This broad range of stakeholders in the state of the hemp market includes hemp growers, processors, manufacturers, researchers, educators, investors, and consumers who know that a strong domestic hemp industry has a role to play in the repatriation of manufacturing processes. It has the potential to generate 66,000 jobs by 2030, $9 billion in economic output in rural areas, and a total economic impact of $32 billion, all while sequestering 8 million tons of CO2 per year, making it a profitable and sustainable industry for the long term.

Plant-based market solutions

Hemp, which is defined as Cannabis Sativa L with less than .3 percent Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is a multi-purpose crop with multiple revenue streams. Hemp has been used for more than 8,000 years for food, textiles, clothing, paper, and many other commodities and health products. Today, this versatile plant is found in a wide range of food, building, textile, bio-plastic, fuel and wellness products.

Highly regarded for its strength, sustainability, and phytoremediative properties—the ability to remediate soil and sequester carbon—hemp is an ideal rotation crop. It grows from seed to harvest in only 100 days, which means farmers can do more with less, helping to heal the soil at a time when the threat to arable land is at an all-time high.

As Erica Stark, Executive Director of NHA, notes of the hemp industry, “We have two kinds of distinct segments of the industry being the cannabinoid side and the industrial side, which have completely different applications, different levels of scrutiny and regulatory frameworks, and possibilities of end products.”

For instance, hemp seed can be used for protein and nutrition, things like cold-pressed oil, protein powder, and personal care products. Hemp fiber can be used for industrial outputs in the manufacture of construction materials, paper, textiles, and other parts and components.

Notably, hemp has been used in the manufacture of biocomposite parts for the high-performance automotive industry, reducing the weight of the parts by 25 percent while improving performance, fuel economy, battery life, and the reduction of emissions.

Hemp is also used to make carbon-neutral, energy-efficient building materials. Hempcrete is a concrete alternative that offers low-thermal conductivity, high-thermal capacity, and high insulation values, topping the performance of the industry standard at a similar price point.

Even if pricing weren’t comparable, many consumers are prepared to pay more for hemp products, given their sustainable nature. This will enable the industry to scale while bringing costs and prices down.

A history of prohibition

Regardless of the countless advantages of hemp, as manufacturing equipment evolved during industrialization and as attitudes shifted, hemp was replaced by materials like cotton, wood, and plastics, which cost less, and were easier to produce.

This was the beginning of hemp’s demise in North America. In 1938, the distinction between cannabis sativa L variants was removed and blanket prohibition made it illegal to grow, possess, or even research the plant, which would set the industry back decades.

Ironically, there was a brief hiatus in these restrictions during the Second World War when the government encouraged farmers to grow hemp as part of the war efforts, but the ban was reinstated in 1948.

For seventy years, hemp remained illegal, during which time support for legalization mounted and the work of organizations like NHA became ever more important. A major push occurred in the 2000s and finally, in 2018, hemp and hemp seeds were removed from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s Schedule of Controlled Substances.

With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill which ushered in the national legalization of hemp, many people, including Stark, breathed a sigh of relief that the hard part was over, but it was just the beginning.

“This is the hardest work—building the industry and setting about to prove that everything that we are advocating is true and possible,” says Stark.

The legislative path forward

From a legislative standpoint, NHA is working to advance an Industrial Hemp Exemption, which will create a sub-definition of hemp that is specific to fiber and grain and its industrial applications.

According to Stark, “If you’re growing hemp specifically for the harvest of the grain or the stalk material, you’d be exempted from background checks and compliance checking. In other words, if you’re growing industrial hemp for the fiber and grain, you’re going to be treated much more as if you’re a traditional row-crop farmer.”

Growing industrial hemp still implies accountability, but does not warrant fingerprinting, background checks, and the stigma attached to growing a crop that’s no different from corn or soy. Accountability is just as easy to enforce.

“Fiber and grain crops are evident by a visual inspection. You can identify them by just looking at them,” explains Stark, pointing out that that isn’t quite the case with cannabinoid varieties. Efforts are also being made to increase legislated THC values of industrial hemp to one percent, as, currently, it must contain less than 0.3 percent.

The NHA also advocates that the cannabinoid side of the industry must have sound regulations in place. As Stark says, “It’s rare to have an industry raising their hands saying, ‘Regulate me! Regulate me!’ but our industry desperately wants reasonable and sensible regulations. It’s the only way we can legitimize and open up these markets.”

Hemp is one of the last truly bipartisan issues. While the NHA is a national organization, it works at the state level via its Standing Committee of Hemp Organizations which has members from most of the largest hemp-producing states in the country.

Further, the NHA is supporting the Hemp Feed Coalition to get approvals for hemp as a nutritious ingredient in animal feed. Already fit for human consumption, the goal is to have hemp approved as an ingredient or certified as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) for animals, which would expand the market for the leftover plant meal that’s a by-product of the dehulling process.

“We are doing that behind-the-scenes work to create a better regulatory path forward for the industry as well as helping to facilitate the building of reliable supply chains,” Stark says, to ensure consumer confidence and future viability.

Reinforced supply chains

While it was met with great enthusiasm, the 2018 Farm Bill led to the decline of hemp cultivation for cannabinoids through a rapid oversaturation of the market that drove down profit margins. This is something the NHA is looking to avoid with the hemp fiber and grain industry.

“We need to build supply and demand simultaneously instead of the lopsided flooding of the market, so it’s a ‘slow and steady wins the race’ kind of thing,” says Stark.

Additionally, global supply chain issues that were exacerbated by the COVID pandemic emphasized the need for resilient domestic supply chains. This is especially true of hemp, given that the U.S. is the largest importer of industrial hemp in the world.

“We have farmers who would welcome adding hemp to their rotation and we have manufacturers that are more than happy to include hemp in their end products. It is that middle piece of the supply chain, fiber processing, that is one of the major problems,” says Stark.

Efforts are underway to encourage the development of dedicated processing facilities and more specialized purpose-built equipment to ensure existing gaps in the supply chain are being filled.

The average commercial-scale processing facility comes with a $25 million price tag but promises a great economic return. On average, each facility employs 117 people, with an annual payroll of $6.1 million, and a $30 million total economic output.

Stark and the NHA are reasonable in their expectations, “It’s not that we think hemp is going to replace existing products, but we know that hemp can make those existing products better, stronger, and more sustainable.”

Before this can happen there will need to be better regulations, a more robust supply chain and the support of legislators, industry, and the public alike.

Consumers can vote with their dollars by purchasing and requesting hemp products, as well as their ballots by supporting leaders who understand the genuine value hemp can offer people, the economy and the environment.

A chance to do things right

In addition to a Standing Committee of Hemp Organizations, the NHA also works to ensure the hemp industry is built on a foundation of diversity, inclusion, and equity via its Standing Committee for Social Equity.

“The hemp plant, the cannabis plant, is so diverse by its very nature it’s like it was meant for this purpose,” says Stark. “It brings people together. It’s one of the very few things that you can find that has bipartisan support and disenfranchised communities have been exorbitantly harmed by the prohibition of this plant, so it’s only right that we do everything we can to make sure they have a seat at the table.”

The hemp industry has a unique opportunity before it to build an industry that is fair, equitable, sustainable, and strong by its very nature, an industry where economic prosperity and environmental stewardship coexist.

To learn more about the NHA and how you can support their efforts, visit www.nationalhempassociation.org.

The post An Industry for the Good of All<p class="company">National Hemp Association</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The SmartWay program was officially launched in 2004. In the ensuing near-two decades, SmartWay’s designations and practices spread across the United States and saw further adoption in Canada through the signing of an international MOU (Memorandum of Understanding). In addition, the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program) Climate and Clean Air Initiative adopted SmartWay’s model to adapt it for global replication in 2013.

SmartWay currently has over 4,000 carriers, shippers, logistics providers, and affiliates in its program. Even during the downturn experienced by swaths of industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, SmartWay saw its numbers grow as more companies and organizations accepted SmartWay’s guidelines for improving freight sustainability and efficiency.

The EPA attributes the program’s growth in that time to a growing desire among businesspeople to understand how a supply chain really works, along with a proactive desire to make supply chain operations more sustainable.

The program achieves its goals by putting forth a system to track, document, and share information concerning freight emissions across the supply chain. In doing so, companies following the guidelines can select more efficient carriers and/or modes of transportation to ultimately improve sustainability. This could include upgrading trucks or long-haul vehicles for greater efficiency, or installation of certain additions to vehicles to better manage an aspect of travel (i.e., wind deflectors to reduce aerodynamic drag, or systems to reduce idling or high speeds). A goal is for the program’s efforts to contribute to global energy security, advanced fuel-saving technologies, and the lowering of environmental risks for both companies and countries alike.

Today, SmartWay reports that it has helped U.S. trucking companies save $44.8 billion on fuel costs, which also helps truckers who benefit from the savings. SmartWay partners have saved 336 million barrels of oil, effectively eliminating the annual energy use of over 21 million homes and as much as 143 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. As one of its mission statements states, SmartWay is committed to helping companies make decisions about freight “that have a positive impact on efficiency and the environment,” and it is more than doing its part to facilitate that.

