Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

About the EDA Institute

The EDA Institute is Economic Developers Alberta’s professional learning and capacity-building initiative for community and economic development practitioners, elected officials, and community leaders.

In a rapidly evolving economic landscape, communities need leaders who are equipped with practical skills, current tools, and real-world insights. The EDA Institute delivers applied training designed to help participants move confidently from strategy to action, strengthening local economies, improving resilience, and supporting sustainable growth.

Endorsed by governments and communities across Alberta and beyond, the EDA Institute offers a suite of foundational and advanced courses tailored to those who are implementing, supporting, or leading economic development initiatives in communities of all sizes.

What is EDA Institute training?

EDA Institute training focuses on practical, community-ready economic development. Courses are grounded in best practices and designed to be immediately applicable, regardless of community size, budget, or capacity.

Participants gain the knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to support thriving local economies and resilient communities.

EDA Institute courses help participants by:

• Clarifying the core functions of economic development, including the roles of elected officials, staff, volunteers, and partners

• Identifying proven strategies and tools to effectively “do” economic development in real-world settings

• Improving the use of human and financial resources to maximize community impact

• Strengthening engagement and collaboration, ensuring community-wide participation in planning and implementation

• Encouraging alignment across jurisdictions, including federal, provincial, regional, and municipal partners

• Breaking down barriers between urban, rural, and regional communities

• Providing interactive, peer-based learning environments, where participants learn from experienced practitioners and share challenges, insights, and solutions

Who are EDA Institute courses for?

EDA Institute courses are designed for:

• Economic development professionals

• Elected officials and senior administrators

• Community leaders, board members, and volunteers

• Regional and inter-municipal collaborators

• Practitioners new to the field as well as experienced professionals seeking to refresh or deepen their skill

What makes the EDA Institute different?

EDA Institute training is:

• Practical and applied – focused on real community challenges and opportunities

• Led by experienced practitioners with deep, on-the-ground knowledge

• Interactive and peer-driven, encouraging shared learning and collaboration

• Relevant to communities of all sizes, from rural and remote to urban and regional

• Designed to build capacity, not just deliver information

What courses does EDA offer?

EDA is pleased to offer the following courses on a regular basis in three formats: asynchronous online, online hybrid, and in-person:

CORE

• Establishing the Foundation (ETF)- Learn the principles, theories, and fundamentals of economic development that form the basic foundation of every community. 
• Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) - Helps you build and retain a strong business community. 
• Business Investment and Attraction (BI&A)- Learn how business and investment attraction advances your economic development strategy. 
• Economic Development for Elected Officials (EO)- An economic development primer designed specifically for elected officials.
• Community Economic Resilience (CER)- Designed to prepare local elected officials, community leaders and economic developers to support community resilience efforts in their community. 

OPTIONAL 

• Fundamentals of Rural Economic Development (RED)-  Learn how to address the challenges and opportunities inherent in rural contexts through collaboration, harnessing resources and enhancing capacity. 
• The Social Side of Economic Development (SED)- Explores the intersection of social and economic development, and the need to address overlap issues like health and well-being accessibility, housing availability and affordability, diversity and inclusion, infrastructure and transportation, and workforce shortages and skills gaps.
• Performance Measurement in Economic Development (PM)- Provides participants with a robust understanding of performance measurement in the context of economic development, preparing them to effectively evaluate and enhance the impact of economic development initiatives.
• Co-operatives and Economic Development (CAED)- This course will help you understand the process of starting a co-operative and the role you can play in supporting a co-operative start-up. 
• Mental Well-being for Community Leaders (MW)- Provides community leaders with tools and techniques to help them lead through challenging times.

What is the cost? 

* Trainer Expenses: We try to provide the Trainer closest to the course location in order to reduce expenses as much as possible. The following out-of-pocket travel expenses will be reimbursed when applicable: meals, hotels, airline tickets, a per kilometre rate when using personal vehicle to travel to locations, and daily personal expense allowance.  NOTE: Travel rates are based on current rates set by the Province of Alberta. 

How do I book a hybrid course?

• Communities interested in organizing a hybrid course should send an email to admin@edaalberta.ca in order to propose the course name, possible date/s, time and location. 
• EDA will find the best Trainer for your community. 
• EDA confirms dates with both parties, including live Zoom call dates, and sets up a hybrid course online.
• A course code is given, and participants register online.  

How do I book an in-person course?

• Communities interested in organizing a hybrid course, or hosting an in-person course should send an email to admin@edaalberta.ca in order to propose the course name, possible date/s, time and location. 
• EDA contacts the Trainer closest to the proposed location to determine their availability. If available, EDA confirms date and time (usually 9:00 AM-4:00 PM) with the Host.
• Once the date/s are agreed upon, two agreements are completed and signed: one by the Host and the other by the Trainer. 
• The Host has up to two weeks to cancel and the Cancellation Policy is stated on the signed agreement.
• The Host books a meeting space for the course, and promotes the course to interested participants. 
• Approximately two weeks before the course takes place, EDA will ship course manuals, sign-in sheets and evaluation forms to the Host. The Host advises EDA in advance where course manuals are to be shipped.
• On course day, the EDA Trainer facilitates the course utilizing the manuals provided. The course has been designed to be somewhat interactive.
• Participants fill out evaluation forms at the end of the course.
• Host mails the evaluation forms back to the EDA office.
• EDA invoices the Host for the cost of the course + GST + Trainer expenses.

Can participants receive credits from these courses towards their Ec.D. designation?

The awarding of EDAC accreditation points towards an Ec.D. designation is as follows: 5 credits per course (ETF, BIA, BRE, CER and EO). We are currently processing the ability to award points for SED and RED.

If you wish to obtain the EDAC credits for this course, the fee is $30.00 + GST. Cheques are to be made payable to and mailed to Economic Developers Alberta. Participants must ensure they include a copy of their completion certificate(s) and correct mailing address.