JEDI is aiming to attract business with a clear-cut marketing campaign and low-cost land. In the last two years the initiative has completed a growth strategy, a new investment guide and a cheeky guarantee for potential investors.
"JEDI's no-bull guarantee means that whatever your business need is, JEDI will look to meet it," said Jiselle Sears, JEDI's economic development specialist. "It is about enabling creative ideas and working with industry to reduce the red-tape whenever possible."
Spagrud brings economic development experience from both Saskatchewan and Alberta and said she is looking forward to attracting new business and developers to the JEDI region.
How exactly Spagrud will capitalize on the JEDI model remains to be seen, but she has some ideas.
"Business and industry expectations are so much higher than they used to be, there is a higher quality of life expectation to go with that," said Spagrud. "If the JEDI communities are not exuding that feeling of 'wow' we have to look at that and see what we can do to create that.
"If I'm attracting business, I want to take advantage of all the benefits of them being in the area - the spin-off advantages," she said. "[We need to] maximize the economic benefit of a business being located in our region."
With affordable, conveniently located land, strategic plans in place and new leadership at the helm, she is optimistic.
"It's not that business wants our help; they want us to clear the path so development can take place,"said Spagrud. "We have developed processes that are easy, open and seamless to attract more industry. That is JEDI's advantage. That is where we will succeed."
Currently there is a large amount of underdeveloped industrial land in the JEDI region, creating opportunities for "visionary developers" to undertake the development of serviced industrial parks in order to meet both current and future demand, Spagrud said.
Raw land costs are significantly lower than in Nisku-Leduc and Red Deer, she added.
from Western Investor September 2012