The program has a three-pronged approach: integration with transport companies; branded technology; and global collaboration. Beyond its first ideal of partnerships with shippers, carriers, and logistics companies, SmartWay’s verification of various technologies and products has helped to designate and make available fuel-saving alternatives. SmartWay encourages the use of its name and branding on the roads and in workplaces where its values and initiatives are being implemented, so that other companies and drivers may be encouraged to do the same. Finally, EPA SmartWay works with organizations on both a national and global level to implement sustainability efforts in the international freight sector. It also supports policy makers around the world that further put forth green freight efforts in line with the brand’s goals and values. SmartWay represents a potential worldwide approach to the ongoing crises involving energy sustainability and clean air that aims to make change by becoming a valuable part of the conversation.

SmartWay is committed to providing its partners with a top-notch experience in implementing its guidelines. In the past year, the organization has migrated its tools for partners to a comprehensive online reporting platform, with sections for shippers, logistics, and trucking companies. Partners also now have access to an LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) Calculator through the online portal, which helps SmartWay’s LTL partners complement their inventories by assessing information on the emissions generated by them. SmartWay also continues to roll out new resources to help at every level, including a “Goal Setting Guide for SmartWay Shippers” to improve supply chain freight performance, bulletins on emissions reduction and fuel efficiency technologies and strategies, and information resources on electrification of trucks and tractors.

In 2021, as it usually does annually, SmartWay recognized the top two percent of its partners via the SmartWay Excellence Awards. Established in 2006, these awards are given almost every year to the trucking, logistics, and shipper companies that demonstrate the greatest fuel efficiency in the market. Out of thousands of eligible partners, the program recognized more than 70 companies as award-worthy last year. In fact, EPA is currently engaging Partners to refresh and innovate the SmartWay award program, to be unveiled in the coming months. 2022 also saw the EPA renew an MOU with Natural Resources Canada to continue implementation and administration of SmartWay in Canada for the next five years. Through all the new additions and resources, SmartWay aims to provide a platform for its partners and affiliates to share real-world experiences, innovations, and best practices with one another.

Moving forward, EPA SmartWay is practically bursting with new concepts and programs that will continue to further its agenda as the supply chain is transforming. The EPA will be launching a SmartWay package labeling demonstration for its shipping partners to use the official brand on consumer packaging to collect data on how to optimize packaging for the reduction of emissions. It will also launch a Service Provider Program for consultants that use SmartWay data and processes. Later in 2022, a new ISO standard will be finalized which will establish a greenhouse gas accounting methodology for freight, passengers, and freight hubs. SmartWay will be integrated soon into the U.S. government’s federal purchasing and procurement programs, with a focus on allowing its partners to refresh and innovate the program.

Elsewhere, SmartWay recently completed a pilot program in Mexico that is designed to integrate with implementation in North America, and the program is positioned to be developed in countries like Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, and Peru (along with other countries throughout Asia, Europe, and more). Other countries will primarily adopt the same methodologies as those used in North America, albeit with varying focus on areas like technologies, training, carbon accounting, reporting, and so on to suit each region.

The landscape of the industry is evolving rapidly, as more global firms are looking for more and better data to support their supply chain efficiency efforts. “This will drive more green freight programs to not only enhance and expand these efforts, but to seek ways to align and harmonize these various approaches globally,” she explains.

In 2020, the EPA celebrated its 50^th active year, commemorating the implementation of the Clean Air Act in 1970. As an extension of the EPA’s continued efforts to make a better planet to live on, SmartWay looks to continue establishing a “common yardstick for comparing emissions performance,” to drive effective freight operational, mode, and technology choices.

The post Celebrating Two Decades of Green Freight Efforts<p class="company">SmartWay</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Also dubbed ‘neo-banks’ and even ‘challenger banks’ in some circles, these little upstarts are beginning to attract wary attention from big banks as the financial industry is buzzed by what are potentially significant disruptors.

As the number of Americans who now reject old-fashioned brick-and-mortar banking in any form has reached over 40 percent of the total, according to a 2021 study, it would appear that small, independent online banks are ready to become a significant force, and for good reasons beyond a lower cost structure: agility, willingness, transactions that feel less formal and more personal, and exuberant digital technology.

Youthful appeal

With the strong focus on personalized service and the option-rich adaptability that they offer a generation wanting straightforward, simplified banking, online banks know that reaching younger people is crucial. Especially with Millennials and Gen Z accounting for over 20 percent respectively of the United States’ population.

Online banking applications also offer an immediacy that hands-down beats ‘going to the bank’ in the traditional sense.

Some big banking institutions have earned a bad rap for turning all but their wealthiest clients into numbers—and for high fees. This is off-putting to many, particularly younger generations who place the importance of slick banking ease above the big-brother sense of security their baby boomer ancestors sought from massive financial corporations.

Instead, more and more young people—and some older people—are turning to online financial service providers that treat them better and charge lower service fees. The latter is made possible by the significantly lower running costs offered by an absence of physical branches.

The result? A new breed of small banks that exist only in cyberspace.

While making cash deposits is often impossible with such banks, many make up for the inconvenience with rewarding interest rates, low-to-zero maintenance charges, and no minimum balances.

For those concerned about the legitimacy of such banks, it may be a relief to hear that several of them have been around for generations before taking on this modern business model and are not all new kids on the banking block. Some of these banks have been with us for a while as subsidiaries of larger financial institutions.

Who are they?

One such banking veteran is Ally Bank. Its financial holding company offers everything from corporate financing and mortgages to savings and chequing accounts. Known originally as GMAC Inc., Ally Bank first made its name in the lending business in 1919 as a vehicle financier and financial division of General Motors.

Of course, those were the days when banks did not commonly finance vehicles—a decision that left them in the dust for a while after GMAC, Inc. joined the banking scene in North America.

Today Ally Bank remains a sister company of Ally Financial Inc. and continues to serve Americans with award-winning service and financial products—all online.

Other examples of neo-banks include institutions such as Revolut, a business banking solution targeting freelancers. Part of this institution’s appeal is its easy global payment option that covers 30 countries. Its customers can also draw money in around 150 currencies while being able to convert cash into cryptocurrencies on its easy-to-use app available on Android and Apple.

As a British product, customers get up to GBP 200 in withdrawals at no extra cost, followed by a two percent surcharge on withdrawals after that.

There is also Charles Schwab, amongst many others. Despite the bank’s lower annual percentage yield on savings, customers benefit from zero foreign banking charges and unlimited ATM withdrawals, with charges that are refunded monthly.

According to investopedia.com, choosing the best online bank is easy when one remembers to ensure that transactions are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in the U.S., and the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) in Canada. As with traditional banks, such online banking accounts should be insured for up to $250,000 and $100,000 respectively, even at smaller online financial service providers.

Big banks come back

All the good feedback about the positive features of online banks does not mean that customers at big traditional banks are uniformly unhappy. According to the study mentioned earlier, the deficit in customer satisfaction among big bank customers versus smaller regional banks’ clients has reduced from nearly 20 points to fewer than five in two or three years.

It is also fast becoming clear that the financial prowess of large online corporations such as “cash-rich tech giants like Amazon, Apple, and Google” are making a powerful impact on the world of financial service provision. Powerful enough to have big banking institutions that have been, until recently, slow to adapt, jumping to attention.

Anyway, it’s official: according to the Bank Administration Institute (BAI), banking as we know it is being disrupted.

Despite the historical banking exodus into cyberspace, data shows that even though 2020 brought about a tremendous upswing in online banking applications, the demand for in-person mortgage and loan applications and financial advice counsellors is growing.

It is precisely at this virtual fork in the road that online banking services without physical premises may take some strain as the battle of the banks intensifies.

Yet, with all that in mind, creativity, speed, and speaking to a target audience in ways that resonate with them are all elements to consider when wooing new customers, advises BAI. It therefore stands to reason that whoever capitalizes on combining a genuine sense of human connection with all the benefits and convenience of innovative online banking and great rates stands to secure their share of North America’s fast-evolving financial services segment.

The post Ripples Today, Waves Tomorrow?<p class="company">The Growing Presence of the Small Bank</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Boasting a breadth of economic prospects including forestry, energy, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, tourism, hospitality, and retail, the County is surrounded by abundant natural resources, indoor and outdoor recreational activities, and cultural events for people of all ages.

With a vision of constructing sustainable, healthy, and safe communities, the County’s expanding population is fueled by welcoming and affordable spaces, a diverse economy, and expansive scenery, and is primed for further expansion due to its advantageous location.

There’s a lot on the go in County of Grande Prairie, including work on Highway 40, a $106 million construction project underway to twin 19 kilometers from the city limits spanning into the Municipal District of Greenview.

“The County has spent approximately $44.2 million in 2020 and 2021 on the necessary transportation infrastructure construction and upgrades to service the industrial, commercial and residential needs within the region,” says Nick Lapp, Director of Planning and Development Services.

The Highway 40x East Connector is another critical project prioritized to increase safety, support new private investment, and enable economic growth and supply chain resiliency. “Traffic safety along Highway 40 is a continuing concern in the region due to traffic volumes, road configurations, truck traffic, and weather,” says Lapp. “This Highway is the primary connection of the region to a wider highway network in the south. Our region has had continued, consistent industrial growth which leads to both permanent and seasonal population growth,” he explains.

Industries that contribute to this growth include oil and gas, retail, forestry, agriculture, and tourism. The Greenview Industrial Gateway is also in active development stages, which will add to the increasing activity and traffic in the region. Indeed, a 2019 report states there is in excess of 10,000 vehicles per day on this highway and it services several large developments, including Norbord OSB, several major gas plants and associated pump stations, and other infrastructure. These traffic count numbers are continuing to increase as a result of increased resource-based activities within the region.

