In this Econ Dev Show podcast episode, Dane Carlson interviews Alia Abbas, former Economic Development Officer for the City of Toronto, who shares her insights on business continuity, the importance of small businesses in community development, and the concept of "employment lands" in Canada.

Alia emphasizes the crucial role of small and family-owned businesses as advocates and champions for their communities, and the growing trend towards sustainability and greener economies in economic development.

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Special Guest: Alia Abbas.

Sponsored By:

• KathodeRay Media, Inc.: 
  [KathodeRay](https://kathoderay.com) is a full-service marketing agency that connects government organizations to their community. This small (but mighty) woman owned and operated marketing agency can help your community thrive. They use tried and true methods that will connect your organization to your residents using social, digital and traditional media. [https://kathoderay.com](https://kathoderay.com)

Links:

• Alia Abbas, MA, BREC | LinkedIn
• Alia Consulting
• Preparing for Megaprojects in Economic Development: FDI Alliance International Magazine
• BIDs Can Be Opportunities for Foreign Trade and FDI | ED Now Feature
• A Manual for Developing an Economic Recovery Plan & Task Force for Investment Attraction: Rural EDOs (R-EDO) Edition
• Alia Consulting - Economic Development Firm | LinkedIn — Alia Consulting
• Who's Your City?: How the Creative Economy Is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life by Richard Florida