My last assistant at the Town of High Level was a young man who grew up right here in our community. A lot of you probably know him.
He was bright, a talented artist, and had a goal. He wanted to become a teacher.
As a manager, I’ve always believed part of your role is to help the people working with you succeed. So, I tried to give him the flexibility to balance work and education, whether that meant adjusting his schedule around exams or finding time for his studies when our workload allowed.
Eventually, he left the Town for full-time employment. Fast forward to this past September.
I was visiting one of our local schools, helping my girlfriend get her son settled into the school year. And who should walk out of a classroom but my former assistant, now a teacher!
I was genuinely proud of him. He had set a goal, worked hard, and accomplished it. He deserves all the credit. But I’d like to think the little things I did to support him made the journey a bit easier. I hope he stays in our local schools for many years to come.
I’ve been thinking about that experience because I believe economic development works much the same way.
Economic Development Is More Than Business
When we talk about economic development in High Level, we often focus on attracting businesses, encouraging investment, and creating jobs. All important, but only part of the equation.
A municipality can’t run a private business or guarantee success. But it can help remove obstacles. It can make development approvals easier to navigate, provide predictable timelines and reasonable regulations, and work with businesses rather than leaving them to figure everything out alone. It can also draw on local expertise from people who understand the challenges of doing business in the North.
One of the biggest challenges facing northern employers is attracting and keeping qualified staff. Businesses need employees. Schools need teachers. Health care facilities need professionals. And all of us need somewhere we want to live.
A good job might bring someone to High Level. But what makes them stay? I’d suggest it’s the ability to find a home, raise a family, enjoy recreation, and find a sense of purpose here. It’s having opportunities for children, places to gather with friends, and a community worth being part of.
That’s why I believe recreation facilities, parks, reliable infrastructure, and community amenities are more than expenses on a municipal budget. They’re part of our economic development strategy.
That doesn’t mean we can afford everything we’d like. But we should consider the long-term value of these investments when deciding where our limited resources go. When an employer is trying to convince a professional to move to High Level, quality of life matters. When a family is deciding whether to stay, it matters just as much.
Growing Our Own
Every year, young people leave High Level to pursue education and careers. We should celebrate their opportunities and wish them success. But wouldn’t it be awesome if more of them saw High Level as a place they could return to?
Imagine our young people coming home as teachers, nurses, electricians, engineers, entrepreneurs, and other professionals. People who know our community, have connections here, and want to contribute to its future. We can’t guarantee they’ll come back. But we can build a community they want to return to.
That means supporting local businesses, maintaining our infrastructure, and recognizing that quality of life matters to economic development. It also means working with employers, schools, health care providers, and regional partners to understand where the Town can help. Economic development should influence decisions across the municipality.
I don’t know whether my former assistant will spend his entire teaching career in High Level. I certainly hope he does. But today, he’s helping educate another generation of young people in our community.
Perhaps one of those students will someday leave to pursue a dream of their own, before deciding to come home and build a life here. That’s the future I want us to work toward.
A community where businesses can succeed, employers can attract the people they need, and families can see a future for themselves.
A community people don’t just come to for work.
A community they choose to call home.
November High Level By-Election details:
Voting takes place in Council Chambers at Town Hall (10511 103 Street).
Advance Voting will take place on Nov. 14 between 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Election Day Voting will take place on Nov. 16 between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
(Vote for Bill!)
