A new committee will focus on a new model for economic development in the City of Red Deer.
On Monday, city council unanimously approved the formation of the Ad Hoc Economic Development Committee. The formation of this committee comes after council adopted the Red Deer 2050 vision this past June.
One of the core pillars of this vision is prosperity, with the goal to create a thriving, diverse and innovative business environment that positions Red Deer for sustained regional, national and global growth.
"The Ad Hoc Committee will advise council with a report outlining the methodology, learnings and recommendations for how to achieve vision and desired state of prosperity. Council will use this report to make a decision on a governance model and path forward including resourcing," states a report, prepared by city manager Tara Lodewyk and general manager Mike Olesen, that was presented to council on Monday.
The report indicated there were three rationales for council to approve the formation of an Ad Hoc Economic Development Committee:
— It drives Red Deer toward a desired state of prosperity with our community.
— It evolves the approach to economic development in Red Deer.
— The municipality benefits when our community is thriving.
The idea for the committee originated from focus group discussions during the Red Deer 2050 planning process. Representatives from Red Deer’s Chamber of Commerce and Red Deer Polytechnic were part of this group, ultimately identifying that community leaders are critical to Red Deer’s economic success and co-ordinated action is needed for Red Deer to grow and develop.
The committee will aim to bring together diverse partners from across the community. The committee will include fewer than 10 members to facilitate efficient progress within an established timeframe.
The committee will gather input and ensure its recommendations reflect the needs and aspirations of the entire Red Deer community. It will focus on recommending a path forward and overall model to achieve the future vision for economic development in Red Deer. This would include a report that outlines a methodology, learning and recommendations.
Council will receive the committee’s recommendations in April 2025, with decisions on how to proceed expected by June 30, 2025. Recruitment for the committee will begin immediately, with the goal of finalizing membership by this November.
