce that starting in 2025, Economic Developers Alberta (EDA), in collaboration with Invest Alberta, will proudly continue the important tradition of the Gerry Gabinet Golf Tournament under its new name, the EDA Invitational Golf Tournament.

This partnership reflects the event's growth and success, and EDA members are invited!

Join us at the Broadmoor Golf Course in Sherwood Park, AB, for a day of fun, networking, and prizes.

Registration for EDA members is open now! This exclusive "skip the line" opportunity is available until January 15, 2025 when we open registration to the public. 

Event Details:

Thursday, September 18, 2025

1:00 PM – 8:00 PM

 Broadmoor Golf Course, Sherwood Park, AB

The tournament will follow a Texas Scramble format, and even if you enter as a team, you and your teammates will be mixed into randomly selected teams of 4, making it a fantastic networking opportunity!

This is a great way to continue to strengthen Team Alberta, and honour Gerry’s legacy by raising money for EDA's important economic development initiatives. 

Read more and register.

Opportunities for Co-ops in Alberta

By: Kyle White, Director of Education Co-operatives First

As an economic development officer, you’re always looking for opportunities to enhance the quality of life in your community. In Alberta, some of those solutions are right under your nose. As a local solution created by local people, co-ops are becoming a popular way to fill services gaps and boost economic development strategies.

Recently, for example, the Innisfail Economic Development team included targets in its strategic plan that included facilitating the creation of new co-ops to support broader economic development. 

Alberta has a long history of co-operation, and the province is home to co-ops not commonly found elsewhere in Canada. This includes many utility co-operatives like Rural Electrification Associations (REAs) that power small towns, natural gas co-ops that provide home heating, and rural water co-ops that support small agricultural communities. Alberta is also home to 70 housing co-ops, 75 retail co-ops, and over 80 co-ops operating in primary industries like agriculture, fishing, and oil and gas. And these co-operatives mean business. In 2021, Alberta’s co-ops employed over 12,000 people and generated over $7 billion in sales. 

Most exciting is there’s even more opportunity for new co-ops in Alberta. In particular, three kinds of co-ops are gaining traction in the province. 

Housing Co-operatives 

Housing co-operatives offer an alternative to renting and home ownership. They provide affordable homes to the co-op’s tenant members who collectively own the property. Studies show that rents in housing co-ops are as much as $400 lower than market rates. That’s because co-ops prioritize affordability and are eligible for government funding. 

In spring 2024, CMHC introduced the Co-op Housing Development Program, which offers $1.5 billion to support the creation of new housing co-operatives. The announcement sparked a wave of interest in this model for affordable housing and in Edmonton and Calgary, Co-operatives First helped create the first Alberta housing co-ops in over 20 years. If your community is struggling to build more rentals or needs to invest in affordable housing, consider starting a housing co-op. 

Childcare Co-ops

According to the Government of Canada, parents in Alberta pay the highest childcare fees in Canada: $10,330. And there aren’t enough childcare spaces to meet demand.

Fortunately, the in partnership with the Government of Alberta, the federal government is supporting a $10-a-day childcare program with funds to build more childcare centres and subsidize their operations. As an economic developer, it might be up to you to help move this conversation forward. Municipalities, large employers, and community groups often invest time and money in the creation of a new childcare co-op that can support parents. Co-operatives First can help as well, with our supports for childcare co-ops. 

Opportunity Development Co-operatives

When looking at your economic development projects, you might ask “how are we going to pay for this?” Why not look to the assets already in your community? Many folks in small towns have financial assets invested in RRSPs and TFSAs that can be directed back into your local economy with the help of an Opportunity Development Co-op. 

This model allows community members to invest in a locally managed fund that can support local projects through loans or investments. Investment co-ops in Alberta have invested in entrepreneurs, construction of new homes, and renewable energy. If everyone in your town invested $1,000 in local economic development, imagine how much you could accomplish. 

Learn More

If you’re interest in learning more about co-ops and how your community could benefit from them, you’re in luck. Co-operatives First recently teamed up with Economic Developers Alberta to create the Co-operatives and Economic Development course for the EDA Institute. Sign up for this exciting professional development opportunity to learn how you can work with co-operatives to support your town and what role you can play in starting new community-owned co-ops.

Why Performance Measurement is Critical in Economic Development (And How EDA Can Help You Master It)

Have you ever trained for a competition? 

You didn’t just show up on the day and hope for the best. You tracked your progress - every sprint is timed; every rep is counted- because what gets measured gets managed. Without those metrics, how would you know if you're improving? Or ready for the big event? 

The same principle applies to economic development. Measuring our efforts is like tracking an athlete's performance: it helps us evaluate impact, stay on course to meet goals, and demonstrate results to stakeholders, funding agencies, and the public.

As an economic developer, you’re tasked with creating positive change in your community and its easy to get caught up in the details of launching a new project. But without a systematic way to assess, manage, and improve, you risk investing resources in strategies that fall short. 

How EDA Can Help:

Performance measurement is a game-changer for economic development and that’s why we’ve developed the Performance Measurement in Economic Development course at the EDA Institute.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Community Economic Development (CED): Understand how performance measurement fits into the bigger picture.
• Performance Management vs. Performance Measurement: Learn the difference
• The SOME Framework: A practical tool for effective measurement in your community.
• SMARTER Goals: Set objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Evaluated, and Reviewed.
• Using the Logic Model: Apply this tool to track progress and measure outcomes.
• Selecting Performance Metrics: Choose metrics that reflect your community’s needs and goals.

