Economic Development
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
iT ALL STARTS WITH THE RIGHT PLAN
Flying is the amazing result of technology, skills, systems and planning all coming together with a successful outcome when everything is done correctly. It also serves as a useful metaphor when considering other challenges in life. Especially planning.
Successful planning requires 3 key elements.
1. Where are you at?
2. Where do you want to be?
3. What is the shortest path to get there?
Leading the world is in our future if we simply make the right decisions.
Lethbridge is ideally positioned as the geographic hub of Southern Alberta to function as the economic, cultural and educational hub
Neither a large Raymond nor a small Calgary, Lethbridge is the perfect size to meet all our daily needs without all the congestion and challenges that come from a larger location. By effectively functioning as the economic hub of Southern Alberta, we are well equipped to double our regional economy without doubling our population. This means more money for amenities and essential services for health care, education and culture. At the same time we can lighten the tax load on business and residential properties alike.
GROWING FORWARD
Location. Location. Location.
Stationed neatly between Calgary and the US border, and between the BC and Saskatchewan borders, Lethbridge is well positioned to provide logistics and support services to the entire region. This means agricultural products can be brought in, processed, and finished products easily shipped to markets across Canada and the USA, as well as overseas. Meanwhile equipment, labour, training, expertise and support for every one of the industries in our are can be readily accommodated.
Agriculture
Canada has long been the breadbasket to the world. This is due in no small part due to the extremely productive irrigated farmlands of Southern Alberta. Everything from food, feed and oil-seed grains, pulse crops, root crops, legumes and tubers are grown here. Meanwhile every type of livestock including dairy and poultry are all raised here. Looking ahead we can take advantage of are other natural assets to become more heavily involved in aquaponics and nutraceuticals.
Aquaculture
An emerging area for the region is the business of growing seafood in lakes and contained ponds using recirculating pumps. Products can include trout, char, sturgeon, prawns and crayfish. Facilities may utilize alternate energy and recycle waste from agriculture and food production. They may even be combined with aquaponics and nutraceuticals to increase land utilization.
Processing
Producing foods is only the first step in the value chain from farm to fork. Turning these into more useful forms is a huge industry that includes primary, secondary and finished processing ready for use. Consumed domestically or for export enables us to balance our trade with imports in order to strengthen our dollar while keeping interest rates and inflation low.
Tourism
Our proximity to a wide range of natural attractions including the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, provincial parks, and a range of indoor and outdoor sports and cultural events makes Southern Alberta a great place for locals and visitors from around the world.
Energy
We are blessed with an embarrassment of energy riches including conventional sources of coal, oil and natural gas to renewables such as solar, wind, biomass and low-head hydro-electric energy production. In the future, low-delta geothermal and a range of energy storage solutions can be developed and deployed here. Finally we have an opportunity to expand on our waste-to-energy projects.
Education
With two world-class educational institutions, The University of Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Community College we take students from across Canada and around the world. We have the best of both academic education and technical training needed to fill a wide range of needs for skilled workers and tomorrow’s professionals.
Government
Not often thought of as an industry, Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments provide a range of essential services and support facilities that fills the gaps that private enterprise is not always able to perform. Being in the geographic centre, Lethbridge is uniquely positioned to serve all of Southern Alberta.
Health Care
One of the biggest public expenditures, this covers an amazing array of services from family doctors to hospitals and clinics to pharmacies, diagnostics and laboratory services. Looking to the future we will benefit from expanded health research and education.
Logistics
Getting supplies and parts in, and finished products to market is essential to the value chain. As a geographic and commercial hub the opportunity to provide multi-modal rail, truck and air transportation, forwarding, shipping, warehousing and tracking services. Even a Free Trade Zone where the import and processing of goods and materials for re-export may be in the cards for us.
Manufacturing
Adding value by processing and assembly through the use of technology and skilled labour are among the most beneficial and rewarding activities we can become involved in. Areas of current and future potential includes aviation, energy, automotive, agricultural equipment, consumer goods, furnishings and construction materials.
