Invest in Alberta 2015 by GLACIER MEDIA DIGITAL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP dba BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

EMPOWERING CANADA, WELCOMING THE WORLD Alberta is generating half the new jobs in Canada and boundless investment opportunities in a big land brimming with pride, power and potential

2015

INVEST IN ALBERTA BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ACROSS ALBERTA OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

OIL FUTURES

| 14

CAPITAL A CATALYST

| 16

CALGARY IS NOW TOWN | 18

EDA MEMBERS | 97

PORTS TO PLAINS

AGRICULTURE

REGION ROUNDUPS

You know our beloved capital Region. You have heard Calgary is creating some serious buzz. Here’s what you should know about

Alberta’s most exciting Major Growth Region:

Central Alberta  



Small Business Income Tax

10%

Corporate Tax Rate

Alberta’s Low-Cost Operating Environment Easy Access to North American Transportation Networks 2.7 Billion+ in Regional Planned Developments Regional Networks and Supports

Payroll Tax

Machinery & Equipment Tax

403-357-2237 1-800-508-2237 info@centralalberta.com www.centralalberta.ab.ca 403-356-4935 info@accessprosperity.ca www.accessprosperity.ca

Cultivating Success.

Considered by a growing list of companies to be the ideal location for development in Western Canada, Rocky View County offers the perfect environment for a range of industries.

World-class retail development, a readily available talent pool and an expansive consumer base throughout the Calgary Region, have amplified these new opportunities.

Rocky View County is a critical part of Alberta’s economy. The development of warehousing, logistics parks and massive distribution centres have thrust Rocky View onto the stage of global logistics. This has been made possible by Rocky View’s direct access to major highways, the Calgary Ring-Road, rail and proximity to the Calgary International Airport.

Cultivate your company’s success and reap the rewards of relocating to Rocky View County.

www.thinkingalberta.com

CONTENTS

2015

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION Nanotechnology, moviemaking, communication and drones push R&D envelope

29 MESSAGES

7–9

BRIEFS

REGION MAP

INFOGRAPHICS 12–13 Economic diversity Growth in selected indicators Per capita investment Unemployment rates by province Top marginal personal income tax rates Index of well-being

OIL FUTURES

Challenge is moving the planet’s third-largest petroleum reserves to an energy-hungry world

FEATURES

ALBERTA (UN)BOUND

Oil futures 14 Capital a catalyst 16 Nowtown 18 Ports to plains 21 Agriculture & innovation 24 Alberta (un)bound 26 Technology & innovation 29

Thirty-three million visitors a year make Alberta a top tourist destination in Canada

Agriculture & innovation

ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS ALBERTA ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

Famous for beef and wheat, Alberta is also a world leader in biofuels and agri-science

FROM PORTS TO PLAINS Forging a high-speed trade route from Alberta’s riches to the southern U.S. and Mexico

A Better Way To build Jandel Homes’ modular construction process offers many advantages for developers and municipalities. Most appealing to our commercial clients is the faster return on investment. Not only is there usually a significant cost savings advantage for the buyer, we can also turn over lots in 90 days as opposed to the typical 9 months or more when using traditional construction methods. We are one of the few companies in this industry that can offer a full turnkey package to our buyers, easing the stress and the financing difficulties that might arise for a buyer trying to finance vacant land. We can even help our buyers obtain financing, insurance and assist with the sale of their existing home.

Simplify your next development by working with Jandel.

jandelhomes.com Experienced | Trusted | Professional

124A - 26230 Twp Rd 531A, Acheson, AB T7X 5A4 • P: 780.960.4232 • F: 780.960.2842 • TF: 855.463.0084

6 |

2015

Contents AlbertA unbound Half the new jobs and fastest economic growth in Canada

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REGIONS Battle River 31 Calgary 35 Capital 41 Central 50 Mackenzie 62 North Central 64 Northeast 68 Palliser 73 Peace Country 76 Slave Lake 82 South Central 84 Southwest 87 West Yellowhead 91 Wood Buffalo 94

invest in alberta Business and investment across alBerta official publication

$25

West Yellowhead

Calgary

film frenzy

ADVenTUre TOUriSm

regiOnAl rOUnDUp

PUBLISHER: Paul Harris EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : Fiona Anderson EDITOR : Frank O’Brien WRITERS : Natalie Gibson, Darah Hansen,

