Community Vision/BVI/MSP

Did the acronyms in the title intrigue you? Peace River has a lot going on and we're hoping that Peace River and area residents will become active in each of them!

Here's one: The Business Vitality Initiative (BVI) "measures the business-friendliness of your community, compares the results to other communities, helps you come up with strategies for improvement and launches your community into action" (CIEL website).

In July, I attended the Rural Matters! conference in Edmonton, sponsored by the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts & Counties (AAMDC). Mayor Callioux and Councillor Laurin also attended and we all learned much from the sessions we attended.

It was at one called "Tools to Build Entrepreneurial and Vital Communities" with Mike Stolte of CIEL (Centre for Innovative & Entrepreneurial Leadership) that I heard about the possibility of a pilot project in Alberta. I let Mike know that Peace River might be interested and would be an ideal community.

Now Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development has partnered with CIEL to deliver a pilot project for one of CIEL's tools, the BVI, in four rural Alberta communities and Peace River is one of them! January-February is roughly the time for this initiative. Public input is an important feature of this initiative.

Here's another: Municipal Sustainability Planning MSP. Peace River is one of a number of Alberta communities that will receive support from the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) for this planning, which will involve public input.

And another: Planning is underway for our community visioning process. Mark your calendar: on December 9, there will be two sessions available for Peace River and area residents to participate. More details to follow so keep an eye on the Town's website.

As we move ahead with each of these initiatives, they will build on each other and by June, we should have a comprehensive and exciting vision along with action plans to carry us forward.

Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks and months. These are exciting opportunities for residents to help to identify a vision and set the course for the future.