As we loosen our belts from too much Christmas turkey and beverage at serendipitous gatherings with loved ones there could be no better time to take stock.
Whether you dream of sunny days on the Innisfail golf course, afternoons tubing on Dodd's Lake or long hours making bank on the rigs or out in the fields, 2013 holds a lot of promise.
Central Alberta has benefited from economic policies that kept Canada from sliding as far into recession as our neighbours south of the border. Business is booming and jobs are plentiful in this land of wide-open spaces, but we can't rest easy.
Our economy is so intrinsically linked to a U.S. economy perilously poised on the brink, and we must remember there is much ground left to hoe. About two-thirds of foreign investment comes from the States as do 60 per cent of foreign tourists. From here on out it will be important to hedge our bets.
As investors look to prove out the oil and gas reserves in the Duvernay geological formation, China continues to emerge as one of the most active players in driving development of the energy sector in Alberta.
After attending a November meeting at Red Deer College, Mayor Jim Romane described the eagerness of Yongfeng Liu, China's consul-general for Alberta, to gain access to our valuable petrochemical resources. Meanwhile, she pointed out in the media at the time that Canada has been more hesitant to embrace partnerships with the country than Australia.
There is great opportunity for 2013 to be a blockbuster year for Central Alberta, but we can't rest on our laurels.
On the agricultural front things are sitting pretty for now, a positive sign given many crop yields underperformed compared with initial estimates last year.
"We've got some good-looking moisture so the crops should get off to a good start,î said Mark Cutts, a crop specialist with the Alberta Ag-Info Centre. "It looked pretty dry going into winter, but now we've got quite a bit of snow so it looks like soil moisture conditions are going to be improved over what we thought in the fall.î
The frozen precipitation will also benefit ranchers, he projected.
"The dugouts and ponds were getting a little dry,î he said. ìNow they'll fill up with the snow.î
Speaking of snow, it is now time to make personal resolutions this wintry time of year, and there are a number of apps for your mobile device that can help you with your plans.
Law enforcement officials urge each and every motorist to maintain careful driving habits into 2013, too. According to Cpl. Al Nickolson, with Innisfail Integrated Traffic, while drivers will often improve their behaviour on the roads at Christmas fearing heightened police presence, too often those practices lapse in January.
ìPeople realize we're out there doing their check stops,î he said, noting police stopped one impaired driver and laid four drug charges following a blitz Dec. 13. ìWhen January comes around they go back to their old way of doing things.î
Meanwhile, citizens looking for good things in the new year may want to celebrate that they live in an economically sound corner of the world.
But opportunity is not guaranteed. To continue to rise and feel secure in 2013 we must invest fresh sweat equity. And of course, as always, drive safely.
Happy New Year
