June 2025 Newsletter
- CAEP Author
- Jun 11
- 3 min read
Welcome CAEP's New Executive Director
Central Alberta Economic Partnership (CAEP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Salvatore as its new Executive Director. With over 20 years of experience in economic development and public-private partnerships, Paul will work closely with CAEP’s Board of Directors to strengthen regional economic vitality, attract investment, and foster innovation.
“I am honored to join CAEP at such an exciting time,” said Salvatore. “Central Alberta’s location advantages and strong sectors in energy, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and logistics position the region for significant growth. I look forward to collaborating with municipal, industry, and Indigenous partners to build new opportunities for job creation and sustainable prosperity.”
Paul’s leadership will drive key CAEP initiatives, including an updated pre-feasibility study for the Connections Corridor, comprehensive community profiles to support investment readiness, and the upcoming Site Link Conference with Global Webster, which will bring international site selectors to Central Alberta this September.
Learn more about Paul’s appointment and CAEP’s vision for the future below.
CAEP's members and Board of Directors gathered for CAEP's Annual General Meeting at the Innisfail Golf Course on May 15, 2025.
A highlight of the event was the inspirational keynote address by Nancy Paish, CEO of Red Deer Regional Airport, who shared insights into the airport's strategic role in Central Alberta and the opportunities ahead for the region.
CAEP also shared updates on many key initiatives, including:
Community Investor Readiness Profiles Project:
CAEP was awarded an NRED grant to produce community investment readiness profiles for 10 regional municipalities, which are now underway. The participating municipalities are:
City of Red Deer
Clearwater County
Delburne
Innisfail
Kneehill County
Lacombe County
Red Deer County
Red Deer Regional Airport
Rocky Mountain House
Sylvan Lake
Connections Corridor Study Update:
CAEP and other regional partners have commissioned a transportation consulting firm, CPCS, to update a pre-feasibility study for the proposed "Howse Pass Corridor." This corridor is a road that would create a more direct transportation route between BC and central Alberta, running from Highway 1, just north of Golden BC, to Saskatchewan River Crossing in Alberta. The benefits of this corridor include enhanced access to inter-provincial trade, and greater economic development opportunities for the central Alberta region. The creation of this transportation route has been discussed in some form or another for over 50 years. With this study update, CAEP is poised to lead the conversation around the impacts, implications and benefits of constructing this corridor.
Performance Measurement in Economic Development Course
DATE: Friday, June 27, 2025 TIME: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm LOCATION: Red Deer County Office, 38106 Range Road 275, Red Deer County, AB
COST: Free to CAEP Members
All CAEP members are invited to take part in this course, delivered by the EDA Institute, free of charge as part of your CAEP membership benefits. This Performance Measurement in Economic Development course will focus on assessing, managing and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of economic policies and initiatives.
Quantifying progress and outcomes helps economic developers ensure that their strategies are on track and delivering the intended benefits to communities, businesses, and stakeholders.
What you will learn:
Differences between performance management and measurement
The SOME framework
Types of economic development priorities
Identifying business and economic needs in a community
Applying the Logic Model in measuring performance
Defining SMARTER economic development outcomes
Sources of data
Selecting metrics
Tracking performance
For more information, and to register for this course, please email:
Paul Salvatore, Executive Director
Central Alberta SiteLink Forum - Register Now!
DATE: September 3-5, 2025
LOCATION: Holiday Inn & Suites - Red Deer South, Red Deer, AB
We’re excited to share that the Central Alberta SiteLink Forum is coming to Red Deer, Alberta on September 3-5, 2025, and we want you to be part of it!
This dynamic event brings together economic developers, site selectors, and business leaders from across North America—and it’s a powerful opportunity to highlight the vibrancy, potential, and unique identity of Central Alberta.
For more details and to register for the event, visit the SiteLink Event page.
Help Us Showcase Your Region!
As part of the event promotion and onsite experience, we’re creating visual materials that celebrate the people, landscapes, and communities that make Central Alberta exceptional.
We invite you to submit high-quality photos of your municipality or region by
Monday, June 17, 2025.
Photo submission details:
Include scenic, industrial, or cultural images that represent your region
Ensure filenames clearly identify your region (e.g., Stettler_SunsetView.jpg)
Submit by June 17 so we can incorporate them into SiteLink's branding and give proper credit
Let’s work together to show SiteLink Forum attendees why Central Alberta is such a strong place to invest, live, and grow.
Submit your photos to:
Paul Salvatore, Executive Director:
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