Edmonton shares economic best practices with Ukraine

March 16, 2012

Representatives from twelve Ukrainian cities are bringing back more than just souvenirs from their visit to Canada – they’re returning with knowledge to make their home towns better.

The City of Edmonton hosted the representatives at an all-day economic forum on March 16 as part of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Municipal Local Economic Development program. They learned about economic planning, intergovernmental cooperation and government reform. The forum brought together 50 municipal officials from across Canada and Ukraine.

“The City of Edmonton is a recognized leader in municipal service delivery,” said Gary Klassen, General Manager of the City’s Sustainable Development department. “Our expertise and experience in advanced technology and innovative methods to plan and address growth are valuable to share with other municipalities. We are preparing The Way We Prosper, a comprehensive economic development strategy for the city. By hosting this forum, we are moving toward our goal for a strong and diverse economy.”

Edmonton Councillor Karen Leibovici, Federation of Canadian Municipalities First Vice President, welcomed the delegates and acknowledged the importance of their efforts. “As municipal officials, we strive to improve our communities. This program has allowed us to share our skills and create new partnerships. Together, we will pave the way for future trade and investment opportunities between our emerging markets.”

In Edmonton, delegates learned from presentations on:

• How City strategy guides economic development (The Way We Prosper)
• Marketing and branding for investment attraction
• Intermunicipal cooperation
• Waste management, environmental sustainability, economic opportunities

Edmonton was included in a 13-city tour because of its work in the areas of economic development partnerships, waste management practices, resource development and regulatory frameworks.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Municipal Local Economic Development program is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and supported by in-kind contributions from the Association of Ukrainian Cities and Canadian and Ukrainian municipalities. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities international municipal development programming.

For more information:

George Matteotti, Project Manager

Renée Worrell

Mouktar Abdillahi