Lac Ste. Anne County Activity Report LSAC_Flipbook_Activity Report 2016-17_FINAL_HiRes | Page 24

REPORT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Promoting Lac Ste. Anne County as a location of choice for people, investment & business, the Economic Development department delivers services and initiatives focused on showcasing the region and helping local businesses prosper. CINDY SUTER Finance & Economic Development Director [email protected] 780.785.3411 TF 1.866.880.5722 In 2016, the Physician Recruitment & Retention Committee took a new direction. The Onoway Regional Medical clinic is now operated by Lac Ste. Anne County in tandem with five municipal partners: the Town of Onoway, and the Summer Villages of Val Quentin, Ross Haven, West Cove, and Silver Sands. In addition to Doctors Richard Kozakiewicz and Uys Winterbach with whom residents are likely familiar, the clinic is pleased to welcome Dr. Azeez Salami to its team of medical professionals. As part of our membership with GROWTH Alberta, our Regional Economic Development Alliance (REDA) took part in the Environics Analytics project. The intent of this project is to provide a snapshot of each participating member’s community and regional economic and demographic data for use by councils, committees and economic development staff. A critical component of economic development, digital connectivity is another project supported by GROWTH Alberta. REDAs across the province work collectively to enhance and strategize ways to upgrade and bring broadband connectivity to all areas of the province. The County took part in two highly successful regional school expos designed to promote post-secondary LSAC ACTIVITY REPORT | County Progress 2016/17 780.785.3411 www. LSAC .ca education and local job opportunities. Expos such as these encourage students to return to their roots to work, open a business and raise a family upon completion of their post-secondary education. We chatted with hundreds of students during these events — one highlight of which was the considerable attention garnered by one of our fully-uniformed volunteer firefighters! In partnership with the Town of Mayerthorpe, the County received funding through the CARES program for a Workforce Capacity & Recruitment Study. The purpose of this study is to collect quantitative data and align the needs and priorities of the municipalities, investors, business, and industry while analyzing the existing workforce and its available capacity. Through these findings, we seek to develop a recruitment strategy to help ensure resources to align with business needs, and to provide knowledge to business and industry looking to locate within the area. The Town of Mayerthorpe and Lac Ste. Anne County have been actively engaged in investment and industry attraction, working toward intermunicipal policy development to enhance approval processes, and have identified the need to provide qualitative data to proponents. The Town of Mayerthorpe and Lac Ste. Anne County attended the Tri-Municipal Business and Home Show at the Tri Leisure Center in Spruce Grove. We talked to hundreds of people discussing travel and tourism options, as well as economic development possibilities within the region. Our new Lac Ste. Anne County Tourism Guide is hot off the press! Grab one from the County office or download it on our website, LSAC.ca. — Cindy Suter Finance & Economic Development Director