Building better business: High-calibre training coming to Crowsnest Pass through provincial grant

By Somya Lohia, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Business owners and entrepreneurs in Crowsnest Pass will soon have access to high-calibre training and networking opportunities through a newly funded initiative aimed at enhancing skills and strengthening local economic resilience.

As part of the second round of Alberta’s Small Community Opportunity Program, the province is supporting community-led projects that promote innovation and sustainable economic growth in rural areas. In this round, 41 projects were awarded funding ranging from $20,000 to $90,000.

The program was introduced under Alberta Budget 2023, which committed $3 million annually in 2023-24 and 2024-25 to support local economic development across the province. Eligibility focused on initiatives that build capacity through skills training, project development, staffing, promotion and equipment.

Under this program, Community Futures Crowsnest Pass has received $26,574.34 to launch the Business Excellence Training Initiative.

Beginning this fall, the project will roll out a series of high-impact workshops, training sessions and networking events. Programming will focus on essential topics including marketing, artificial intelligence, financial literacy, customer service and sector-specific collaboration.

“We are always exploring opportunities on how to bring workshops and training to the community that will benefit entrepreneurs and help them thrive,” said Brendy Fehr, community economic development co-ordinator at Community Futures Crowsnest Pass.

“This year I decided to submit an application in hopes of bringing some good quality training sessions in for the next few years.”

The grant covers 90 per cent of the total project cost, with Community Futures contributing the remaining 10 per cent. The full amount was disbursed earlier this year, with reporting required at regular intervals through to March 2027.

Fehr said the initiative is aimed at equipping business owners or aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge needed to improve efficiency, build sustainable operations and increase customer satisfaction — ultimately boosting the region’s economic potential.

“With this funding, we are able to offer high-quality training that will set our entrepreneurs up for future growth and success in their operations. This is what we strive for,” Fehr said.

“Without this funding, we would have to look at offering maybe a quarter of the sessions in the time frame we have here.”

Training for the future

Under BETI, the organization will roll out training sessions led by industry experts including Lethbridge Polytechnic, the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta, Avail Chartered Accountants, and Rio Marketing, a Pincher Creek-based firm.

“We have reached out to some high-quality trainers for these sessions,” Fehr said.

Building on the success of a past workshop, Community Futures plans to expand its artificial intelligence training for business owners in the region.

“Back in spring, we hosted an AI session that was really successful,” she said.

“About 40 people from different sectors came and learned about AI. It was just a beginner course, and we had lots of feedback on people wanting more of that. So we will bring back some of that to the community.”

In addition to AI tools, the fall lineup will include sessions on financial management and marketing strategy.

In spring 2025, the organization plans to introduce customer service and tax workshops, along with sector-specific networking events for industries like tourism and trades.

Fehr emphasized the inclusivity of the training series, which is open to both new and established business owners.

“This program is for everyone. These sessions will help participants enhance operational efficiency and streamline processes,” Fehr said. “We really want to drive some success in the community.”

Meeting community needs

In developing the initiative, Community Futures relied on ongoing feedback from local entrepreneurs about their training needs. The organization maintains close contact with its business community through social media, one-on-one engagement and a newly launched newsletter.

“We’re constantly communicating with our business community to find out what training or resources they’re looking for,” Fehr said. “We do our best to offer that training in a timely manner.”

The organization is hoping to drive growth in the community with this program. The goal is to help local businesses grow stronger by building both skills and connections.

“These sessions will help participants enhance operational efficiency and streamline processes,” she said. “It’s going to improve skills and operational practices that can lead to higher success rates in a business.”

What’s next?

The first training sessions are set to begin in fall 2024, and Fehr hopes the impact will be visible soon after.

She said the program’s success will depend on strong community participation and continued feedback from business owners.

“It’s just really important that people come and attend the sessions and let us know what sessions they are hoping to see in the future. We strive to help businesses succeed. So with that feedback, we can always explore making sure we’re bringing very meaningful training and workshops to the community,” she said.

“We are only successful if they are successful. So that’s the best way to measure our success,” Fehr added.

For more information about upcoming training opportunities, visit crowsnest.albertacf.com or call 403-562-8858.