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Blue-chip task force seeks input to change the 'direction of this province'

Cory Janssen said he's going into the project ready to listen and learn, but he expects to hear a lot about climate action, reconciliation and technology

Author of the article: Stephanie Babych
Publishing date: Aug 04, 2021 • 
A masked pedestrian crosses the Centre Street
 in downtown Calgary on Friday, April 16, 2021. 
PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI/POSTMEDIA


A task force of Alberta business leaders will engage with Albertans over the next several months to visualize the province’s next 10 years of growth and prosperity.

NO MENTION OF UNIONS

Fourteen CEOs of different Alberta companies will engage with individuals, community groups and business leaders across the province, and research Alberta’s strengths and opportunities over the next six months to define the upcoming decade.


The “Define the Decade” initiative was launched Wednesday by the Business Council of Alberta to create a unified vision for the future and develop a path to building shared prosperity for Albertans.

“It feels like Alberta’s at a turning point. We are aware of the things that need to change, or there’s discussion around that, but this is about defining that vision and making sure we’re all rowing in the same direction so we can get there,” said Cory Janssen, co-founder and co-CEO of AltaML — an AI tech company.

In addition to round tables, market research and community engagement, they’re seeking input from anyone who has an idea of what the next decade should look like; their values, priorities and economic challenges. On the website, definethedecade.com, Albertans can submit ideas for how the province can be improved by 2030.

Janssen, who’s also co-chair of the task force, said he’s going into the project ready to listen and learn, but he expects to hear a lot about climate action, reconciliation and technology.

“I’m really excited that we can create something that isn’t just incremental but, hopefully, changes the direction of this province,” said Janssen.

“We want to hear from Albertans.”

AI researchers Cory Janssen and Nicole Janssen, Co-founders of AltaML in Edmonton, March 7, 2019. PHOTO BY ED KAISER /Postmedia

With changes to the energy sector, the effect of the pandemic and other economic challenges, Alberta is in need of an updated framework to improve the economy for all Albertans, said Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta.

“How do we work with Albertans to truly identify what is the Alberta that we want by 2030? What’s an Alberta that we’ll be proud of in 2030 and what is the pathway to getting there?” Legge said.

“We want to understand their hopes, dreams and aspirations for life in Alberta, and we want to be a part of helping build that.”

Legge hopes the final report from the initiative, due in January 2022, will rally people to take action to build a more competitive, inclusive and sustainable economy.

“We have an opportunity to look at Alberta with fresh eyes and begin a conversation between people, business leaders and governments about what a good life looks like a decade from now,” said Legge. “How do we make it so people want to live and establish roots here?”

Janssen’s co-chair, Susannah Pierce, president and country chair of Shell Canada, said in a news release that it will be important for them to understand what matters to all Albertans and confront the challenges and opportunities ahead.


“This is not just about how to increase our competitiveness; it is also about social value. It is about thinking deeply and strategically about how, as business leaders, our investments can benefit everyone,” Pierce said.

A prosperity advisory committee will also be formed with Indigenous leaders and racialized Albertans to offer additional insight.

The team also includes Alex Pourbaix, the president and CEO of Cenovus Energy, Al Monaco, president and CEO of Enbridge, Angela Lekatsas, president and CEO of Cervus Equipment, Jason Pincock, the CEO of DynaLIFE, John Kousinioris, president and CEO of TransAlta, and Jordan Hokanson, president and CEO of Hokanson Capital.

Also on the panel are Karen Brookman, president and CEO of WCD, Kristi Cawthorn, CEO of Startec Compression and Process, Rohit Gupta, president of Rohit Group of Companies, Scott Bolton, president and CEO of UFA, Sami Saad, the CEO of Fort McKay Group of Companies, and Trent Fequet, CEO of Steel River Group.


sbabych@postmedia.com

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