The City of Grande Prairie has received a Rural Renewal Stream community designation through the Province’s Alberta Advantage Immigration Program to help fill local labour gaps.  

Grande Prairie was the second location to receive the community designation, which provides the City of Grande Prairie the opportunity to work with local employers to endorse immigrant job seekers and fast-track them to permanent residency. The program is run by the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada.

“Grande Prairie is a welcoming, entrepreneurial community that has a strong history of drawing newcomers from across Alberta, Canada and the world,” said Jackie Clayton, Grande Prairie Mayor. “We are proud to be the largest Alberta community selected for the community designation to date. The program gives Grande Prairie the advantage to attract and retain an international workforce to jobs in our community while working with local partners to support newcomers as they adjust to life in Alberta’s northwest.”

The local Rural Renewal Stream Community Partnership is comprised of the Grande Prairie Centre for Newcomers, Council for Lifelong Learning, Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Grande Prairie.

The Community Partnership is responsible for assessing local employers and supporting their understanding and alignment with program guidelines. To be eligible for the program, employers must demonstrate they have tried to fill job vacancies locally and nationally, before seeking international workers. Employers are also required to demonstrate they have supports in place to welcome newcomers to their places of employment in a job that is free from discrimination.

Employers interested in the program are invited to apply for endorsement and have their job vacancies posted on the City of Grande Prairie’s Rural Renewal Stream Job Board.

The City of Grande Prairie applied for the community designation in spring 2022. Community designation supports City Council’s strategic priorities of creating an Inclusive and Caring Community, and Innovative Efficiency & Economic Readiness.

For more information about the City’s Community Designation as part of the Rural Renewal Stream, visit cityofgp.com/immigration. 

Information provided by the City of Grande Prairie