Greenhouse Visitation Report
Published on January 21, 2010
Through preliminary meetings with a few greenhouse operators, the Economic Development Alliance of Southeast Alberta identified that there were two main challenges facing these operators: energy and labour. Specifically, the costs associated with energy and the labour required for the operations combined with international competition provides challenges at the best of times. Now, in recessionary times, these operators’ challenges are compounded. In order to get more specific information about the state of the greenhouse industry (and in particular the impact of energy and labour costs) in Southeast Alberta, the Economic Development Alliance of Southeast Alberta spearheaded a business visitation program to greenhouses in Redcliff, Medicine Hat and Cypress County.
Eleven greenhouse industry visitations were conducted during the month of November to Southeast Alberta Greenhouses and the Red Hat Co-op. In selecting the greenhouses to visit, diversity in location was a consideration (Redcliff, Medicine Hat, Cypress County) as well as a cross-section of small, medium and large greenhouses were targeted. In addition, diversity in terms of the type of energy utilized by the greenhouses was sought. Specific questions aimed at gathering information asked and are detailed in Appendix A.