Excellence in Investment/Business Attraction Award

Eligibility: MUNICIPALITIES who can describe efforts taken to attract business or investment in their community and who can provide examples of the results of attraction efforts are eligible for this award.

Blood Tribe Economic Development – Recipient of the Award of Excellence

The Blood Tribe has been working towards attracting a US based modular manufacturer which currently operates 5 plants in the southern US and is looking towards Canadian expansion to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the oil fields.

Village of Nobleford – Recipient of Award of Recognition

The Village became its own land developer of 45 acres and built affordable properties including 121 residential lots and various sizes of commercial lots. The Village is set to be marketed as a community where people would want to live and work and invest.

Excellence in Business Retention

Eligibility: MUNICIPALITIES or COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS who can describe efforts taken to retain businesses within the SouthGrow region are eligible for this award.

Agri Tech Manufacturing Recipient of Award of Recognition

Agri Tech Manufacturing has taken several dramatic steps in recent years to maintain and strengthen the viability of the company in spite of low profits in the agricultural department, including diversification into recreational equipment, contracting work for the oil patch and participating in foreign worker recruitment and retention programs.

B & B Service Recipient of the Award of Excellence

B&B Ag Service has been a family owned fertilizer dealer in the area for over 20 years. Monty Beagle and now his daughter and son in law have a 2 million dollar facility in Mossleigh, which has created new jobs in the area.

Excellence in Business Growth/Expansion

Eligibility: MUNICIPALITIES or INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES who can describe successful business growth or expansion efforts are eligible for this award. Municipalities may have assisted an individual business(es) or individual businesses themselves or may have taken steps to expand or grow the business. Nominees must show results of the efforts.

Edwards Group, A Division of Ag Growth Industries - Recipient of the Award of Recognition

In 2005 Edwards Group, owned by Ag Growth income fund, met with the Village of Nobleford to discuss the future of the 86,000 sq ft equipment manufacturing facility operation in Nobleford. While initial considerations included possibly closing the newly acquired Nobleford operation and selling off the assets, after significant discussions with the Village, a decision was made to not only continue with current operations but to purchase Twister Pipe Ltd of Calgary and relocate it to the facility in Nobleford.

Village of Nobleford, Subdivision Development - Recipient of Award of Excellence

The Village purchased 45 acres of land and self developed residential, commercial and industrial lots as well as marketed itself to Alberta and beyond. The Village self-financed the project and thereby enabled buyer’s affordable fully-developed lots.

Excellence in Collaboration or Partnership

Eligibility: PARTNER AGENCIES (such as Chambers, CFDCs, etc.), MUNICIPALITIES, and/or BUSINESSES who can show how they collaborated successfully to improve the business/investment/economic development environment.

Community Futures Chinook, Taber Chamber of Commerce, Town of Taber, M.D. of Taber, Economic Development Lethbridge, City of Lethbridge - Recipient of the Award of Excellence

A regional labour shortage sparked the idea of creating a common brand, marketing campaign, and labour force initiative for the region: "Grow Ahead ~ Opportunities for a better living".

Cardston County and Town of Cardston - Recipient of Award of Recognition

The Town and the County worked together to develop an Inter-Municipal Development Plan that would benefit the entire area.

Cardston and District Economic Development and Tourism Board - Recipient of Award of Recognition

The “Heart of the SouthWest” Business Plan was developed jointly by the Town of Cardston and Cardston County, and focused on growth and retention. An initial initiative was a new branding campaign (Heart of the SouthWest), which was created and is currently being used by both municipalities in all marketing initiatives, and has instilled pride in the area.

Nobleford/Barons - Recipient of Award of Recognition

Municipalities surrounding Nobleford recognized their need for improved water and entered into discussions with Nobleford that resulted in an agreement for Nobleford to provide potable water, via a 16 km long pipeline, that would pass through the County of Lethbridge to the Village of Barons.

Nobleford and District Emergency Services - Recipient of Award of Recognition

In 2006, both the County and Village took a bold step forward and asked the question. “Can we do a better job if we collaborate? ” and then “Let’s partner in areas of Mutual Benefit and avoid unproductive discussion”. The first collaboration was to replace the two fire trucks, with ongoing benefits including reduction in emergency services operation costs, building needs, an increase in emergency service personnel morale.