Council approves funding to pursue economic development grants

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

 At the Nov. 24 meeting of Taber town council, members voted in favour of spending on three economic development initiatives and a wastewater project. The administration recommended that the town council approve funding for three Northern and Regional Economic Development Program (NRED) grants.

 The first was a global marketing initiative that would require a contribution up to $9,750 from the Town’s capital reserves, contingent on approval of the NRED grant funding.

 The global marketing initiative is a Town and MD partnership called ‘Think Taber,’ and it aims to promote the region widely to target labour force attraction and agri-food investment. Last year, the municipalities were recipients of an NRED grant with a total project value of $35,000, of which 50 per cent came from the grant.

 The previous initiative focused on four goals: drawing foreign investment directly into the local agrifood, logistics and warehousing industries; increasing global awareness and attracting investment by demonstrating the region’s strengths; strengthening the region’s role as a key export hub for Canadian goods; and differentiating Taber from other global competitors through showcasing its advantages. Those advantages include proximity to the border, irrigation infrastructure, and agricultural capabilities.

 Moving forward, a new global marketing grant would include 10 months of ad campaigns, ad spending, ad creation, and testing and analytics. In addition, the municipalities would develop a promo video targeting agri-food investment attraction.

 The second NRED grant application required council to commit up to $13,090, or 50 per cent, of a Town of Taber tourism strategy and market readiness study. The study would target Taber’s investment readiness, its support for local business retention and expansion, and its economic diversification plans. It would identify high-potential visitor experiences, assess current infrastructure and service needs, and outline actionable, investment-ready opportunities.

 The second grant is seen as a tool in attracting new visitors, increasing local spending and supporting the long-term sustainability of businesses that rely on the visitor economy.

 Third on the list of NRED grants was Community Futures application with a grant contribution of up to $8,000 from Taber’s capital budgets. Securing the Community Futures (CF) grant would provide insight into the needs of the business community and supply funding to offer six courses to business owners. CF would act as the project manager for the grant.

 A 2024 business retention and expansion survey found that local businesses were asking for more business assistance from the municipality, including working with partners and other organizations to provide expertise and training about relevant topics to businesses.

 Six courses would build on the ideas from the 2024 survey and expand upon new research findings. “The second portion of the grant application is a continuation of the 2024 Study, inquiring deeper into what the needs of home occupations and smaller businesses specifically and how we as the community can support and promote the growth of these smaller, entrepreneur-led businesses,” the meeting agenda explained.

 The total for the Community Futures grant would be $32,000, with NRED paying 50 per cent and the remaining split between CF and the Town. Taber’s contribution would be $8,000.

 There was little discussion and no debate about pursuing the grants. Council unanimously approved the spending required to qualify as an applicant for all three.