WSMA prepared a business plan for the purchase of 75 kilometers of short-line railroad between Camrose and Alliance.

Position Paper: WSMA created a position paper to for SAAEP to communicate to the provincial government the need for their involvement and support of renewable energy development in Alberta and to clarify Alberta's competitive disadvantages and identify constructive solutions.

Opportunity Profiles: WSMA developed four opportunity profiles focusing on the energy streams of wind, solar, geothermal and bio-energy that could be presented to new or existing businesses as a method of creating interest in investing and/or expanding alternative energy in the region.

WSMA carried out a four phase project involving the following:

• detailed analysis of the existing agri-food industry in Palliser region
• development of cluster and bubble maps depicting the availability of businesses and products in the region
• Identification of investment attraction and industry development strategies as well as growth opportunities
• Implementation of all results including updating the website

WSMA developed a Strategic Plan for CAEP, which also included updating its Operations Plan. An essential part of this project was the development of a Board Development Survey and a two day workshop developed by WSMA to obtain feedback and comments from CAEP's Board, Members and Management.

AAMDC hosted a national symposium in July 2008 with the objective of establishing a common voice and vision for a sustainable rural future. AAMDC requested WSMA's assistance in assembling a report that summarized and prioritized the recommendations from the work and input provided at the Rural Sustainability Workshops. The ultimate purpose of the report was to become a foundational advocacy tool for municipalities and municipal associations, rural agencies, industry, policy and stakeholder groups, etc.

WSMA competed three components to this project

• The Defence Industry Development Overview and an Investment Attraction Strategy was developed that identified an Action Plan for the future, identified opportunities and offered suggestions for attracting investment to Wainwright.
• The Trade Corridor Position Paper was developed to encourage the building of a trade corridor that would encourage investment and business development in the region.
• The Industrial Equipment and Manufacturing Sector Profile and Investment Attraction Plan were developed to provide an overview of the industry and identify strengths and weaknesses in the region. An Action Plan was developed as well as opportunities and suggestions for attracting investment for the region.

WSMA developed an outline and content for an Investment Attraction Website based on existing material from BRAED and new material.

WSMA created a communications plan consolidating previous marketing and communications plans into a revised and unified marketing and communication strategy document.

The overall objective of the MSP was to ensure ongoing engagement of municipal stakeholders in co-creating a vision of a sustainable future and linking that to a realistic plan. The intent was to provide strategies that would address the identified priorities of the Village of Breton such as social, economic, cultural, environmental and governmental challenges. The first part of the project involved WSMA hosting a one day planning session with attendees being influential business and political citizens in the Village of Breton.

The ECAFA is an agricultural producer group developed to try new ideas and demonstrate new technology that is available to farmers and ranchers within the community. The objective of the project was to assess the feasibility of building a biodigester facility in the M.D of Provost that would effectively dispose of dead animals, waste materials from the local slaughter plants and local garbage in an environmentally sustainable manner.

GROWTH Alberta is a regional economic development alliance that serves a region of more than 30,000 people in North Central Alberta. WSMA developed a Labour Force Investment Attraction document to be used in conjunction with the Ambassador Program to attract newcomers and investment to the region. There were a number of stages to the plan, each playing a significant role in delivering the important elements of the Labour Force Investment Attraction document. The Ambassador Program Recruitment and Retention Program Plan was created including training strategy, proposed activities and communication plan.

• WSMA provided individual consultation including coaching on planning, developing and implementing strategic Action Plans for investment readiness to 41 CAEP member communities.
• WSMA developed content for five strategic Action Plan Templates that identified resources required to complete the components for core CIR Index Categories. These categories included:
  • Basic Community Information
  • Economic Development Planning
  • Municipal Planning
  • Land Inventory and Basic Infrastructure
  • Investment Attraction Toolbox
• Coaching materials were developed to assist the communities to determine their investment readiness priorities and available resources, as well as to define a process for implementing the actions. WSMA provided strategic direction and guidance to prioritize actions to address the most obvious gaps and the more urgent aspects of CIR. Strategic Action Plans were also completed to enhance CIR in the 41 communities.
• WSMA developed and facilitated a workshop to address gaps and capitalize on common needs for each of the core CIR Index Categories for each of the communities.
• A Final Project Report was completed including an Executive Summary, Project Overview, Regional Findings and Recommendations.

This project was supported by LSLEA and also by the Community Futures Lesser Slave Lake Region (CFLSLR). LSLEA & CFLSLR were seeking a Socio Economic Analysis and Investment Profile for LSLEA's member communities. The purpose was to help develop capacity for the region and communicate regional economic development information. WSMA developed a Socio Economic Analysis and Investment Profile which included Competitive Advantages of the Region, Alberta's Competitive Advantage, Industry Overview in Alberta, Industry Summary - LSLEA Region, Statistics for the LSLEA Region, Unique Business Opportunities, Quality of Life and Commercial and Residential Real Estate. Individual Investment Profiles were created for the High Prairie, Slave Lake, Swan Hills and Wabasca regions.

WSMA provides our clients with consulting assistance in the preparation of grant applications on the provincial and federal level. Western Sky successfully assisted the Town of Drayton Valley with their Rural Alberta Development Fund project proposal. $1 million in funding for the Bio-Economy Incubator Initiative project was approved by the Rural Alberta Development Fund Board of Directors.

WSMA created new tourism-sector specific documentation that was used in conjunction with Tourism Business Guides produced by ATPR. WSMA developed five tourism guides: Eco Tourism, Adventure Tourism, RV Parks, Fixed Roof Accommodations and Resorts.

• The Town of Bentley required a strategic plan to take advantage of the enormous opportunities that exist within the town and the surrounding area. WSMA developed a strategic plan of action for them that identified short, medium and long term goals for implementation. It provided guidance and was aligned with other existing plans.
• Another component of this project that complimented the strategic plan was an investment attraction information package that outlined the benefits of developing a business or investing in the Town of Bentley.

WSMA produced this report to provide a clearer understanding of the wind energy supply chain to facilitate the region to identify current and future opportunities and potential value.

WSMA was retained to develop a plan to assess the potential of consumers' willingness to pay for identified health benefits of forage finished beef. WSMA worked collaboratively with the Consumer Product Testing Centre (CPTC) in Edmonton to implement the CWTP survey tool and retail simulation. WSMA conducted focus groups of beef producers and consumers to gather quantitative and qualitative data which was utilized in the project.

WSMA provides our clients with consulting assistance in preparing grant applications on the provincial and federal level. Western Sky successfully assisted Red Deer County on behalf of Red Deer Regional Economic Development (RDRED) in collaboration with CAEP (Central Alberta Economic Partnership) with their Rural Alberta Development Fund project proposal. $1,172,050 in funding for the regional economic development TKO project was approved by the Rural Alberta Development Fund Board of Directors.