Grande Alberta Economic Region Story

Telling the

Grande Alberta Economic Region story

Message from the Chair The Grande Alberta Economic Region is in west central Alberta between the province’s dynamic capital city, Edmonton, and one of Canada’s most beautiful national parks, Jasper National Park. Our region encompasses the busy and bustling highways 16, 43 and 22. The Yellowhead corridor (Highway 16) runs east to west while the Alaska Highway (Highway 43) extends from south to north. In this region a partnership of municipalities is working together to increase economic development opportunities and enhance the quality of life for residents in their communities.

Quality of life is a key factor for all those who live, work and visit in the Grande Alberta Economic Region (GAER). We recognize and respect this through all our efforts. For example, our environment is both a selling point for our region and a precious asset that we cherish and protect. Sustainability is an underlying theme in managing economic diversity.

strong and vibrant business community and attract labour. This committee also guides overall communications to ensure GAER has the ability to positively influence policy decision makers and activities that affect our region.

This booklet is a summation of GAER’s plans for marketing the region and coordinating communications with members and key stakeholders including the public, media, and our granting partners.

GAER has important work to do in the coming years and we invite your involvement. Please contact our office for more information. {signature here} Mayor Greg Pasychny Town of Edson GAER Chairperson

Our member communities have diverse needs and GAER is organized to facilitate their participation. GAER’s committees work in a number of areas to enhance the region. As outlined in our Operations Plan, the Marketing and Communications Committee is accountable for the consistency and quality of the messaging and for marketing the region to investors and visitors. This work also supports GAER’s other committees in ways such as helping retain a

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Message from the Marketing and Communications Committee Chair

Showcasing regional arts and culture

Grande Alberta. Broad boundaries, no limits! From high country recreation to entrepreneurship, our region has no limits. Our communities are open for business. We are ready to welcome visitors, and to work with the others to strengthen our tourism network, develop the arts and culture sectors, and attract more business and industry as well as labour.

The region has a vibrant and growing arts and culture network of businesses, individuals, and organizations. Visitors and residents are seeking more opportunities to participate and create in the cultural community.

GAER’s Marketing and Communications Committee is pleased to have completed a new 3-year plan that includes exciting new strategies, technologies and markets. Getting people to visit for work or for play is the first step in creating awareness about the many opportunities in the region. That’s why telling the GAER story is so important to our region’s economic sustainability.

There is a role for everyone in helping us to do this. See page 8 for ways that you can get involved.

Vision Statement We will make the Grande Alberta region the choice location in which to live and do business, and to visit. GAER will become a highly recognized and respected “brand” both within and outside the region and an acknowledged provincial leader in best practices for regional economic development.

From music festivals to silversmiths, from fibre arts to pine beetle wood carvings, there are many artisans, musicians, writers, and shopkeepers who are promoting the region’s uniqueness.

By engaging and leveraging their marketing efforts, GAER can support their businesses success and the sector’s profile, while attracting customers and visitors to the region. Ultimately, by working with these business and not-for-profit organizations and individuals, the region will be able to sell more products, create workshop experiences, music, theatre, dance performances, and much more.

Showcasing regional tourism Adventure tourism is of particular interest to visitors to our region.

Most visitors currently come from the Edmonton region and throughout Alberta. Thousands of vehicles drive through the region daily and there is an opportunity to entice them to pull-off the highway, enjoy the local amenities and support our businesses.

GAER will continue its popular billboard program and explore new technologies such as quick response codes or text messaging to attract mobile travellers.

Social media is also being used more frequently.

Online advertising will target US residents planning trips to Alaska. GAER will also attend trade shows to showcase the region to our next largest travelling markets.

It’s all part of our efforts to attract and retain tourists and travelers to and in the region.

On behalf of the committee, we hope this booklet helps you learn about our organization and our goals and we invite you to stay in touch. {signature here} Mayor Leora MacKinnon Town of Fox Creek GAER Marketing and Communications Committee Chairperson

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Telling the Grande Alberta Economic Region Story

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Attracting and retaining labour Alberta’s economy is accelerating once again, creating challenges for manufacturing and servicing companies, for small businesses and retailers, and for health and service providers in attracting and retaining employees.

Training individuals locally is one opportunity to ensure a supply of skilled labour. Other activities include assisting businesses in recruiting and helping to retain workers, locally or from Alberta or around the world.

Marketing the attractiveness of the region by working specifically with industry sectors businesses is part of GAER’s plan to ease the shortage.

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Telling the Grande Alberta Economic Region Story

Attracting and retaining business and industry Smaller communities are vibrant because local businesses provide needed services and products.

Retaining these businesses is key to encouraging local shopping, providing employment, and attracting other complementary, competitive, or supply chain businesses.

GAER and its members have an important role to play in developing relationships with business owners to help promote their healthy growth and provide support.

GAER’s strategies include recognizing businesses for achievement and success, inviting business leaders to participate in key initiatives for the region, sharing information and opportunities, developing an industry video, and maintaining a focused website.

