The CAEP SPARK - May 2026

BUILDING MOMENTUM ACROSS CENTRAL ALBERTA

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Central Alberta Economic Partnership (CAEP) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 8.

The day brought together municipal leaders, industry partners, economic development professionals and other regional stakeholders for a practical and energizing conversation about where Central Alberta is heading — and what we need to do together to keep building investment momentum.

The message was clear: Central Alberta is strongest when we act as one region.

New Tool: CAEP’s Economic Development Data Platform

A major AGM highlight was the introduction of the new CityViz economic development data platform exclusively for CAEP members.

This platform will help communities build a more cohesive investment attraction story. It provides regional and community-level data on population, labour force, business counts, transportation, broadband, social infrastructure, power infrastructure and other key indicators. It also includes report-building tools that can generate charts, maps, data tables and investment packages.It will help members:

• Respond faster to investor questions

• Build stronger investment packages

• Use consistent and current data

• Compare opportunities across the region

• Support community profiles, grant applications and business cases

  
  

CAEP will be hosting Lunch and Learn sessions in the coming months to help members access the full benefits of the platform, and generate custom reports that will directly support economic development in your community.

Three-Year Business Plan: Moving from Vision to Delivery

CAEP also presented its Three-Year Business Plan for 2026–2028. 

The plan is designed to help CAEP transition from a government-subsidized organization to a self-sustaining, member-valued regional economic development organization. Its purpose is to accelerate shared economic prosperity by building the regional capacity, connectivity and credibility that help members compete in the global marketplace.

The plan is built around five strategic objectives:  Build trust and deliver visible wins Build a regional data hub Attract investment through Team Central Alberta Build member capacity and strengthen the regional economic development ecosystem Become financially independent  To keep this work accountable, CAEP will introduce a Report Card with KPIs at future Spring and Fall General Meetings.

Team Central Alberta: Building the Regional Investment Engine

Team Central Alberta will be a major focus in the year ahead—expanding industry participation, building stronger investment relationships and creating opportunities in sectors where Central Alberta has clear advantages, such as: 

• Transportation and logistics

• Agriculture, agtech and agri-food

• Energy and carbon capture

• Advanced manufacturing

• Digital infrastructure

• Construction, financial services, technology and other enabling sectors 

  
  

Our next steps include recruiting industry partners, developing a regional investment prospectus, participating in site selector events and supporting an international market development strategy aligned with regional strengths.

Member Spotlight: Immigration as Economic Development

Thank you to Immigration Care for their presentation at the AGM, which made an important point: immigration is not just a workforce issue. It is an economic development tool.

For Central Alberta, immigration can support labour shortages, entrepreneur attraction, business succession, investment growth and specialized skills needs. The session also highlighted that immigration policy is changing quickly, and communities and businesses need to plan earlier, document carefully and know which pathways may apply before a need becomes urgent.

To share your own perspectives on immigration policy, Immigration Care invites you to respond to this public survey from the Government of Canada about proposed Express Entry reforms.

What Happens Next

CAEP is already moving AGM priorities into action.

In 2026–2027, members can expect: 

• Continued expansion of Team Central Alberta—building key industry partnerships to advance regional economic growth

• Lunch and Learns on the new economic data platform

• Regional Land Development and Investment Attraction Strategy workshops

• Continued delivery of The Secret Sauce workshop for elected officials

• New EDA workshops and member learning opportunities

• Development of a CAEP members-only website portal

• A digital marketing plan to strengthen CAEP communications

• Completion of an MOU with Red Deer Polytechnic

• Ongoing government relations work

• Modernization of CAEP’s Articles of Association 

  
  

CAEP’s role is to help Central Alberta compete as one region. With stronger data, clearer priorities, deeper partnerships and a growing Team Central Alberta network, we are building the foundation for the next phase of regional economic development.

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Paul Salvatore, BA, ALUP, CLGM

Executive Director  

Email: psalvatore@investcentralalberta.ca

Phone: 587-447-2237

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