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ACCOUNTABILITY
STATEMENT
This Business Plan for the three years
commencing April 1, 2004 was prepared under my direction in accordance with
the Government Accountability Act and the government’s accounting
policies. All of the government’s policy decisions as at February 27, 2004
with material economic or fiscal implications of which I am aware have been
considered in preparing the Business Plan. The
Ministry’s priorities outlined in the Business Plan were developed in
the context of the government’s business and fiscal plans. I am committed
to achieving the planned results laid out in this Business Plan.
[original
signed]
Mark Norris, Minister
of Economic Development
March 3, 2004
the
ministry
Our primary
clients include: leaders of small and medium enterprises, large organizations,
governments, and communities interested in and capable of participating
in a globally competitive economy.
Economic Development
has department staff in Edmonton and Calgary and in eight regional offices
to serve the economic needs of Alberta communities. The Department operates
international offices in China (2), Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan,
the U.K., Mexico and Germany to facilitate access to international markets,
create networks, and generate a positive business climate.
In addition to the
Department, the Ministry of Economic Development includes the Alberta
Economic Development Authority (AEDA) and the Strategic Tourism Marketing
Council (including the Travel Alberta Secretariat). The Ministry also
operates the Alberta Film Commission Office which is the central point
of contact for film industry investors and producers considering Alberta
as a location for film, television, and video production. All of these
unique relationships ensure the Department's goals are achieved in partnership
with business and industry sectors.
LINK
TO THE GOVERNMENT BUSINESS PLAN
Economic Development links
closely to , and the vision of a vibrant and prosperous province with
strong economic fundamentals. Through Securing Tomorrow's Prosperity,
a value-added strategy, the Ministry facilitates the development of a
growing, diversified and competitive manufactured goods and business services
industry.
Economic Development contrToday's Opportunities, Tomorrow's Promise:
A Strategic Plan for the Government of Albertaibutes to the Government
of Alberta's three core businesses of people, prosperity and preservation,
with a primary focus on prosperity and goal 7 of the Government of Alberta
business plan:
Goal 7: Alberta will have a prosperous economy.
Economic Development provides strategic information and planning input
for Alberta's economy. The Department facilitates a coordinated approach
to address Alberta's economic challenges in collaboration with other government
ministries. Securing Tomorrow's Prosperity endorses a more diversified
and competitive Alberta. The Ministry also has ten sector teams that partner
with industry clients and other stakeholders to improve the competitiveness
of Alberta's industries. Economic Development has developed Alberta's
International Marketing Strategy and targets priority markets for investment
attraction, tourism and trade.
VIsion
Alberta is the best place in the world
to live, visit and do business.
MISSION
To facilitate business and
community prosperity.
CORE
BUSINESSES
Core Business 1: Strategic
Economic Leadership and Business Intelligence
Goal 1 - Facilitate economic growth and
diversification through collaborative strategic planning and policy
development
Goal 2 - Provide client-driven economic and business information and
intelligence
Core Business 2: Industry
and Regional Development, Trade Promotion and Investment Attraction
Goal 3 - Increase the growth and competitiveness
of Alberta’s value-added sectors
Goal 4 - Increase exports of Alberta value-added goods and services
Goal 5 - Increase the awareness of Alberta to potential investors in
our primary international markets
Goal 6 - Provide regional economic development support to Alberta communities
Core Business 3: Tourism Marketing
and Development
Goal 7 - Facilitate the growth and expansion
of marketable tourism product
Goal 8 - Increase tourism visitation from targeted Canadian and international
tourism markets
VALUES
We value
a facilitative, collaborative and effective team-based approach. We are
market, opportunity and client-value driven. We strive to build a leadership
team that directs and enables our future success. We foster an environment
of entrepreneurship and commitment to learning. We encourage the creation
and sharing of information and knowledge among colleagues to enhance our
overall effectiveness. We achieve credibility with our clients and each
other through competent, consistent, and accountable actions. We value
our key product: the delivery of the right information in the right
timeframe to impact industry decision-making.
