Leduc County signs MOU to advance economic diversification

LEDUC COUNTY -- Leduc County has signed a landmark agreement aimed at advancing the region's aviation, aerospace, and defence sectors.

This comes as part of a memorandum of understanding signed between Leduc County, Sturgeon County, Cold Lake, and the Edmonton International Airport. The overall goal of the MOU is to develop a strategy to further economic diversification in these sectors through training, new investment, and business development. Leduc County Mayor Tanni Doblanko says these partners have agreed that collaborating on regional initiatives would be beneficial.

"Regional partnerships offer many advantages and benefits, including fostering stronger, more innovative communities by aligning shared interests," said Doblanko. "This MOU is guided by mutual respect, and a collaborative vision to advance an integrated economic and defence strategy -- by leveraging aligned aerospace and defence assets, we aim to generate sustainable economic benefits across all jurisdictions."

Each partner included in the new agreement will work to foster development for regional assets such as the Cold Lake Regional Airport, Edmonton International Airport (YEG), and Villeneuve Airport. Other priorities include the continued support of modernization efforts at 4 Wing Cold Lake, the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, and CFB Edmonton. 

"We see real value in working alongside partners like Leduc County, Sturgeon County, and Cold Lake as each has distinct strengths and growing roles in Alberta's aviation landscape," said Myron Keehn, President and CEO of the Edmonton International Airport. "As Cold Lake continues to gain importance from an operational and workforce perspective, we're committed to supporting that growth in the North through collaboration, shared learning, and aligned priorities. 

Keehn says that the partners are positioning the overall region to better serve northern communities and future opportunities. As part of their agreement, the parties will jointly advocate to the provincial government to recognize Highway 28 as a vital economic corridor supporting aerospace and defence development.