INNISFAIL - Municipalities with the Central Alberta Economic Partnership (CAEP) met in Innisfail recently to focus on business retention and expansion.
Representatives from several municipalities, including Innisfail and Penhold, gathered at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre to participate in a CAEP workshop on March 30.
"Today they are training (with) Natalie Gibson on how to implement business retention and expansion and what it means to their community," said Kim Worthington, executive director for CAEP. "Eighty per cent of your growth comes from existing businesses and 20 per cent comes from new investment."
Worthington said one of CAEP's mandates is to build capacity within municipalities, advancing regional sustainable economic development at the local level.
"Whether the economy is slow or not, business retention and expansion is a key foundational piece or economic development tool to implement in municipalities," she added.
Innisfail mayor Brian Spiller attended the meeting and was joined by several councillors and town staff.
"As a town we're very cognizant of the fact that we need our businesses in town," said Spiller, noting the CAEP seminar informed municipalities how to help and foster growth and expansion within their business communities.
"We're very interested in obtaining that knowledge," he said. "They say most of your expansion in the town will come from your existing businesses. If we can understand what they're looking for, understand what they need, whether it be in services or maybe some re-designation of land uses, we need to know."
Spiller said the CAEP workshop in Innisfail was well attended and was an important resource in helping municipalities in the region.
"We have a very nice turnout and a wide variety of people from all over Central Alberta here today," said Spiller. "Economic development expansion and retention isn't the job of only staff, you need the political will of the councillors too."
Innisfail mayor Brian Spiller
"They say most of your expansion in the town will come from your existing businesses. If we can understand what they're looking for, understand what they need, whether it be in services or maybe some re-designation of land uses, we need to know."