SIGNIFICANT
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Despite increasing
global change, Alberta's economy continues to be in a position of strength
with respect to most key economic indicators. Investment levels enjoyed
over the past decade have provided Albertans with the most enviable record
in Canada in terms of job creation, average family income, standard of
living, and low overall tax burden.
Looking ahead, the
challenge for Alberta will be to sustain our economic performance and
to reduce the risk of economic instability by broadening and diversifying
our economic base.
Fiscal discipline
has seen the deficit eliminated and the debt has been reduced to a very
manageable level. Alberta's overall tax regime is very competitive. Significant
cuts in corporate and personal tax rates have been made over the past
several years. Alberta businesses also benefit from not having to pay
corporate capital taxes, payroll taxes or sales taxes on business inputs
as part of our low rate, broad-based tax regime.
Importance
of Innovation
In an increasingly
global economy, innovation is key to keeping ahead of our competitors,
and developing new markets, products and services. Alberta cannot simply
compete as a low cost business location. A competitive business cost environment
is necessary, but not sufficient for creating globally competitive industries.
Alberta's economic
success needs to be judged not only by traditional economic indicators,
such as GDP and employment, but also by indicators of knowledge creation
and innovation. This is because innovation - through investments in research
and development, human capital (i.e. education and training) and machinery
and equipment - leads to higher levels of productivity and an improved
standard of living.
Innovation is essential
in all sectors of the economy and a knowledge-based approach does not
mean abandoning Alberta's traditional strengths. It means building more
value into our traditional goods and services in order to achieve greater
returns in the international export market. It is what has driven the
development and growth of the oil sands industry in Alberta to become
the leading new energy source in North America. Innovation has also been
the driver of much of the growth and expansion of the forest products
industry, and the development of new functional foods and products in
the agri-food industry.
Benchmarking
Alberta's Performance
In a global marketplace,
we must compare ourselves with the leading global economies. Benchmarking
has been done by Economic Development comparing Alberta with the best
in Canada, the United States and Europe. Comparison jurisdictions were
chosen on the basis of their strong relative economic and innovation performance,
and size and structural similarities with Alberta.
Indicators were selected
on the basis of their widespread use in other credible benchmarking exercises,
their relevance to performance and innovation, and levels of data quality
and availability.
By most economic indicators,
Alberta has been Canada's top performer. Even within a broader context,
including some of the strongest U.S. and European performers, Alberta
has been an above average performer as shown in Chart 1. However, as shown
in Chart 2, Alberta's innovation performance lags behind its US and European
competitors, as well as other provinces.
In Today's Opportunities,
Tomorrow's Promise: A Strategic Plan for the Government of Alberta,
part of the government’s vision is that Alberta in 2025 will be
a place where:
The economy shifts
toward a knowledge-based approach, with research, technology development
and value-added products having a much larger part in the province's
prosperity.
In order to achieve
this, the government will need to aggressively pursue the directions set
out in the province's value-added strategy - Securing Tomorrow's Prosperity.
This business plan
recognizes the risks and opportunities that Alberta is currently facing
and outlines the goals and strategies that will mitigate the risks and
capitalize on opportunities.
STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES 2004-07
Through the Ministry’s
review of external and internal challenges, the strategic priorities described
below have been identified. These are in addition to the important ongoing
core activities of the Ministry.
| 1.
Economic Development Strategy Cross-Ministry Initiative
Linkage:
Core Business 1, Goal 1 |
Economic
Development provides leadership and intelligence to strengthen Alberta's
economy, an economy capable of constantly innovating and creating
higher value jobs, goods and services that will sustain our prosperity
and quality of life. The Economic Development Strategy
provides a framework to build upon existing government strategies
such as the Agriculture Growth Strategy and Agriculture
Research and Innovation Strategy (Agriculture, Food and Rural
Development), the Life Sciences Strategy and Energy
Research Strategy (Innovation and Science), Prepared for
Growth: Building Alberta’s Labour Supply (Human Resources
and Employment) and Securing Tomorrow's Prosperity (Economic
Development).
