On Tuesday, November 26 I had the pleasure of attending the ACC Fall Board meeting and Deputy Ministers’ Dinner in Edmonton. The sessions during the day were very timely and informative, followed by an evening Q & A with the Deputy Ministers.

Initial results from the Alberta Perspectives Survey, which focused on red tape reduction, were shared. Across the province, the top three barriers to business identified at a municipal level included municipal franchise fees, mill rates and permitting fees. The survey also showed that business confidence has decreased 20% since the first survey was conducted in June. Please stay tuned for full survey results to be released.

Another educational session included succession planning for Boards, organizations and businesses. Succession planning is an ongoing process that must take a long-term approach. There are many variables to consider and it should be something all businesses/organizations plan for.

Over lunch, Honourable Tanya Fir, Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism discussed recent Alberta trade missions, growth sectors for the future (artificial intelligence, tourism and film/TV) and the 10-year tourism strategy.

In the afternoon, representatives from the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) and Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) along with ACC President and CEO, Ken Kobly spoke on red tape reduction. Economist, Katherine White also provided her insights on the Alberta Fair Deal panel, and discussed the differences between equalization and stabilization payments.

To close out the day, attendees dined with 26 Deputy Ministers/Assistant Deputy Ministers. A question and answer session followed, which was moderated by Mr. Jason Krips, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism.

Respectfully submitted,
Heather Bitz
Executive Director