Palliser

Wood Buffalo

Geoff Kirbyson, Peter Mitham, Noa Nichol, Frank O’Brien PROOFREADER: Meg Yamamoto PRODUCTION: Rob Benac, Bridget Greenwood, Soraya Romao SALES MANAGER: Joan McGrogan ADVERTISING SALES : Lori Borden, Corinne Tkachuk ADMINISTRATOR: Katherine Butler CONTROLLER: Marlita Hodgens PRESIDENT, BIV MEDIA GROUP: Paul Harris Invest in Alberta 2015 is published by BIV Magazines, a division of BIV Media Group, 102 Fourth Avenue East, Vancouver, B.C. V5T 1G2, 604‑688‑2398, fax 604‑688‑1963, www.biv.com. Copyright 2014 Business in Vancouver Magazines. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or incorporated into any information retrieval system without permission of BIV Magazines. The list of services provided in this publication is not necessarily a complete list of all such services available in Vancouver, B.C. The publishers are not responsible in whole or in part for any errors or omissions in this publication. ISSN 1205-5662 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40051199. Registration No. 8876. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Department: 102 Fourth Avenue East, Vancouver, B.C. V5T 1G2 Email: subscribe@biv.com Cover: The new $21 million Glacier Skywalk has drawn more than one million visitors to its perch above Sunwapta Valley in Jasper National Park | Brewster Travel

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

| 7

2015

Letters

The Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Canada I I am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to everyone am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to readers of the attending the 40th Annual Professional Conference and AGM of Economic inaugural issue of Invest in Alberta, an official publication of Economic Developers Alberta (EDA). Developers Alberta (EDA). The Government of Canada is pleased to have provided funding Economic Developers Alberta is celebrating four decades of for EDA projects —through the Invest Canada-Community Initiatives contributions to the Canadian economy. Since its founding, this organization has (ICCI) program— that help attract, retain and expand foreign investment in advanced economic development as a profession and supported all levels of communities across Alberta. Invest in Alberta, the new magazine resulting from government in fostering economic prosperity in our enterprising province. this public-private sector partnership, will help raise the profile of EDA members’ goods and to decision makers locally, nationally and internationally. services This year’s assembly gives EDA members a chance to review important organizational matters while providing a forum for networking, I would like to commend the publishers for their entrepreneurial training, and the exchange of ideas. I am certain that delegates will make the most spirit. Since its founding 40 years ago, Economic Developers Alberta has of their deliberations and will leave the meeting ready to address future advanced the profession and supported all levels of government in fostering opportunities and challenges with enthusiasm. economic prosperity in our enterprising province. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I offer my best wishes for Please accept my best wishes for success with this latest initiative. a productive conference and enjoyable anniversary celebration.

OTTAWA 2014

The Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.

8 |

2015

Letters

Premier of Alberta Office of the Premier, 307 Legislature Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2B6

Message from Honourable Jim Prentice Premier of Alberta On behalf of the Government of Alberta, I am pleased to congratulate Economic Developers Alberta on the publication of its inaugural issue of Invest in Alberta magazine. Our province is the economic engine of Canada, providing incredible opportunities for businesses to grow and investors and entrepreneurs to thrive. Alberta’s competitive business climate, educated and skilled workforce, and entrepreneurial and innovative expertise are opening new markets for our products and services, attracting new investment in our industry sectors and boosting our competitiveness around the globe. My thanks to Economic Developers Alberta for promoting investment and business opportunities in the province and sharing our government’s commitment to building a stronger Alberta.

