In early November of 2010, some 120 delegates attended the 5th annual Growing in Rural Alberta - A Rural Development Symposium.  The majority of Growing in Rural Alberta participants came from across the Palliser region in southeast Alberta.  They were community members, mayors, reeves, councilors, economic development officers, farmers, business people, community college representatives and representatives of not-for-profit organizations. They brought a diversity of skills, interests, and backgrounds but all had the same goal: to help build capacity in the community and region where they live, prosper and grow.

As part of the Palliser Futures Project, the Symposium included an opportunity for these leaders to learn and engage in dialogue about a year-long process of regional engagement around a preferred future for the region.  The Symposium participants then were given the task to develop key focus areas and strategic actions for the Palliser region to set the path toward the preferred future.

Over the next year, these focus areas and strategic actions will be developed into 21 strategic plans for each individual PEP member community, that all work to achieve the strategic plan for the Southeast Alberta region as a whole.

For more information about Palliser Futures, click here.