By Curtis Galbraith

Economy

Two NDP critics at GTN say there are opportunities, challenges for the Alberta economy

Feb 23, 2024 | 6:00 AM

Two members of the provincial NDP shadow cabinet were among the crowd at the Growing the North Conference held at Evergreen Park.

Calgary Foothills MLA and Technology and Innovation Critic, Court Ellingson, says it is good for him to travel around Alberta and see how technology is being applied in all industries and areas of the province.

“People … see and hear stories about technology in Calgary, but we don’t hear often the stories about technology in places like Grande Prairie, but technology is here too and it’s being applied to our core industries and it’s also popping up in industries and businesses that maybe we weren’t previously aware of in Grande Prairie.”

Ellingson says one thing northern Alberta has that people may not know about is educational technology companies.

Edmonton Southwest MLA and Jobs, Economy and Trade Critic Nathan Ip says the conference affirmed the potential for growth in the Peace.

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“It’s been … fantastic to hear directly from entrepreneurs as well as from economic development folks here in the region and to hear about what they’re working on, what the opportunities are. There’s a lot happening in Grande Prairie that I think folks don’t know about.”

Ip says one idea with a lot of potential is lithium production.

NeoLithica announced nearly two years ago that it is developing the Peace River Project between the Town of Peace River and Grande Prairie.

Ellingson says this area will see a lot of work done in clean energy production.

Ip is hopeful that the relatively good economic outlooks he heard at the conference will be accurate.

Ip says he heard from one presenter that a net 50,000 people had come to Alberta from July 2022 to July 2023, and he would like to see the government address some challenges.

“That’s certainly going to put pressure on our health care system, on our education system, on infrastructure, on housing.”

“We know that all across the province that rental rates are going up, housing vacancy rates are going down and that continues to be a challenge.”

Ellingson says one concern he heard was Alberta having the slowest wage growth in the country, adding this province needs to be thinking about affordability.

“This province needs to be thinking about the people who are coming here to share their skills and experiences with us. Are we doing everything that we can to transition them into the professions that they brought their skills from?”

Ellingson adds he and Ip will take what they heard at the conference back to the NDP caucus.

“Our job as a politician is to listen, to hear from people what they see the opportunities being, hear what are the challenges that they face and how can we overcome those challenges to achieve those opportunities.”

Ip says another concern he heard was about labour challenges.

“Even though … there’s lots of economic opportunity here, skilled labour in particular is something that is challenging for a lot of companies and entrepreneurs or those looking to start companies.”

While Ellingson’s constituency is in Calgary, he grew up in Valleyview.

The two-day Growing the North Conference, the 15th annual edition, took place Wednesday and Thursday at Evergreen Park.