New council to focus on making Alberta more competitive

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May 5, 2010

New council to focus on making Alberta more competitive

Industry and government will work together to improve the province's economy
Edmonton... A new council of MLAs and industry leaders will take on the task of helping make Alberta one of the most attractive places to invest and do business as part of ongoing work under the Alberta Competitiveness Act. The Alberta Competitiveness Council will be co-chaired by Premier Ed Stelmach and the Alberta Economic Development Authoritys Bob Brawn, with Finance and Enterprise Minister Ted Morton as an alternate co-chair. Other council members include four MLAs and four senior industry representatives who will work together to evaluate key sectors of Albertas economy. This initiative is about fostering a closer partnership between industry and government, and for us to come to the table with a joint strategy that ensures Alberta can continue to compete with other jurisdictions, said Premier Stelmach. The council will measure the provinces competitive performance and identify gaps where government and industry need to take action. The council will look at ways to improve Albertas overall economic position and build on work already underway by government and industry. It will also look at the various factors that impact the provinces economic growth such as regulation and fiscal policy, the availability of skilled workers, transportation and infrastructure, and productivity and innovation. All of these factors play a role in an industrys ability to compete. It can be anything from adopting a new technology to shipping a product overseas, said Brawn. The fact that government is making every effort to work with industry is an important first step. In addition to the general work of the council, two-member teams made up of one MLA and one industry representative will review four specific economic sectors this year - agriculture (grains and oil seeds), financial services, manufacturing and petrochemicals. These sectors were chosen based on their role in the overall economy, opportunities for competitive

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New council to focus on making Alberta more competitive

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improvements, and related initiatives already underway by government and industry. By partnering with industry and using existing resources, teams are tasked with developing timely, practical and workable business solutions specific to each sector. Once these sectors are completed, others will be reviewed. This government-industry initiative should strengthen the competitiveness of Alberta companies by reducing the costs of doing business. This will attract new investment into the province and create new and better jobs, said Morton. The council is expected to release an interim report by the end of this year. The report will outline the state of current initiatives and include a framework for benchmarking and assessing Albertas overall ability to compete. A second, more detailed report will be issued in 2011, with benchmarks and specific recommendations for improvement. Work will kick off with a forum for council members and industry stakeholders on June 2. The Government of Alberta has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. The Way Forward will bring Alberta back into a surplus position in three years by trimming government spending; using cash reserves to protect key programs; continuing to invest in public infrastructure; and ensuring that our province's industries are competitive and continue to attract investment to provide jobs and prosperity. -30Backgrounder: Alberta Competitiveness Council members Media inquiries may be directed to: Stephanie Francis, Alberta Finance and Enterprise 780-427-5364
To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

Judy Eng-Hum, Alberta Economic Development Authority 403-297-3022

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New council to focus on making Alberta more competitive

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May 5, 2010

Alberta Competitiveness Council members

Alberta Competitiveness Council co-chairs: Premier Ed Stelmach and Alberta Economic Development Authoritys (AEDA) Bob Brawn (Finance and Enterprise Minister Ted Morton, alternate) Agriculture MLA co-chair Industry co-chair Financial Services MLA co-chair Industry co-chair Manufacturing MLA co-chair Industry co-chair George Groeneveld, MLA, Highwood Christoph Weder SpiritView Ranch Janis Tarchuk, MLA, Banff-Cochrane Greg Turnbull Partner, McCarthy Ttrault LLP George Rogers, MLA, Leduc-Beaumont-Devon Larry Kaumeyer President and CEO Almita Manufacturing

Petrochemicals/Chemicals MLA co-chair Ray Prins, MLA, Lacombe-Ponoka Industry co-chair Val Mirosh President, Mircan Resources Ltd. Former VP, Nova Chemicals Co-chair, Advisory Council to the U of C Faculty of Social Sciences Overall economic factors of competitiveness MLA co-chair Doug Griffiths, MLA, Battle River-Wainwright Industry co-chair Les Larocque President, Botting and Associates Alberta Ltd. Chair, Productivity and Competitiveness Committee (AEDA) VP, Calgary Construction Association -30Media inquiries may be directed to: Stephanie Francis, Alberta Finance and Enterprise 780-427-5364 Judy Eng-Hum, Alberta Economic Development Authority 403-297-3022

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New council to focus on making Alberta more competitive

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To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

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