Business View Magazine November-December 2018

228 229 city recently created a new marketing campaign called “Wetaskiwin is Working,” a multifaceted branding program designed to raise the profile of, and unify, the many economic development initia- tives of the Community Development Department. Finally, there is economic development,where Fossen says the focus, right now, is on small busi- nesses.“We’re being cheerleaders for our business community,” she asserts.“We are always willing to think outside of the box; we’re creative when a business comes to us; we look to find a way to get to that ‘yes.’We have a turnaround time of four to six weeks for permits,whereas in Edmonton, it’s nine months to a year.Our council might even call a special council meeting if we need to get some- thing done sooner.We work with our developers and investors through the entire process. So, if they come across any challenges getting their project into the ground–sometimes it’s overwhelming going through the municipal maze–we make sure we help them every step of the way.” The city also works as a catalyst and network- ing facilitator.“We bring different groups together,” Fossen continues,“like the WetaskiwinWomen in Networking,which is all female entrepreneurs and business managers.We’ve also started something called the Business Breakfast Club,where we bring in speakers and businesses network with one an- other.We just completed one hundred business surveys this year, and have worked with a company called MDB Insight in Ontario (a management con- sulting firm specializing in economic, cultural, and workforce development.) In that way,we have evi- denced-based research into what our business com- munitywants,what their priorities are,what they’re seeing as challenges, and how the city can work with them.Then,we do something called Business Triage.We go to the ones that are having challenges and they need somebody to assist them.We also look at the ones where, from the survey information, WETASKIWIN, ALBERTA PREFERRED VENDOR n Manluk Industries www.manluk.com they’re looking to expand and they need help on how to get there. Sometimes a business needs a confidential sounding board and we’re there for them.The city started another project this year, where we have small business matching grants for storefront improvement,marketing, professional development, and equipment and technology.” Another major component of Wetaskiwin’s economic development agenda is the industrial park located in the southeast part of the city.“The Southeast Industrial Park is something that the city is quite proud of because it is so competitive,” says Fossen.“Council has priced it to sell, so that en- trepreneurs can afford it; they don’t have to go into huge amounts of debt to expand, or grow, or start a new business. Pricing begins at $265,000 per acre, fully-serviced, with no offsite levies. So, we are well below competitive rates and half the price of lots in Edmonton. And we have flexible lot sizes which are zoned for light industrial and heavy industrial. So, for Wetaskiwin, this is a huge win for us, having industrial land so close to Edmonton, and so close to the Queen Elizabeth Highway and the Edmonton International Airport. It’s an amazing opportunity for businesses.” “Wetaskiwin is starting to grow,” Fossen says, in conclusion. “It’s kind of been in this bubble for the last ten years -Alberta’s best kept secret. So, the city is upgrading its infrastructure; in the next three to five years, we are going to be spending a large amount of capital budget dol- lars, so that we’re ready for the growth that we are projecting.”