www.albertatradecorridor.com A screenshot showing the homepage and the three partners in the Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor initiative. Medicine Hat is hosting this year's Local to Global Forum from March 6-8.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Sixty economic developers, elected officials and business leaders from Eastern Alberta will gather today in Medicine Hat for the Global to Local Forum.
The annual event, put on by trade associations along the Saskatchewan boundary, returns to the Hat just as it completes a series of major economic development announced.
The conference’s location rotates annually, but those who attended a mixer on Wednesday ahead of the conference noted the Hat’s success to attract major firms such as Aurora Cannabis to make major investments.
“Medicine Hat has been looking to diversify and they’re having success,” said Jay Slemp, chair of the Palliser Economic Partnership, which includes Medicine Hat, Cypress County, Redcliff and other towns and counties in the region.
The Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor is a joint venture of PEP and Alberta HUB, comprising northern communities east of Edmonton.
Slemp, who is based in the Special Areas, said rural communities face common problems, but have a common desire to grow their economic prospects.
He points to recent success in the Hat, but also with wind farms and rail yards in Oyen and drone research facilities in Foremost.
“Small towns are looking hard for solutions and they’re finding some,” said Slemp.
The events will provide delegates with analysis of issues ranging from telecommunications, major energy and power projects, and the U.S., Mexico, Canada Trade agreement.
A set of presentations from cannabis and hemp companies this afternoon will be followed by a panel discussion.
“The agenda is really relevant this year,” said Walter Valentini, executive director of the PEP.
Talks will focus on major projects but also how hemp may fit into crop rotation or a business plan for ag producers when questions remain about the eventual size of the market.
From an economic development standpoint, said Valentini, the goal is also to derive the highest value from the production.
“We have some big players in the area, now what else?” he summed up.
The event’s final sessions on Friday morning will touch on the recently negotiated update to the North American Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) and will include analysis from officials with the province’s trade and investment ministry, the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Speakers will also present on short-line railways, a potential changes to the Alberta high-load highway corridor.
Thursday’s mid-morning session is dedicated to communications networks and rural broadband expansion.
“One focus has been on transportation and broadband, which essentially is just another form on transportation,” said Medicine Hat city councillor Jim Turner, the vice-chair of PEP.
