Richard Froese
South Peace News
Big Lakes County has assigned a council representative to serve on the board of the newly-structured Slave Lake Regional Tourism Society to expand its region to the west part and northwest of Lesser Slave Lake region.
At its regular meeting April 23, council appointed Faust Councillor Robert Nygaard to serve on the board for the coming year.
The first meeting will be taking place May 22 at a location to be determined, Joe Zdeb, director of corporate services, told council.
“The society was successful in its 2025 Northern Regional Economic Development grant application in the amount of $38,400 to support tourism marketing and regional collaboration as well as boost economic growth,” Zdeb said.
At its regular meeting Nov. 27, council passed a motion to pay the annual $10,092 membership in the 2025 budget to support regional tourism initiatives provided by the society.
The annual membership fee is based on $2 per resident.
Plans to expand the tourism society have been made by the society in collaboration with ANCA that includes Big, Lakes, the Town of High Prairie, the Town of Slave Lake, Lesser Slave River, the M.D. of Opportunity, Sucker Creek First Nation, Driftpile Cree Nation, Swan River First Nation, Sawridge and Bigstone Cree Nation.
When the new society is officially chartered, ANCA has set several steps and priorities in the first two years of operation.
The first year will focus on building a strong regional network.
When a municipality or Indigenous community becomes a member, tourism operations in the local area will:
- Engage in an introductory conversation with the society to gather information about their businesses.
- Be connected to other tourism operators in the entire region for collaboration, if required.
- Be assisted in registering on Alberta Tourism Information Service.
- Get help with the Canada Digital Adoption Program, if applicable.
- Receive a monthly newsletter including grant opportunities.
- Get their signature events on the society’s webpage and Facebook page.
- Receive a weekly post highlighting a different regional tourism operator.
- Receive support next winter in applying for the Canada Summer Jobs grant or Young Canada Works, if applicable.
- Receive support for applying for grants from Travel Alberta, if applicable.
- Receive an invitation for a fall tourism operators meeting.