Action Swift Current News Release

August 4, 2009

A vote at the 2009 Annual General Meeting of Action Swift Current passed a motion to dissolve Action Swift Current.

Past Chairperson Al Chilton quoted Margaret Mead who said "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." He went on to say “While I know Action Swift Current did not change the world, it did change Swift Current's attitude and I truly believe has had a ripple effect on how economic development is approached throughout Saskatchewan. While no group can take credit for the economic shift that has occurred in our city I believe Action Swift Current can take credit in bringing forward the power of a community and starting once again to believe that we can be successful. It was amazing to see the talent and the ideas that were in the city and not utilized until we starting saying 'yes we can' and believing that none of us was as smart as all of us.”

Action Swift Current was formally launched in January, 2002 as a business retention and expansion committee.  The initiative began in 2001 with a business survey conducted by volunteers of more than 400 businesses and organizations to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges faced by businesses in Swift Current. In the ensuing eight years, ASC has been involved in a number of initiatives for business retention and expansion including advocating for tax incentives for expanding and new businesses, implementation of the Swift Current brand “Where life makes sense”, and support for the Lyric Theatre. Action Swift Current received several awards recognizing its work in economic development, including the Economic Developers’ Association of Canada’s Economic Development Achievement of the Year Award in 2004, the “Outstanding Small Community Business Retention and Expansion Program” award at the 6th Annual Business Retention and Expansion International conference in 2004 and the Outstanding Economic Development Initiative award from the Saskatchewan Economic Developers Association. Details of Action Swift Current projects and successes can be found on the website www.actionswiftcurrent.com.

Current Chairperson, Karen Richmond, stated “While there is always more work to be done in the area of business retention and expansion, as well as community growth and development, it is time for other community leaders to step forward and take on those projects.” 

For more information, please contact Karen Richmond at 778-5458 or Karen Bonesky at 773-4030.