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Battle River Alliance for Economic Development
Greetings!
We're very pleased to offer you BRAED's electronic newsletter, the KNOTICE. Please help us reach more people by clicking the link below to forward the newsletter to interested businesses and community leaders. We welcome your feedback and ideas for content. We hope you enjoy the September issue.
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Chairperson's Message: Bud James, Mayor of Killam
 As we move forward this year, we are continuing our focus on our four key areas:
- Youth Engagement and Entrepreneurship
- Business and Investment Attraction
- Marketing and Communications, and
- Eastern Trade Corridor Development
The Executive Committee is committed to ensuring that the work done in each of the areas ultimately impacts the Region and the individual Community Members in a positive way. As the Task Teams begin to implement their projects they are reminded of the importance of their work and how it needs to augment the economic development efforts of each of the BRAED Communities and support BRAED Region as a whole. An example of this is the Community Profiles Training session that was recently piloted at Augustana University - the results are evident on the Communities Profiles of the two participating Communities.
In the months ahead there will be many more examples of how Member Communities are experiencing direct "Member Benefit" as a result of their participation in BRAED.
Thanks,
Bud. |
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BRAED's Tasks Teams planning exciting opportunities for businesses & communities
Business & Investment Task Team
Your Task Team (Kevin Kisilevich, Alan Parkin, Wanda Diakow and Jean Vidal) is examining ways to provide training for BRAED small businesses to help them get the most out of their attendance at Trade Shows.
The training could provide small businesses with tips and leading practices on how to better market their products and services. Stay tuned for more details in the near future.
The Task Team has also begun to scope out a BRAED Ambassador Program and how it could be done in partnership with other business support initiatives in the region.
Trade Corridor Development Task Team
The Eastern Alberta Investment Attraction Strategy project is underway. Outlook Market Research & Consulting Ltd. has been awarded the contract for this Tri-REDA (BRAED, Alberta Hub and Palliser Economic Development) project. This Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project will include 3 primary components:
- Marketing Seminars - designed to help BRAED Communities and area realtors do a better job of marketing their commercial/industrial lands to foreign investors;
- FDI Marketing Strategy - how to get foreign investors to come knocking on our doors, and
- Leads Protocol - when we attract the interest of a foreign investor, how do we provide this lead to our community members so they can do what they need to do to close the deal.
The Alberta Real Estate Association will be partnering with us on this project and they will be helping out with the marketing of the seminars to their members. The seminar for the BRAED region will be in Wainwright November 2nd. More details will follow.
Youth Engagement & Entrepreneurship
Task Team
Representatives on the Task Team include: Mike Kueber, Sarah Wray, Darlene Curtis, Linda Cherry & Wanda Diakow.
The Task team is moving forward with planning for an important event, the "Fall Forum", that is intended to bring together youth focussed organizations in the BRAED Region with providers of youth entrepreneurial programming and services to explore options and potential partnerships that will result in more programs being available throughout the Region.
"Our hope is by the end of day we will have commitment from those in attendance to move forward with one or two pilots that will result increased access to entrepreneurial programming for our young entrepreneurs in waiting" states Mike Kueber, Councillor - Flag Staff County and Task Team Member.
Although the date for the Fall Forum has not been established the Task Team is busy contacting a number of organizations that provide services including Junior Achievement and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation to gauge their interest and commitment in participating in the early November event. If you are a regionally based organization that would like to participate in this important event please contact the BRAED office at contactbraed@braedalberta.ca and let Debra know.
The Task Team is also exploring options to encourage and engage youth participation on the Task Team - the members feel that it is important for the "voice of youth" to be heard as they move forward. As a first step in this process the Youth Delegates that attended the Voices of Prosperity Symposium held earlier this year have been contacted to seek their input and encouraging them to participate in the work of the Task Team.
Marketing & Communications Task Team
Task Team Members Include: Eric Jerrard, Jennifer Fossen, Kevin Kisilevich and Dawna Elliot.
The Task Team continues to place a lot of emphasis on updating and improving the BRAED website and encourages all Members to visit the site and provide any suggestions for improvement or inclusion of new features in the future to the BRAED Office who will forward them on to the Task Team.
September will see the Task Team setting aside a day to develop a "Marketing Plan" for BRAED, the plan will help guide not only future marketing efforts as well as provide a foundation for the introduction and the adoption of "Social Media" strategies for inclusion on the BRAED Website and our day to day operations.
Other current priorities of the Task Team include finalizing plans for the BRAED Annual Meet-n-Greet event that is scheduled to take place on November 10th, in Daysland.
The Marketing and Communications Task Team is also very interested in obtaining your feedback on the new electronic KNOTICE Newsletter - please send your comments and suggestions to the BRAED Office at contactbraed@braedalberta.ca and they will be forwarded to the Task Team.
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Daysland ~ A Community of Choice
Daysland boasts a quality education option with a K-12 school, and many recreational amenities to attract youth and families. A variety of seniors housing options are also available and the rural based community flair provides an attractive setting that many rural retirees find irresistible.
Daysland's commercial sector is diversified and experiencing steady growth. Some examples of recent business development include a new medical clinic, new tire shop, new floral boutique, and mechanic shop expansion. Many businesses have expanded or improved their facility recently, and Daysland Council has been quick to encourage beautification with a new Business Beautification Incentive Policy that provides a matching reimbursement up to $500 to encourage businesses to take steps to beautify store fronts.