We’ll also show you effective methods to share your success with stakeholders.

In economic development, the stakes can be high. Communities, businesses, and individuals rely on your work. Without clear metrics, it’s like playing a game without a playbook—you might score eventually, but it’ll be far less strategic and you may not win in the end.

So, are you ready to take control of your initiatives and prove their value? The Performance Measurement in Economic Development course at the EDA Institute will give you everything you need to succeed. 

Enroll today

Think of a person or a project that has truly made a difference in your community. 

Now, take a moment to submit your entry for the EDA Annual Awards of Excellence!

Submissions are officially open! Head over to the member section of our website to apply online.

The submission deadline is March 3, 2025.

As an exclusive benefit of EDA membership, the EDA Annual Awards of Excellence provide a fantastic opportunity to celebrate achievements and share best practices.

The Awards celebration will take place over two evenings during EDA Xperience 2025 Leaders' Summit and Conference, April 9-11.

The EDA Annual Awards of Excellence has 2 areas of focus:

• Individual Awards: Honouring professionals who have made an exceptional contribution to the field of economic development.
• Community Awards: Showcasing outstanding projects and initiatives that drive growth and collaboration.

Community Award Categories

• Economic Development Renewal Project: Position your community as a dynamic driver of economic activity.
  
• Regional Collaboration and Partnerships: Highlight how working together has been a key factor in the success of your economic development projects.
  
• Innovative Approach to Economic Development: Showcase your adaptability and forward-thinking strategies.
  
• Marketing for Economic Development Outcomes: Share how your marketing initiatives have contributed to tangible economic development outcomes.
  

Individual Award Categories:

• Economic Developer of the Year
  
• Emerging Talent in Economic Development
  
•  Gerry Gabinet Mentorship Award
  

Imagine this:

You walk into a boardroom and around the table is a group of potential investors or town councillors. 

They’re waiting for your presentation…… 

You can feel the weight of expectations—this is your moment to convey the value of your community or secure support for the economic development project that will benefit your area.

You know that feeling—your heart races as you think, “can I really deliver all the insights I need to make a compelling argument? Do I have all the information to back-up my ideas?”

It’s not just about presenting facts; it’s about convincing them to believe in your vision and see the potential you see.

To do that effectively, you need to draw on a deep well of knowledge and insights. You must be ready to address their questions and counter their doubts. Every statistic, every trend, and every success story must come together to create a narrative that resonates with them.

This is where the EDA Institute comes in.

Our comprehensive suite of training opportunities is designed to advance your expertise in community economic development. 

We understand the unique challenges you face, which is why we offer a range of courses and learning platforms. Our curriculum, crafted by industry experts, focuses on real-world applications, ensuring you can apply what you learn immediately.

Did you know that a survey by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) found that 83% of economic development professionals believe continuous professional development is critical for their effectiveness?

As you prepare for your next important meeting, consider how investing in your growth at the EDA Institute can elevate your skills. 

By enhancing your expertise, you not only boost your own effectiveness but also contribute to the success of your community!

It's a win-win!

Learn more about our courses and register here:  https://www.edaalberta.ca/training

You are invited to join us to learn more about the Northern and Regional Economic Development (NRED) Program. 

NRED funds initiatives led by Alberta municipalities, Indigenous communities and non-profit organizations that promote regional economic development and diversification.

During these sessions, we will provide information about NRED, which is accepting applications for its third intake from September 16, 2024 to December 6, 2024.

Details about the program, including the Program Guidelines, Application Companion Guide, and the link to the Online Application Portal can also be found on the Northern and Regional Economic Development Program webpage.

A list of  currently planned sessions is as follows:

*Right click on the session that works for you and copy the hyperlink into your calendar.

Thursday, October 10, 2024 – 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. -Click here to join the October 10 meeting 

Tuesday, October 15, 2024 – 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Click here to join the October 15 meeting 

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 – 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. -  Click here to join the October 23 meeting 

  

As part of our commitment to support communities in their recovery from the 2024 Alberta Wildfires, we are pleased to share important information from the Canadian Red Cross.

The Canadian Red Cross has launched the Support to Small Businesses and Not-for-Profits Program. 

This program, thanks to the generosity of donors as well as matching funds from the Government of Alberta, provides financial assistance to eligible small businesses and not-for-profit organizations that experienced impacts due to the 2024 Alberta Wildfires that led to the evacuation of Jasper National Park and the closure of Highway 16.   

Small businesses and not-for-profits located in Jasper National Park, including the town of Jasper and businesses located along Highway 16 that were completely closed may be eligible to receive $2,000 in financial assistance. 

Additionally, small businesses and not-for-profits located in Hinton and communities along Highway 16, up to the Alberta/BC border (including Valemount, BC), that were not evacuated, were able to continue operating but have experienced some impact due to the wildfires, may be eligible for $1,000 in financial assistance. 

Applications are now open and will be accepted until December 13, 2024. 

Full program details, including eligibility criteria and application instructions, are available at:

 www.redcross.ca/albertawildfires/smallbusiness 

EDA has a longstanding history of working with the Canadian Red Cross to support communities in their recovery from disasters. 

Since 2013, our Economic Disaster Recovery Program has provided critical assistance to help local economies rebuild and thrive after major events.

Our most recent collaboration also includes key government partners, and EDA members in the Jasper, Hinton, Edson, Yellowhead County region to support regional business and economic recovery efforts.  

Our Business Recovery Survey is designed to gather essential feedback from businesses to guide recovery efforts and ensure support reaches those who need it most.