CITNE Progress Report

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The economic strategy Calgary in the New Economy (CITNE) envisions long-term prosperity and inclusivity.

Everyone in the city has a role to play, regardless of sector, area of expertise, or interest. The work we do, how we show up, our own goals and work align in some way with the different priorities within the economic strategy. The strategy aims to highlight points of intersection, ensuring we’re all on the same page while working towards outlined priorities.

The strategy allows for creative collaborations and collisions between organizations that may not have thought about working together before. It brings people together.

PROJECT PURPOSE AND EFFECTIVENESS

By stewarding the economic strategy, Calgary Economic Development showcases how we are making progress against the strategy. Each year a report is produced that shares an update on progress towards each of the drivers of the strategy.

In the past, this report has been focused on quantitative key performance indicators. This year, to increase awareness and buy in of the strategy, we added a storytelling and design layer to this report and featured notable developments from members of the community. In lieu of a standard report, a 57 page beautifully designed publication was produced that brought Calgary’s story to life in an inspirational manner. A companion two pager was also produced for those who were looking for a quick summary of the information.

The response to the newly designed report has been very positive. Since the public release in early June, over a thousand individuals have visited the Calgary In the New Economy web page, with 90 downloads of the full report and an additional 50 downloads of the summarized two pager.

PROJECT CHALLENGES

It was a challenge for our team to identify the right stories and statistics to highlight what would be the most impactful for each driver. These were pulled from a much larger report, so selecting stories and statistics that could share a representative snapshot was a challenge.

Timelines were also a challenge due to the number of individuals working on the project as well as the community engagement that was required to source all of the stories. Community engagement played an important role to collect data as several partners were consulted including:

• Calgary Work Integrated Learning team (TalentED)
• YYC Calgary International Airport
• The City of Calgary
• Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF)

TARGET AUDIENCE

The target audience for this publication are:

• Primary:
  • Organizations within the city advancing the strategy’s five economic drivers
  • Calgarians looking to attract new business and professionals to the city
• Secondary:
  • Out of market businesses and professionals that may be considering Calgary as their new home

SUSTAINABILITY

This publication aligns with CITNE’s ambitious strategy to promote long-term prosperity and opportunities for all. It indicates a path forward toward economic diversification with an economy that is inclusive and accessible for everyone.

The five connected key drivers support a future-proof and sustainable economy for Calgary working in tandem with global trends and through future scenario planning.