Wainwright Economic Development is pleased to announce that Mashup Lab’s Dream Business Program is headed to Wainwright, Alberta! 

This program is a community-supported, six-week virtual business program focused on helping build the confidence and skills needed to start or grow a business.

Mashup Labs will help with:

• Idea generation
• Business viability
• Getting clarity on next steps
• Finding customers
• And more!

The program is starting the week of April 7th!

Apply NOW for this free program at www.dreambusiness.ca/wainwright

WAINWRIGHT, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Help shape our community’s Economic Development Plan by joining our upcoming roundtable discussion. Your ideas and experiences matter, and this is a great chance to share them.

Wednesday, March 11

6:30pm – 8:00pm

Communiplex Meeting Room, 700 - 2 Avenue

Let’s build Wainwright’s future together!

LOCAL PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES

In order to assist local business in gaining information on business opportunities with local municipalities, CFB Wainwright etc., the Wainwright Economic Development Office will periodically send out business opportunities featured on   merx.com  and CanadaBuys that pertain particularly to Wainwright and area.

These are systems used by the Government for procurement of goods and services over $25,000.

STRATEGIES TO HIRING AND RETAINING YOUTH EMPLOYEES IN ALBERTA

Join the Workforce Consultant Team with the Government of Alberta as we host a free 1.5-hour webinar focused on Strategies to Hiring and Retaining Youth Employees in Alberta. The City of Calgary Youth Employment Centre will provide expert speakers to examine emerging Generation Z labour trends, learn from other business’s challenges and successes in real life case studies.

February 26, 2026

2:00 -3:30 pm

ALBERTA CULTURE DAYS GRANT NOW OPEN

Community groups, municipalities, artists, non profits, and cultural organizations are encouraged to host free or low cost events such as performances, workshops, exhibits, or cultural celebrations. Registered events are promoted through the provincial Alberta Culture Days platform.

WESTERN INNOVATION FORUM

Western Innovation Forum 2026 (WIF 2026) is a business-to-business (B2B) meeting event and will take place virtually on February 24-26, 2026. There is no cost to register.


Reasons to participate in WIF

• WIF 2026 is an industry-oriented event that connects western Canada’s defence industries, cutting-edge innovators, and researchers to innovation-driven investment, research, partnerships, and Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB)-related business opportunities.
• Last year, WIF attracted 360 participants, including 32 defence prime contractors/tier 1 suppliers, and featured over 800 B2B meetings.

WAINWRIGHT RN PROGRAM: DEADLINE MARCH 1

The University of Calgary, in collaboration with Alberta Health Services, is offering the Rural Community Route – Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program in Wainwright, with the next intake scheduled for September 2026.

Important: There will be no intake at the Wainwright site in 2027, so interested students are strongly encouraged to apply for the 2026 intake.

Applications are OPEN. The deadline to apply March 1, 2026.

For full program details and to apply, please visit: https://nursing.ucalgary.ca/undergraduate/rural

For questions about admission requirements, tuition, financial aid, or the application process, please contact: bnosinfo@ucalgary.ca

BUSINESS EDUCATION

ALBERTA GOVERNMENT

TFW and Employer Rights and Responsibilities

February 24

Building the Foundations of Safe, Fair, Healthy Workplaces: A free employer information webinar with Regional Employer Supports, Occupational Health and Safety, and Employment Standards

February 25

Employment Standards in Alberta - Wages and Overtime

March 10

ALBERTA WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Know Your Numbers

February 20

Buy vs. Build: The Era of Claude Code & Codex

February 20

How to Choose the Right CRM for Your Business (Even If You’ve Tried Before)

March 11

BUSINESS LINK


Tax Tips & Tricks Every Canadian Small Business Owner Should Know

February 19

How To Make Impactful On-Brand Visuals with AI

February 26

GRANTS AND FUNDING

General

• Indigenous Employment Training Partnerships Program
• Training on the Job Program
• Workforce Partnership Grant
• Workforce Strategies Grant
• Workplace Training Program

Industry-Specific

• Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant
• Addressing the Agriculture Labour Task Force Grant Program
• Class 1 Commercial Driver Employment Pathway Grant
• NRC IRAP's Defence Industry Assist (DI Assist)
• PrairiesCan Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI)
• Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII)
• Training & Wage Subsidies for Environmental Jobs

Apprenticeship related Incentives for Employers:

• Apprenticeship Grants: Funding opportunities for skilled trades and apprenticeship
• Apprenticeship job creation tax credit
• Canada Apprentice Loan
• Apprenticeship Grants: Funding opportunities for skilled trades and apprenticeship
• Canada Tradesperson’s Tool deduction – up to $500 per year
• Supplementary unemployment benefit plan (SUBP)
• Supports for skilled trades and apprenticeship

Youth and Apprenticeships

• CAREERS - Alberta Youth Employment Incentive
• CAREERS - Youth Internship Incentive Program (YIIP)
• Empowering Futures for Apprentices
• FIRST (First Industry Research Science Technology) Jobs Pilot Program (Technology Alberta)
• Student Work Placement Program
• Trade Pathways Program
• Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) Funding Programs

BUSINESS RESOURCES

• Alberta Innovates
• Alberta Women Entrepreneurs
• Agriculture Job Connector
• Alberta Online Learning Centre
• Battle River Alliance for Economic Development
• Business Link
• Community Futures East Central Alberta
• East Central Regional Innovation Network
• Futurpreneur Canada
• Government of Alberta Supports for Business
• Investment & Growth Strategy
• Prairies Economic Development Canada - Canada.ca
• Startup Lloydminster
• Wainwright & District Chamber of Commerce

ECONOMY STATISTICS

• Indicators at a Glance
• Weekly Economic Review
• Labour Market Notes

BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT

If you would like to be featured as a Business Highlight in an upcoming newsletter, please email cherbert@wainwright.ca