The Economic
Development Strategy Cross-Ministry Initiative is championed
with Agriculture Food and Rural Development, Innovation and Science
and Human Resources and Employment. Economic Development also participates
in the Aboriginal Policy and Health Sustainability
Cross-Ministry Initiatives.
The following
are two key components of the Economic Development Strategy
Cross-Ministry Initiative. |
Linkage:
Core Business 1, Goal 1
Core Business 2, Goals 3 and 4 |
Securing
Tomorrow's Prosperity
Economic Development leads the value-added strategy, Securing
Tomorrow's Prosperity, as a major part of the Cross-Ministry
Initiative to support the development of a competitive value-added
strategy for the province. The strategy is market driven and focused
on four strategic directions, which include: enhancing Alberta's
current competitive advantages; building Alberta's innovation system;
growing and strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises; and
focusing on priority value-added sectors. The strategy will serve
to accelerate Alberta's continued transition to a broader, more
diverse, innovative, knowledge-based and globally competitive economy.
Economic Development
utilizes a sector team approach to promote investment and industry
development and to work closely with industry clients, associations,
and other agencies. We identify and address issues affecting sector
growth, competitiveness and productivity in order to develop key
industry marketing strategies. |
Linkage:
Core Business 2, Goal 6 |
Rural
and Regional Development
The Rural Development Strategy, led by Agriculture, Food
and Rural Development with support from Economic Development, is
a comprehensive approach to building a rural Alberta comprised of
vibrant and sustainable communities. |
| 2.
Tourism Linkage:
Core Business 3, Goals 7 and 8 |
The
Department continues to fund tourism marketing and encourages the
growth and expansion of marketable tourism product. Economic Development
facilitates the development and improvement of both private and
public sector tourism products and assets in Alberta. Marketing
priorities are established in the Strategic Tourism Marketing Council's
three year Strategic Tourism Marketing Plan and Travel Alberta's
marketing activities.
The Department
funds tourism marketing through a tourism framework that markets
Alberta as a "must see" destination for international
visitors, domestic visitors and Albertans and leverages the impact
and exposure offered by films produced in Alberta. Economic Development
delivers marketing support services including a website - www.travelalberta.com,
contact/distribution centres, and visitor information centres. |
| 3.
International Marketing and Representation Linkage:
Core Business 2, Goal 5 |
The
Department works to expand Alberta's economy by taking advantage
of the many international opportunities for Alberta goods and services.
Our international marketing efforts seek to provide accurate information
to our clients, within the appropriate timeframe, to assist them
in making trade and investment decisions in response to international
market opportunities. Economic Development strives to effectively
integrate Alberta's business practices and policies with international
business cultures.
In consultation
with other ministries, Economic Development has prepared Alberta's
International Marketing Strategy AIMS 2003 - Targeting Tomorrow,
which articulates the sector opportunities, geographic markets,
and sets out the government strategy to refine our international
trade development and investment attraction activities. |
CORE
BUSINESSES, GOALS, STRATEGIES AND MEASURES
Core
businesses set out the ongoing key responsibilities of the Ministry that
support the mission and provide a
framework for achieving results and allocating resources. Goals are the
end results that the Ministry is trying to achieve. Key strategies are
specific courses of action undertaken to accomplish the goals and are
longer term in focus. Performance measures include both broad economic
indicators (such as Gross Domestic Product) and more direct measures of
the department's activities (such as client satisfaction), which provide
information on progress toward accomplishing goals.
Economic Development's
three Core Businesses are:
1) Strategic Economic
Leadership and Business Intelligence
2) Industry and Regional Development, Trade Promotion and Investment
Attraction
3) Tourism Marketing and Development
CORE
BUSINESS ONE: Strategic Economic Leadership and Business Intelligence
Economic Development provides
strategic policy, planning and intelligence input to identify, assess,
and provide options to address constraints to, and opportunities for,
economic sustainability. Working with other government departments and
agencies, such as AEDA, the Department coordinates and develops policy
options, strategies and frameworks to facilitate the development of a
stable, diversified, and competitive economy, including working with partner
ministries on tax and royalty issues. Economic Development also strategically
maps out and identifies market opportunities and sectors that make the
greatest difference to Alberta's current and future economic performance.
