The City of Red Deer has partnered with Red Deer County and Red Deer Polytechnic to gather Business Retention and Expansion and Workforce Development (BREWD) information from local businesses.
The project, known as BREWD, is launching with the goal to support local business growth and address workforce challenges. This portion of the project is focused on collecting data that will be used to assess the needs of local businesses and develop a targeted action plan for economic prosperity.
The City of Red Deer, Red Deer County and Red Deer Polytechnic have joined forces with partners across Central Alberta to collect the data that will help them understand what is driving the local economy and what challenges local businesses face.
“The data collected will help decision-makers better understand what is needed to drive local businesses forward so they can grow and succeed,” said Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston.
“This will help to create a thriving business environment that supports existing businesses and attracts new investment.”
Red Deer County Mayor Jim Wood said regional collaboration "is essential to fostering a robust business community that drives economic development."
“By uniting our strengths and resources, we ensure that our region remains competitive, resilient, and poised for long-term success," said Wood.
The initiative was brought forward by a regional collaboration of business, post-secondary institutions and communities, as well as provincial and federal agencies and governments looking to grow business in Central Alberta.
“Through this initiative, Red Deer Polytechnic is pleased to partner with organizations from across the region to work together to support the region’s economic landscape,” said Patrick Machacek, RDP's vice-president of development and partnerships.
“The information we receive will assist us at Red Deer Polytechnic to continue growing industry-relevant education, training and applied research opportunities that contributes to Alberta’s productivity and competitive workforce.”
To learn more about this initiative, including a listing of all partner organizations, and to take the survey, visit centralalbertafirst.ca between Jan. 23 and Feb. 28.