The Saskatchewan government proclaimed May 7-12 economic development week across the province. This was a chance for local organizations to amplify the work that is going on across the province, says Verona Thibault, CEO of the Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance (SEDA).
Much of the economic development happening in Saskatchewan is happening outside the two major centres, says Thibault, and includes many different aspects of sustainable communities.
SEDA is constantly advocating for communities and community leaders and professionals have to be very future forward, she says.
“There’s always ebbs and flows in sectors. We stress that in Saskatchewan and of course there are so many opportunities now in certain agri-value areas, we’ve got the proteins and the cannabis.”
Keeping local and regional economies strong are going to be an important part of taking advantage of these opportunities and developing those regional and local ecosystems, says Thibault.
“That’s something we advocate here in Saskatchewan is not to forget about our local and regional economy and how we can strengthen those; buy for each other, get those ecosystems going a bit more.”
Everyone buys into buying local philosophically but in practice, it can be harder to sustain for many communities.
Locally and regionally, Thibault says the Humboldt area has a strong group of businesses and services available and a great foundation in regional partners in the Mid-Sask Municipal Alliance (MSMA).
Economic development is going to be a large focus of the MSMA’s strategic plan that the alliance is currently working on, says Celine Favreau, director of Operations & Planning with the MSMA.
John Gunther with the Ministry of Government Relations with the Saskatchewan government is encouraging community organizations, like the MSMA, to take this route during the SEDA conference at the beginning of the month, says Favreau.
“Our strong focus will still be being a planning commission, but the foundations you build from doing good, solid planning at the local level are huge when it comes to doing economic development.”
One strategy that the MSMA is already going forward with is their Investment Attraction Strategy where they work on filling municipally owned residential properties, and commercial and industrial vacancies in local communities. This is a way they can direct potential businesses and residents into investing and developing the region.
“We’re seeing this as potential investment opportunities in all our member communities.”
Thibault hopes to keep on seeing the regional economy grow in the Humboldt area, “seeing the regional buying, as well as supporting regional businesses grow as well.”
