Success Stories
Community Economic Development
Canmore Centre of Wellbeing
Canmore Economic Development Authority
Canmore, Alberta
Stage One Completed: March 2008
The purpose of this project is to diversify the economy in the Bow Valley from sole dependency upon the tourism industry by developing a strong health and wellness industry.
Due to the attractiveness of the mountain environment, Canmore & Banff are attracting people that value wellness, including over 55 physicians, alternative & complimentary health practices, lifestyle development specialties, fitness programs, national sport teams and research. This project allowed them to identify and articulate the assets in the region in order to identify gaps, niches and build around these assets. The focus in health care is shifting towards more emphasis on wellness – another movement that can add to the success of the project.
Community Futures Centre West (CFCWest) partnered with the Canmore Economic Development Authority (CEDA) to deliver on the objectives outlined in Canmore’s Community Economic Development Strategy to diversify their economy by supporting and growing the health & wellness sector. We did this by:
- Canmore’s Health & Wellness Sector Profile - Identifying today’s assets, equipment, services and products, gaps, key industry segments and community benefits in both Canmore & Banff through a community consultation process with the wellness industry, community, public health, private landowners, & government.
- “Health & Wellbeing Summit in the Rockies” - Established a self-sustaining tool to increase opportunity awareness & showcase assets through an annual symposium. In this inaugural year, they used the event to engage the local community & industry and establish a successful operating model for this event. The intention is to grow this event into a financially self-sustaining event, targeted to visitors and locals, to create a revenue stream to support further event development and activities around health & wellbeing. Eventually, the community will use this event to attract investment and business development in the health & wellness industry.
- Building enough momentum and growth within the industry to support continued growth on its own. Do this by engaging and setting up partnerships through the project and through the project outcomes, identify further opportunities and need for partnership involvement to take advantage of the opportunities.
Working with the private landowners to dedicate lands and work with them to develop the built infrastructure necessary to anchor the health & wellness sector.
Project Highlights
• A strong asset base was confirmed: ex: 55 actively practicing with over 45 more with hospital privileges; more than double the number of physicians per person than the province average.
• Baseline established which will allow monitoring of future growth in the industry.
• Identified serious fragmentation in the industry which will have to be addressed to be successful.
• Identified key trends and niches in which Canmore and the Bow Valley have opportunity to capitalize. More research is required to really hone this information into clearer opportunities – part of the next stages of this project – developing investment attraction strategies.
• Health & Wellbeing Summit in the Rockies, November 9, 2007 - Over 120 participated over the 2 events associated with the Summit. Enthusiasm and support generated in the community.
• Regularly expressed by participants was the benefits they perceived from meeting & bringing together like-minded individuals active in the industry:
“Good for my practice, good for my patients, good for me.”
• During the course of the research, we identified 2 or 3 key opportunities in which to pursue in the short term: Integrative medicine clinic, campus or learning centre, hands-on surgery demonstration conference centre.
To get involved with the Bow Valley’s health and wellness initiative, plan to attend the Health and Wellbeing Summit in the Rockies, an all-day event in November, 2008. Visit www.rockieswellbeing.ca for details.
Health and Wellbeing Summit at Silvertip - November 2007
Want to read more? Click on the links below:
Health and Wellbeing Summit - November 2007
Sector Profile
Executive Summary and Conclusions
Full Document
For further information contact:
Teresa Mullen, Executive Director
CEDA
tmullen@canmorebusiness.com
403 678 6902