The Premier used her speech during the fifth annual Stampede Investment Forum to talk about the first 17 business projects approved for the Capital Investment Tax Credit.

Rachel Notley says some of the businesses needed physical expansions to add new product lines or bring equipment up to date while others plan to open new locations in Alberta.

"That work, during the first round of intake, will support 660 full and part time jobs during construction and 940 full and part time jobs once they get into operation," the Premier says.

The province is investing about $27 million worth of credits in the first round, leveraging about $381 million of investment by the companies.

The second intake of businesses starts July 17 and ends September 8, 2017

The government says over the course of the program, the Tax Credit is expected to leverage about $700 million in capital investment and support about 4,600 direct and indirect full-time jobs.

The Premier also spoke about other investment interest in Alberta.

"There's a lot of interest given the different approach to economic activity being taken by the United States, there's interest in Canada and we want to be sure that we're well positioned, and building those relations where the opportunity exists," she says. "Whether we're talking about the petrochemical industry, whether we're talking about the renewable industry, in  food processing, we're actually seeing a lot of interest and we're seeing a lot more interaction."

She says investors overseas see Canada as having a wealth of natural resources but also struggling to get them to tidewater and as a country we need to demonstrate that we can be a sophisticated, strategic economic player on the world stage.

 

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