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Shannon Phillips boasts properous year; believes new investments will unlock Lethbridge’s potential

Dec 26, 2016 | 7:28 AM

LETHBRIDGE – According to Lethbridge West MLA and Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Parks Shannon Phillips, 2016 was a big year of investment in the city, as well as climate leadership across the province.

Her focus throughout the year was set on the province-wide carbon levy program that comes in to effect January 1, huge investments at the University of Lethbridge and more recently from Cavendish Farms, and both the Alberta jobs and climate leadership plans.

“Alberta’s jobs plan really put forward a number of different pillars. One was to invest in infrastructure now while people are out of work. That put people to work and families to work right here in Lethbridge, and we’re really proud of that.

“Then we put the business climate in place. We’re an attractive place to invest and we saw that with the announcement of the Cavendish Farms investment,” she continued. “Economic Development Lethbridge has had more than double the number of inquiries this year than they had last year. Lethbridge is really well positioned to grow and prosper.”

In regard to the new carbon levy, Phillips is aware of the potential for some negativity from the public, but hopes everyone will recognize that the province is “positioned for the 21st century” and the government still plans to move forward. The levy will be part of Alberta’s first-ever energy efficiency plan, with rebates across the lower and middle class calculated on average carbon costs.

Phillips particularly commended the strength of all Albertans as they pulled together during the height of the Fort McMurray wildfires in early May. She says all levels of government certainly felt the pressure, but are so grateful to all the people and different sectors that safely evacuated more than 80,000 people from the city, and especially now as they begin to rebuild.

Heading into 2017, she says Lethbridge can look forward to unlocking its true potential. “What we are going to see is new investments in renewables, clean tech, research and development and greener practices in agriculture. It’s not just going to be new projects, it will also be a lot of the technical pieces that go along with that.”

Phillips added that the Alberta government will continue to make economic diversification a reality, while also ensuring policies offer an exceptional quality of life.