October 20, 2020

Medicine Hat College (MHC), the City of Medicine Hat, and the Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce have come together to encourage cohesive regional vitality and collaborative action within Southeastern Alberta.

The Regional Vitality Planning project’s main goal is to build a united Southeastern Alberta. To achieve this goal, a collaborative planning process will work to find common trends, identify collective advocacy opportunities, and align to the future needs of people, communities and business.

With a full spectrum focus, the Regional Vitality Plan will inspire action and collective work on themes such as people, culture, sustainability, health, education, agriculture, innovation, economy and wellness.

Kevin Shufflebotham, president and CEO of Medicine Hat College says, “I am thrilled that MHC has this opportunity to be engaged in collaboratively impacting regional vitality. Through this project, we are working directly with people in the region to develop the grounds for mutual advocacy. This is an example of how MHC can contribute to regional vitality while activating our own strategic plan, which positions us as a partner invested in our region’s future.”

The project includes the formation of a stakeholder advisory panel and engaging community members in regional analysis to identify top priorities and issues. From there, a Regional Vitality Plan will be curated with goals, action items and stakeholder commitments focused on collective advocacy, collaboration, evidence-based decision-making, and non-partisanship.

Tracy Noullett, president of the Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce, adds, “We were pleased to be a founding member of this advisory panel as the Chamber has long sought out ways to look at a non-partisanship approach to influence, advocacy and decision making and ways we can collaborate as a region, building on our values that exemplify a culture of constant improvement.

“We are committed to enhancing the value proposition of our region and not only aligning the future needs of business, but also those of our communities and people within the region. We know this network is sure to grow as we identify other partners and panel members and as we continue to build evidence that supports our directions, actions, and advocacy.”

Chief Administration Officer with the City of Medicine Hat, Robert Nicolay, shares his excitement in working collaboratively with MHC and the Chamber to foster economic vitality in our region.

“We sincerely believe that a strong and vital city lives best within a strong and vital region and Council places a high priority on converting this belief into action. Accomplishments such as recent adoption of the Inter-municipal Development Plan and the Inter-municipal Collaboration Framework are evidence of the City’s commitment. An advisory role in the Regional Vitality Planning Collaboration project is an excellent opportunity to amplify momentum in this important effort.”

With the project currently underway, the Regional Vitality Plan is expected to be completed early March 2021.-