Business Council Pegs Alberta’s Future on Food, Energy, Health and Wellness

he Business Council of Alberta has recently released a report called Define the Decade: Building Alberta's Future, defining the areas that would shape the province’s future. 

The 72-page report lists various steps or "missions," that could bring more prosperity to the 4.4 million people of Alberta. 

The Business Council’s plan identifies Alberta’s strengths in the areas of energy and resource development, agriculture and agri-food, and medical advancements. About 2000 Albertans were consulted by the Business Council to consolidate the plan.

"It's about a vision for Alberta by Albertans," said Adam Legge, the president of the council to CBC News. "It's about the economic development plan of how we will get there over the next 10 years," he added.

Legge is confident that the plan focuses on different aspects of the economy, making it more growth inclusive. "We've, in fact, framed it around prosperity missions, what are those grand humanity, global challenges, that really intersect with Alberta's strengths and our advantages and our assets," he said.

With the world focusing on cutting down carbon emissions, this plan could pave the way for Alberta to lead in the field of carbon capture, utilization and storage, or a world leader in supplying net zero oil, gas and hydrogen. 

The Business Council’s report recommends innovation and technological advancements in agriculture and agri-food production with new farming practices to help enhance the quality of food, mass production, sustainability, and diversity of products. 

Another field to focus on is health and wellness, where major advancements should be expected through investment. While Alberta can help provide healthy food options to people, it can also support initiatives centered at addressing challenges such as cutting obesity rates by 20 percent in the next decade, reducing diabetes rates among Indigenous people, and bringing down the health-care wait times in Canada.

One of the purposes highlighted in the report is inclusive growth and development for the community. It lays out a commitment to make Alberta a more equitable place.

The Business Council of Alberta is also considering proposing a single region incorporating the major cities of the province for attracting more investment, better transportation infrastructure, and access to more economic development tools to compete with other bigwigs in North America, including Vancouver, Toronto-Waterloo, Silicon Valley, Houston, and Denver.

The vision is to give Albertans a good quality of life, by advancing truth and reconciliation with First Nations people, nurturing a healthy lifestyle, attracting diverse talent, and developing safe, accessible, and vibrant downtowns.

The report also emphasizes better quality of primary and post-secondary education, more advancements in technology and innovation, upgraded physical and digital infrastructure, decreasing carbon emissions, and more investment in resource revenue.

The Business Council proposes establishment of an "Alberta Mission" agency, a third-party group that would bring together businesses, research institutes, and governments to make the strategy's goals a reality.

News Source: https //www.cbc.ca