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Valley authority snags another award

Winter 1999

The Western Valley Development Authority has another feather in its cap. It's been awarded a top national prize in economic development for its work in Annapolis and Digby counties' forestry sector.

The decision-makers behind the Royal Bank Economic Development Awards, including bank officials and senior economic development players, were unanimous in calling the authority's forestry program the best economic development initiative in Canada. The program involves a series of projects designed to improve opportunities for forestry companies, promote environmental practices and train workers for careers in the sector.

"The award is a real reflection of the hard work and energy that a lot of people have put into this work in the past couple of years," says the authority's executive director, Brock Dickinson. "And being called the best in Canada certainly isn't going to hurt our opportunities to do even more."

The impact of the authority's efforts to date has been impressive: an 82 per cent increase in the region's forestry workforce in just two years. In July 1999, the western Valley region had 63 forestry companies with 697 employees, compared with 35 companies with 383 employees in July 1997.

The Royal Bank Economic Development Award is just the latest recognition for the Digby-based authority. Other accolades have included a 1999 Nova Scotia Environment Award for its focus on sustainable development, and in 1998, the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements called the development authority's work one of the 100 best practices in the world for improving living conditions.