Central Alberta organizations and municipalities receive provincial funding for economic projects

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“Alberta’s government is excited to partner with municipalities, organizations and Indigenous groups throughout the province to support projects that serve the diverse needs of local communities and economies. The NRED program is playing an important role in our province by creating opportunities for economic growth and diversification in all corners of the province,” said Matt Jones, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade.

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To date, officials note the program has distributed $5.1 million to help 70 organizations grow and fuel economic development and prosperity across the province, including nearly $2 million for 26 projects that support the unique needs of northern Alberta and Indigenous communities.

As part of Budget 2023, the NRED program is receiving $9 million over the next three years to support more projects geared towards helping deliver business supports, boost labour force attraction and retention, enhance Alberta’s tourism and build capacity for economic growth.

The 2022-23 grant recipients in central Alberta include:

• Samson Cree Nation – $35,925:
  • The National Final Rodeo Tourism Project to assist in building tourism capacity for Samson Cree Nation and area.
• Central Alberta Economic Partnership Ltd. – $30,000:
  • The Building Local Economic Development Capacity through Regional Economic Diversification and Growth project to support a strategic plan for business retention, expansion and attraction.
• City of Lacombe – $200,000:
  • The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan Priority Projects to upgrade the downtown core to make it more accessible and welcoming.
• Lacombe County – $30,000:
  • The Success Grows Here: Building Capacity for Regional Economic Development in Lacombe County project to help build capacity to retain and attract business investment in Lacombe County.
• Town of Blackfalds – $21,615:
  • The Regional Economic Development Initiative – Vehicular and Pedestrian Wayfinding Signage Updates/Bike Skills Park Signage project to support wayfinding signage upgrades and enhancements throughout the Town of Blackfalds.
• Town of Innisfail – $59,750:
  • The Innisfail Cultivating Investment Program to support a strategy and marketing plan to attract investment in Innisfail.
• Town of Sylvan Lake – $90,000:
  • The Town of Slave Lake will use funding to support research, planning and strategy development, and marketing for labour force attraction in Sylvan Lake.

The province states some funded projects under the program also include investment outreach for Indigenous landowners and a northern conference. One grant in particular will enable Indigenous landowners on the Frog Lake First Nation to develop a business feasibility study and investment outreach strategy to determine the viability of a manufacturing facility. Another will support entrepreneurs in tourism in east-central Alberta.

They say the supplemental investment in the NRED program is part of a range of economic programs to support northern and rural regions under Budget 2023, including an additional $350,000 annually to the Northern Alberta Development Council Bursary program, for a total of almost $1.9 million annually over the next three years, to ensure continued support to grow the number of students and skilled workers in the area.

Officials confirm the Alberta’s regional economic development alliances (REDAs) have also received a total of $1.125 million in 2022-23 to continue their work to advance regional economic development in their regions, with some also receiving funding through the program to support the development of tailored solutions to meet their regional economic development priorities.