WESTLOCK – “We need a partner, not a funder. Help us pave our way to prosperity” is Town of Westlock mayor Ralph Leriger’s message to the provincial government.
It’s part of a two-minute video campaign launched April 24 that’s intended to attract $5.5 million in provincial funds to rebuild industrial roads in town.
The pitch focuses on the 108 St. industrial road and its underground infrastructure, one that is critical to the agriculture sector in Westlock, an area which town officials called “Alberta’s bread basket.”
“Another important thing to consider is that this road is the sole ground access to the Westlock Terminals, which serves as the regional hub for grain movement. Other businesses who find this road crucial for their services are the Bulk Water station, Pembina Valley Trucking Company and agricultural support businesses,” reads the pitch.
In the video, Westlock & District Chamber of Commerce president Graeme Harrington described the ag sector in Westlock as the driver and supporter of the local economy, adding that the impact of the project would be “monumental.”
The town plans to use local workforce and contractors if they receive the funding.
“The premier announced, in order to get the money flowing in our economy, that he put out a call for projects and there’s always going to be more projects than there is money. We know that we had a good shovel-ready project and this is our attempt to show that not everything is all about the cities. There’s stuff going on in rural Alberta,” said Leriger in an April 30 interview.
This “middle of the night idea” to present a pitch took four days from script to edited product.
“The Town of Westlock wants to and is ready to participate in Alberta’s economic recovery,” added Leriger.
As he sees it, there’s more to this particular project than regional prosperity.
“Quite honestly, and it’s not hyperbole, it’s important to the whole world. With the global recession in full swing, there’s going to be a handful of countries that have the ability to export food. Canada is one of those. If Westlock really examines carefully its role in our national economy, it’s not an exaggeration to say that we are Canada’s bread basket.
“If you look at the other side of agriculture, we’re not only the bread basket, we’re the beef brisket because we certainly have great cattle operations here.”
Westlock Terminals CEO Clifford Bell, also speaking in the video pitch, said the Terminals handle 200,000 metric tons of product annually for Albertan producers, which then make it to the hands of consumers globally.
The province is investing $1.9 billion into infrastructure projects in the 2020-21 capital budget, a move that’s part of Jason Kenney’s “relaunch strategy” that he says will kickstart the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic and falling oil prices.
Andreea Resmerita, TownandCountryToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @andreea_res
