'We can be a leader': Reeve Tory Campbell on new strategic plan

Lethbridge County recently approved a new 10 year strategic plan on Friday.

This new plan is based off of four main pillars: governance, relationships, region and prosperity. These four pillars are meant to act as a guide in decision making for the next 10 years for council.

The strategic plan is focused on innovation, with the vision statement reading, “Lethbridge County is Canada’s most innovative rural community.”

Reeve Tory Campbell says it’s exciting to have this plan in place, and that it will give council the ability to attract new business.

“I think we feel if we can work within the confines of those four main pillars, it’s going give us the ability to attract business and attract investment and work with our partners our stakeholders to reach that end goal of being a leader. Being that innovative place, being the most innovative place and most welcoming place for innovation and technology,” Campbell said.

While the innovation will impact all aspects of decision making, there is a big focus on innovating with business. Campbell hopes that with the strategic plan, they will be able to encourage local and new businesses to grow.

“We want to be open for business. We want to cut red tape, cut the regulations that may be holding people back,” Campbell said.

“We want to attract business here but also we want to have the businesses and the people that are here already… give them the ability to succeed and give them the tools in their toolbox that they need.”

An important part of innovating is an open mind, and Campbell says that it’s important to be open to all potential opportunities.

“We’re obviously a predominantly agricultural community. We acknowledge that agriculture is the engine that drives our economy here in Lethbridge County, but we also have to be open to other opportunities, whether that s in the technology field, whether that’s when we look at alternative energy and the possibilities that fly with that,” Campbell said.

"We really have to be open minded but at the same time it also means that as a council we need to be innovative we have to find new solutions and we have to empower our staff and administration to think outside the box.”

While business is a primary focus, Campbell adds that it’s important to avoid tunnel vision.

“I think that innovation has to be all encompassing for what we do at the county. It can’t just be simply new and exciting businesses, which is fantastic, it has to be more holistic than that as well,” he said.