Jim Prentice November 1, 2014

The Honourable Jim Prentice, Premier of Alberta

| 9

2015

Letters

Message from the President | Attractive advantages

elcome to the first edition of Invest in Alberta. This publication is designed to provide valuable information for investors and showcase the multitude of advantages of doing business in Alberta. It is common knowledge that Alberta has one of the strongest economies in Canada, and we continue to capitalize on our many strengths. Our province is home to more than 60 percent of the country’s conventional crude oil reserves and nearly all of its heavy oil and oilsands reserves, while our agriculture, tourism and technology industries also add tremendous value to the provincial and national economies. We have a highly competitive business environment that boasts a young, skilled and productive workforce and the lowest personal tax rate in Canada. I am quite certain that the information in this first edition will prove to be of great value as you consider the potential rewards of making an investment in Alberta. I am proud to be the president of Economic Developers Alberta (EDA). For 40 years, EDA has provided information,

professional development and networking opportunities to advance the economic development profession in the province. Our roots date back to the 1960s when a few industrial commissioners from across Alberta gathered several times a year to discuss their profession and learn about each other’s activities. Today we are Alberta’s leading professional organization for economic developers. By supporting the leadership role economic developers have in their communities, we also fortify their efforts to ensure the economic viability of their communities. On behalf of EDA, I am pleased to provide you with our inaugural edition of Invest in Alberta and thank all of our EDA members for their enthusiastic support. So please accept this invitation to come and find out more about how Alberta is offering some of the best investment and economic development opportunities in the world today. Jeff Penney President, EDA

Message from the CEO | An intelligent investment

am pleased to present the inaugural edition of Invest in Alberta, the official publication of Economic Developers Alberta (EDA). EDA decided to undertake the publication of this magazine to provide you with valuable information about our province as an exceptional place to invest and to do business. We are thrilled with the outcome of this first edition. Inside you will read in-depth profiles of 14 dramatically different regions that make Alberta Canada’s most dynamic investment destination; revealing stories on Alberta’s two largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton; and a variety of reports describing some of Alberta’s industries and the unique projects driving our diverse economy, establishing Alberta as one of the most attractive places to invest in Canada and North America. As CEO of Economic Developers Alberta, my goal is to ensure our members have the tools they need to enhance their economic development practice. EDA is Alberta’s only professional organization for economic developers

that advances the profession by: providing opportunities to network with other professionals; presenting education and training options; and delivering the most current information and resources. EDA is made up of close to 300 members from across the province representing a range of communities, businesses, Crown corporations, tourism groups, chambers of commerce, government agencies, financial institutions, NGOs and educational institutions. By equipping our province’s economic development professionals with the most current resources and opportunities, they in turn can help to create healthy, sustainable communities. Enjoy this first of many editions of Invest in Alberta If you have any questions please feel free to contact me directly at leann@edaalberta.ca. Leann Hackman-Carty CEO, EDA www.edaalberta.ca

Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) – Benefits of Membership EDA is Alberta’s only organization dedicated to advancing the economic development profession. By joining EDA you have access to professional development, information and networking to enhance your expertise, which in turn strengthens the economic viability of your community. Information Economic Disaster Recovery Project (EDRP) Toolkit: The only resource of its kind in Canada to help community leaders prepare for and recover from economic disasters. Investment Readiness Toolkit: An important instrument to help you meet the high expectations required to attract, retain and grow businesses. AlbertaBusinessCounts: Software that provides a consistent province-wide method for gathering

data needed to identify and analyze business needs at the local, regional and provincial levels. Professional Development Community Economic Development Training Program (CEDTP): In person and online courses designed to deliver information on best practices and established tools you can use to help your region thrive. Ongoing webinars: We have partnered with various economic development and community development experts to deliver relevant information and best practices that will enhance your economic development practice. Networking and Events EDA Annual Professional Conference and AGM: Held every year in the stunning region of Kananaskis,

Alberta, where approximately 350 delegates from across North America gather to network and share ideas and best practices. The next conference is April 8–10, 2015. The theme is “Partnerships for Prosperity.” EDA also promotes various events throughout the year that benefit our membership. Members have access to the online EDA member directory. We honour best practices in economic development through our annual Awards of Excellence program. Members have the ability to share career opportunities and requests for proposals. Visit www.edaalberta.ca for more information.

10 |

2015

Briefs

Calgary mayor may be best in the world

Alberta leads in weekly wages

algary Mayor Naheed Nenshi has been shortlisted for global recognition by the City Mayors Foundation. The London-based philanthropic society has released its final 25 nominees for the biannual World Mayor Prize. The prize has been awarded every second year since 2004 to a mayor deemed to have made outstanding contributions to his or her community while developing a vision for urban living and working that is relevant to cities around the globe.