GOAL
1: Facilitate
economic growth and diversification through collaborative strategic planning
and policy development
What
it means
Economic
Development monitors trends and issues that impact Alberta government
policy and programs and sets a long-term strategic direction for Alberta's
economic development by focusing government's overall efforts at maintaining
and enhancing the Alberta Advantage.
Strategies
- Lead
the implementation of the Economic Development Strategy Cross-Ministry
Initiative and participate in other cross-ministry initiatives that
influence the province's prosperity.
- Lead
the implementation of Securing Tomorrow's Prosperity with other
participating ministries to support the development of competitive value-added
goods and services industries.
- Provide
longer-term strategic input to the development of policy to support
a sustainable and diversified economy in Alberta.
- Collaborate
with AEDA to set out the key directions where targeted actions and strategies
can produce the best return for Albertans.
- Provide
the skills, processes, and technology to enhance the collection of information,
creation of intelligence, management and sharing of knowledge within
the Ministry, and to support strategic consultation with our clients.
Performance
Measures
GOAL
2: Provide client-driven
economic and business information and intelligence
What
it means
The Department
is continually working to strengthen its strategic intelligence gathering
and dissemination processes and capabilities to deliver timely and relevant
information and intelligence to our clients.
Strategies
- Utilize
Economic Development's network of international and regional offices,
and business contacts, to provide business and economic information
in a timely fashion to support our clients in their decision-making
processes.
- Utilize
Economic Development's Internet website, www.alberta-canada.com, in
the dissemination of business information and intelligence.
- Utilize
and expand the use of Economic Development's Electronic Business Intelligence
Service in the dissemination of business intelligence and information
to the Department's clients.
- Provide
information and services that assist the development of small Alberta
businesses through innovative means such as The Business Link and the
Calgary Business Information Centre.
Performance
Measures
CORE
BUSINESS TWO: Industry and Regional Development, Trade Promotion
and Investment Attraction
Economic
Development works with Alberta business clients to identify market opportunities
for expansion, trade and industry development. The Department markets
Alberta as an attractive destination for investment, film production,
locating businesses, and attracting skilled workers in targeted sectors.
The Ministry provides information to companies and individuals and assists
them with services designed to attract them to the province.
Economic Development
is also responsible for planning, organizing and coordinating Team Canada,
Premier and Ministerial trade missions. The Ministry works closely with
AEDA in identifying priority markets for future business missions.
GOAL
3: Increase the
growth and competitiveness of Alberta's value-added sectors
What
it means
The Department
works to make Alberta globally competitive in priority sectors by promoting
measures and initiatives to improve company innovation and productivity.
Strategies
- Facilitate
industry growth and build market presence in Alberta's priority sectors
through Economic Development's sector teams.
- Facilitate
and encourage the development, acquisition and application of business
improvement practices through:
-
Facilitating industry's access to technology commercialization and
adoption programs, and
-
Assisting Alberta companies to match capabilities to market opportunities.
- Promote
and facilitate partnerships, networks and alliances to expand capabilities
and improve competitiveness.
- Support
effective distribution of products and services to domestic and international
markets through facilitating and sponsoring logistical and feasibility
studies on cargo routes and facilities.
- Undertake
initiatives to support industry innovation and productivity.
Performance
Measure
GOAL
4: Increase exports
of Alberta value-added goods and services
What
it means
The Department
facilitates exports in manufactured products and professional, scientific,
and technical services to target markets.
Strategies
- Provide
strategic and competitive intelligence, market information, and knowledge
to support companies in identifying and accessing market opportunities
within global target markets.
- Encourage
the development of capabilities, products, and services of export-ready
Alberta businesses in international markets.
- Support
market entry for Alberta exporters by showcasing Alberta abroad.
- Support
Alberta companies pursuing capital projects financed by International
Financial Institutions.
