6 · march 2013 an independent section by mediaplanet to NEWS 1 noRTHEAST ALBERTA IS EXPERIEnCInG EXTREME EConoMIC GRoWTH, AnD THIS TRAnSLATES To MAJoR EMPLoYMEnT oPPoRTuITIES

THE BEST oF BoTH WoRLDS Experience the variety that this province has to offer. Photo LEFt: athabaSCa CoUNtY; Photo RIGht: ECoNoMIC DEVELoPMENt Where big dreams become reality

reanne Everett, the beyond oil and gas. The bottom line: things move fast. big box retail and tourism. 28-year-old CEO “We’ve really benefi ted from being “The opportunities are in the A city of 55,000, Grande Prairie has of Orpyx Medical in Alberta,” she said. hubs,” said Brian Glavin, Economic all of the major big box stores, the Technologies, is a Development Offi cer for the City of award-winning L Spa, and the new new breed of Cal- Grande Prairie. Cold Lake and Fort 250,000-plus-square-foot Eastlink gary entrepreneur. “here, you have McMurray are the oil sands centres, Centre with an indoor water park, As a University of the ability to while in Grande Prairie, the big one an Olympic pool and surfi ng. Yes, BCalgary (U of C) plastic surgery resi- is natural gas, followed by forestry Grande Prairie is home to one of dent in 2010, Everett created wear- actually make and agriculture. only three surf machines in Canada. able sensor-based technologies such Breanne Everett as pressure-sensitive insoles that a difference.” Surf’s up! Average income: $126,877 ceo, orpyx medical communicate wirelessly so diabetic The resource sector fuels profes- A diff erent kind of economics is patients can monitor their periph- -Walter paszkowski, sional jobs such as law, fi nance and afoot. Last year, the average house- Grande Prairie. eral neuropathy (numbness). county of grande prairie accounting fi rms, and then there’s hold income for Grande Prairie was “Employment opportunities are “They refer to it as the gift of pain,” $126,877, nearly 50 per cent above the often going to people who would she said. The technology helps them open skies, open minds PROFILE national average, according to FP need an extra 10 years’ experience know what they can’t feel, and pre- Everett is also completing her Exec- Markets Canadian Demographics. to even be considered for the job in vent damage to their feet that can utive MBA at U of C, and she and her Average home “The average home price is about Vancouver or Toronto,” said Glavin. lead to amputation. husband recently purchased a bun- sales prices $260,000 which is about double the “You come in, prove yourself and galow on a half-acre in the city on (includes all types of homes) average household income. Com- work hard and you advance sig- Start-up funding the river for what she calls a reason- pare that to Vancouver, where the nifi cantly faster than you will any- The hunt for funding was on. “Obvi- able sum. Vancouver, BC average home price is nearly 10 where else in the county, probably at ously, Alberta is a very rich prov- “I’m part-way through my resi- times the average annual income,” a much higher pay scale.” With that $588,100 ince,” said Everett. “I’ve noticed a dency in plastic surgery, on my leave, said Glavin. comes the excitement of being part palpable diff erence in how much doing all of this,” she said. “Hav- Calgary, AB Grande Prairie is also the most of a rapidly growing community. more support there is now than ing the support from the medical entrepreneurial city in Canada, “Here, you have the ability to actu- when we started. There’s a growing environment to do what I’ve been $418,938 according to the Canadian Federa- ally make a diff erence,” said Pasz- mobile-app and incubator scene, able to do, I’m very impressed with tion of Independent Business (Red kowski. and a growing interest in com- the open-mindedness. The general Cold Lake, AB Deer, Edmonton, Lethbridge and And with the long summer days, panies outside clean energy and mentality in Calgary – the ability to Lloydminster also made the top 10). you can golf 18-holes after work and high-tech. People are really starting dream and think big picture – has $413,937 get home before dark. to branch out and diversify their helped my career substantially.” Career fast-track investments.” Grande Prairie, AB “Most employers maintain a perma- The government has also built The opportunity hub nent sign: help wanted,” said Walter $262,781 a slew of high-tech and bio-tech The Northern Alberta challenge is Paszkowski, Economic Develop- KiMBerley fehr programs aimed at diversifying keeping up with change, because ment Offi cer for the County of [email protected] 8 · march 2013 an independent section by mediaplanet to the province INSPIRATION HOME IS WHERE 2 uSE RECRuITERS AS A TooL: THEY MAY THE HEART IS BE ABLE To PoInT You ToWARDS An lberta is more PROFILE InDuSTRY You HAVE than a place for oVERLooKED Mason Raymond the Vancouver left Wing, Canucks’ left- wing speed- ster Mason Raymond. It’s aA feeling of warmth and satisfac- tion, passion and drive, big skies Team: vancouver canucks and big cities, and a way of being Position: left-wing #21 that made it possible for him to Hometown: cochrane, alberta Born: 17 september 1985 become the hockey star he is today. Salary: $2.275 million “For me, it’s home and will always Known for: his lightning speed be home,” said Raymond, 27. nickname: may-ray First hockey coach: his dad Small town perks Favourite food: alberta beef “I love the open spaces: the land Spouse: megan raymond and the trees and the topography, Junior A hockey: and everything it has to off er,” he said. His family’s cattle farm Drafted: 2005 in the 2nd was on the edge of paradise in the round, 51st by the canucks Rocky Mountains foothills near the town of Cochrane, with all Passion drives the horses, cows and backyard ice the province rinks an aspiring hockey player When he played Junior A Hockey, could dream of. “We had the asset he moved on to a diff erent small of a big city with Calgary just 45 town – Camrose, near Edmonton. minutes away, but Cochrane had “I’ve met so many great people a small town feel. You really got to from those small towns I still keep know people,” he recalled. in contact with today. Those are the And it’s the people he loves – how people you meet and grow with they’re down-to-earth, genuine, and learn from,” said Raymond. He and even a little old-school. remembers the passion of the fans. The cattle farmer who would come “people there have to the games in his cowboy hat. The people who worked all day and a nice way of acting volunteered at night at the hockey and going about games. They didn’t take things for granted and they were always their business — thinking of ways to help. one that i would love “People are passionate and that’s to raise my family in” what drives the province,” said Raymond. KiMBerley fehr PHOTO: JEFF VINNICK / VANCOUVER CANUCKS [email protected]

• great recreational facilities • current franchise opportunities • excellent schools and healthcare • new housing developments City of Camrose www.camrose.ca [email protected] 1 (888) 672-4426