“The addition of a second bridge across the Wapiti River and lanes will help alleviate congestion and reduce traffic accidents along this heavily utilized corridor,” Lapp adds.

Other investment into local transportation network includes a $28 million budget for new road construction projects which includes approximately 53 kilometers of road surfacing and bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction, with significant upgrades to Resources Road for the future Nauticol plant and paving of range road 53.

The County also recently completed the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) with the City of Grande Prairie. This ICF adopted an agreement to identify the relationship between the two municipalities to provide shared services to the residents and ratepayers to facilitate and encourage collaboration and cost-sharing, ensuring residents receive efficient services.

A Fire Mutual Aid Agreement, the creation of a Labour Force Study, joint training and educational possibilities, and the incorporation of publicly available information are just a few examples of the services covered by these agreements. The County also committed to continue to provide financial support each year to the Grande Prairie Public Library and The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie—$302,509 and $75,000 in 2021 and $311,585 and $75,000 in 2022, respectively.

The County’s Workforce Development Group, which has been busy identifying current and future gaps in the workforce, and the Business Support Network, which creates information sessions and workshops related to trending workforce issues and engaging in the local business community, have also both been heavily involved in creating new plans and outlooks for future development.

“From 2020-2022, a collaborative of regional partners conducted labour market research, identifying current and future labour force challenges and requirements, as well as workforce development planning for the region,” says Hetti Huls, Economic Development Officer.

The work was led by the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie, MD of Greenview, Northwestern Polytechnic (NWP) and Alberta Labour and Immigration. More than 800 community stakeholders informed the work.

The culmination of that work is the Regional Workforce Development Strategy, a five-year workforce development “roadmap” that aims to ensure there are enough workers with the right skills and supports to drive strong economic growth across the region. “It sets out targeted short-, medium- and long-term actions to address current and future workforce needs across the region,” says Huls.

Although the region’s economy has historically been one of its strongest points, a coordinated, evidence-based approach to addressing workforce opportunities and gaps will better prepare local businesses and communities to compete in a fast-changing market.

To this end, in collaboration with the City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie, MD of Greenview, Northwestern Polytechnic (previously GPRC), and Alberta Labour and Immigration, the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce is in charge of the project with an analysis that identified six industry sectors as the main drivers of regional economic growth and as the best sources of employment for job seekers: production of chemicals, forestry, health care, alternative energy, and transportation. And, when it comes to addressing the County’s workforce and local business community, the Business Support Network is also doing some excellent work.

“The County of Grande Prairie Business Support Network was created to build strong relationships within our business community that will address common, current, local, and regional workplace challenges,” says Huls. “We have hosted a number of well-attended and relevant networking sessions and presentations over the past four years. These information sessions included the Best Practices for Government Hiring Programs, Human Rights in the Workplace, Cannabis at Work, a five-part Stigma and Inclusion Workshop Series, and a spring job fair.”

The Business Support Network comprises diverse groups and business leaders along with the Chamber of Commerce, Community Futures, Alberta Labour and immigration, regional tourism, the airport, and Northwestern Polytechnic. While its presentations give people an idea of what to watch for, what resources are available, and how to help people in distress in certain situations, the job fair held in March was also a successful venture, with more than 40 vendors and a variety of employment opportunities represented. Another fair is planned for the fall, with the Business Support Network working with local businesses to ensure they receive the resources needed to survive, especially coming out of the pandemic.

“We have also partnered with Northwestern Polytechnic to offer a customer service certificate program for front-line and management staff,” says Huls. “The Service Excellence Blue Pin program is an employee and customer retention strategy that boosts customer service skills and helps build customer loyalty by helping businesses stand out. Funding is possible for residents in part through Alberta Labour and Immigration and Grande Prairie Regional Tourism Destination Marketing Fund.”

The County of Grande Prairie BSN will award participants who finish the program satisfactorily with a program certificate and a “Blue Lapel Pin,” which signifies you have acquired the capability, expertise, and understanding necessary to deliver a fantastic customer experience.

To further investment in the region, the County’s Industrial Attraction Strategy is focusing on cluster development within a number of investment-ready industrial developments to offer industry access to rail, roadways, water and utilities.

“Building on previous work, existing data, and new forecasts, the County is identifying the target sectors that can have the greatest impact in attracting investment,” says Lapp. “Completion of Phase 2 of our strategy helped assess the regional supply chain, prioritized sectors, targeted sector leads, investment drivers and criteria, and conducted interviews with some of our major stakeholders.”

Many different sectors and subsectors have been identified as strengths for the region, including a number of subsectors within forest and wood product manufacturing, agribusiness, clean technology, and health care and life sciences. “A lot of our long-range planning has been done in advance, so things like zoning and area structure plans are already completed for a large area of land,” says Lapp.

The new Grande Prairie Regional Hospital has also been a huge success, an $870 million project that opened to the public in December 2021, offering additional acute care and outpatient services to a larger population area and saving time and travel for those living in northern Alberta, British Columbia and into the Northwest Territories.

Features of this facility include 243 private in-patient rooms, a 28-bed mental health unit, 11 operating suites, a state-of-the-art cancer center that includes two radiation vaults, and a 43,000+ square foot instructional space for a partnership program with the Northwestern Polytechnic health care streams.

“The regional hospital is anticipated to be a catalyst not only for increased health care services and better quality of life for the residents of the region, but for spurring further development of related industries and support services needed with such a significant and modern facility,” Lapp says.

While the County has faced some big challenges recently, including coming out of the pandemic and keeping up with the pace of economic growth, workforce attraction, and supply shortages, it has had its share of achievements as well, such as regionalizing its workforce strategy group, prioritizing growth nodes, and continuing to provide business support strategies to its business community.

In the coming years, the County of Grande Prairie has set attainable goals with a clear vision, planning to add to its already impressive recent accomplishments. “We’re looking to achieve additional industrial and commercial development, value add industries, and continue residential growth,” says Lapp.

Whether it’s finalizing its Workforce Development Group strategy or keeping partnerships strong so it can focus on growing the region, the County of Grande Prairie No. 1 is building for a strong future.

The post Strong Relationships, Strong Region: Building for the Future<p class="company">County of Grande Prairie No. 1</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

More than a century ago, Moose Jaw’s labyrinth of subterranean tunnels sheltered Chinese immigrants, and a little later, during Prohibition, reportedly (Capone’s niece claims it’s true) sheltered the world’s most notorious gangster, Al Capone, and his liquor distribution network. Today, its notoriety is as a notoriously fun place to visit—with notoriously friendly locals—and as a notoriously great place to “Get A Life” (more on that below).

Compared to other cities in Saskatchewan, such as 230,000-strong Regina, Moose Jaw’s population is modest at 34,999, yet the city boasts amenities and opportunities rivalling, and sometimes exceeding, much larger urban areas.

In Moose Jaw, benchmark house prices are $249,300, far less than $327,000 in Regina and $383,300 in Saskatoon. “Not only are we competitive across the country, we’re competitive across the province,” says Moose Jaw’s Mayor Clive Tolley. At present, the city’s building-permit value to the end of June is $73 million; last year it was about $66 million, another reflection of the growing investment flowing into Canada’s Most Notorious City.

Growth and recognition

From pork processing to power stations, Moose Jaw is a city on the rise. Aside from its unique character, Moose Jaw is one of the few cities in Canada where it is indeed possible to both get a well-paying job, and, unlike in Toronto, Vancouver and other cities, actually afford a home to call your own. In short, you don’t need to earn a six-figure or greater income to have a comfortable quality of life.

Much of the reason for Moose Jaw’s ongoing success comes down to the strategic, dynamic and growth-based approach to governance under the leadership of former Mayor Fraser Tolmie—who became member of parliament for the riding of Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan in the 2021 federal election—and his successor Clive Tolley, who took over as Mayor last November, along with the respective members of City Council.

Building its reputation both in Canada and internationally, Moose Jaw’s infrastructure and business investments are unabashedly bold, and the accolades keep pouring in. In 2020 Moose Jaw earned first and fifth place on the Best Western Canadians Investment Towns list, along with number three of ten of Canada’s Coolest Downtowns, number two in the Top 20 Small Cities in Canada, number four of the Top Ten cities in the Prairies, and ninth place in Canada’s 25 Best Places for Business.

Large investments

While many cities promise incentives to attract new businesses, Moose Jaw’s ongoing investment speaks volumes about the confidence existing companies continue to have in the city.

In mid-2021, century-old major retailer Canadian Tire marked the opening of its new Moose Jaw premises with a celebratory ribbon-cutting. Twice as big as the old location, the massive new store is a powerful sign of the faith the respected, century-old business has in the city and its supportive community.

“This will keep people in Moose Jaw, and support our local trading area,” says Jim Dixon, the city’s Manager of Economic Development. “And at over twice the size, they are employing more people, so it’s a really positive story.” With its 11.96 acres of land in a prime commercial area on Thatcher Drive, the Canadian Tire store is close to other key retailers, such as Rona and Walmart.

According to city officials, the confidence many businesses have in Moose Jaw is formidable, including Thunder Creek Pork. Owned by Donald’s Fine Foods, the major pork processor—which exports to world markets—is undertaking a multi-million dollar retrofit of a shuttered beef packing plant into a sow processing facility. The site, and surrounding land, is strategically located on a rail spur.