Corporate communication

Internal communications

As an organization, GAER recognizes the importance of building an understanding of its goals and objectives with others such as government officials and neighbouring economic development authorities, as well as with organizations that provide business services such as Chambers of Commerce and groups that offer support, research and financing to business and industry.

As a member-based organization of busy elected officials and municipal employees and community leaders, communication amongst each other must be efficient and timely. GAER’s administration is essential in this process to keep projects progressing and to share opportunities and information that will afford all members the possibility to benefit.

GAER acquires funding from many sources to complete its projects and initiatives.

Communicating the objectives and outcomes of these projects is essential to their continuance.

GAER reports its achievements through an Annual Report, at meetings with elected officials, and publicly through its website, and through the media. Corporate Communications includes the responsibility of advising key stakeholders about the value GAER adds to regional economic development initiatives through its own committees, such as labour and industry attraction, sector development and tourism marketing.

Whether coordinating workshops and events, or facilitating meetings and speaking engagements, getting the word out to members to invite their participation is important in achieving goals and in encouraging collaboration among members.

The value of GAER to its members is also noted in their reliance on GAER staff to coordinate regional marketing initiatives, to support executive and committee operations, to engage economic development officers in strategic planning, and to ensure members have the material they need to promote the region.

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Your invitation Our region’s marketing slogan is Broad boundaries, no limits! Imagine that for a moment. It’s a tall order, and not one that any group can fulfill alone. As an organization GAER works collaboratively with others to promote and enhance our region’s unique and diverse opportunities.

GAER’s goals are to promote economic growth and long-term prosperity, promote the region and regional interests, facilitate regional cooperation, enhance the value of GAER membership, and provide advocacy on sustainability issues. Many associations and individuals share some or all www.grandealberta.com

More ways to get involved: of these goals. You can make a difference in achieving them.

If you are interested in economic development in your community or in the area, we invite you to get involved in making our region even better!

To start, visit GAER’s website and sign up for information about local developments and business happenings, and opportunities to join in on workshops, meetings and sector development planning.

Business leaders

Public

Member councils

Alberta attracts investors from out of province and out of country looking for business locations, importer/exporters, and supply chain manufacturers, for example.

When they visit our region GAER can assist them with prospective matches as social or business meetings.

GAER is motivated to make our region Grande — as a place to live, learn, play, work and visit.

GAER is an organization of municipalities that works collaboratively to achieve goals. Councils appoint a member representative to sit at the GAER board table and to help guide committee work. Members pay a per capital rate that supports GAER administration and projects.

Results are the foundation for member satisfaction, and participation by members and promotion of GAER are instrumental to the organization’s continued success.

Business may request notice of these meetings or of workshops and seminars to grow your business or learn how to bid on government contracts.

Business can also provide advice and guidance to GAER projects such as labour attraction or sector development.

There are also opportunities to participate in a focus group or survey, or to join a task group or working committee.

We invite your ideas and engagement!

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Telling the Grande Alberta Economic Region Story

Residents, youth, seniors, hobbyists, recreation enthusiasts all have a unique perspective and knowledge and passion about this region. We invite you to share that enthusiasm with visitors.

GAER has produced printed material and has a website for information (www. grandealberta.com).

The public can assist visitors once they’re here and can also help tell the story about our region by following GAER on Twitter(@GrandeAlberta), becoming a fan of our Facebook page (Grande Alberta Economic Region), and volunteering to participate in focus groups and research from time to time.

You can make a difference in making this region Grande!

Council members represent GAER to funders, the public, the business community, potential investors and our partners. They are also invited to participate in strategic planning sessions, workshops, meetings, events, and ceremonies.

Councillors who are not their community`s designate are still welcome to participate in a variety of GAER activities.

GAER is effective because its members value the benefits of regional collaboration to enhance economic development.

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For a list of GAER communities and a more detailed map, visit: www.grandealberta.com

Mayor Greg Pasychny Mayor Kim Connell Mayor Jim Rennie Mayor Moe Hamdon Mayor Leora MacKinnon Mayor Louise Krewusik Mayor Glenn Taylor Mayor Richard Ireland Mayor Trevor Thain Mayor Gerald Soroka

Town of Edson Town of Mayerthorpe Woodlands County Town of Drayton Valley Town of Fox Creek Town of Grande Cache Town of Hinton

Municipality of Jasper Town of Whitecourt Yellowhead County Jasper National Park

Contact information Grande Alberta Economic Region PO Box 6612, 223 – 55 Street Edson, Alberta T7E 1T9 admin@grandealberta.com Phone: 780-723-7706 Toll-free: 1-866-723-7706

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Chairperson Vice Chairperson Secretary/Treasurer Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Associate Member

Some photos are supplied courtesy of Jack Williams.

GAER Board of Directors 2011-12

Broad boundaries, no limits! @grandealberta GrandeAlbertaEconomicRegion www.grandealberta.com