The City of Grande Prairie continued its efforts to implement its attraction and retention strategy over the weekend with a Physician’s Appreciation Barbecue.
According to the city, the evening was “filled with meaningful conversations” between healthcare professionals, in a communal setting. The city says events like the barbecue play a critical role in the attraction and retention strategy as they allow city officials to engage directly with the folks who live and practice in Grande Prairie.
During the barbecue, members of the city council introduced the city’s newest doctors to Grande Prairie’s amenities, recreation opportunities, and more.
The Attraction and Retention strategy was approved in city hall in the summer and comes down to three key areas- information, incentive, and infrastructure that aim to support incentives in hopes of attracting new healthcare workers such as physicians and specialists to the Peace Country.
The city says now is a “crucial” time to move forward with the strategy as Grande Prairie is expected to grow faster than the provincial average of 1.5 per cent as the city’s median age is 34 and a higher number of residents are under 10 than over 60.