The CAEP SPARK - September 2026
Municipal Leaders Align Around Investment Attraction and a Stronger Regional Voice
Mayors and Reeves from across Central Alberta met in Innisfail on September 3, 2026 to help define the region’s economic development priorities and the role Central Alberta Economic Partnership (CAEP) should play in advancing them.
The message from the room was clear: Central Alberta benefits when its municipalities work together on the economic development opportunities that are bigger than any one community.
Municipal leaders identified two areas where CAEP can provide strong and unique regional value:
Promoting Central Alberta to prospective investors in Canadian and international markets; and
Advocating with governments and other decision-makers for regional projects, infrastructure and policies that strengthen Central Alberta’s competitiveness.
Those priorities closely align with CAEP’s new Three-Year Business Plan, which is focused on Empowering Investment Attraction in Central Alberta.
A key vehicle for that work is Team Central Alberta, CAEP’s industry partnership and regional investment marketing brand.
CAEP members are busy planning their budgets for 2027. To help support this process, download a two-page summary of CAEP’s projects and focus areas that clearly demonstrates how CAEP will deliver value to our members over the next three years.
Some highlights include:
CAEP's new Economic Data Portal with regional and community data and reports to help CAEP members respond faster to investor questions, build stronger investment packages, improve investor readiness.
Regional Investment Attraction Strategy: Developing this strategy will begin with a series of workshops this winter on Land Development, Commercial Development and Housing. The workshops will deliver investment attraction tools and resources for our members and contribute to the development of a regional strategy to attract more investment to Central Alberta.
Team Central Alberta: CAEP's industry partnership program and regional investment marketing brand. Team Central Alberta brings together municipalities, businesses, educational institutions and regional organizations under a common banner to take Central Alberta’s investment opportunities to market. CAEP will develop a Central Alberta International Market Development Strategy to enable Team Central Alberta to effectively target priority markets aligned with regional sector strengths.
Networking and professional development events and courses.
CAEP will also continue its government advocacy for projects, infrastructure and policies that support regional economic growth.
We always want to hear from our members about the services you’d like CAEP to deliver. Reach out to us anytime, or stay tuned for our Members Survey later this month.
And we can’t wait to see you at the Fall General Meeting in Lacombe on November 18, 2026. Registration is open now! For more details and to register, visit the event page on CAEP’s website.
Powering Investment in Central Alberta: Moving from Idea to Execution with AltaLink
Join CAEP and AltaLink—Alberta’s largest electricity transmission provider—for a virtual Lunch and Learn to hear about Alberta’s electrical system and what it means for investment attraction in Central Alberta.
This practical discussion will help CAEP members better understand how AltaLink works with communities, industry and project proponents to support safe, reliable and affordable connections to Alberta’s electricity grid. Members will gain insight into how working with the transmission provider can strengthen investor readiness and help support Central Alberta as a competitive location for future growth.
Speaker: Colin Harvey, Municipal & Community Relations Manager, AltaLink
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026 | 12:00 - 1:00 pm
A calendar invitation has been emailed to all CAEP members to attend this virtual event. For more information—or to request the calendar invitation—please contact Marta Bristow at mbristow@investcentralalberta.ca
CAEP Fall General Meeting—Registration Now Open!
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Time: 8:30 am – 1:30 pm
Location: Lacombe Golf and Country Club, Lacombe, AB
Join us for our 2026 Fall General Meeting — a gathering designed to share progress, exchange ideas, and strengthen collaboration across the region.
You’ll hear updates on CAEP’s ongoing initiatives, opportunities for regional economic growth, and insights on key trends shaping Central Alberta’s future. It’s also a chance to connect with municipal leaders, business representatives, and community partners who are committed to building a vibrant, resilient economy in Central Alberta.
Meeting Theme: Trade, Resilience & Regional Opportunity: Positioning Central Alberta for What’s Next
Trade tariffs continue to create new pressures for Alberta businesses, supply chains and communities. A panel of experts will discuss what changing U.S. trade measures mean for Central Alberta municipalities and businesses, with a focus on practical, proactive responses.
To view the meeting agenda and to register, visit the event page on CAEP’s website.
NEW! Economic Development Course: Business Investment and Attraction – Save the Date!
Date: Tuesday, December 8, 2026
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Red Deer Polytechnic, Red Deer, AB
Join CAEP and the EDA Institute for a course designed for economic development practitioners and decision-makers who want to learn more about attracting new business investment, supporting business expansion, and strengthening community investment readiness. The course provides a practical framework for understanding what investors and site selectors look for, how investment decisions are made, and how communities can position themselves to compete effectively in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
CAEP Member Organizations: Free registration for up to 2 individuals
Non-CAEP Members: $350
To register, visit the event page on CAEP's website.
Paul Salvatore, BA, ALUP, CLGM
Executive Director
Phone: 587-447-2237
