Positive response to economic development forum

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Published on Thursday, May 19, 2016

By Eoin Devereux

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

New ideas on economic development were plentiful at the Economic Developers Association of Manitoba (EDAM) spring forum. 

The event was co-hosted by Neepawa and Minnedosa from May 11-13 and featured 75 representatives from 52 different municipalities and organizations from across Manitoba. Those numbers made it one of the most well attended EDAM events in the past decade.

Neepawa’s economic development officer, Marilyn Crewe, said both communities were very pleased with the level of engagement that came out of the sessions.

“We had several organized seminars covering a wide range of topics, such as engaging the local media and businesses and in promoting your region, just for example. Those were very well received,” said Crewe. “What was also very interesting, was that there was a lot of conversation during the community tours that took place in both Neepawa and Minnedosa. The sharing of ideas was very insightful, not just for [the visiting representatives], but for us as well. A lot of chatter on the bus was about the similar challenges every community has and how to face them in new and diverse ways. Overall, we’re very pleased with the feedback.”

Vern May, the economic development officer for Minnedosa, added that the feedback he received from the attendees, was that the seminars were very well-organized and provided a fresh new perspectives to the EDO’s, in regard to local engagement within their communities. 

The Economic Developers Association of Manitoba is an independent non-profit group involved with economic development throughout the province. It’s one of several regional affiliates of the Economic Development Association of Canada (EDAC), the national organization which provides guidance and networking opportunities to economic development practitioners.