In coming years, it’s estimated that the company will make further significant investments into the facility. “This is a big deal to them, and for Moose Jaw,” says Dixon.

Dixon adds that a job fair, expected in the coming months, will attract dozens of future employees to the area.

Another company embracing Moose Jaw is Brandt Industries. Employing over 3,400 worldwide, the Regina-based business is opening a new utility-trailer manufacturing facility in Moose Jaw. With production set to start later this year, Brandt will initially hire 70 people, and eventually create about 200 well-paying new positions for assemblers, welders, engineers and other skilled trades.

“Brandt is excited to become an active member of the Moose Jaw business community and we’ll be hiring local contractors to prepare the facility for production,” says Murray Yeager, Brandt Vice President, Manufacturing. “Later, when the upgrades are complete, we’ll employ local vendors for everything from supplies and janitorial services to maintenance and snow removal.”

Water, water everywhere

For businesses of all types, from coffee shops to major manufacturers, water is vital for successful operations. Recently, Mayor Clive Tolley was on hand for the ground-breaking ceremony at the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant, which provides clean water to Regina and Moose Jaw and other parts of southern Saskatchewan. “At least 25 percent of Saskatchewan residents rely on the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant and the water it treats and delivers to customers,” he says.

Leading global design and engineering company Stantec has been awarded engineering for the project named the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant Renewal Project, as part of the Graham-Aecon Joint Venture. At $273 million, the project, slated for completion in 2025, will see upgraded water treatment for 260,000 Moose Jaw and Regina customers, as well as SaskWater, Buffalo Pound Provincial Park, and rural users.

“It’s essential for our future economic development, and this is going to secure the water supply for our area,” says Mayor Tolley of the new plant which, once operational, will be completely automated.

“This plant is going to be an economic driver, and industry will know they can locate here and have quality water. The City of Moose Jaw has received awards for our water, even though Buffalo Pound is a shallow lake. The water quality here is top-notch.”

Ensuring a sustainable source of water, the plant will benefit many industries, and especially agriculture, which will use its water for processing.

Agri-Food Industrial Park

For decades, agriculture has been the backbone of Saskatchewan’s growing economy. Located near the Trans-Canada Highway and a national railway, the Moose Jaw Agri-Food Industrial Park is ideally placed to export products both east and west, and south to the United States and Mexico.

It will also be the home to a brand-new power station, the 360 megawatt (MW) Great Plains Power Station. The power station will provide enough reliable power to meet the needs of almost 360,000 Saskatchewan homes, and “support renewable power generation and coal retirements,” according to information from SaskPower. Starting construction in March 2021, the power station is scheduled to be in service in 2024.

Costing $800 million, the power plant project will benefit the Agri-Food Industrial Park, and many agricultural businesses. With an additional 3,800 acres, the location is ideal for future growth.

“The Great Plains Power Station is creating power that’s an alternative to coal,” says Mayor Tolley. “We have water, sewage, railway, trucking, electricity, natural gas, and we have lots of land, so we’re ideally suited now for the development of agri-food industries. And the land is competitively priced.”

Aiming to attract businesses both from Canada and other countries, Moose Jaw is identifying specific industries, including pea processing, clean energy and, eventually, geothermal and greenhouse development to produce food and vegetables year-round. “The geothermal resource makes it affordable for those companies—like greenhouses—to be able to produce. It’s reliable 24/7.”

Some like it geothermal

Like many other cities back in the day, Moose Jaw had its own power company. Initially burning coal to produce electricity, the city started prospecting for oil as another source of fuel. During drilling, salt water at a temperature of about 42°C was discovered. In 1932, the Natatorium, a mineral spa and swimming pool, was built, created to take advantage of the water’s therapeutic qualities.

In the late 1980s and early ‘90s a new well was drilled, and the Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa was created. Additional research discovered a resource of even hotter water nearby, which could be used as a utility to create energy for industrial and residential use.

“We have the potential to develop industry that uses deeper geothermal well water—that comes out at a much higher temperature—that could have a variety of uses, including creation of a heat exchange system for greenhouses. It could be combined with wind, solar and natural gas to meet national targets and also spread the economy by using geothermal water,” says Mayor Tolley.

The city plans to drill two wells, one of them on an angle—a return well—so that cooled water can be channelled back into the igneous rocks, naturally re-heated, and then emerge back at the surface, creating a zero-carbon supply of energy.

Past meets future

From new business breaking ground to Saskatchewan Polytechnic starting its new Agriculture and Food Production Program within the agri-food industrial park, Moose Jaw is home to plenty of long-term endeavours and lots of exciting new ones. Since the 1930s, the area has been used for flight training, and is home to 15 Wing Moose Jaw, the centre of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) aircrew training. NATO Flight Training in Canada will continue for years to come; the contract was recently extended for another 25 years. Owing to its flat terrain and sparse population, the dedicated air space southwest of Moose Jaw is perfectly suited for flight training.

“It is part of our culture here, and will continue to be because of the airspace available,” says Dixon, who added that there will be increased air traffic in Moose Jaw thanks to a recent runway expansion project at the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport. The MJMA runway was recently expanded to 4000 feet, thanks to a project funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan and the City of Moose Jaw. The airport also features 12 hangars utilized by local aviation enthusiasts and businesses.

Get a Life

The City continues to adhere to the values of its brand as Canada’s Most Notorious City. The Economic Development team recently unveiled its “Get a Life” campaign, telling non-residents that they can get an unequaled quality of life in Moose Jaw. A notoriously fun promotional item they created was “Get A Life” cereal. They created mock packaging including a nutritional-facts label that reads “Notoriously Nutritious.” Under such “ingredients” as Time, Space, Friendliness and History, they say Moose Jaw provides 100 percent of the “requirements for a healthy, active, fulfilling life in Canada’s Most Notorious City—Moose Jaw, SK!”

When asked about Moose Jaw’s quality of life, Mayor Tolley recalls a conversation with a gentleman from India. Moving to Canada, he lived and worked in busy downtown Toronto for 30 years, at which point he sold his condo, and moved to Moose Jaw.

“When I asked why, he said ‘clean air,’” says Mayor Tolley. “He’d done extensive research. He had allergies and problems with his lungs and breathing and was absolutely convinced moving to Moose Jaw had extended his life and made it more comfortable. The only place you can find cleaner air than Moose Jaw is the South Pole.”

To this day, Mayor Tolley sees that gentleman from India who’s now a Moose Javian, out and about and walking everywhere, since he doesn’t need a car to get around. “Moose Jaw is a place where we can walk to the things we want to do, and that’s a tremendous asset for us.”

The post Notoriously Innovative<p class="company">City of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Combining natural beauty with a bustling metropolis bordered by beautiful cottage country, Peterborough & the Kawarthas’ history of innovation and business mindset dates back to Thomas Edison in the 1890s and the founding of the Edison General Electric Company. Of course, much has changed since then, but the area’s commitment to industry and advancement continues today, with internationally renowned Fleming College and its Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre, and Centre for Advancement of Water and Wastewater Technologies as well as Trent University, one of Canada’s top universities, and home to Cleantech Commons, set to become Canada’s premier clean technology research and innovation park, leading the way.

A number of other cutting-edge, technology-driven enterprises also look to expand in the area, positively impacting the future economy as they benefit from the region’s longstanding reputation for diligence, cooperation, and innovation.

A few of these thriving enterprises include Rolls Royce, BWXT, the Canadian Canoe Museum, Fairlife, and Peterborough Airport (CYPQ). The airport is implementing an Airport Master Plan Update that will take into account developing market trends and act as a visionary roadmap for the next 15 years, highlighting prospective commercial opportunities to boost the total economic and social value it brings to the region.

Prior to COVID, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) had created an economic development strategy for 2020 to 2024, labelling it Future Ready to address the region’s ability to adapt to world economic forces disrupted by technology and demographic shifts.

“We focussed on four key objectives: promoting for investment, entrepreneurship, leveraging the region’s urban and rural assets, and ensuring the right education systems were in place to create that talent line for the future,” explains Rhonda Keenan, President & CEO, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. “It was focused on innovation and sustainability and was ready to kick off in 2020. And then of course COVID happened, and it blew up everything.”

While the entire world was seriously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism and hospitality are still rebuilding slowly after several years of travel restrictions not only around the world, but within the province of Ontario. To address the effects brought on by the pandemic, the 2020–2024 Future Ready plan was modified to adapt to the new realities. “We also looked at how businesses were affected,” Keenan says. “I think every business was impacted, each in a completely different way, and uniquely for each sector.”

The PKED board wanted to revisit the Future Ready plan with a COVID lens on it, Keenan adds, and was pleased to see the initial plan stood the test of time, addressing adaptation and flexibility, and ensuring the area was focussed on sustainability as well as innovation. The plan was built around disruption. “I think that really stood out during COVID. We were doing the right things to support our businesses.”

For the Peterborough & the Kawarthas region, the business community is resilient and continues to adapt to meet the demands of the new economy while embracing sustainability, innovation, and partnerships, and also working to attract, train and retain future workers. Future business plans will also give the health and safety of employees, clients, and customers a new level of importance.

