Richard Froese
South Peace News
Big Lakes County has become a partner with a neighbouring municipality to access a government program created three years ago to attract immigrants to help local businesses fill job vacancies in rural regions.
At its regular meeting March 12, council approved a recommendation to direct administration to join the Rural Renewal Stream program through the Town of Slave Lake Rural Renewal management structure for an annual fee of $10,000.
In 2022, the Government of Alberta introduced the Rural Renewal Stream program as part of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, which supports businesses and communities to attract and retain newcomers to rural Alberta through a community-driven approach that supports local economic development needs and contributes the growth of the community, CAO David Reynolds says.
“The Rural Renewal Stream empowers rural communities to recruit foreign nationals to live, work and settle in their communities.”
Reeve Tyler Airth says the program benefits local businesses challenged with recruiting employees.
“As a regional approach, it will benefit us,” Airth says.
Kinuso Councillor Roberta Hunt agrees.
“Any businesses who can’t find workers, $10,000 is worth it,” Hunt says.
“We should invest to try to get workers into our region.”
Council and administration studied an option for Big Lakes to lead the program locally at first.
“Once the program was introduced, Big Lakes considered joining the program, but ultimately decided to withdraw due to the increased resources that would be required to assist in its implementation within the county,” Reynolds says.
Slave Lake became a designated community for the program in 2023 and offers support to other municipalities by serving administration functions at an annual fee of $10,000.
“While Big Lakes council previously voted to not be part of the Rural Renewal Stream program, administration has consistently heard from local employers that employees remain difficult to attract and this lack of attraction and retention is impacting their ability to successfully operate,” Reynolds says.
At its regular meeting June 16, 2023 council passed a motion to remove Big Lakes from the Rural Renewal Stream of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program.
When the program was considered for Big Lakes, 15 businesses were interested – 12 in High Prairie and three in Big Lakes.