Women in Economic Development Hilary Janzen Lethbridge County's senior planner focuses on sustainable development for Alberta community Canadian Design and Construction Report special feature Hilary Janzen is senior planner and development officer for the County of Lethbridge, the rural community surrounding the city of Lethbridge, Alberta. Working closely with the county’s economic development officer, Janzen applies her unique planning background, along with her personal background, to en- sure a sustainable development strategy for the county. “I grew up on a farm in Al- berta,” she said. “My father has al- ways been what I would call a steward of the land. I have a large interest in the rural side of plan- ning and the environmental as- pect of all we do.” Managing the push and pull of the city’s growth into the surrounding area, ensuring a land base for food and preserving farming as a lifestyle are all part of Janzen’s approach to land development. “It is important for the city to grow and for opportunities to be developed within the county but it’s also important to ensure we under- stand how, where and why land is used.” Janzen says part of her work involves looking at land uses and appropriate locations for new development, supporting the economic development office in attract- ing new business and ensuring the viability of existing business. “Often rural municipalities are more reactive than proactive,” she says. “They will work to attract business and then figure out how to react to that business after it arrives. Our approach is more progres- sive.” She says that progressive ap- proach involves getting council and administration on board with a plan. Not only does this ensure a comfort level where everyone knows what is happening, but it also ensures efficiencies and sus- tainability. The county is in the process of setting a commercial and industrial land use strategy to support this long-term goal. “We set strategies in place to locate businesses on available land in clusters where synergies exist and avoid fragmenting valu- able agricultural land because we value it.” Janzen previously was a planner with the City of Ed- monton for eight years. She says she approaches plan- ning and land use in a different way and from her diverse perspective. “While in the city a lot of the work is about intense development, I bring to the table an understanding of the value of the land so I’m able to have those conversations about the value of land as it stands and its future value, developed or not.” She says economic development and planning are in- terrelated. The objective: attracting new business, while supporting agriculture and ensuring the 50-year old county remains an attractive option for many decades to come. TO GROW WITH US, CONTACT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER TODAY! www.lethcounty.ca • 855-728-5525 The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Winter 2014 – 27