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"I get your emails regularly and I just want you to know how much I really appreciate them.  I don't always have the time to participate in the sessions that you offer, but your e-Newsletters keep me up to date on what's happening on an on-going basis"

Shelley Gregorash, Member of the Canmore Business Registry, Oct 2, 2009

Build A Better Business Learn at Lunch Series

In 2008, in partnership with Canmore Rotary, Bow Valley College and Community Futures Centre West, coordinated a monthly luncheon speaker series.  Quality speakers with practical business-related topics are brought in to encourage the development of quality business & management skills. The series kicks off every fall with a networking session that teaches networking skills and provides a forum to use these skills as part of the training.  In 2006, the Canmore Rotary Club won the award for “Community Partnerships” with this program.

CEDA e-News

Reaching almost 800 subscribers, with a higher-than-average “open rate”, this voluntary electronic newsletter is offered to members of the Canmore Business Registry.  In concise emails, CEDA distributes news necessary for informed business planning and decision making. It may be anything from economic indicators and factors impacting the Bow Valley to event schedules that encourages businesses to participate and/or plan their own promotions.

Tourism Marketing Support

CEDA worked with Tourism Canmore and the Town of Canmore to see changes to the Business Registry that would provide significant increased funding for tourism marketing to the community.  Funding increased from just over $40,000 in 1996 to $150,000 by 2008.  Matched with Tourism Canmore members themselves and Travel Alberta Tourism Destination Regions, Tourism Canmore is able to increase marketing budgets to over $450,000 annually by 2008.

Downtown Canmore Business Revitalization Zone

CEDA facilitated the organization of a Downtown Canmore Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) by bringing downtown business leaders together, helping them to gain the support of zone businesses and successfully petition the Town of Canmore for a BRZ.  CEDA initially provided staff & communications support as the organization established itself and continues as an active resource at the Board level as the BRZ now operates independently and successfully on its own.

Teresa Mullen
Executive Director

Partners in Economic Development

  Town of Canmore
  Tourism Canmore
  The Biosphere Institute
  BOWDA
  Mountain Arts Foundation
  Canmore Community Housing Corporation
  Downtown Canmore Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ)
 

Associate Membership
Canmore Business Registry

Coordination of the Canmore Sustainable Economic Development & Tourism Strategy

Aligned with Mining the Future, a vision for Canmore, CEDA has developed an Implementation Plan that has resulted in charters between stakeholder organizations involved in economic development committing these organizations to a coordinated approach to achieving the goals and projects outlined in the Strategy.  The new approach will maximize the effectiveness of the organizations allowing them to combine their resources and work together like never before towards joint initiatives and activities of the Sustainable Economic Development & Tourism Strategy. 

Health & Wellbeing Initiative

Recognized in the 2010 Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification’s Award for Excellence and Innovation, the Canmore Health & Wellbeing Initiative was started by CEDA in 2007 and has resulted in establishing tools, supports and a business development strategy including baseline data to monitor growth and communicate with the health and wellness industry.  Through CEDA facilitation and ongoing support, these tools will be sustained through a new community association, Healthy Canmore.  With continued CEDA support, these tools will now be taken on by a Healthy Canmore through a Project Charter outlining programming identified in the new Canmore Economic Development and Tourism Strategy. 

Canmore Nordic Centre Upgrades 2005

Approval of $16.5 million upgrades influenced by the business case presented in the CEDA Sport Tourism Investment Proposal.

Canmore Youth Technopreneurship Program

CEDA partners with Alberta Innovation & Science & BDCWest to the most successful model for a province-wide Youth Technopreneur Program. 10 progressive applications came forward with a $3500 grand prize awarded to help launch Bow Valley Bio-Diesel in 2005.

Business Registry Review 2006

Based on CEDA review, the Town of Canmore implements changes to the Business License & Registry that would see a more equitable fee system established based on size, relationship to the tourism industry, and location rather than the flat fee established originally. 

1999 Tourism Economic Impact Analysis

In partnership with Tourism Industry operators, developed a model to measure the economic impacts of  tourism in  the region.  The information was used to build a business case to support the upgrades at the Canmore Nordic Centre.  The upgrades were approved and completed in 2005 as part of the hosting of an extremely successful 2005 Centennial World Cup Cross Country, a high-profile international race gathering international media attention and provided competition for what would be Canmore’s upcoming Olympic medalists in Turin, 2006. 

Tourism Economic Policy

Provided a discussion paper to Mayor regarding repatriation of hotel room tax to Canmore. Completed proposal for the Town of Canmore in 2002, assisting in presentation to Provincial Government.  Became part of the discussions for the 2004 change to the Hotel Tax, lowering and changing the tax to a 5% Tourism Marketing levy.  Working with Tourism Canmore to provide a forum for the community to evaluate the effectiveness of a Destination Marketing Fund for Canmore.  Carrying out a review of accommodation development in the Bow Valley since the Olympics. 

