Beaumont Communiqué March 2021

MARCH 2021

beaumont.ab.ca

Beaumont Innovation Park will be a catalyst for business growth

by Mayor John Stewart There’s a saying that overnight success is easy - it just takes years of hard work.

The analogy works well for economic development, where people see businesses opening, but don’t often see the months and even years of planning and work to create the conditions for growth.

I’ve mentioned many times that we need to increase our non-residential tax base so that we can continue to afford and improve upon all the things that make Beaumont a great place to raise a family. Growing our business community will not just ensure we can pay for recreation facilities, parks and other valued city services well into the future, it will also bring more services and amenities to Beaumont.

We’ve had some success on that in the past two years, but the potential magnitude of investment and spin off from a recent council decision could move the needle significantly.

Last month, council approved what may be one of the biggest catalysts for economic development in Beaumont – a business park for innovation. The project will create a space for entrepreneurs and businesses in fields including autonomous technology, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and data management, to name only a few possibilities.

We even have a prospective anchor tenant who has committed $1 million towards land in the park and is planning a significant overall presence.

This was possible because of work started more than three years ago, beginning with a strategic plan from council that prioritized business growth, a Municipal Development Plan that provided guidelines for that growth after comprehensive consultation with residents, and the streamlining of our land use bylaw and development approval process.

The city’s economic development team was also revamped and they aggressively promoted Beaumont as a great place to do business. You’ve seen some of that – the ELA autonomous shuttle project received mixed reviews within the city, but the attention it generated nationally and internationally had significant value. And the recent proposal to install an ultra high speed broadband network for Beaumont is one of the results.

The Beaumont Innovation Park brings all that work together and has the potential to bring incredible benefits for the community.

Residents can expect to hear more about the prospective tenant and other details in the coming months. And there’s still more Continued...

5600 49 Street, Beaumont AB T4X 1A1 | 780.929.8782 | administrator@beaumont.ab.ca

MAYOR AND COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION Mayor John Stewart 780.293.5650 Councillor Kathy Barnhart 780.721.5504 Councillor Bill Daneluik 587.357.5206 Councillor Perry Hendriks 780.929.5102 Councillor Sam Munckhof-Swain 780.690.0031 Councillor Martin Stout 780.904.9623 Councillor Steven vanNieuwkerk 780.991.0871 Email links for Mayor and Council are online at beaumont.ab.ca/council

Beaumont Innovation Park will be a catalyst for business growth Continued... to be done to secure other businesses and investment. But this is an exciting time for Beaumont when all the work of the past couple of years is now starting to come to reality.

If you have any questions about this column or any other Beaumont local government issue, please contact Mayor John Stewart through his office at 780.929.8782 or by email at mayor@beaumont.ab.ca.

National Volunteer Week 2021 National Volunteer Week is coming up from April 18 to 24. This year’s theme, The Value of One, The Power of Many, reflects on the awe-inspiring acts of kindness by millions of individuals AND the magic that happens when we work together towards a common purpose. This past year, we have seen people supporting family, friends, neighbours, and strangers. We recognize the value of the caring and compassion that each one has shown another, and we recognize the power of people, organizations, and sectors working together. Thank you to all of Beaumont’s volunteers. Your contributions to this community are immeasurable.

Beaumont Action for Happiness Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) team has put together a Beaumont Action for Happiness initiative in-line with the Action for Happiness organization. Resources, webinars, and calendars are provided monthly to help you be more resilient during tough times and to help you stay positive. This initiative focuses on kindness to others and includes actions that each of us can take every day to improve our relationships, families and communities. It may sound simple, but research shows that when we're kind to others, it increases our own level of happiness. You can visit our website at beaumont.ab.ca/707 to learn more about how you can stay positive and spread hope and happiness around your community.

Our FCSS is also available to assist you, either directly or with referrals connecting you to programs, counselling and other resources that you may need.

You can contact FCSS directly by phone at 780.919.1006 or email at fcss@beaumont.ab.ca. fb.com/BeaumontAB |

@T4XBeaumont |

@Beaumont_AB

March is National Fraud Prevention Month March is Nation Fraud Prevention Month and the Beaumont RCMP would like to remind residents to be vigilant with their personal information.

Canadians fall victim to frauds every day, causing significant financial losses. Most don't think it could happen to them, but fraudsters use sophisticated ways to target people of all ages. The impact of fraud on individuals, families and businesses can be devastating. Retirement savings, homes, businesses and, in some cases, lives have all been lost.

If you are unsure of whether or not you are being targeted by a scam, check with family or friends, or visit the Government of Canada’s website to learn about common scam-types and how to protect yourself against them.

For up-to-date information and to view a list of common scams visit antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888.495.8501 to reach the Canadian AntiFraud Centre.