- Collaborate
and partner with appropriate government agencies (federal, provincial
and municipal) to effectively leverage ministry resources in assisting
Alberta companies to increase their export trade capabilities.
- Reinforce
market presence in industries where Alberta is internationally established,
such as oil and gas and agri-food products, and enable market penetration
of closely related sectors, such as engineering services or environmental
goods and services.
Performance
Measures
GOAL
5: Increase the
awareness of Alberta to potential investors in our primary international
markets
What
it means
The Department
markets Alberta as an attractive destination for investment to targeted
companies, capital investors, and economic immigrants (skilled workers
and business entrepreneurs).
Strategies
- Market
Alberta as a preferred location for new and expanded investment, such
as multi-national enterprises with existing investment in Alberta, and
companies with no existing investment in Alberta.
- Generate
and service investment leads within targeted sectors and markets. Facilitate
linkages between Alberta communities and investment leads.
- Increase
the number of skilled workers through the Provincial Nominee Program
and market Alberta as a destination for economic immigrants (skilled
workers and business immigrants).
- Target
and attract international decision makers to Alberta to source investment
and trade opportunities with Alberta companies.
- Collaborate
and partner with government agencies to effectively leverage ministry
resources in assisting Alberta companies to source international investment
and trade opportunities.
- Market
and promote Alberta as an attractive location for film production and
investment.
Performance
Measure
GOAL
6: Provide regional
economic development support to Alberta communities
What
it means
Economic
Development supports goal four of the Rural Development Strategy to ensure
that rural Albertans contribute to and benefit from a diverse, sustainable
and prosperous economy. The Ministry also contributes to the work of Regional
Economic Development Alliances across Alberta.
Strategies
- Facilitate
the Regional Economic Development Alliances, strengthen existing regional
alliances throughout Alberta, and provide information and advice to
other regional partnerships and project-specific initiatives in the
major metropolitan regions.
- Strengthen
community economic development capacity within Alberta through partnerships
with the Economic Development Association of Alberta, Alberta First.com,
and others.
- Encourage
participation of Aboriginal communities in Regional Economic Development
Alliances.
- Provide
support for the Metis Nation of Alberta Association to implement their
annual Economic Development and Tourism Workplan.
Performance
Measures
CORE
BUSINESS THREE: Tourism Marketing and Development
The Department
facilitates the development of the tourism industry and marketable tourism
product by undertaking research, representing tourism industry interests
in policy and planning initiatives and providing information to industry
that helps to position new tourism products in Alberta.
Tourism marketing is delivered through the Strategic Tourism Marketing
Council's three-year plan and the Travel Alberta Secretariat.
GOAL
7: Facilitate
the growth and expansion of marketable tourism product
What
it means
The Department
facilitates the development of tourism products and the tourism industry.
Strategies
- Encourage
a policy, regulatory and development approval framework that supports
the growth of the tourism industry.
- In
cooperation with Community Development, identify a wider range of uses
within Provincial Parks/Recreation Areas to include certain types of
tourism business opportunities compatible with the size and management
intent of the land parcel and adjacent areas.
- Provide
advisory services, expertise and information to existing tourism operators,
start-up proponents and stakeholders to facilitate the development and
improvement of Alberta's private and public sector tourism products
and assets.
- Support
the expansion of the tourism industry through development of new and
enhanced destinations and products (including Canadian Badlands and
development on Crown lands).
Performance
Measure
GOAL
8: Increase tourism
visitation from targeted Canadian and international tourism markets
What
it means
The Department,
through Travel Alberta, develops and implements marketing programs that
heighten awareness of Alberta as an attractive destination for tourism.
Strategies
- Develop
and partner marketing programs in Alberta, domestically and internationally,
through Travel Alberta that support the Strategic Tourism Marketing
Plan developed by the Strategic Tourism Marketing Council.
