Starting April 1, the Invest Alberta Corporation’s reporting and oversight will transition from Executive Council to the ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration. This move is part of a broader effort to strengthen alignment between Invest Alberta, key government ministries and the province’s investment attraction partners.
The newly appointed chair and vice-chair, an expanded team of board observers and strategic re-alignment with the ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration will play a key role in ongoing efforts to spotlight Alberta’s potential in energy, technology, defence, agriculture, agri-food and other sectors.
Deputy ministers from the ministries of Agriculture and Irrigation; Energy and Minerals; Intergovernmental and International Relations; Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration; and Technology and Innovation will now participate on the board as observers. Observers will support information sharing and alignment between government departments and Invest Alberta, and will not have voting or decision-making authority. These changes have been implemented to strengthen Alberta’s ability to attract, retain and grow investment opportunities.
Alberta’s government is grateful for the work of the members rotating off the board of Invest Alberta, including outgoing chair R. Scott Hutcheson and outgoing vice-chair the Honourable Anne McLellan, who provided essential leadership as Invest Alberta successfully attracted significant investments across Alberta and oversaw the successful launch of the organization in 2020.
“For jurisdictions around the world, the geopolitical and economic landscape is changing quickly, and Alberta must be ready to respond. We are strengthening Invest Alberta’s mandate and aligning it more clearly with our economic priorities so we can act decisively when opportunity comes. This is about leadership, accountability and making sure Alberta is positioned to attract high-impact investments, support key industries and drive job creation provincewide.”
“Albertans owe a debt of gratitude to R. Scott Hutcheson, Anne McLellan and the entire Invest Alberta board who, during challenging times, answered the call to serve as members of the first board of the Invest Alberta Corporation. Their leadership was central to the success of Alberta’s investment ecosystem, securing 79 investments to the province valued at $28.4 billion and creating 38,849 new jobs since 2020.”
Invest Alberta works with Alberta’s government and local and regional economic developers across the province to attract high-value investments to Alberta by helping investors understand the opportunities here while supporting the province’s larger trade promotion and advocacy efforts.
Quick facts
- The Invest Alberta Corporation’s board of directors provides overall stewardship for the corporation, including overseeing governance and strategic direction.
- The board is made up of highly qualified Albertans who bring unique experience, credentials and achievements to their roles. Current IAC board members include:
- Robert Fernandez, chair (newly appointed)
- Bob Dhillon, vice-chair (newly appointed)
- Ian Gunn
- the Honourable Alison Redford
- Donald Hubble
- Sam Jaber
- Robert Price
- The Alberta Investment Attraction Act was proclaimed on July 31, 2020, and established the Invest Alberta Corporation as a Crown corporation.