The CAEP SPARK - March 2026
- CAEP Author
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
LONG-TERM PLANNING FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE
Abundance. When you think about Central Alberta you have a choice: dwell on missed opportunities and the negative effects of change, or think bigger with a belief that the future will be brighter.
In 2026 CAEP chooses to define itself with a glass that’s well beyond “half full.” As provincial funding squeezes our member municipalities even tighter CAEP may face a reduction in our core funding from the province. That poses an incredible opportunity for us to do better on our own terms. CAEP now has more freedom to define our future in terms of how we operate and focus on our core strengths.
CAEP’s board of directors, led by Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay, have given us clear direction to implement a Three-Year Business Plan that outlines how and what CAEP does for the next three years.
Red Deer DRIVE was given the City of Red Deer’s support to establish their organization in January 2026. The following week, the City voted to continue CAEP’s funding and we are thankful for the support of the biggest urban centre in the region.
CAEP continues to be part of the discussion regarding the evolution of economic development in Central Alberta. We believe that we are at a pivotal—if not generational—moment in our economic history. As a result, we continue to have conversations with Red Deer DRIVE, Red Deer Chamber of Commerce and Community Futures Central Alberta to define roles and responsibilities while ensuring CAEP is strongly positioned to deliver valuable services to our members.
At the core are key deliverables that will continue to form the basis of CAEP’s services and support of local economic development professionals. We are directing our resources to the projects that increase the economic potential of all members.
We are doing this as we build Team Central Alberta, connecting our industry leaders with communities to increase the region’s investment potential.
We continue to be grateful for the support of our 25+ member communities as we continue to grow our CAEP membership—most recently, we welcomed the Town of Stettler as a new member.
In the meantime, there are many initiatives in the CAEP region that deserve attention. One of those is the Western Edge Manufacturing Summit (sold out) at Red Deer Polytechnic on March 11th, hosted by the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC). We encourage you to learn more about the excellent work EMC Canada is doing as a partner in the CAEP Region: https://emccanada.org/
CAEP will be attending the Rural Municipalities of Alberta Spring Convention in Edmonton on March 16-18, 2026, to connect with our rural members and Team Central Alberta partners.
If you are planning to attend, please contact me at psalvatore@investcentralalberta.ca to arrange a time to chat at the event.
We are also connecting with the region’s Chief Administrative Officers (CAO’s) at CAO Roundtables to gather feedback on CAEP’s goals and deliverables. As the bridge between CAEP’s representatives and the delivery of economic development programs, we want to facilitate greater engagement with CAOs in CAEP’s mission to advance economic development in Central Alberta. |
CAO ROUNDTABLE LUNCHEONS
CAEP is hosting two CAO Roundtable Luncheons to gain feedback from municipal administrative leaders on CAEP’s future goals and deliverables, including CAEP’s Three-Year Business Plan.
Wed, March 25 at 12:00 pm - Red Deer
Wed, April 22 at 12:00 pm – Innisfail
To receive an invitation please contact me at
REMINDER TO REGISTER
CAEP is pleased to host two new economic development courses in March.
Free to CAEP members!
ESTABLISHING THE FOUNDATION
Tuesday, March 24
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
G.H. Dawe Community Centre, 6175 67 St., Red Deer, AB
Economic development is the heartbeat of thriving communities. This session will offer participants a comprehensive overview of economic development concepts and provide guidance on developing strategic economic development plans.
REGISTRATION FEE:
CAEP Members: Free (up to 2 individuals per organization)
Non-CAEP Members: $350
Deadline to register: March 17, 2026
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Monday, March 30
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Nexsource Centre, 4823 49 Ave, Sylvan Lake, AB
This one-day course will help you craft, execute, and refine effective rural economic development strategies. Participants will learn how to identify and leverage economic opportunities specific to the context of your rural community.
REGISTRATION FEE:
CAEP Members: Free (up to 2 individuals per organization)
Non-CAEP Members: $350
Deadline to register: March 23, 2026
CAEP is pleased to announce the Spring Annual General Meeting will be held on Friday, May 8, 2026 at Wolf Creek Golf Resort in Ponoka, Alberta. Registration details coming soon!
Paul Salvatore, BA, ALUP, CLGM
Executive Director
Phone: 587-447-2237
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