Last week, the federal government announced two initiatives that would see a total of $5.2 million going to help support Alberta businesses.
Jim Carr, Special Advisor for the Prairies was on hand in Calgary and Edmonton on 12 November 2020, on behalf of Mélanie Joly, Canada’s minister of economic development and the minister overseeing Western Economic Diversification Canada, to make the announcements.
In Calgary, Carr announced $2 million in business ecosystem support for these 13 non-profit organizations in Southern Alberta:
- Alberta Clean Technology Industry Alliance
- Alberta IoT
- Calgary Chamber of Commerce
- Calgary Economic Development
- Canadian Environmental Technology Advancement Corporation
- Creative Destruction Lab Rockies
- Economic Developers Alberta
- Economic Development Lethbridge
- Mount Royal University – Business Scale Up Program
- National Angel Capital Organization
- The A100
- The Alberta Food Processors Association
- University of Calgary – Biosafety Level 3 lab
In Edmonton, he announced $3.2 million in business ecosystem support for these 17 non-profit organizations in Northern Alberta:
- Alberta Chambers of Commerce
- Alberta Community and Co-operative Association
- Alberta Innovates
- BioAlberta
- Business Link Alberta
- Community Futures Grande Prairie & Region
- Community Futures Wood Buffalo
- Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers
- Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
- Edmonton Global
- Edmonton Health City
- Environmental Services Association of Alberta
- Fort McMurray Construction Association
- Innotech Alberta Inc.
- Start Up TNT
- Supply Chain Management Association of Alberta
- Technology Alberta
These 30 organizations provide such business support services as mentorship, networking, skills training, market intelligence, and transitioning to a digital marketplace.
Funding for the two initiatives will come from the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund, which was was established this past May to reduce the financial pressure on businesses due to the pandemic and allow them to keep operating
According to the announcements, the two initiatives would collectively support about 4,000 jobs: over 2,700 in Southern Alberta and over 1,200 in Northern Alberta. It wasn’t clear what kind of jobs those would be.
