Alberta Grains meets Secretary of State Belanger on rural economic development

Earlier this month Alberta Grains chair, Scott Jespersen and Director for Region 5 Harvey Hagman attended a roundtable, together with other stakeholders, in Athabasca, Alberta.

This event was hosted by Minister Buckley Belanger, who was appointed as Secretary of State for Rural Development earlier this year.

Key points delivered by Alberta Grains at the meeting centered on: loss of farmland, the need for efficient rural rail transportation to ports and investment in research that can sustain western Canadian agriculture into the future as well as planning for a major farm transition over the next 10 years – critical to sustaining rural communities. Infrastructure needs, reliable internet, health care and labor were other issues discussed.

Minister Belanger is consulting toward a Rural Development Action Plan for Spring 2026.