Connect with us

2023 Election

Red Deer Chamber of Commerce urging voters to choose a prosperous future

Published

6 minute read

News release from the Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce

A Vote for Prosperity is a Vote for a Better Alberta

Over the past few years Alberta has managed to emerge from the COVID 19 Pandemic in a strong position for growth and prosperity. Since 2019 the state of the business environment has improved in part due to the advocacy of the Alberta Chambers Network working together to advocate for strong business policies in Alberta. Some of those advances include lowering the general corporate tax rate turned declining investment in Alberta around, opening our borders to trade and labour mobility, leading efforts to build national trade corridors, and inspired reciprocity of provincial partners with a vision to build a stronger economy together. As well establishing the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation is setting a new standard for collaborative economic development to build healthy communities. And, for the first time in decades, our nonrenewable resource wealth is being prudently saved for the future.

Today, Alberta leads all provinces in wage growth and job creation per capita. But we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to continue to advocate for good business and economic development policies to continue to reach for a brighter future.

It is with this in mind the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce is supporting the Alberta Chambers of Commerce in their Vote Prosperity 2023 platform. This platform focuses on a number of policy recommendations with the goal of allowing our businesses to thrive and create the foundation for healthy and vibrant communities across our province.

Vote Prosperity 2023 informs a path forward for the next provincial government to continue expanding opportunities for shared prosperity. This path forward includes, furthering small businesses in Alberta’s corporate tax advantage to help entrepreneurs create jobs. Reducing regulatory burdens limiting trade and competition would improve cost competitiveness for business and affordability for residents, strengthening Alberta’s reputation as a proponent of commerce. Better preparing young Albertans with hands on learning would help them build careers around their talents and Alberta to develop a highly skilled workforce. Improving fiscal stability and value-for-money of local and provincial public services would enable investment attraction and the viability of our communities.

There are for pillars to the Vote Prosperity 2023 platform for business in Alberta:

1. Strengthening business competitiveness – Lead the nation in tax competitiveness and the reduction of regulatory burdens, Reduce Alberta’s greenhouse gas emissions while minimizing risks to business competitiveness, Enable competition and free trade for current and emerging sources of electricity. Work with Confederation partners to establish an internationally competitive regulatory environment for all industries.

2. Growing provincial trade – Facilitate collaboration among Indigenous communities and industry on economic development. Develop and expand economic corridors to increase access to domestic and international markets. Accelerate review and approval processes for trade-enabling infrastructure projects. Continue removing interprovincial trade barriers to strengthen local supply chains.

3. Building healthy communities – Deploy health care talent with sustainable resourcing throughout the province. Equip post-secondary institutions to meet employer demands through high-quality labor market information and targeted funding for in-demand occupations. Expand work-integrated and entrepreneurial learning models in K-12 and post-secondary education. Alleviate socio-economic and regulatory barriers to fully participate in the labour market.

4. Improving government accountability – Adhere to the fiscal sustainability framework and pay down debt. Appoint an independent panel of experts to review current and alternative revenue options with the view to deliver stable and predictable budgets. Eliminate or make transparent hidden and duplicative taxes within provincial purview. Align predictable funding for municipalities with performance metrics to improve local business services.

Albertans believe the province’s business community should have a role in developing a vision and providing leadership to move the province forward. Vote Prosperity 2023 provides that leadership. We encourage voters in the coming Alberta election to support candidates committed to our shared prosperity.

Representing over 24,000 businesses in our province, the Alberta Chambers is comprised of over 100 community Chambers throughout the province and the largest and most influential business association in the province. These pillars symbolize the outcome of nearly one hundred community-driven policies proposed by Chambers, with substantial contributions from the Red Deer Chamber. It is our belief these pillars are the foundation to restoring our province’s prosperity and the health and vibrancy of the communities that comprise it.

The Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Alberta Chambers is advocating this platform to all parties and candidates running for election this spring. For more information and to read the platform in its entirety, visit: https://www.abchamber.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VP-Designed-Platform-Doc.pdf

Established in 1894 the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce is a non-partisan, collaborative business leader representing over 825 member businesses. As one of Red Deer’s oldest and most established membership organizations we are striving to build a vibrant community that fosters an environment where businesses can lead, be innovative, sustainable, and grow.

