Mission:

• To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its members to attract and retain investment to Alberta

Objectives:

• Identify opportunities for cooperation and collaboration within member work-plans and projects
• Allow for sharing of strategic intelligence
• Identify and implement initiatives to benefit work of members
• Facilitate sharing of best practices
• Share and coordinate travel and work-plans

The following points outline the major thrusts with respect to Investment Attraction and Retention:

Did you know that . . .

• The work group makes available a range of products that outline the "Alberta Advantage", ensuring a common knowledge base for all partners.
• The work group facilitates the exchange of information regarding outgoing and incoming visits related to investment attraction, providing links for activities as diverse as assisting in matching for joint ventures to providing advice on how to approach site selectors.
• The Investment Attraction and Retention Work Group works with municipalities and regions to enhance their capacity to attract and respond to investment inquiries. This includes helping regions to identify their advantages and weaknesses, as well as providing input, where asked, regarding developing strategies to market opportunities in their area.
• Members of the Investment Attraction and Retention Work Group collaborate in joint visits to multinational enterprises in Alberta, to identify both obstacles to and opportunities for investment. Over 70% of all foreign investment is associated with expansion of facilities rather than building on a "greenfield site."

Economic Developers Association of Alberta

The Economic Developers Association of Alberta is an organization formed to enhance the economic development profession in Alberta by providing information, communication and education. Part of this enhancement is through Community Economic Development Accreditation Process (CEDAP).

CEDAP recognizes best practices and contributions of economic development organizations based on the structure, execution and effectiveness of the services offered by the organization. This accreditation is a way for these organizations to not only identify best practices, but also to better market their services to clients and stakeholders.

In addition to CEDAP, EDA Alberta also offers access to the Professional Development seminars offered by EDAC and the University of Waterloo, but also offers community training programs for communities still developing economic development organizations.

Economic Developers Association of Canada

Economic Developers Association of Canada [EDAC] is a national organization of economic developers dedicated to enhancing the professional competence of development officers in the field. EDAC offers assistance to municipalities and other development alliances through:

• Professional development
• Professional standards
• Educational seminars
• Diploma courses in Economic Development
• National network for techniques, strategies and case studies
• Federal/Provincial/Municipal/International liaison