Pixie Hollow was one of several businesses that reopened after the 2013 flood. Photo by Sean Emmett

A committee has been created to help spearhead a new High River economic-action plan.

Manager of planning and renewal operations, Sharon McCormick, says the Mayor's Task Force will look at initiatives to move the economy forward in a positive way.

"So what the economic action plan, the approach that Council just approved, is to have a very targeted approach where we're looking for the top two or three areas that would really give us the greatest impact in terms of economic drivers," she says.

4TH AVE - LISA
A look at High River's brand new 4th Ave. Photo by Lisa Taylor
The plan will be slightly different from the strategies that were put in place right after the flood to help with business recovery efforts.

"(This) economic plan looks at a things that are a little bit broader than individual businesses, and would respond to both business attraction and retention, and also diversification," she says. "It looks at how we should be marketing High River and bringing new businesses in that help some of the industry sectors that are currently the strongest and performing well from an economy perspective from the town."

The members sitting on the Mayor's Economic Development Task Force include Jodi Dawson, Mike Nychuk, Jim Ross, and Rod Cunniam, as well as Councillor Peter Loran and Mayor Craig Snodgrass.

Mayor Snodgrass expressed confidence in this new team through a press release: "They bring the diverse skills and expertise that we need to move High River forward. They are the type of people who can identify the best fit for our community and have the energy to get things moving quicklythat's what High River need."

Their first meeting is scheduled for Fri. Feb. 13, and the plan will be complete by Fall of 2015.