Daysland Council made a deliberate attempt to encourage infill development since 2009 by approving minimum municipal taxes for both residential and non-residential properties. This council direction favours a compact form of development where new development ties in to existing infrastructure adjacent to vacant or underutilized lots.
Daysland Council has prioritized infrastructure spending for critical infrastructure and a brand new water treatment plant and reservoir is currently under construction to benefit current and future generations. Daysland is extremely appreciative of the strong provincial support voiced by MLA Doug Griffiths for Daysland to secure the provincial grant assistance totaling 75% of the $4M project. Having quality water and an up-to-date treatment facility is paramount for
community viability. Daysland's Public Works Foreman, Brent Hrdlicka commends Daysland Council "for prioritizing infrastructure improvements - especially related to water and wastewater."
Daysland Council has actively participated in learning best practices for development and long term sustainability. Council and staff have
attended several InfraCycle webinars showcasing financial impact modeling. Officials continue to actively promote the community and maintain a keen eye on the
overall financial impact of new development on community infrastructure. Daysland's Mayor, Jim Martin comments that "New development should pay for itself, and not burden the existing community."
With so much to offer and a strategic focus on encouraging growth, Daysland is proving itself as a Community of Choice and continued growth is clearly expected.
For more information, contact Town of Daysland at 780-374-3767 or email info@daysland.com |
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Vision 2020 - Business and Investment Attraction in Alberta's International Region
Part two in our series features content from presenter, Pat Klak, Executive Director Leduc-Nisku Economic Development Authority
The Leduc-Nisku Economic Development Authority (EDA) represents a 27 year partnership between the City of Leduc and Leduc County to provide economic development services to the region. This partnership has grown to include the surrounding towns of Beaumont, Calmar and Devon as well as the villages of Thorsby and Warburg; all clustered around Nisku-Leduc Business Parks and Edmonton International Airport.
The EDA's business and investment attraction successes originate from a strong business retention and expansion strategy to market the products, services and technologies of over 3,000 businesses in Alberta's International Region. Ensuring that companies currently located in the region find it to be the most economically feasible environment for the growth and/or expansion of their business and are marketed to the global marketplace has become the region's biggest business and investment attraction.
Business retention and expansion initiatives include monthly Economic Partnership Breakfasts, Virtual Tradeshows, Virtual Tours of the region, presentations on Lean Manufacturing, Productivity, Export Development and information/education on any subject which will encourage regional companies to become more competitive and stay more competitive. That, in itself, has become part of the EDA's attraction/investment strategy.
Exhibiting in tradeshows, hosting incoming trade missions and participating in outgoing investment attraction missions has resulted in new partnerships in China, Germany, South Korea, Houston, Whitehorse and eastern Canada.
Last year over 2,500 contacts were made, letters and information packages were sent out electronically and opportunity reports and regional videos were distributed during trade missions, at trade shows and through company/community referrals. These efforts resulted in 23 incoming investment missions, 27 business leads being pursued, 23 site visits to regional companies and 40% of Leduc-Nisku companies say they plan to expand either this year or next.
For more information or to get involved with the EDA, visit www.internationalregion.com
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KNOTICE BOARD:
Upcoming Events
The Board of Directors Meeting
September 15, 2011 at the Community Hall in Alliance.
10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
BRAED Community Representatives are encouraged to attend.
Seminar:
"Attracting Foreign Direct Investment to Eastern Alberta"
November 2, 2011 Wainwright
This session will be of interest to those wanting to market commercial and industrial lands - watch for further details.
BRAED Meet-n-Greet
November 10, 2011 at the Community Hall in Daysland
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Supper will be served at 6:30 followed by a short presentation and entertainment
Dress: Business Casual.
Guest Speaker willl focus his comments on "Social Media" and its importance - BRAED Community Representatives and Task Team Members are encouraged to attend.
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Executive Committee moves forward with assuring Operational Efficiencies
One of the major targets in this year's BRAED Operations Plan was to identify and implement ways of assuring greater operational efficiencies and cost savings.
At the August 25th Executive Committee meeting a decision was made to modify the current BRAED Office rental agreement by giving up the Board Room and to only retain the office area.
The resulting savings will be approximately $6000.00 annually - a significant cost cutting measure. The remaining office space will be used to house administrative functions.
With the Board Room space no longer available the Executive Committee is hopeful that other options for meeting space will be found including use of municipal facilities for meetings and even more use of telephone and other communications technologies saving time and money for BRAED and the Members.
Surplus Furnishings in the current Board Room are being put up sale to BRAED Members on a bid basis.
The BRAED Regional Alliance is offering for sale on a bid basis the following office equipment:
Lot 1
10 - Swivel Office Chairs with arms - all in good condition - approximately 2 years old
Lot 2
1 - Modular 4 piece conference table made up of 2 trapezoid tables and 2 small rectangular tables - colour - Hansen Cherry - approximately two years old
Bids accepted by email to: contactbraed@braedalberta.cauntil 4 p.m. on September 21st, 2011 indicating the Lot Number and the bid price being offered. BRAED reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. Items must be removed from the BRAED Office, located in Killam by 4 p.m. September 29th.
For Further Information please contact the BRAED office: email contactbraed@braedalberta.ca Telephone Tuesday to Thursday (780) 385-2450
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