CAO DIVISION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
The COVID-19 pandemic continued to present both challenges and new opportunities. Despite tradeshows and many other networking opportunities being cancelled, the Economic Development department has continued to market Lac La Biche Region through all available channels.
Lac La Biche County continued to take quick action on the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Response Team and Senior Leadership Team explored solutions to lessen the impact of the pandemic on our community and County staff.
Our annual tourism campaigns were once again hugely successful. The #TakeItToTheLake campaign, in partnership with four other northeastern Alberta destinations, reached over 1 million people on social media. Go East of Edmonton’s Roadtrip Adventure Game drew hundreds of travellers to explore and visit “sticker stations” in participating communities. Lac La Biche Region had two stations, one at the local Visitor Information Centre and one at North Country Co-op’s gas bar. The Visitor Information Centre, managed by the Lac La Biche & District Chamber of Commerce, called it the best promotion they had ever joined. To guide future activities and investments, the department completed a Museums Sustainability project to benefit the Lac La Biche Museum, Lac La Biche Mission, and Plamondon & District Museum. Staff also began a bilingual signage project in partnership with the Conseil de développement économique de l’Alberta to encourage bilingual tourism and highlight the added value that bilingualism provides the community. The first meeting of the County’s Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) was held in December. EDAC has representatives from business, industry, non-profit, and other sectors. The committee’s ongoing role will be to make highlevel recommendations to Council on economic development matters. In 2022, the department expects to complete projects related to wayfinding and interpretive signage, community branding, and placemaking. 6
Lac La Biche County | 2021 Year in Review
Back in 2020, the County announced a partnership to bring TELUS’ fibre optic network to the region, along with a new cell tower to improve wireless coverage in the Hylo area. Throughout the County in 2021, construction by TELUS and their contractors gave many residents in the hamlets of Plamondon and Lac La Biche the opportunity to hook up to fibre optic broadband. Phase 1 of the Main Street Lac La Biche Revitalization Project was completed successfully. Administration continues to plan and work towards Phases 2 and 3 to complete Main Street. During 2022 budget deliberations, Council passed a bylaw to debenture the Revitalization Project. The County continues to work diligently on short and longterm plans for transitional housing. Administration was able to secure $150,000 in funding from the Rural Development Network’s Reaching Home Grant. In 2021, the County and Métis Nation of Alberta Region 1 signed an agreement for a short-term lease property to ensuring that our most vulnerable residents had a place to stay while a long-term plan is developed. In 2021, the County conducted a community engagement plan for the future Aquatics Centre at the Bold Center. The engagement was completed successfully, with information brough back to Council. During 2022 budget deliberations, Council passed a bylaw to debenture the Aquatics Centre project.