With a goal of capitalizing on the diversity of the region’s natural, built, and human resources over the next five years, the community also respectfully acknowledges the area is located on the Treaty20 Michi Saagiig Anishnaabeg territory and in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, known collectively as the Williams Treaty First Nations which include Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation.

“It’s vital to include these Nations in key decisions moving forward,” says Keenan. “We landed on innovation and sustainability as important elements that we recognized by working very closely with the two First Nation communities in this region.” The organization has a friendship accord with both First Nations and the communities surrounding them and has talked about the importance of sustainability in the seven generations that came before and the seven generations that will come after.

“We want to make sure we are providing a sustainable environment for [future generations] to operate in. Not only do we want clean water, air, and soil; we also want to have growth, job opportunities and prosperity for those future generations,” says Keenan.

Naturally, growth will be managed sustainably as the city is projected to expand from 83,000 to 125,000 residents by 2051, and employment to increase from 45,000 to 63,000. This growth promises to enhance the region’s diversity, business community, and economic activity, but of course doesn’t come without its challenges. Population growth also brings increased demand for space, infrastructure, residences and employment opportunities. “Pointing this growth in directions that will most benefit the economic well-being of the greatest number of residents and businesses will be key,” says Keenan. “Working with our partners on a shared vision for our economic future focused on sustainability and innovation will ensure improved economic prosperity, social well-being and ecological integrity for the region.”

Through its growth, Peterborough & the Kawarthas will remain dedicated to enhancing the singular experiences it offers to both locals and visitors, while embracing diversity and inclusiveness.

Certainly, COVID has brought further attention to the urgent need for sustainable development methods around the world to combat the virus and put the world economy back on track to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. “We recognized we needed to do things in a different way and that requires innovation to be able to get us there,” says Keenan. “New technologies and discovering innovative ideas, but with the lens of protecting our environment.”

With this framework in mind and as part of the Sustainable Peterborough Strategic Plan and Sustainable Development Goals, Green Economy Peterborough is a new, local network that assists its business members to make greener choices: cutting emissions, reducing water use, and lowering waste, as well as embracing other sustainable practises that are shared through coaching, educational opportunities, peer networking, and celebration events. Sustainable Peterborough is another local network that is focussed on localizing sustainable development goals for this region.

“Especially through COVID, we learned that businesses have had to adapt, take on new ways of doing business that they hadn’t necessarily thought about before,” Keenan says. “Green Economy Peterborough is an important piece because it shows you can be sustainable and profitable at the same time. There used to be a notion that you could only be one or the other,” but it is possible to enhance profits and be a good steward of the land and environment, she adds.

The region has also recently joined the Canadian Cities and Regions Initiatives which provides knowledge and tools to communities to introduce and accelerate circular economy solutions. In addition, the Innovation Cluster of Peterborough and the Kawarthas is also part of the economic development ecosystem in the region, providing start-up support for new technology based entrepreneurs, and Cleantech Commons at Trent University is a research and innovation hub in the region focussing on clean, green, low- and zero-carbon sustainable and circular economy solutions. Collectively, these initiatives and organizations are designed to draw in and enhance beneficial practices locally.

“We want to walk the talk,” stresses Keenan. “We don’t want to just say it; we want to make sure everyone agrees that we are a sustainable and innovative community.”

The Cleantech Commons research and innovation park, currently under construction, is a collaboration between the City of Peterborough and Trent University, who both recognize clean technology is a fantastic sector for growth. This green technology research and innovation park presents new opportunities for innovative private sector companies working with university researchers on solutions to global challenges.

“Trent had the lands, the city is supplying the infrastructure, and we’re able to make sure we have the space for anybody operating in that sector to have access to notable talent and research facilities but do it in an environment that celebrates a commitment to clean technology,” explains Keenan.

To enhance the development of clean technology solutions that address energy, environmental, and climatic concerns, Carbonix, Noblegen, and Karbon Brewing Co., all current members of the research park’s Cleantech Innovation Portal, are considering prospective tenancy at Cleantech.

Along with clean technology, the circular economy involves different sector outputs becoming inputs, with waste from one company being used productively in another.

“As we come out of COVID, this type of circular economy focus is going to become very important to this community overall,” says Keenan.

Along with green initiatives, tourism, of course, is extremely important for this area, which typically sees about three million visitors each year during non-COVID times.

“They’re coming into this region because it’s beautiful, it’s back to nature and, especially during COVID when everyone was locked inside, the desire to reconnect with nature and get out on the water and into the parks was a really important thing for mental wellness.”

Keenan adds that while many visit in the summer months, it is vital to bring tourists in at other times and encourage longer trips, in support of both economic and ecological sustainability. “How do we sustain that and help businesses that operate in that space grow their potential over time, so they have a year-round business and not just a six-month business?” she muses. “We want to grow the economy in a more manageable, sustainable way, because there are times where the notion of over-tourism can occur. We want to be respectful of our land and make sure it can stay in good condition for years to come.”

While spreading tourism out year-round is vital, Keenan is pleased to see a definite uptick in visitors this summer after the past two years.

“Our visitor services staff are seeing more traffic, more individuals calling to ask for help to plan vacations,” says Keenan. “It’s been very nice to see the return of the ‘loopers,’ the boats doing the Great Loop and spending some time with us in the Peterborough & Kawarthas region.”

Along with travel comes a strong focus on food, and the region has a new culinary strategy in place to further grow this already shining sector and strengthen the ties between agriculture and tourism through agritourism. “I think part of the benefit and luxury of this region is we’re so close to our local producers,” says Keenan, leading to the area’s strong reputation as a culinary leader. “Local farms are connected with chefs and our restaurateurs to offer that fresh taste and experience.”

These experiences include foraging trips into the forest and shoreline. Spotlighting fresh, healthy food helps attract visitors throughout the entire year, while allowing an opportunity to see firsthand where food comes from. “Our producers and farmers are also creating on-farm experiences,” says Keenan. “There’s a growing trend to spend some time on a farm and learn how food is produced and grown and then have a hand in actually harvesting and preparing it.”

PKED has also created the O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge, built in consultation with the First Nations regarding respect. “We ask visitors and residents to take the pledge to respect the land, respect each other and respect those that will come after us,” Keenan says. “We are really trying to get back to that authentic feel, to respect nature, the Earth, and the water. Enjoy it while you’re here but leave it so others in the future can enjoy it in the same condition.”

From a tourism perspective, the area is always connected back to the water, she adds. The Trent-Severn Waterway runs through the community and many of the townships, which provides a huge visitor draw, offering “things for boaters and paddlers to experience in each of the destinations up and down the waterway,” Keenan says. “From the time you enter the destination until you leave, we want it to be a positive connection back to the region.”

Over the next five years, with the help of partners from business, government, and education, as well as locals and tourists, Peterborough & the Kawarthas are well-positioned for sustainable growth, managing the future economy, and taking advantage of opportunities.

“We’re poised for growth, but we’re poised for growth in a responsible, sustainable and innovative way.”

The post Building the Future With Innovation and Sustainability<p class="company">Peterborough & the Kawarthas, Ontario</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The key to thriving, they believed, was Envision Saint John: The Regional Growth Agency. It was to be a sales, marketing and support engine for the entire region, and it launched on January 1 that year.

Envision Saint John combined the strengths of six communities: the commercial and industrial hub of Canada’s oldest incorporated city, Saint John, incorporated 1785; St. Martins, on the Bay of Fundy; and Grand Bay-Westfield, Hampton, Rothesay, and Quispamsis, on the Saint John and Kennebecasis Rivers, with a combined population of just over 130,000.

A new growth agency

The first of its kind in Canada, Envision Saint John represents a new model for a growth agency, one that aligns and combines the differing activities of attracting visitors, new residents, investment, and business under a single umbrella. The agency has one board, one leader, one budget, and one mandate: to foster growth in the region.

As Paulette Hicks, CEO of Envision Saint John explains, two years prior to the agency’s founding, the City of Saint John was undergoing a review of its three separate economic development agencies, which included Economic Development Greater Saint John; Discover Saint John (tourism); and Develop Saint John (real estate.)

“They were all doing good work, but the reality was they were separated, working in their own silos,” she says. Seeing beyond the status quo, the new city manager, John Collin, fully grasped the benefits of integrating the three agencies, creating an efficient infrastructure that would only be strengthened by including surrounding communities, while accepting their differing economic, cultural, and social priorities.

Hicks had spent 27 years in the hotel industry in Saint John and had worked in tourism with Discover Saint John. “In the hospitality industry we work with a number of partners, trying to sell the region,” she said. “At the end of the day, a hotel is a hotel, so it’s more about why you should come to this region. Collaboration and collective impact had always been a big part of my strategy.”

And now, after earning the post of CEO of Envision Saint John, following a national search for the right candidate, Hicks has put her passion for the region she calls home, and her talent for collaboration, to work on a much larger scale.

Tapping into local talent

First on the agenda were meetings with the mayors and councils of the surrounding communities, when Hicks spent time listening to what they hoped for if they bought into this new model. They unanimously agreed that they wanted the region to be a place where their children and grandchildren could expect a worthwhile career and life.

This is something that Hicks says will be achieved through the growth the agency envisions and the ambitious goals it has set for the next 10 years: to increase the region’s population by 25 percent; to increase the municipal tax base by 30 to 35 percent; and to improve regional brand perception.