- Deliver
value-added support services to the tourism industry through:
-
Dissemination of tourism information;
-
Travel counseling and influencing travel behavior
-
Training and product knowledge support for contact centre and visitor
information centre staff;
-
Providing tourism research and images;
-
Maintaining and enhancing an effective, customer-focused Alberta
tourism website, and
- Supporting
the development of publications and website content.
Performance
Measures
CORPORATE
SERVICES
The Ministry's core businesses
are enabled by an infrastructure of essential services that support
department staff and business processes. Corporate services include
strategic intelligence and knowledge management, strategic planning,
information management, information technology, finance, human resources,
communications, and administrative services. Some activities that will
be undertaken include:
-
Provide the skills, processes and technology to enhance
the compilation of information, creation of intelligence, management
and sharing of knowledge within the Ministry, and to support strategic
consultation with our clients.
-
Provide reliable, secure information technology service
to meet the business needs of the Ministry, including the international
offices, and during employee travel;
-
Provide comprehensive human resource programs and
affect cultural changes to ensure the availability of people with
the skills the Ministry requires to achieve current and future organizational
and business plan goals;
-
Implement the Ministry's performance measurement framework;
-
Maintain, update and exercise a business resumption
plan to ensure timely continuation of essential ministry business
activities and functions in the event of a major disruption affecting
ministry operations;
-
Ensure that the implementation of the Ministry's
information technology is aligned with government-wide standards and
architectural direction, and
-
Provide accurate and timely financial information
to meet the needs of the Ministry and reporting requirements of legislation,
as well as ensuring proper controls are in place to safeguard the
Ministry's assets.
SECTOR
TEAMS
Sector
teams were developed to focus on opportunities for sector growth and
development and to resolve issues within the sector that fall within
the economic development mandate. Sector teams provide advice to the
Department and partner ministries, into the dynamics of the sector and
outline the role that government can play in stimulating growth and
developing policy. Sector teams champion key initiatives to facilitate
trade and export development, investment attraction and industry competitiveness.
| SECTOR
TEAM |
MANDATE/OBJECTIVE |
Architecture/Engineering/Construction
(AEC)
|
Partner
with AEC industry and related associations to help develop, diversify
and organize the sector to successfully compete globally, create
wealth and sustain their key position in the Alberta economy,
minimize impediments to growth and maximize the spin-off economic
benefits to other sectors from AEC industry activities. |
| Aerospace
and Aviation
|
Sustain
and grow existing capacities of Alberta's aerospace and defense
industry, and nurture new aerospace capabilities by facilitating
the growth of niche sectors such as Remote Vehicle Technology.
|
| Agri-food |
To
increase trade and investment of Alberta agriculture and value-added
agri-food products, diversify the products and markets, and provide
strategic market intelligence to the industry. |
| Building
Products |
To
help Alberta companies grow and become globally competitive through
attracting investment and increasing local capabilities. |
| Petrochemicals |
Secure
funding for investment in upgraders, refineries, petrochemical
plants, electricity and small/niche manufacturing. |
Environmental
Products and Service |
To
increase exports and enhance the competitiveness of Alberta's
environmental industry through strategic intelligence and collaborative
promotional initiatives. To explore the use of technology to further
advance the growth and development potential of Alberta's environmental
industry. |
Health
and Bio-Industries
(HABIT) |
In
cooperation with industry and other stakeholders, HABIT will provide
advice, support and services to Health and Bio Industries in Alberta
to assess and enhance sector capabilities and competitiveness
and increase domestic and international market penetration. |
| Information
and Communications Technologies (ICT) |
To
advance the growth and international competitiveness of Alberta's
ICT sector with a key objective: to establish Alberta as a global
leader in specialized wireless applications, products and services. |
| Industrial
Machinery and Equipment |
To
foster the development of world class, competitive skills and
capabilities in the oil and gas sector.
|
| Tourism
|
Increase
tourism visitation and spending through: enhancing existing tourism
products; creating new products and destinations, and providing
tourism product and market information to decision makers. |
EXPENSE
BY CORE BUSINESS
MINISTRY
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
CONSOLIDATED
NET OPERATING RESULT
Go to: Energy
Business Plan
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