By Jessie Weisner

New partnership aims to grow business in Southeast Alberta

Jun 6, 2019 | 4:35 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — More than 18 local businesses, governments and service agencies are partnering up to create a new initiative call Invest Southeast Alberta.

They’re working together to research the current business environment, and support growth in the future.

“This is a business retention and expansion and workforce development strategy that were helping advance with a host of other partners from around the city and region,” says Sandra Blyth, business support officer with the city of Medicine Hat.

The project is supported by $122,500 budget, and was inspired by the surge of new jobs in Medicine Hat.

“We have approximately 950 jobs that were looking at potentially having to full because of some of the new industries that have come to the region,” says Blyth. “So that’s going to be a big job and its going to require a focused approach on looking at where the gaps are and what are the opportunities for finding some solutions for bringing employment to the city.”

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The consortium plans to identify any barriers that might prevent a business from being successful. In addition, it plans to take a look at the business environment.

It plans on consulting with local businesses in Medicine hat and the outlying are to find out their perspective.

“What we’re doing is looking at what businesses needs are and their voice is critical to the success, so we’re going to be looking at a number of areas in the future,” says Blyth. “We’ll be getting into that in information sessions.”

Some businesses involved already include Aurora Cannabis, Hut 8, and RedHat Cooperative.

According to Blyth, the initiative will be going on for most of the year.

“We’re probably looking at a good six to eight months of hard work, getting everything that we need and then implementing action.”

Information sessions will be held for local businesses on June 19 and 20, for more information e-mail info@InvestSoutheastAlberta.ca