Nenshi, serving his second term, is the only Canadian and one of just four North American mayors nominated for this year’s prize. The World Mayor Project is me ant to “promote, encourage and facilitate good local government.” Winners were not available as our press time. The award is to presented early in 2015.

Edmonton lands LRT line

T ground early 2015 or mid-2015,” he adds. The province will provide $600 million for the new line, with $200 million of that in an interest-free loan. The total cost of the Valley Line LRT is $1.8 billion. The city plans to finance $800 million of that, with $400 million expected from the federal government.

Lakeland shares ‘good problem’

he Municipal District of Bonnyville has passed bylaw amendments that ease the transfer of agricultural land to industrial use. The amendments allow major rural industrial use on agricultural parcels greater than 20 acres and minor rural industrial use on agricultural parcels under three acres. By amending the bylaw to allow industrial use on agricultural land, Bonnyville eliminates the need to rezone the land for industrial

projects to move forward. However, adjacent property owners will be notified of any proposed industrial project. The changes reflect the growth in the Bonnyville region, driven by both industrial and commercial real estate demand. An indication of the latter is the $5.1 million Eastgate development now underway in the district.

Telus to invest $2.6B

nvestment is on the rise in the Lakeland area as companies continue to expand and develop operations and projects in the region. The oilsands region surrounding Cold Lake and Bonnyville has seven companies operating 16 different projects. Overall the region has over 80,000 wells, 56,000 of which are located within the municipal district of Bonnyville. “The region has grown exponentially,” says Town of Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski. “We are the economic engines not only of

month-over-month and by 3.5 per cent year-over-year. Alberta’s top wages are in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas category, at $2,115 per week. That was up four per cent from July and 13.4 per cent from a year earlier. High wages are among the reasons Alberta is seeing a record influx of job seekers from across Canada and around the world.

Bonnyville approves zoning improvement

dmonton will proceed with construction of a light rapid transit (LRT) line in the southeast. The Valley Line LRT will link the downtown and West Edmonton with Mill Woods. “I am feeling elated,” Coun. Amarjeet Sohi told reporters. “I have been working on this project for six years, and, finally, I feel that we’ve accomplished a lot. And now we can put the shovels into the ground very, very quickly.” “Finally, now all the funding is in place, we can move ahead with getting bids from the private sector and have shovels in the

tatistics Canada reports that Alberta is the top province when it comes to average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees, at $1,165 in August. That was up 0.8 per cent from the previous month and by 5.1 per cent from a year ago. “Growth was widespread across most sectors, led by finance and insurance; mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; manufacturing; and retail trade,” says the federal agency. Nationally, weekly earnings of $943 increased by 0.1 per cent

Alberta, but of Canada. It is a good problem to have.” Bitumen produc tion in the Lakeland region sits at around 535,000 barrels per day, with reports estimating that could jump to nearly one million barrels per day by 2025. By 2045, the population is estimated to reach 95,000 people, with 34,000 new jobs created.

elus will invest $2.6 billion in new infrastructure and facilities across Alberta through 2016, the company has announced. Telus will spend $1 billion across the province in 2014 and has committed to spending another $1.6 billion across 2015 and 2016 to build infrastructure, expand urban and rural Internet connectivity and capacity, and bring fast wireless technology to more Alberta communities. The upgrade would bring Wi-Fi and other wireless service to more remote areas of the province, according to Telus, and could be

beneficial to those working in the northern resource fields. “We are proud to invest a further $2.6 billion in leading-edge broadband technologies,” says Darren Entwistle, Telus executive chairman. “By the end of 2016, Telus investment in Alberta operations and infrastructure since 2000 will exceed $39 billion,” Entwistle adds.

