By rdnewsNOW staff

Collaboration

Central Alberta First Partnership unveils Action-Oriented 2025 Annual Report and BREWD Progress

Dec 17, 2025 | 3:00 PM

The Central Alberta First (CAF) Partnership recently announced the release of its 2025 Annual Report, detailing the significant progress made toward strengthening the region’s economy through collaboration and business-directed initiatives.

The report was officially unveiled at the Regional Business Impact and Progress Briefing held Dec. 5, 2025, at the Innisfail Public Library.

Officials say the 2025 Annual Report highlights the successful transition of the BREWD (Business Retention, Expansion & Economic Workforce Development) Strategy from an extensive research project to a concrete, action-based roadmap, focused on addressing local and regional business needs.

Key Report Highlights

• Business-Directed Strategy: Officials say the BREWD strategy is grounded in insights from over 700 businesses and was facilitated by 70 regional volunteers, creating one of the most comprehensive business engagement initiatives in the region. They say this ensures the economic agenda is set by business, for business.

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• CAF Model for Action: According to officials, Central Alberta First is not a formal entity but operates as a lean, project implementation framework driven by an MOU-based partnership among municipalities and post-secondaries, and directed by industry. They say it leverages the expertise of existing professionals, ensuring no duplication of administrative structures, with pooled funds going directly to project implementation, not operations. CAF is also said to benefit from sub-committees that comprise over 40 banks and lending institutions, workforce support agencies, and business development agencies.

Eight Priority Projects Advancing: officials say the BREWD strategy identified 27 projects, with eight prioritized for immediate action in 2026. Each project backed by a dedicated lead and partner teams:

• Project 1: Workforce Data & Industry Analysis — Led by Red Deer Polytechnic, this is consolidating multiple data sources to identify skills gaps and forecast employer demand, creating a foundation for future workforce priorities.
• Project 4: Talent Attraction Website — This initiative, led by the City of Red Deer, is developing a unified, region-wide digital platform to help employers attract skilled workers by centralizing job opportunities and quality-of-life information.
• Project 10: Workplace Culture Enhancement Program — This directly addresses the critical need for HR support and training for employee attraction and retention, particularly for rural employers who often lack dedicated HR staff.
• Project 15: AI Awareness Workshop Project — This project will execute a series of eight comprehensive workshops over 2026 and 2027 to enhance AI literacy for business owners.
• Project 16: Regional Investment Councils Project —The Regional Investment Council is a transformational project under the strategy, directly addressing the critical need for better capital access and investment-readiness identified by regional businesses.
• Project 17: Regional Business Resource Centres — This project will address businesses request for improved financial literacy training and business advisory services. Regional centres will serve business by providing hands-on advisory services and strategic navigation to programs and tools that will help regional businesses grow and succeed.
• Project 18: Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) —The Trade Accelerator Program (TAP), a partnership with Calgary Economic Development and the Alberta International Trade Group, is being developed to support market expansion by providing export-ready rural businesses with world-class coaching and market intelligence.
• Project 21: Regional Supply Chain Competitiveness — Project This project will assess and strengthen regional supply chains (especially for manufacturing, agriculture, and food) by scoping service gaps and helping local companies become suppliers for larger buyers. This project is a key component of the successful Central Alberta First (CAF) partnership and will engage with our region’s export-oriented producers and regional suppliers to assess the region’s Cluster Competitiveness Chain (3C).

Officials note, the report also highlights the success of the Regional Business Support Network (RBSN), a flagship project that launched in June 2024. As of December 2025:

• RBSN has advised 238 individual businesses.
• It has conducted 379 business visits.
• It has produced 292 promotional videos.
• The network has facilitated over $7 million in funding referrals.

According to officials, the RBSN model is proving the power of partnerships, serving 14 communities with essential business development and digital services. The RBSN initiative is expected to be used as a springboard for some of these priority projects, including the Regional Business Resource Centres.

Officials say this first-year report card demonstrates what is possible when regional collaboration of municipalities, post-secondary institutions, economic organizations, and business works together with a shared purpose. The work ahead is described as significant, but so is the potential. Officials say with strong partners, engaged businesses, and a shared commitment to action, Central Alberta is well-positioned to accelerate workforce development, attract investment, and create long-term economic resilience”.

The full 2025 Annual Report is available now on the Central Alberta First website.