Early in 2021, each municipality, with council support, signed a five-year funding agreement to invest in the new agency and its strategic growth agenda. Resulting from this regional collaboration, the Province of New Brunswick, under Premier Blaine Higgs, committed significant funding—$1 million annually for 10 years.

An important piece of the growth agenda, says Hicks, is the development of the “talent pipeline where we will work with post-secondary education and labour as our key partners and invest in education leading to the ‘careers of tomorrow.’”

Another key element involves telling Saint John’s story to the wider world. During the spring of 2021 there were still international travel restrictions as well as, on occasion, interprovincial ones, so Envision Saint John focused on attracting “staycationers” from other areas of the province.

One innovative tool was an engaging and witty three-minute video that eschewed the predictable lighthouse and lobster scenes many east coast promos favour.

Jillian MacKinnon, Vice President of Marketing Communications & Strategic Initiatives working with strategic marketing partner, Hawk Marketing, instead tapped into the musical talents of Grand Bay-Westfield musicians John and Lisa McLaggan, aka Tomato / Tomato, an upbeat quirky, bluegrass duo who showcase the region to the tune of the children’s song “Down by the Bay” with appropriately rewritten lyrics. Viewers start at the Imperial Theatre in uptown Saint John, explore the Sea Caves at St. Martins on the Bay of Fundy, cross the suspension bridge on the Fundy Trail Parkway, paddle on the Kennebecasis River, take one of the six free cable ferries across the Saint John River and visit the picture-perfect towns of Hampton, Quispamsis, Grand Bay-Westfield, and Rothesay.

MacKinnon, who grew up in the region and returned upon university graduation, says “I came back because I love this place and I’m happy I can work every day to promote and sell it. I am passionate about it and this job is a dream for me.”

Canadian Hockey League Memorial Cup

Just nineteen months in and with the pandemic not yet over, the agency’s bold plan to attract visitors is paying off.

The Canadian Hockey League Memorial Cup championship was hosted by the region this past June has put it front and centre on the national stage and generated a welcome $10 to $12 million windfall for hotels, restaurants and local businesses. “It was the first major win for us,” says MacKinnon, suggesting this is just the beginning.

The four-team round-robin-format ice hockey tournament held at TD Station saw the Saint John Sea Dogs finish with a 6 – 3 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings, having defeated the Shawinigan Cataractes and the Hamilton Bulldogs, taking the Memorial Cup for the second time in the team’s history.

At the same time were concerts and a variety of other events, many centered around the just-opened Area 506 Waterfront Container Village. This venue next to the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal, with a total of 54 modified shipping containers with 27 different vendors, a concert stage and a beer garden, will greet thousands of cruise ship passengers, leisure visitors and locals annually. The container village is just part of a total reimagining happening on the Saint John waterfront including new commercial and residential developments, performance spaces and improved access to the water.

“The Memorial Cup was a fabulous event and I have never seen energy like this in the region,” Hicks says, reflecting on how the event had come together because all six communities were on board.

“We had a short window to get in play, but our group came together with the Saint John Sea Dogs, when we asked ourselves, ‘How do we win this bid?’ We were up against Quebec City, which is a Goliath and has a lot to offer because it is a great destination, but we were determined. Why not Saint John?” she recalls.

“It was the first time all six mayors had worked together to go after a bid. We talked about it at a meeting on Friday and by Sunday night all six signatures were on the letter, which we took to the Premier. We explained why we needed this event in this province and he unlocked funds ($1.1 million) which brought other players to the table. The federal government contributed a further million,” shares Hicks.

“That was the first time we all saw how powerful our voice can be when we work together.”

Plenty to offer—less to pay

In the family-friendly small towns surrounding Saint John, and within its limits, home buyers can purchase dream homes along the Saint John or Kennebecasis Rivers, or on the Bay of Fundy, in the price range of $300,000 to $350,000.

At these prices, these properties are comparable to many costing $1 million or more in Toronto or other urban centres. Moreover, their owners can enjoy them in a peaceful, small-town atmosphere without sacrificing career opportunities and urban amenities.

These towns are only a 15-to-30-minute commute from the urban centre, which is home to the global headquarters of billion-dollar companies including Irving Oil, J D Irving, Cooke Aquaculture, and Moosehead Breweries; a vibrant tech community; state-of-the-art medical facilities at Tucker Park; and a port facility that is positioned to take its place as one of Canada’s leading ports.

Uptown Saint John also offers a rich and vibrant cultural experience, with fine dining, craft breweries, galleries, concerts, theatre, professional sports events, festivals, and retail facilities. “The region really offers the best of both worlds,” Hicks says.

Additionally, Saint John is also home to the Tucker Park Campus, which incorporates the Saint John Regional Hospital, recognized for excellence in cardiac care. There’s the University of New Brunswick at Saint John, home of the Integrated Health Initiative focused on systemic health care reform; the Saint John Campus of the New Brunswick Community College, with an allied health program; and Dalhousie Medicine NB, where doctors train.

Then, in 2021, came news about a Health & Technology District Saint John, which Hicks calls a “game changer.”

Health & Technology District

The Lark Group, working with the University of New Brunswick and Opportunities NB, has announced plans to invest $30 million to construct a building of 75,000 square feet, housing a ‘Health & Technology District’, which will begin construction in 2023. It will be similar to one the Lark Group completed in Surrey, BC, because as Hicks says, “this private company believes we have the right combination of conditions here to make it happen.”

The purpose of the Health & Technology District is to bring together innovators, entrepreneurs, students, and faculty to work alongside scientists, clinicians, and health care practitioners to develop new technologies and improve health care outcomes, patient experiences, and the economics of healthcare delivery.

“It will take Tucker Park to the next level,” says Hicks. “Any city across Canada would love this opportunity. We’ve been selected because we have a natural cluster of partners collaborating, and we also have an infrastructure that really suits this next investment as an innovative district for our region. By working together, we can transform the health care system and build a leading hub for technology in Atlantic Canada, and we’re leaning into that.”

Positioned for performance

In 2015, Port Saint John, operated by DP World out of Dubai, launched a $205-million modernization project to be completed in 2023, that, according to Hicks, will position Port Saint John as one of the only ports on the eastern seaboard with capacity for growth. It is currently Canada’s third largest by tonnage.

The Port sits on 70 acres, and offers diversified handling capabilities, including containers, bulk, and breakbulk. It maintains weekly container connections with MSC, CGM, and Haag-Lloyd, and connects Port Saint John with over 500 ports globally. DP World recently announced the addition of two much larger cranes with extended reach, enabling larger cargo ships in the port.

“Thirty years ago, there were decisions made that led to the port’s decline, but now we’re seeing transformational growth and we’re very proud,” Hicks says. “We’ve seen an increase in cruise ships docking in our port, but since DP World came in, we’ve seen massive growth on the cargo side. Thirty years ago, CP Rail left, but now it’s back alongside CN and the Irving-owned New Brunswick Southern Railway.”

Hicks believes that the increased capacity of the port together with dependable rail connections across Canada and the U.S. all the way to the Gulf of Mexico will help solve critical global supply chain issues for both importers and exporters.

“The growth that’s happening is substantial. We’re looking at filling between 500 and 800 jobs in the next five years,” says Hicks. “Our port is going to be the next great port in Canada.”

The post A New Model for Growth<p class="company">Envision Saint John: The Regional Growth Agency</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The best way to describe the area served by the Chamber, according to CEO Tammy Rix, is as “a community of communities,” which include Alberton, Lennox Island, Miminegash / St. Louis, O’Leary, Tignish, and Tyne Valley, along with another half dozen or so smaller municipalities and rural areas.

The best kind of mix

The population of just over 16,000 is an interesting cultural mix, with people of Mi’kmaq, Acadian, Irish, and Scottish heritage, joined in recent years by several hundred Filipinos who came as temporary workers and are now settling in and buying homes, and, the most recent newcomers, a Ukrainian family who received a warm welcome.

These communities are nestled in an area of approximately 1,100 square kilometers, a portion of which follows the Northumberland Strait coastline facing New Brunswick and continues around the northern tip of the island to extend along the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The area is away from the tourist hotspots of Charlottetown and Cavendish (of Anne of Green Gables fame), but only 40 minutes from Summerside, the second largest municipality on PEI, and like the rest of the island, offers miles and miles of sandy beaches, a relaxed rural lifestyle, and a surprisingly large number of businesses.

According to Rix, there are approximately 1,000 businesses in the region which range from lobster, oyster, and clam processing plants, which may employ several hundred workers, to businesses in the agriculture, forestry, and tourism sectors; ‘mom and pop’ retail offerings; and a variety of start-ups and service providers.

To date, 240 businesses have registered as Chamber members and together with non-Chamber members have created a truly diversified economy.

Prior to 2017, there had been a Chamber of Commerce in the area, but as Rix tells us, it was run by volunteers, “who did their best to inform local businesses about the importance of Chambers; having a full-time staff person has made all the difference in educating West Prince on what Chambers do. Chambers of Commerce can be champions in education and business and are making a growing movement of Chamber-led initiatives.

A chamber recharged

Then in 2017, the Chamber was rejuvenated with a new board of directors, and Rix was hired as CEO, bringing to the position 30 years of experience in business and with non-profit organizations. “I watched my father as an entrepreneur, and I understand the challenges faced by small businesses. This is where I’ve always wanted to be: in a position where I could help people be their best.”

