INNISFAIL – The town’s Power of Place initiative is still very much alive and engaging.
On Oct. 18, the Innisfail Community Economic Development (Innisfail CED), with support from the Town of Innisfail, hosted the first Power of Place Lunch event at the Innisfail Golf Club; an opportunity for attending guests to network with others from around the Central Alberta region.
At the start of their term, Innisfail’s current council identified the development of “a robust and adaptable economy” as a strategic priority.
The formation of the Innisfail CED, followed by the hosting of the first Power of Place Lunch; initiatives created to underscore the effort council made towards achieving this goal.
Attendees at the lunch event included representatives from a wide variety of backgrounds.
In addition to local business, government, and community leaders, students from Innisfail High School’s Career and Life Management (CALM) class attended the event.
“We’re glad so many people from the community and the surrounding area were able to join us for this,” said Innisfail mayor Jean Barclay. “Events like these strengthen Innisfail’s identity as a forward-thinking community.”
The event featured speaker Todd Hirsch, director of the Energy Transition Centre and a former bank vice president and economist, who provided insight on current economic trends and possible future developments.
He was followed by Justin Riemer, the chief executive officer of Emissions Reduction Alberta, an organization which helps to deliver on the province’s environmental and economic goals by investing in clean technology solutions.
“From my perspective, exposure of Todd Hirsch on the larger economic trends and what's going on globally regionally and locally in regards to economics, and some of the opportunities and challenges with socio economics, was important to expose to our community,” said Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer. “And then with Justin Riemer, he's associated with significant investment opportunities for technology development.
“We felt with our strong manufacturing base here in Innisfail, to expose our community to what's trending and where the opportunities lie was also really important to Innisfail.”
The process for the Power of Place initiative began two years ago when Town of Innisfail administration assembled a select group of community leaders with diverse perspectives to create a new path to strengthen the local economy.
With council support, a formal advisory group was struck to oversee the development and implementation of a community economic development plan (CEDP).
In March of 2022, representatives of Factor 5 Group, an award-winning Calgary consulting firm that offers communities expertise and guidance to shape their economic development futures, presented the 42-page Innisfail Economic Development Strategy & Tactical Plan to town leaders, which the company called Power of Place.
That same month town council unanimously adopted Power of Place.
Becker told the Albertan this month the initiative is still vibrant and ongoing.
“We are continuing on with the Innisfail Energy Hub and Power of Place work plans. We are continuing to talk about future community conversations,” said Becker. “We had one recently regarding understanding your utility bills. But we're doing another one here maybe later this fall but for sure in the new year.
“But it's going to be more of a community-based community conversation of how people can better understand energy and how it impacts individuals and families businesses in Innisfail.”