Canmore Film Policy

Acted as liaison with Everwood Pilot Television Series production.  Following this experience, researched and gathered information from other communities, and drafted film policy document used as basis for final policy approved by Town Council in 2003.  

Business on the Bow Forum

Launched in 2005, with a Downtown Enhancement session, these monthly business networking sessions focus on engaging the business community into policy development processes.  20 - 40 businesses will participate, depending on the topic. 

Issues covered at the Business on the Bow Forums this year:

q                   Community Visioning (3 Mining-the-Future sessions hosted)

q                   Employee Retention & Attraction Strategies

q                   Perpetually Affordable Housing

q                   Sustainable Business Programs

Bow Valley Economic Outlook, 1999, 2000 and 2001, 2003, 2005

Between 90 and 300 attending. Keynote speakers included David Foote (Boom Bust and Echo), Angus Reid, and Dr. David Suzuki, (The Natural Step).

Build a Better Business Seminars in Canmore since 1998.

Continue to work with various local operators to strengthen management skills. Private counseling with various operators to see business through to start-up. Ex: Quintech Fire Services.  In 2005, launched a partnership with the Canmore Rotary Club and Community Futures Centre West to run a Learn at Lunch Series, focusing on building and developing skills in the business sector.

Technology Diversification Efforts:

Incubation Program investigated, Environmental Technologies Study, 1999.  Opportunities and individuals with expertise in this area working outside of Canmore is growing however, the cost of land and proximity to institutional research hubs of activity continue to present barriers to expanding this sector in our community.  CEDA remains open to the efforts being made by private sector on a Rocky Mountain Knowledge Institute.

Education Institute Efforts

Established contacts & identified interest from institutions. 2005 Research concurs with previous work completed through Biosphere Institute on the viability issues.  Land costs continue to be barriers to bricks & mortar institutions however, innovative partnership underway with Bow Valley College Community Learning Centre, exploring the advancement of online & distance learning opportunities.

Doing Business in Canmore

Publication 1998-99 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002, & 2003, 2005.  In 2006, CEDA partnered with Town of Canmore Community Enrichment department to combine into a Canmore Community & Business Resource Book.  In 2007 partnered further with the Town of Banff to publish a comprehensive Bow Valley Community & Business Resource Book.  In 2009, the resource book will be modified to take into account the registry information available on the Town of Canmore web site.

www.canmorebusiness.com CEDA WEB SITE

Event Seeding

CEDA commits seed funding  to local community events that have significant economic impact in the community, are community driven, support further community initiatives, and fit with goals to see Canmore as a centre for excellence in arts, culture, sports & events.  Funding is committed for a period sufficient for the event to be self-sustaining & successful, generally 3 years.  Over the years, CEDA has supported the Vic Lewis Band Festival, artsPeak, and tried to see the cementing of a strong winter festival with the re-emergence of the Alberta International Sled Dog Races.  CEDA led the initiative locally to have the TransRockies finish in Canmore. This led to hundreds of hours of exposure for Canmore on TV and in magazines in Canada, US, and Europe.   In 2006, the TransRockies event was moved to BC, due to back-country conflicts within Alberta Parks.

Improving Product Quality

In partnership with Tourism Canmore, Canmore DoMore Staff Orientation Program, Profiling BEST PRACTICES through communications & activities.

Communications

CEDA e-NEWS increased subscriber coverage to over 800 Business Registry Members, with higher than average “open” rate.  Speaker Series, & Business Registry Annual Report mailed out through BR Licenses.  Annual communications plan to reach internal and external stakeholders.

The Natural Step for a Sustainable Canmore
Led by The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, CEDA provides funding mechanism to achieve almost $300,000 in funding towards project.   Pending the results of completion expected in 2006, CEDA is considering their launch of a Canmore Sustainability Hub by the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley  to continue the program into the wider community. 

Sustainable Canmore...Environment, Society, Economy

In partnership with the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, over 500 people attended a full-day sustainability forum focusing on local citizens, with guest speakers Dr. David Suzuki, Dr. Karl-Henrik Robért & Dr. Ted Manning. 

Partnerships:

Tourism Canmore – most successful partnership, whereby TC is able to focus on marketing, a key component of economic development in the Bow Valley, with CEDA leaving that area to the expertise of Tourism Canmore while working themselves on product development, diversification and business retention/expansion.

Future Directions

Focus on Health & Wellness sector as emerging market for growth and diversification

Labour Market Issues:   Target Human Resource Development to address staffing shortages in a regional coordinated & strategic approach.

Business Supports:  Develop leadership within business community, participate & engage business in Housing and Staff Accommodation Issues

… and of course, continue all efforts started that are successful or effective.

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