As Lethbridge continues to embrace the knowledge economy and the creativity and innovation that comes along with it, many stakeholders in the community are working to create opportunities for collaboration to occur and entrepreneurs to succeed.

Through programs and services available at the tecconnect centre for entrepreneurship and innovation, the University of Lethbridge’s AGILITY program and the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta (RINSA), there is tremendous opportunity to embrace innovation that helps industry grow and expand.

In the most recent Top Entrepreneurial Cities report, by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Lethbridge ranked 18 out of 121 jurisdictions scoring particularly well in the category of Entrepreneurial Perspective. Lethbridge was also recognized as one of the Top 21 Intelligent Communities of the Year, which considers nominations from nearly 400 communities around the world.

Work to develop this city as an anchor to the high-tech industry has helped define Lethbridge as a great choice for entrepreneurs and high-tech companies to start, grow and expand.

Did you know? 

• Lethbridge is one of the highest Ph.D. per capita cities with a population less than 250,000 in Canada.
• The University of Lethbridge’s Dr. David Naylor received a Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) award for outstanding contribution to astronomy as part of the Herschel-SPIRE Consortium. 
• Businesses operating in Canada have access to Scientific Research and Educational Development (SR&ED) tax credits worth up to 20% of a company’s eligible expenditures while Alberta offers an additional 10% up to $4 million.
• On average there are more than 150 graduates from IT related programs at Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge each year.