Lethbridge, AB…May 9th through 15th is Economic Development week across North America. Started in 2016 by the
International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the week-long initiative is meant to give economic development
professionals and organizations a platform to showcase their communities and contributions. Some of the messaging
throughout the week will focus on the value of economic development professionals to their local economies, building a
support base within the local community, emphasizing the importance of economic development through tangible
examples and peer case studies as well as amplifying messaging and exposure of economic development organizations.

“Economic Development Week is a great way to help showcase the work not only Economic Development Lethbridge
(EDL) does in our region, but also the many partners, stakeholders and individuals we work with. Much of the great work being done here in southern Alberta is a result of the collaboration between organizations,” says Economic Development Lethbridge, CEO, Trevor Lewington. “The past 14 months have really tested economic development organizations and pivoted much of the work they do, as they focused on recovery through the COVID-19 pandemic. This week is a great way to highlight that work and help the community better understand the role of economic development in our community.”

To celebrate Economic Development Week, Lethbridge City Hall was lit up in green, red, and blue this past Sunday
evening to kick off the weeklong celebration. Those colours represent the Economic Developers of Alberta. EDL will be
using their social media channels to highlight some of the work they have done over the past year and to educate those
who might not know the role economic development plays in our community.

“The EDL team is a valuable organization for Lethbridge and our region. They do a great job focusing on the 6 key pillars (Business Retention & Expansion, Investment Attraction, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Marketing & Advocacy, Catalytic Projects and Operational Excellence) laid out in their business plan,” comments EDL President and Board Chair, Chris Stasiuk. “Moving to a more remote and virtual type of work setting over the past year has allowed EDL to become an even more innovative and agile organization, while still offering quality learning, information and top tier advice and communications to investors, entrepreneurs and the business community in general.”

Next week, Xperience EDA 2021, the yearly Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) conference will be held virtually May 19th and 20th. The event will feature a summit format on day 1 including featured speakers, discussions and highlighted with the President’s Mixer that evening. Day 2 will feature a more conference style approach with breakout rooms and virtual networking opportunities. Day 2 will also give attendees the opportunity to meet the 2021-2022 EDA Board of Directors and find out the winners of the annual EDA awards. Economic Development Lethbridge is nominated in the Business Retention and Expansion Major Market category for their work on the Supply Chain Automation Pilot Program.

Click on the links to find out more about International Economic Development Week or Xperience EDA 2021, though
Economic Developers Alberta.

For more information, contact:
Mark Neskar
Director, Marketing & Communications
Economic Development Lethbridge
mark@chooselethbridge.ca
403.393.6376