Business Investment & Attraction
Going Back Together: Wood Buffalo businesses aim for safe reopening of economy
New business portal offers centralized spot for resources and information. Wood Buffalo business leaders and organizations from the Business Recovery Task Force encourage the region to embrace a united approach to keep each other safe as we reopen the Wood Buffalo economy.
“We’re committed to seeing our businesses reopened and getting the economy up and running. But a commitment to doing this safely is going to drive every part of this work,” said Kevin Weidlich, Wood Buffalo Economic Development Corporation’s CEO and Chair of the Business Recovery Task Force. “Reopening an economy is no easy task, and there is complexity to it. It’s not as easy as flipping a switch. It’s more about turning a dial carefully.”
The staged opening for a variety of business sectors has been established and allowed by Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. Our region’s businesses in this phase of reopening are faced with the challenges and impacts of COVID-19, the Flood and an economic downturn. The Business Recovery Task Force respects and encourages that all businesses will make their own decision about when they can safely reopen.
“This is a historic moment for our region,” said Weidlich. “We get one chance to reopen safely – let’s take the time to communicate the importance of keeping each other safe. We are investing in a multi-touchpoint campaign that captures our culture of safety in our community and reminds us that if we follow the rules and stay informed we can return to work safely together.”
Local organziations have partnered to develop a centralized portal that provides business resources and supports to help plan for reopening. WBCentral.biz houses federal, provincial and local resources all in one spot; specific and relevant to our region’s unique circumstances. Visit the portal at WBCentral.biz.
The Business Recovery Task Force encourages the community to share this message and your stories of how we are going back together safely using #GoingBackTogether.
Communmity Toolkit:
A Community Toolkit is available on the WBCentral.biz portal here, which provides a resource for businesses to share information about this campaign on their websites and on social media.
About the Business Recovery Task Force:
The Business Recovery Task Force was established by Wood Buffalo Economic Development Corporation, with the support of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Mayor and Council. The Business Recovery Task Force (the “Task Force”) mandate is to research and recommend immediate and post-emergency supports for both COVID-19 and the Flood. The Task Force is comprised of business leaders and organizations that represent the most impacted sectors in the Wood Buffalo region. A list of the Main Committee Task Force members can be found here.
About WBCentral.biz | www.WBCentral.biz
WBCentral.biz is our region’s central business support portal. Our portal is a knowledge directory designed to make finding business recovery information relevant to our region as quick and easy as possible. WBCentral.biz is a Business Recovery Task Force initiative collaboratively implemented between a team of organizations that support businesses in our region: Community Futures Wood Buffalo (CFWB), Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce (FMCoC), Fort McMurray Construction Association (FMCA), Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal Business Association (NAABA) and Wood Buffalo Economic Development Corporation (WBEDC).
About Wood Buffalo Economic Development Corporation | www.choosewoodbuffalo.ca
Wood Buffalo Economic Development Corporation (WBEDC) is a wholly owned, arm’s-length entity of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, governed by an independent board of directors and managed by an entrepreneurial, customer-centric team. WBEDC is responsible for growing and promoting investment into the region, supporting the growth of startups and existing businesses in the region, and generating tourism and visitation to the region. WBEDC’s focus is on creating wealth for the region, measured as economic impact.