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Hector Goudreau MLA, Dunvegan – Central Peace: New council to focus on making Alberta more competitive
Hector Goudreau
for Smoky River Express
A new council of MLAs and industry leaders will take on the task of helping make Alberta one of the most attractive places to invest and do business as part of ongoing work under the Alberta Competitiveness Act.
The Alberta Competitiveness Council will be co-chaired by Premier Ed Stelmach and the Alberta Economic Development Authority’s Bob Brawn, with Finance and Enterprise Minister Ted Morton as an alternate co-chair. Other council members include four MLAs and four senior industry representatives who will work together to evaluate key sectors of Alberta’s economy.
The council will look at ways to improve Alberta’s overall economic position and build on work already underway by government and industry. It will also look at the various factors that impact the province’s economic growth such as regulation, fiscal policy, the availability of skilled workers, transportation, infrastructure, productivity and innovation.
In addition to the general work of the council, two-member teams made up of one MLA and one industry representative will review four specific economic sectors this year - agriculture (grains and oil seeds), financial services, manufacturing and petrochemicals. These sectors were chosen based on their role in the overall economy, opportunities for competitive improvements, and related initiatives already underway by government and industry. By partnering with industry and using existing resources, teams are tasked with developing timely, practical and workable business solutions specific to each sector. Once these sectors are completed, others will be reviewed.
The council is expected to release an interim report by the end of this year. The report will outline the state of current initiatives and include a framework for bench-marking and assessing Alberta’s overall ability to compete. A second, more detailed report will be issued in 2011, with benchmarks and specific recommendations for improvement. Work will kick off with a forum for council members and industry stakeholders on June 2.
The Government of Alberta has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. The Way Forward will bring Alberta back into a surplus position in three years by trimming government spending; using cash reserves to protect key programs; continuing to invest in public infrastructure; and ensuring that our province’s industries are competitive and continue to attract investment to provide jobs and prosperity.
Alberta’s investment in First Nations’ businesses boosts economic participation
With more than 109 partnerships, an Alberta-First Nations program is garnering national attention for its innovative work to further Aboriginal relationships, strengthen economic capacity and stimulate entrepreneurialism.
The Government of Alberta’s First Nations Economic Partnerships Initiative provided $8 million last year for Aboriginal partnerships.
Since the program’s inception in 2005, it has supported 109 partnerships with First Nations, tribal organizations, industry and others. Last year alone, Alberta Employment and Immigration’s Aboriginal Development Branch, working with Aboriginal Capital Corporations through the initiative, managed 190 projects supporting Aboriginal entrepreneurs.
Success stories are highlighted in the 2008-09 Aboriginal Economic Partnerships Annual Results Report, which is available at www.aboriginal.alberta.ca. The website also includes a detailed list of program grants, an online tool kit of Aboriginal economic development resources and a new 12-minute video showing how partnerships are increasing Aboriginal economic development.
The First Nations Economic Partnerships Initiative was developed with input from First Nations and industry leaders in Alberta. The program is delivered by Aboriginal Relations and Employment and Immigration. In the 2008-09 fiscal year, Aboriginal Relations provided $4.77 million and Employment and Immigration contributed $3.4 million towards increasing Aboriginal participation in the economy.
New scholarship will help Alberta students reach for excellence at international skills competitions
Building on the legacy of WorldSkills Calgary 2009 and following in the footsteps of Canada’s Olympic success, a new scholarship will help Alberta students own the podium at national and international skills competitions.
The WorldSkills Legacy Scholarships will award students with up to $10,000 each as they progress through levels of competition and prepare to compete on the international stage. Students who win gold at the provincial and national levels will be awarded $500 each towards their post-secondary education.
Those who go on to represent Canada at the bi-annual WorldSkills Competition will receive an additional $9,000 to support their training as they prepare to go head-to-head with the best in the world.
An estimated 86 scholarships, totalling $75,000 will be awarded annually starting with this year’s Team Alberta gold medalists. WorldSkills Calgary 2009 is contributing more than $1.4 million to the Government of Alberta’s Heritage Scholarship Fund to support the scholarships.
Every year, hundreds of students and apprentices aged 21 and under gather from across Alberta and Canada to compete against demanding industry-developed standards in fields ranging from hairstyling to welding in regional, provincial and national competitions. Every two years, competitors representing the best of their peers from national skills competitions compete at WorldSkills. WorldSkills Calgary 2009 featured eight Albertans on Team Canada and more than 1,000 participants from 51 countries. WorldSkills 2011 will take place in London, England.
Alberta’s Heritage Scholarship fund offers 50 different scholarships. The fund will award $70.8 million to 37,500 students this year.
Bi-weekly crop reports are now available
Alberta’s agriculture industry now has bi-weekly access to information related to the crop production year, including soil moisture and crop conditions.
The Alberta 2010 crop report schedule includes 12 bi-weekly reports to be released between May and October, as well as a Crop Season in Review report in March 2011.
The crop reports capture valuable information related to crop production in Alberta during the current crop season. The information is collected primarily through surveys and focuses on soil moisture and crop conditions, including seeding and harvesting progress, pasture conditions, as well as insect and disease situations. In addition to a provincial overview, the crop reports will provide summaries for five regions, the southern, central, northeast, northwest, and Peace River regions.
The crop reporting program is delivered through the partnership of Agriculture and Rural Development, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation and the Alberta Association of Agricultural Fieldmen. These reports are widely used by government, industry, and other stakeholders to monitor drought conditions, forecast production insurance payments, and assess needs for agriculture related businesses.
The 2010 Alberta crop reporting schedule and series is made available on Ropin’ the Web at www.agriculture.alberta.ca by clicking on the information tab, statistics, and crops. Scroll down to the link titled Alberta Crop Report.
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