WAINWRIGHT RANKED #1 FOR AFFORDABILITY

IN ALBERTA

Wainwright has once again been recognized as having the lowest cost of living in Alberta, according to the 2024 Alberta Spatial Price Index!

This is the second time the Town of Wainwright has earned this honour—the last was in 2018 - proving that Wainwright remains one of Alberta’s most affordable and appealing places to live.

View the full report: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/4128534

CLASS 1 COMMERCIAL DRIVER

EMPLOYMENT PATHWAY GRANT

The Alberta Government Workforce Consultant team is hosting an information session from Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors on their new Employment Pathway Grant, which provides funding to support training, attraction and retention of Class 1 commercial drivers in Alberta.

The session will provide an overview of the grant, the application process, and provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

Date: Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Time: 1:30-3:00 PM

EXIT NAVIGATOR SUCCESSION PLANNING TOOL

Thinking about selling years from now, or right in the thick of it? There's help available at any stage. It's never too early to get started.

Community Futures is offering the Exit Navigator tool to support business owners on their succession planning journey. The initial meeting is free and without obligation, providing a valuable opportunity to learn about the sale process, explore available options, and understand how Community Futures can offer support throughout the transition.

PLAN AHEAD: U OF C NURSING PROGRAM (FALL 2026)

Please be advised that the University of Calgary, in collaboration with Alberta Health Services, is once again 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 open October 1, 2025 and the deadline to apply is March 1, 2026.

Program Highlights:

• 3.25–3.5 year degree program

• September admission only

• Labs held in person at Wainwright Health Centre

• Clinical placements within the Wainwright area

• Applicants must reside within 130 km of Wainwright and be Alberta residents (excluding major urban centres)

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

ALBERTA MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY GRANT

The recently released Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant, provides up to $30,000 in matching funding to small and medium-sized manufacturers from any sector.

Manufacturing companies from any sector are eligible to apply to the pilot program if they have a physical location in Alberta which makes, refines, refurbishes or processes a product or material, uses or locates the equipment or technology from the grant in Alberta and employs between 5 and 750 employees.

BUY LOCAL ALBERTA

Alberta’s government has launched a promotional campaign to encourage Albertans to support local businesses, manufacturers and producers.

As part of the promotional campaign, Alberta’s government has developed a free toolkit to help promote local businesses to Alberta shoppers who want to buy local. Please visit Buy Local Alberta | Alberta.ca, where you can download free posters and social media graphics – look for the link ‘download our free toolkit’. Participation is voluntary.

Once the toolkit is downloaded, the Government of Alberta is asking participants to take the eight-question survey to let them know how you used the toolkit and what else could provided to encourage Albertans to buy local. The survey should take less than five minutes to complete. The survey will close on July 31.

In order to assist local business in gaining information on business opportunities with local municipalities, Wainwright Garrison 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.

DEADLINES FOR COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT GRANTS AND EVENT SPONSORSHIP

The Town of Wainwright values the significant contributions of community not-for-profit organizations and volunteer groups in enhancing community well-being and improving the quality of life for its residents. The Town also recognizes the efforts of local organizations, community groups and sports teams that host events and activities to raise funds for worthwhile projects, programs, or services while promoting economic growth.

In an effort to support these organizations and their initiatives, the Town is committed to providing assistance to such organizations, community groups and sports teams through the NEW Community and Support Grants and Event Sponsorship Policy.

2025 application deadlines are outlined below:

• Minor Event Sponsorship - September 1

AGLC TRAINING FOR CHARITABLE GROUPS

Did you know the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) has resources to provide volunteers of charitable groups with a better understanding of the key policies and practices related to charitable gaming?

The Gaming Information for Charitable Groups (GAIN) Program provides essential information to groups that conduct or want to conduct charitable gaming activities like bingos, casinos, pull ticket sales or raffles.

GAIN can help if you have questions about:

• Eligibility requirements
• The licensing application process
• Requirements for conducting an event
• Allowable use of proceeds
• Submitting financial reports

Their one-hour long webinars address different topics in the life cycle of a charitable gaming event. They also have online modules available for volunteers of charitable organizations who want to access the information online, anytime, at their convenience.

ALBERTA OPEN FARM DAYS

Alberta Open Farms Days is taking place on August 16 and 17, 2025.

It is an incubator for agri-tourism and rural sustainability. They bring Albertans together through educational and experiential agricultural-based initiatives to learn about where your food comes from. As well, some of Alberta's most talented chefs and rural communities will be hosting a memorable series of farm to table culinary events that will be held around the province using Alberta farm products.

THINKING ABOUT RUNNING FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICE?

Do you know someone who would make a great local leader? If you do, the Town of Wainwright council and administration encourage you to share this information with them!

Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) and the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) are hosting a one-hour webinar for people interested in running for council in this fall’s municipal elections.

Participants will discover:

• What local councils control
• The actual time commitment (most councillors work regular jobs, too)
• How decisions in small municipalities create immediate, visible and long-lasting impacts
• How skills acquired from work, community activities and family life apply to serving on municipal council.

Prospective candidates can register for a webinar that corresponds with the size of the municipality in which they will run. Numerous one-hour sessions are being offered from April to September.

For more information and to register, go to https://www.abmunis.ca/events

For additional election-related resources, visit the ABmunis Running for Municipal Office page.

ELECTION NOMINATION PERIOD

The nomination period for the 2025 general election began on January 1, 2025, and will run until 12:00 p.m. on nomination day: Monday, September 22, 2025.

Candidate Eligibility

A person may be nominated in any election under Section 21 of the Local Authorities Election Act if the person:

• is eligible to vote in the election;
• has resided in the municipality for six consecutive months immediately preceding nomination day; and
• is not otherwise ineligible.

Submitting your Nomination Form

Candidates who seek nomination for office must bring into the Town Office (1018 - 2 Avenue) the following:

• Notice of Intent to Run - If not already submitted
• Form 4 - Nomination Paper and Candidate's Acceptance - Completed, along with a minimum of five elector signatures. These electors must be residents of the local jurisdiction on the date they signed the form and must be eligible to vote in the election
• Form 5 - Candidate Information
• $100.00 Nomination Deposit in the form of cash, cheque, debit card or credit card as required by Bylaw 2024-13
• Criminal Record Check - dated no more than six months from the date in which a candidate's nomination form is submitted as required by Bylaw 2024-13

1 AVENUE CONSTRUCTION NOTICE

Alberta Government

Request a presentation for your company or organization

at EOP.Presentations@gov.ab.ca

Employment Standards in Alberta - Wages and Overtime

July 17, 2025

Alberta Women Entrepreneurs

LinkedIn Content Crack'd

July 23, 2025

Payments for Modern SMEs | Learning Lab Series

July 31, 2025

Unlocking Opportunity: How AWE Supports Alberta Women Entrepreneurs

August 6, 2025

Business Link

Understanding Artificial Intelligence: Unlocking Its Potential in Marketing

July 17, 2025

Quick Website Fixes to Stop Losing Sales

July 23, 2025

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

• Addressing the Agriculture Labour Task Force Grant Program
• Food Futures Program
• Training & Wage Subsidies for Environmental Jobs
• Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP)

Apprenticeship related Incentives for Employers:

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

Youth and Apprenticeships

• 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

• 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

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

• Indicators at a Glance
• Weekly Economic Review
• Labour Market Notes
• Economic Trends
• Economic Spotlight - 2024: Alberta’s GDP by industry