Advocacy

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Our role in attracting investment to the Edmonton region

Edmonton Global advocates for pro-investment public policies to increase our region’s global competitiveness and enhance our ability to attract foreign direct investment and increase trade.

By working with our 14 shareholder municipalities and using data-driven research and analysis, we have identified actions to improve our ability to attract investment to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. We conduct policy research on an ongoing basis.

Governments play an essential role in supporting economic growth and attracting investment.

Investment Incentives

Attracting investment is a highly competitive endeavour. Governments around the world often rely on fiscal incentives such as cash grants, rebates, or tax credits to induce companies to stay, expand, or locate in their jurisdiction. While the Edmonton region already has the lowest corporate tax rate in the country, Edmonton Global supports and recommends the use of incentives when best practices are followed:

  • The jurisdiction gains a net revenue from the investment after subtracting the cost of providing the incentive;
  • The investment supports local businesses and grows supply chains rather than directly competes with local businesses;
  • The process of awarding the incentive is predictable and transparent; and
  • The incentive is awarded in a manner and timeline that ensure the investment is materializing and meeting targets.

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Food and Agriculture

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Our region has many advantages that position us well for agricultural investment. However, there is a perception among stakeholders that there are barriers to agricultural investment that are holding the region back from being as successful as it could be.

  • Edmonton Global recommends the Government of Alberta introduce an incentive targeted at bringing in new investments in value-added agriculture. This could take the form of a non-refundable, non-transferable tax credit. It must be simple to understand, whereby if eligibility criteria are met, investors are certain they will receive the incentive award upon the project becoming operational.
  • Edmonton Global recommends the Government of Alberta increase efforts to promote and champion the province’s agriculture industry. The government must make a clear commitment to both the animal and plant protein sectors as part of a comprehensive agricultural strategy.

 

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Heath and Life sciences

Our region contains several leading post-secondary institutions, research facilities, and support organizations that provide a strong foundation to grow our health and life sciences sector. In addition, Alberta Health Services (AHS) is the largest centralized healthcare services provider in Canada.

  • Edmonton Global recommends the Government of Alberta develop and implement a comprehensive health and life sciences strategy to inspire investor confidence and facilitate new investment.
  • Edmonton Global recommends that policies and processes be developed to create fast-track access for companies in the Edmonton region to work with AHS to develop, test, and commercialize home-grown technologies

 

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AI and Technology

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  • Edmonton Global recommends the Government of Alberta develop a multi-faceted strategy for the Interactive Digital Media (IDM) sector to show a commitment to the sector and inspire investor confidence.
    • This strategy should focus on building up the local workforce with transferable skills.
    • This strategy might include grant support for IDM companies branching into sectors beyond entertainment, such as healthcare, occupational health and safety, or tourism.

 

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Edmonton Metropolitan Region Economic Recovery Working Group: Priorities and Recommended Actions

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In February 2022, the former Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation established the Edmonton Metro Region working group. The goals of the working group were to determine policies the provincial government could look at to enhance this growth. The EMR is set up for success moving into the future, and provincial involvement can only boost this growth. The former minister asked for a mix of actionable and visionary recommendations.

These recommendations help set the stage for how the province can contribute to the success of the EMR, both for the economy of today, and for future generations.

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