Portage la Prairie business owners can expect some inquisitive visitors this week. Teams of representatives from economic agencies across the Portage region will engage directly with local businesses in a series of "Business Walks" from October 29 to November 1, 2024. Eve O’Leary, Director of Economic Development at Portage Regional Economic Development (PRED), says the initiative is designed to gather firsthand insights from businesses in Portage la Prairie, enabling leaders to better support the business community and address key challenges. O'Leary explains business owners will be asked to participate in short interviews with the representatives, who will be split into 11 teams to ensure they reach as many local businesses as possible. O’Leary says the Business Walks initiative is part of a broader economic development strategy implemented last year.
"It’s our first time conducting this initiative from a regional perspective, allowing us to identify areas of concern and where we can offer support. As economic development agencies, it’s important to understand the pulse of the community to plan strategically for workforce development, additional training, and other business needs."
Led by the Portage Economic Response Team, O’Leary points out that this year’s outreach includes contributions from the City of Portage, the rural municipality (RM) of Portage, Community Futures Heartland, White Horse Plains, Southport, the Chamber of Commerce, and PRED.
“Economic development can't be done in silo. We’re very excited to have all these partners working together,” O'Leary said, emphasizing that a united approach is essential for effective planning and support.
City of Portage Mayor Sharilyn Knox calls the initiative an important step in better understanding businesses' unique needs.
"We’ll be talking to managers or owners about where their business is now, where they look to head, and how we can assist them as economic development in our region. We want to learn about their successes, their challenges, and see how we can help them move forward in their business in our community."
O’Leary says insights gathered from the Business Walks will be compiled into an aggregated report, which will be shared with the business community at an early 2025 event hosted by the Portage Economic Response Team.