Alberta government creates group to help grow province’s tech sector

The Alberta government has formed a 16-member advisory council to provide advice on strategies, investments and outcomes on technology-related training programs. The Talent Advisory Council on Technology (TACT) includes leaders from the tech industry and post-secondary institutions, along with student and labour representatives. TACT will provide government with guidance and advice aimed at increasing access to a variety of educational opportunities and technology skills development programs. Brad Zumwalt, a Calgary-based venture capitalist and CEO of Zinc Ventures, and Rod Skura, the government’s deputy minister of advanced education, will co-chair the council, which will continue to meet until February 2019. Under the Growth and Diversification Act, the NDP government is providing tax credits to incentivize job creation in the tech sector, and a $50 million-investment over three years to add an additional 3,000 tech learning spaces to the province’s post-secondary system.