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

2023 Election

Campaign Update – Alberta Election 2023

Published on

From the Alberta Institute

Campaign Roundup – Day 25:

  • Pierre Poilieve, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, endorsed Danielle Smith. “[Notley] will help Trudeau attack the energy sector, putting you out of a job,” said Poilieve in a video message, adding that Smith would stand up for Alberta and fight the carbon tax.
  • Adriana LaGrange, UCP Candidate for Red Deer-North, noted that the NDP removed the Red Deer Hospital expansion from their capital plan in 2018 while the UCP has invested $1.8 million into the project.
  • NDP Candidates Sarah Hoffman (Edmonton-Glenora) and Jaelene Tweedle (Red Deer-North) promised to immediately increase funding by $100 million for children with complex needs. They also promised to modernize or build 125 schools.
  • Rachel Notley announced Bill 1, 2, and 3 of an NDP government. Bill 1 will be the “Save Albertans Money Act” and will include capping power bills and auto insurance, freezing tuition, and implementing $10/day childcare. Bill 2 would repeal the Sovereignty Act, and Bill 3 is designed to prevent any future government from leaving the Canada Pension Plan.
  • Shaun Fluker, the NDP Candidate for Airdrie-Cochrane, said yesterday that when he argued in favour of the No More Pipelines bill, that he was simply representing a client. More information has since come to light though, and it turns out that Fluker intentionally sought out that client.
  • The UCP promised to dedicate $80 million over four years to a fund that would build recreation facilities in growing communities.
  • UCP Candidates Brian Jean (Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche) and Rebecca Schulz (Calgary-Shaw) held a press conference in Calgary to highlight the NDP’s poor record on the economy and how the UCP will continue to move the province forward.
Continue Reading

2023 Election

Alberta Election Campaign 2023: Day 22

Published on

From the Alberta Institute

Campaign Roundup – Day 22:

  • It’s May long weekend, but that didn’t stop both parties from campaigning, as early voting begins tomorrow! To locate your advance polling station, you can use this tool from Elections Alberta.
  • A new Abacus Data poll suggests that province-wide, the UCP leads the NDP 51% to 47%, while in battleground Calgary, the UCP leads 51% to 46%. Those numbers still suggest a pretty tight race, but a significant improvement for the UCP since last week’s debate.
  • Leaders, candidates, and volunteers were out in swing ridings. Rachel Notley held a rally in Calgary-Acadia, where Diana Batten from the NDP is looking to take the seat from the UCP’s Tyler Shandro.
  • Nate Horner, UCP Candidate for Drumheller-Stettler, held a press conference. He spoke to the ways that his party plans to make life more affordable for Albertans, and reminded people about the NDP’s carbon tax. He said the UCP is “extremely bullish” on nuclear energy and that he never met a tax cut he didn’t like!
  • Brian Jean, UCP Candidate for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, touted the benefits of the Film and Television Tax Credit in helping Alberta become a first-choice destination for producers.
  • A series of clever new signs had been popping up around the province, countering the NDP’s “What Will She Do Next?” attack ads, by explaining exactly what Smith will do next. The counter-signs appear to have been so effective that the NDP are now removing their original signs. There’s an old adage in politics – never ask an open-ended question, because it lets your opponent answer it!
  • Meanwhile, NDP-aligned Calgary City Councillor Kourtney Penner clearly didn’t get the memo from Rachel Notley about keeping the woke marxism quiet for another week… Councillor Penner took to twitter to call Calgarians who support holding a fireworks show on Canada Day racists. Yes, seriously! Our friends at Common Sense Calgary are running a petition to restore the fireworks show, which you can sign here.

  • Finally, in a sweet moment of putting aside differences, Danielle Smith wished a speedy recovery to Rachel Notley’s dog, who appeared to have been in a disagreement with a porcupine.

Support Our Work:

The Alberta Institute doesn’t accept any government funding and never will. We think you should be free to choose, for yourself, which organizations to support. If you’re in a position to contribute financially, you can make a donation here:

Continue Reading

Trending

X