As she explains, “the main goal of the Chamber at first was to discover what businesses were out there and get more of the business community engaged. I think we’ve done a great job of promoting businesses and getting people to know about all the businesses that are spread across such a wide landscape, but it is still a challenge.”

Still, it’s a worthwhile challenge, she says, because when people discover that a product or service they’ve been driving into Summerside or Charlottetown to access is offered in their own area, they are very pleased and that in turn positively impacts business. “When you visit and support small business you not only keep money in our region, but you encourage community and invest in entrepreneurship. This is what makes West Prince an awesome destination to live and work!”

When the pandemic lockdown came in March 2020, communication with business owners and managers was paramount. “Before that everything was going smoothly and working well, but when everyone was told to go home and wait, I was working around the clock some nights, just to get through all the COVID-related information so I could communicate it accurately to our members.”

Bizy in the Sticks

Whereas once the businesses were simply listed in a tourism guide / directory, Rix and the staff have, since the Chamber’s rejuvenation, been employing a variety of social media platforms, E-Newsletters, and training and skills development to keep everyone informed, including a series of podcasts with the catchy title of “Bizy in the Sticks.”

It’s a project the West Prince Chamber developed in partnership with the Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce, as part of the Rural PEI Labour Market Development Project, led in West Prince by Kester Nurse, and at the Eastern PEI Chamber by Sandra Hodder.

We listened in on a few of the podcasts, to get a flavour of what is going on in West Prince. First, we heard Ruby Lubigan, recent winner of the Chamber’s Emerging Business Award, being interviewed by Rix.

Originally from the Philippines where she worked in the electronics industry, Lubigan came to PEI in 2011 to work long hours in the seafood processing industry and improve life for herself and her daughter.

Four years ago, she opened her own food store, Sarai Sari, on the main road between Bloomfield and Alberton. She specializes in imported Asian food, a boon to the hardworking Filipino community who are out there solving the island’s labour force shortages, giving business and the island economy a real boost.

It wasn’t long before plenty of other islanders discovered that Sarai Sari meant ‘everything’—and not second-hand saris as they first thought—and that what’s on the shelves in Sarai Sari is very tasty indeed. As her customer base grew, Lubigan began offering seafood in season and specialities such as rolled pork belly. Now she’s set to expand her business with a lunch counter and take-outs.

A helping hand

Lubigan’s Sarai Sari is just one example of what’s possible for an entrepreneur who recognizes a niche market and enlists the aid of the Chamber and other organizations such as CBDC Western PEI.

Located in Alberton, CBDC is an economic development agency designed to assist the start-up of small businesses and the expansion and modernization of existing businesses with financial and technical services, including business counselling to individuals and small business owners and managers.

We also listened to Rix’s interview with Dr. Herb Dickieson, who retired after a 30-year career in family medicine at a clinic in O’Leary, but who has no intention of retiring from community service, which is what led to the Community Impact award he received from the Chamber.

For years he has been a tireless advocate for the region, speaking out on issues many care about, such as the proposed closure of rural post offices, and on the need for universal accessible kindergartens. PEI was the last province in Canada to offer public kindergarten, which it finally did as a result of the task force of which Dickieson was a member.

“Everyone is not in a position to speak out, or else they feel they can’t,” he told Rix, “but because I had the ability and the position, I believe I needed to.”

Most recently, his attention has turned to dealing with the shortage of physicians on the island which he believes can be remedied through a three-pronged approach, which includes accelerated recruitment, increased residency opportunities, and the development of a medical faculty at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown.

He is now serving on the medical faculty’s steering committee, working to develop it in partnership with Memorial University (St. John’s, Newfoundland), with the first class scheduled for 2024.

Dickieson, although not a businessman, is a Chamber member, and a visionary who realizes the impact community services have on the health of the economy. “If we don’t have enough physicians we lose rural hospitals, and thereby lose population,” he points out.

The corollary to this is that if the population leaves, then businesses will fail, as would a sound education system and rural post office—necessary components to attract and maintain a population that can contribute to a thriving economy.

Shake hands, partner

Western Prince Chamber of Commerce is very much a product of the rural friendliness and helpfulness PEI is known for, a place where neighbours help neighbours and where organizations like CBDC, individuals like Dr. Dickieson, and Chambers of Commerce across the island join forces, believing that when one succeeds, they all succeed.

But those are not the only partnerships. The PEI Partnership for Growth is a private sector-led alliance of 21 founding partners representing business organizations, industry associations and other supporters. In May 2022, the alliance put forward an Economic Action Plan, which is “looking at a bigger future for our island, by building resilience and sustainability in a changing world.”

This partnership’s work is only just beginning, but it bodes well for West Prince that the Chamber is joining forces with this forward-looking potent alliance.

Love Local PEI Campaign is an Island Chambers-led initiative that promotes locally owned and operated businesses and brings awareness to the importance of supporting local. The goal is to mobilize islanders and to increase their support of locally owned and operated businesses. Businesses can sign up for the Love Local, PEI Directory for free!

Another key partnership is with Innovation PEI. Although the organization is based in Charlottetown, it employs a staff of 47 across the province. In 2021 it provided support and guidance to 1,100 small and medium size businesses, offered 34 business-support programs, and recorded that 127 countries around the world had received PEI exports that year.

Mill River is rolling

While the entire island is a welcoming place, there’s one space in West Prince that is especially designed to accommodate both tourists and businesspeople looking for a meeting place, or maybe even a place to relocate their business.

The Mill River Resort, with 81 guest rooms, an 18-hole golf course which was given a 4-star rating by Golf Digest, an indoor pool, water slide, and nature trail, is a drawcard for tourists, weddings, families, and companies looking for a corporate retreat. And should anyone fall in love with the area and want to stay, that’s got to be the best option of all.

Rix told us that twenty-five years ago there were plans to develop the adjacent campground into a residential area. Two houses were built, but that was that. Now, however, things are happening.

Don McDougall, Rix said, has done a phenomenal job expanding the site and creating Residences at Mill River, with 26 executive homes, many of which have already been sold, and more under construction. With a golf course in their backyard and a three-minute walk to the river, these homes are proving very attractive to both retirees and working families looking to relocate from other parts of Canada, in particular Quebec and Ontario.

Also on the property is another development, Shops at Mill River, which will offer professional and retail services. Rix told us that already a law firm, an accounting firm, a physiotherapist, and an insurance company have leased space, but there are still spaces available.

This, like all the other businesses in the area, small, medium, and large, are proof of what can happen as a result of sound leadership, an entrepreneurial spirit, and beneficial partnerships.

The post Creating Opportunities for Business<p class="company">West Prince Chamber of Commerce, Prince Edward Island</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The Chamber, MacGregor says, has been operating for the past 20 years. She came to the position four years ago, bringing with her the experience and insight she gained working with businesses in the rural area since 2007.

Hodder has been with the Chamber for the past two years, working on a pilot project designed to assist the Chamber’s small and medium size businesses with labour market information, training, and podcast development, which has resulted in the creation of podcast production house Bizy in the Sticks, a joint undertaking with the West Prince Chamber of Commerce.

Bringing training home

Another activity of the Rural Labour Market Project involved surveying members to learn what training they needed and how it should be delivered.

Hodder says, “At the Chamber, we believe business owners or their employees shouldn’t have to leave rural PEI to get the training they need. With labour shortages, businesses can’t afford to have employees leave the site, or leave it themselves, so they’re looking for flexible training schedules, which could mean online, in-person, one-on-one, or small group sessions.”

The survey revealed that the greatest needs were specific training in promoting and marketing through social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook especially during the pandemic, and development of human resource management and bookkeeping skills.

The next step was accessing funding from various organizations to bring training costs down and organizing sessions that fitted with the business’s hours of operation.

So far, it’s been extremely successful, Hodder says. “Lori and I work very well together and we’re both passionate about helping small and mid-size rural businesses.”

King’s County, MacGregor tells us, has a population of 18,327, spread throughout a 1,684 square kilometre area that covers rural and coastal areas, eight municipalities, and two towns. One of them, Souris, on the northeast coast, is home to an interprovincial ferry terminal connecting the island with Quebec’s Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Another interprovincial ferry terminal in the southeast at Wood Islands Provincial Park connects the island with Nova Scotia, across the Northumberland Strait.

The other town, home of the Chamber office, is Three Rivers, situated on Cardigan Bay. It’s the result of a 2018 amalgamation of the former towns of Montague and Georgetown; has a deep-water port and a thriving summer theatre, and five municipalities—those of Brudenell, Cardigan, Lorne Valley, Lr. Montague and Valleyfield.

Kings County contains well over one thousand businesses, from small to large, which traditionally included the forestry, fishery, agricultural, and tourism sectors, but which now have been joined by the high-tech and clean energy sectors, along with newcomers who have fallen in love with the island’s relaxed pace, seeing it as the perfect place to open a small, niche-market business.

A resource for sauce

One of those new businesses is Souris Sauces, owned and operated by Jim Graham and his wife Josee Stewart, and winner of the Chamber’s 2022 New Business of the Year Award. After visiting the island and being charmed by it, the couple purchased a four-acre property near the town of Souris in 2018.

Graham had learned the art of home-style preserves from his mother while growing up in southern Ontario, and for 35 years his backyard garden was his solace while working in high-pressure occupations, first as an air gunner in the Canadian Military Special Service Force, and later as a quality assurance specialist in the automotive and concrete industries.

