Key Initiatives 2006: Alberta's International Marketing Strategy
Alberta’s International Marketing Strategy [AIMS] recognizes that the future prosperity of Alberta is dependent on attracting new investment and diversifying export markets. In doing so, AIMS articulates Alberta’s trade and investment objectives in target markets.
To access AIMS, visit Statistics & Publications:
Opportunities for trade and investment attraction vary from sector to sector. Following is a list of key activities Alberta Economic Development [AED] will undertake to help companies realize these opportunities:
Facilitate trade development missions to source market intelligence and support market entry for Alberta exporters by showcasing Alberta's aerospace and unmanned vehicle systems [UVS] capabilities at:
AUVSI Unmanned Vehicle Systems North America, Orlando, August, 2006
Strengthen the growth and development of Alberta's aerospace industry by supporting provincial events:
- Defense Industry Development Initiative, DRDC Suffield, CFB Wainwright, CFB Cold Lake.
- Air Cargo Forum, Calgary, September, 2006
- Support the creation of a Canadian Centre for Aerospace Development, that would include the Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems and the Canadian Centre for Aircraft Certification.
Expand opportunities for and enhance the competitiveness of Alberta's agriculture & food products and services in international markets by:
- Providing strategic and timely intelligence, market information and knowledge to Alberta exporters and industry associations.
- Initiating country and product specific market studies.
- Facilitating contacts and linkages between export capable companies and target-market contacts through initiatives such as agri-food export market seminars, networking events, and incoming and outgoing buyers missions.
- Showcasing Alberta's agriculture and food strengths in target markets through initiatives such as seminars, outgoing missions, incoming media missions, and promotional materials.
- Developing partnerships with appropriate Canadian and International government agencies to leverage Ministry resources and programs.
- Promoting Alberta as a preferred location for new and expanding businesses.
Architecture, Engineering & Construction:
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Showcase Alberta’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction [AEC] strengths to target markets by promoting infrastructure and resource development capabilities and increasing awareness of:
- Alberta’s AEC expertise and suppliers with multinational engineering, procurement and construction firms.
- Encourage the international operations of American engineering procurement and construction firms to consider alliances with competitive Alberta equipment manufacturers for international markets.
- Gather market intelligence and forge new partnerships among industry firms by attending international and local tradeshows and conferences.
- Alberta Architectural Millwork Technology Mission to Italy May 2006
- Partner with Canadian Embassy in Seoul to promote Alberta Building Product Sector at Seoul Housing Brand Fair 2006 in February 2006
- Pacific Coast Builders Show in San Francisco in June 2006
- In bound mission from the USA in connection with the Calgary Stampede July 2006
- Global Buyers Conference and trade show in Whistler, B.C., September 2006
- China Wood Conference, Shanghai, China, Oct 2006
- Rocky Mountain Trade Show in Denver Oct. 2006
- Annual International Builders Show in Orlando, January 2007
Education & Training:
Implement the International Education Action Plan:
- Provide Albertans with increased opportunities to develop international and intercultural knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes.
- Increase the international profile of Alberta and its post-secondary education system.
- Improve Alberta's competitiveness in supplying educational products and services.
- Enhance international education linkages provincially, nationally and internationally to support a more comprehensive and coordinated international education strategy.
- Strengthen understanding and awareness about international education.
"Alberta is a global energy leader, using its world-class knowledge, expertise and leadership to develop the vast energy resources of the province and to market these resources and abilities to the world." This is the vision expressed in Alberta Energy's business plan, and the basis for long-term opportunities in our province's energy sector.
- Integrated Energy Strategy - Alberta Energy is leading work with industry and other government departments to expand Alberta's value-added upgrading, refining and petrochemical industries, and to address related labour, infrastructure and environmental initiatives.
- Sustainable Resource and Environmental Management [SREM] - we are partnering with other ministries and stakeholders to develop a more streamlined regulatory framework, in support of enhanced environmental management and business efficiency.
- Alberta Gas Hub - Alberta Energy is working to position and market Alberta as the "Hub" for northern gas development and transportation to continental markets.
- Innovative Energy Technologies Program - we are supporting the provincial action plan on climate change through a focus on technology to improve responsible energy recovery of conventional oil, natural gas and in-situ oil sands. The Innovative Technologies Royalty Program leverages industry funding to provide more than $600 million over 5 years, to pilot and demonstrate new energy technologies in Alberta.
Environmental Products & Services:
- Organize, coordinate and facilitate the participation of Alberta environmental firms in Globe 2006 in Vancouver and the resulting incoming delegates to Alberta.
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Provide market intelligence on trends and opportunities through AED’s:
- Partner with relevant industry organizations in encouraging international participation in Alberta showcase events such as RemTech 2005.
- Facilitate improved partnerships and alliances within industry and strengthen relationships between industry, research institutions, and government through events like the Health and Bio Connectors Workshop.
- Engage in sector-specific industry development initiatives like Phase 2 of the Medical Devices Development Program [MDDP].
- Facilitate and carry out international marketing in priority markets through events like Bio 2006 and Bio Partnering, Invest Northwest.
- Facilitate marketing in designated sub-sectors by developing business cases and supporting promotional material. The first two sub-sectors are oncology and assistive devices.
- Carry out targeted corporate attraction activities in key markets and sub-sectors as opportunities arise.
Information & Communication Technologies:
- Facilitate market access for Alberta ICT companies in target markets through specific activities focused on strategic intelligence, opportunity identification, and partnerships and networks.
- Showcase Alberta capabilities internationally at Cebit, CTIA, 3GSM, ApecTEL, ITU 2006, WCIT 2006, Gangwon Tech Forum, and through incoming missions.
- Identify and develop relationships with targeted international companies for investment attraction, R&D; partnerships and trade [e.g. wireless carriers and manufacturers].
- Improve access to capital through the Alberta California Venture Channel [ACVC], Keiretsu Forum and other related initiatives.
- Develop and support initiatives to grow the pool of highly qualified personnel in ICT, including use of the Provincial Nominee Program, promotion of computer science enrolment and identification of key ICT human resources shortage areas.
- Identify wireless technology opportunities in traditional industry sectors.
Petrochemicals & Refined Products:
As a result of workshops held with industry participation, the following are identified priorities:
- Continue to develop a business case to support the upgrading of bitumen in an eco-industrial complex to transportation fuels and petrochemicals in Alberta.
- Develop the environment that supports the development of technology and processes that will secure a favourable competitive position for an eco-industrial complex producing transportation fuels and petrochemicals in Alberta.
- Carry out a review and benchmark successful jurisdictions for the best practices in the development of a concentrated energy industrial complex [Singapore, Marl, Houston].
- Identify the labour, infrastructure and logistic challenges to achieving additional, competitive upgrading to transportation fuels and petrochemicals in Alberta.
- Develop a promotion and investment attraction strategy to inform and solicit investment and participation of new and existing refining and petrochemical players in the development of an eco-industrial complex producing transportation fuels and petrochemicals in Alberta.
- Continue research-based marketing to increase awareness of Alberta and strengthen relationships with the travel trade in priority markets.
- Encourage industry to develop export-ready market-driven packages.
- Partner with Alberta-based multi-destination and/or niche-product consortia to target travel trade intermediaries and consumers.
