Five key priorities emerged from an extensive research and consultation process and provide a framework for the Building the New West Project: • the West must create the tools to attract, retain, and build HUMAN CAPITAL; • the West must continue ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION; • the West must strengthen its TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE; • the West must promote the global competitiveness of its MAJOR CI [...] Through a discussion of the different western PNPs, it is clear that the PNPs represent a valuable tool in giving the provinces the means to create a policy specific to their own needs. [...] A 2003 report from the Standing Figure 1. Committee on Citizenship and Immigration states, “the Provincial Nominee Program is the most obvious vehicle to identify skill In the first stage of the provincial nominee process, the gaps, and to bring municipalities and smaller centres outside of province reviews the prospective nominee’s application Toronto to the table” (9). [...] In Alberta, a labour market assessment of the prospective Simplifying the Process nominee’s job offer assists in the consideration of the The immigration process for provincial nominees is expedited. [...] The business must create a minimum of two new jobs, and must also be The proposed business should be in one of the provinceʼs located outside of the Greater Vancouver Regional District.