Economic development group eyes aerospace and critical minerals

Alberta SouthWest says new strategy aims to help communities like Crowsnest Pass attract investment and work together

A regional economic development group is looking well beyond traditional promotion as it explores new opportunities that could shape the future of Crowsnest Pass and the wider southwest Alberta region.

Sean Miles, director of investment development for Alberta SouthWest, gave council an update Tuesday night on the organization’s work, describing a shift toward more deliberate regional collaboration, stronger data use and new sector development.

Miles said Alberta SouthWest, a not-for-profit organization marking its 25th anniversary this year, includes 15 member communities and has long focused on business attraction and support. But he said changing economic conditions are forcing communities to think more strategically.

“We know that things are changing,” he said. “We know that macroeconomic conditions are changing federally, globally, all those different types of things, and it’s really trickling down to us and it’s making us look at things differently.”

He said the group still sees manufacturing, energy, construction, agriculture and tourism as core areas, but is also beginning to explore newer opportunities with regional potential. Among them are aerospace, critical minerals and what he described as medical tourism.

On aerospace, Miles said the idea is to examine how several regional aerodromes, including Crowsnest Pass, can work together instead of competing.

“How do we get together and band together and create some strength and synergy to attract synergistic businesses and not compete against each other, but really define our niches,” he said.

Miles said Claresholm has already shown what can happen when an anchor aerospace tenant helps attract related interest, including in drones and aviation manufacturing. He said a similar mindset could help shape longer term planning around smaller regional airstrips.

Miles said there have not yet been direct inquiries specific to the Pass, but there have been conversations around emergency services and outdoor recreation linked to air access.

“What we think about at Crowsnest Pass is emergency services and connections to outdoor adventures, and how do we connect to some sort of air service,” he said.

On critical minerals, Miles said the organization is only beginning to scratch the surface but sees clear relevance for the region. Councillor Doreen Johnson asked whether that could include old gas wells and lithium possibilities.

“Absolutely, it’s an exploration for us, for sure,” Miles said.

One of the more unusual ideas raised in the presentation was medical tourism. Miles said recent provincial policy changes may create a future opening for specialized private medical procedures aimed at people coming from outside Canada, especially from the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

He said the concept is still in its early stages, but the region’s lower costs, exchange rate advantages and quality of life could eventually create opportunities.

“There’s lots of opportunity and foreign direct dollars in there as well,” he said.

Miles also highlighted behind the scenes work that communities may not always see, including investment readiness tools, grant applications, digital assets and support for confidential private sector inquiries.

Among the examples he cited was quiet work around a potential data centre concept in the region. He said Alberta SouthWest has helped connect local proponents with Rural Municipalities of Alberta to address barriers at the provincial level.

“These folks are quietly working way in the background,” he said.

Councillor Tony Vastenhout used the discussion to raise another possibility closer to home, pointing to the industrial park in Sentinel and wondering whether it could be pitched as a site for a solar project.

Miles welcomed the idea and said that kind of local brainstorming is exactly what he hopes to capture as the organization develops practical investment packages for member communities.

“That’s the stuff that I’m looking for,” he said. “I’m looking for some ideas.”

Johnson also asked what the working relationship with Alberta SouthWest will look like going forward. Miles said Crowsnest Pass already has representation through Mayor Pat Rypien on the board and that future support will be tailored to each community.

“It’s going to be customized for each community,” he said. “Some are way more sophisticated. Some need a lot of supports.”

For Crowsnest Pass, the presentation signalled that economic development discussions are broadening well beyond tourism alone. While many of the ideas remain early stage, the update suggested the municipality may increasingly be part of regional conversations around aviation, mineral development, healthcare related investment and large scale infrastructure opportunities.