Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Calgary is a prominent city due to its free enterprise mindset. When it comes to this mindset, Smith said it is present in the grit and innovation of Calgary’s entrepreneurs. “And in the pioneer spirit that goes out and gets things done,” said Smith in a Thursday speech at a Calgary Chamber of Commerce event. “It’s a privilege to be here with so many of the people that make Alberta such a prosperous place to live.” At the moment, she said Alberta’s long-term economic picture looks great. She pointed out Alberta has a resilient economy anchored by large industries and small businesses. There are hundreds of major projects in development in a wide range of industries, representing a total value of about $150 million. The private sector continues to create jobs at higher rates than other Canadian provinces.The premier went on to say it has been a great year for Alberta’s energy sector. While it had a great year, she said its energy will be needed far into the future. With the completion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline this year, she said the industry is poised for major growth for the first time in one decade. She vowed to fight outside forces throttling this growth. As she pauses to reflect on the first year of this mandate, she said the first word that comes to mind is gratitude. She called it “the honour of my life to serve Albertans as premier.” Smith concluded by saying Alberta “is the greatest place on earth.” She added every Albertan contributes to this greatness. “And working together, there’s no limit to what Calgary can be in the future,” she said. Smith said in her State of the Province Address at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce in October her government is prepared to put in the work and do whatever it takes to become the most business-friendly environment in Canada.READ MORE: Smith says she wants to make Alberta most business-friendly Canadian jurisdiction“We want job creators to succeed so you can do what you do best — create jobs and grow our economy,” she said. She acknowledged the Alberta government was a few days away from the new legislative session, with the Speech from the Throne spelling out its plans. While she could not go into details, she said it was no secret she was looking to increase competitiveness in new, effective ways.