Nowadays his energies go into his garden where he raises vegetables, mainly peppers from seed, pollinated by the hives his wife manages, and produces, without chemicals or sprays, small batches of hand-crafted salsa, sauces, and hot pepper jelly on site. Other ingredients are sourced locally.

Retailers including Sobeys and Superstore are now selling Souris Sauces, also available at farmer’s markets. In the middle of a pandemic, he sold 10,000 units and is hoping to match that in 2022.

After attending a Small Business Growth Expo, sponsored by CBDC East and the Chamber, Graham, who had started his business with no financial assistance, learned how he could expand it to include a storefront operation by partnering with CBDC East, which matched the money he invested in the expansion.

Big rural dreams

We also listened to a Bizy in the Sticks podcast in which MacGregor spoke with Leslie Blake, “a big city girl with big rural dreams.” Blake, who grew up in Toronto, was a dining-room supervisor at a resort in the Muskoka Lakes, trying to find a life-work balance that included time with her husband-to-be. When her parents showed her their photos from a PEI vacation in 2015, she knew exactly how she was going to achieve that balance.

Six months later, on January 1, 2016, her dream became reality when, with husband and parents, she took possession of Ocean Acres Cottages and Deck Restaurant on the Fox River, between Murray Harbour and Murray River.

Although advised that the tourist industry was seasonal, Blake and family have turned Ocean Acres into a success, offering year-round fun. In the summer there’s the patio that seats 70 for lunch and dinner, along with an outdoor 40-foot saltwater pool, while in the winter there’s a skating rink, a fire-pit, and a partnership with Emerald Island Carriage Tours which offers horse-drawn sleigh rides to guests.

“King’s County is a great place to be,” says MacGregor. “What we say is ‘small area but big business.’ Even with the pandemic, things developed and businesses opened with lots of start-ups. Now we have a booming tourist season, and you can’t find a place to stay in eastern PEI this summer,” she says.

“People are moving here because of the lifestyle and housing affordability. We get emails regularly asking about relocation,” she says, sharing with us the most recent statistics on interprovincial migration which show that 1,484 people moved to the island in just the first quarter of 2022. While they are spread across the island, enough are moving to King’s County to make an impact.

Clean energy goes to sea

However, it’s not only newcomers and their start-ups driving the economy of King’s County.

MacGregor told us about Chamber member Aspin Kemp & Associates, Inc. (AKA). Led by CEO and co-founder Jason Aspin, AKA is a systems integration and engineering company that designs, manufactures, and supports power and propulsion assets for marine, offshore gas and oil, and land-based industries.

For the past 20 years, office headquarters have been in Montague, while a 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility which includes a mechanical fabrication area, a heavy electrical-equipment assembly area, and a large test bay with MW, LV, and MV capacity, is in Poole’s Corner, for access to the Port of Georgetown.

A global company, whose international clients include GE Energy, Transocean, Siemens, and Eaton, among others, AKA maintains branch offices in Owen Sound, Ontario; Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; China; and Singapore.

While AKA’s innovations have global implications for reducing GHG emissions, they also directly impact PEI. One example MacGregor speaks about was the recent unveiling of a marine hybrid propulsion system, comprising a diesel engine and electric motor that can drive a propulsion shaft either separately or together.

It will offer significant economic and environmental savings to the marine industry, including, as she points out, PEI lobster fishermen, who are dealing with high fuel costs.

The first clean tech park

MacGregor also talks about an exciting initiative announced in February by the PEI Government regarding a $25 million Clean Tech Park, the first of its kind in Canada, which will be built in Georgetown.

It will be built in phases as a hub for clean tech businesses and education. It will include a 44,000 square foot Clean Tech Learning and Innovation Centre, with a curriculum developed in partnership with the University of PEI and Holland College. It is expected to open in 2024, followed by a 25-hectare business park.

Making the announcement, Steven Myers, Minister of Environment, Energy & Climate Action, noted that “we’re not just building an industry, we’re building an opportunity to be innovative.”

It sounds as if the Clean Tech Park and Aspin Kemp & Associates, Souris Sauces, Ocean Acres, and the myriad businesses in King’s County along with the Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce and other partnering organizations such as CDBC and Love Local PEI, are indeed transforming the region.

Together, the residents of this county and the Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce are riding a huge wave of innovation that’s driving the economy forward in the smallest county of Canada’s smallest province.

The post The Smallest County with the Biggest Plans<p class="company">Eastern Prince Edward Island Chamber of Commerce</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

While visitors come for the idyllic beach and the energy of downtown Myrtle Beach, many people stay for the way of life and the economic opportunity and promise, which is why it is ranked as the fastest growing city in the U.S. by U.S. News and World Report for the third year in a row.

As people began working from home during the pandemic, many realized there were better places to live. With so many drawn to the natural beauty and moderate cost of living in the area, and the many amenities offered, the conditions were ripe for growth.

“We’ve had a lot of people move here in the last two and a half years, but we continue to see growth. We’ve reached an all-time high with both visitors and population,” says Sandy Davis, President and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation (MBREDC), which has, in turn, made housing a priority.

Of course, there is an acknowledgment that growing too fast can be a challenge so Davis and other leaders at the local and county levels are “planning ahead so we don’t have to catch up. We’re trying to forecast that a bit better and do a better job of controlling what we already have.”

It’s an exciting time for the Myrtle Beach region, economically speaking, and MBREDC and its partners are doing all they can to take advantage of opportunities that arise. One project, in particular, is the Firmina subsea cable project which is wholly owned by Google and will have a mammoth impact on the region.

The fiber-optic subsea cable will span 9,020 miles, running from Myrtle Beach to Argentina with landings in Brazil and Uruguay, making it the world’s longest single-source cable to South America. South Carolina was selected for its strategic location between other cable landings in Florida and Virginia Beach.

As part of this project, Myrtle Beach will benefit from a $31.5 million investment by DC BLOX, Inc. in a data center that will serve as a cable landing station (CLS) for the project. The value of this project to the region is likely to exceed $400 million.

DC BLOX has purchased 21.12 acres in Horry County’s International Technology and Aerospace Park and is set to open in the second quarter of 2023. The facility will have the capacity to support up to five subsea cables.

The cable makes the region ever more attractive to business and industry, especially tech companies, as it can operate from a single power source if other power sources become unavailable, meaning more reliable, redundant service.

“It ties a lot of different people in the tech world together and it seems that companies like Netflix, Hulu, Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, and YouTube, like to be close to these subsea cables because it offers a lot faster service with fewer interruptions,” says Davis.

The impact of the cable is yet to be felt, but Davis is optimistic. “It will depend on how many companies will want to utilize that and move to our area. Some companies may just choose to use the data center DC BLOX. They’ll house people in their facility. And some people may choose to actually build a facility, house their own equipment, and have their own people run it.”

Davis aptly equates the project’s magnitude to being selected for a new exit on an interstate project. The thing about exits is that while they open the door to opportunity and growth, like most opportunities, effort needs to be taken to make the most of them.

Luckily, MBREDC has the energy and desire to take advantage of the opportunity by promoting the room to grow that the area offers (Horry County is the size of Rhode Island and is characterized by so much more than just the beach), and the countless other assets that are available to investors and business owners.

Davis has been thinking of ways to support employers now that many people work from home, particularly since Myrtle Beach and Horry County have become such a desired destination. She poses an interesting question, “How do you compensate companies who allow employees to work from home, yet they’re not in your area, even though the employees live in your area?”

While this idea is investigated further, in the meantime, the focus remains on businesses within the regional boundaries, many of which are already making good on the existing opportunities.

In addition to the subsea cable project, many other businesses thrive in Myrtle Beach and Horry County. What’s more, businesses across industries and sectors are finding success.

Wild West of Myrtle Beach, Inc., a boots and Western apparel retailer, is investing $2.5 million to grow its physical footprint and team of employees. The plan is to add 50,000 square feet of distribution space to its operations and 40 new employees over the next five years to support its e-commerce platform.

Carolina Food Service is another local employer showing its faith in the community. The independently owned, full-service food distributor is investing $3.78 million over the next five years, an investment that will include taking up nine more acres in the Loris Commerce Park and the addition of 71 employees.

Without a doubt, conditions for growth are prime and the support and willingness of local leaders and organizations like MBREDC make economic success and prosperity highly attainable in the Myrtle Beach region and Horry County. One way this is being done is through workforce development efforts.

Committed to the importance of human resources, MBREDC works with local educational institutions on workforce development initiatives to ensure that there’s a trained workforce available to support growth and expansion activities, particularly in the skilled trades and manufacturing sectors.

As early as eighth grade, children are being exposed to a variety of career opportunities in the region to promote what careers are available and in demand. The goal is not only to showcase industry and its opportunities but also to bring the community together to promote growth and make economic success possible in the long term.

In the Myrtle Beach region, everyone is important, from those who work from home to those in manufacturing, professional services, retail, and more, which is why efforts are underway to ensure there’s something for everyone. “We’re diversifying, but we’ve found a way to diversify and still maintain the destination area,” says Davis.

In fact, diversity and inclusiveness are cornerstones of the quality of life in the Myrtle Beach region and enhance the experiences of all, whether living, working, investing, or visiting. While you might come for the beach, you’ll find a million reasons to stay. MBREDC and its partners are making sure of that.

The post Something for Everyone<p class="company">Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.