| 11

2015

Alberta economic regions

ALBERTA ECONOMIC REGIONS START ON PAGE 32

MACKENZIE | 62 •High Level

WOOD BUFFALO | 94

PEACE COUNTRY | 76

Fort McMurray •

•Peace River

•Grand Prairie

SLAVE LAKE | 82 NORTHEAST | 68 NORTH CENTRAL | 64 CAPITAL | 41 Edmonton

WEST YELLOWHEAD | 91 •Jasper

Cold Lake •

Lloydminster •

BATTLE RIVER | 31

CENTRAL | 50 •Red Deer

•Banff

 Calgary

CALGARY | 35

CANADA

PALLISER | 73 SOUTH CENTRAL | 84

SOUTHWEST | 87

UNITED STATES

MEXICO

•Lethbridge

• Medicine Hat

12â&#x20AC;&#x201A;|

2015

ECONOMIC DIVERSITY Percentage distribution of GDP

Finance & real estate Energy

13.5%

24.6% Construction

1.9% Education 3.6%

10.7%

Agriculture

Public administration

Business & commercial services

4.4%

Tourism & consumer services

4.4% Health

Retail & wholesale

Transportation & utilities

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA AND ALBERTA INNOVATION AND ADVANCED EDUCATION

ENERGY EXPORTS

$75.2 billion

10.6%

Manufacturing

8.4%

6.9%

$331.9 billion

Total GDP 2013

ENERGY REVENUES

$96.3 billion

Total 2013

Crude oil (86%) Coal and sulphur (1%)

Conventional crude oil (18%) Coal and sulphur (1%) Natural gas and gas liquids (13%) Natural gas and gas liquids (21%) SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, ALBERTA ENERGY REGULATOR, ALBERTA INNOVATION AND ADVANCED EDUCATION

Oil sands (60%)

| 13

SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH

NET FINANCIAL ASSETS/DEBT

Percentage change from 2003–2013

As per cent of GDP (2013–2014) of the province

Ontario Alberta British Columbia Canada Manitoba Quebec Newfoundland and Labrador Saskatchewan Nova Scotia New Brunswick Prince Edward Island

Alberta Saskatchewan British Columbia Newfoundland and Labrador Manitoba Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island New Brunswick Canada Ontario Quebec

5% 0% 5% % % 0% 5% 0% -1 -1 - 0 5 1 1 2

MEDIAN AFTER-TAX INCOME Families with two persons or more (2011) Alberta Saskatchewan Ontario British Columbia Canada Manitoba Nova Scotia Newfoundland and Labrador Quebec New Brunswick Price Edward Island 0 00 00 00 00 00 0 ,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0 5 7 4 6 $ $ $ $ $8 $9

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 10% -5 -4 -3 -2 -1

SOURCE: CANADIAN BUSINESS PATTERNS, STATISTICS CANADA

SOURCE: CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANDA

TOP MARGINAL PERSONAL INCOME TAX RATES

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BY PROVINCE 2008–2012 (average) and 2013

2014

Saskatchewan

Alberta Newfoundland & Labrador

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

British Columbia

Manitoba

Canada

New Brunswick

Ontario

Prince Edward island

Quebec

Ontario

Nova Scotia

Quebec

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Newfoundland & Labrador 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Prince Edward Island 2%

SOURCE: KPMG PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AND ONTARIO’S TOP PROVINCIAL RATES INCLUDE A SURTAX QUEBEC RESIDENTS RECEIVE AN ABATMENT OF 16.5% OF BASIC FEDERAL TAX BECAUSE OF THE PROVINCE’S DECISION TO OPT OUT OF FFEDERAL CASH TRANSFERS IN SUPPORT OF PROVINCIAL PROGRAMS

PER CAPITA INVESTMENT

2008–2012

10%

12%

14%

2013 SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

SELECTED INDICATORS: 2003–2013

2013

Per cent change

Alberta

Investment

Newfoundland & Labrador Saskatchewan

Goods exports

Canada British Columbia

GDP

Manitoba Quebec Ontario

Employment

Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island

Population

New Brunswick 0

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA AND ALBERTA INNOVATION AND ADVANCED EDUCATION

20%

40%

60% Canada

80%

100% 120% 140% 160% Alberta

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA AND ALBERTA INNOVATION AND ADVANCED EDUCATION

14 |

2015

OIL FUTURES

Whether by pipeline or rail, Alberta oil will flow to an energy-hungry world BY FRANK O’BRIEN

he contribution to Canadians by the Alberta oilsands represents nation-building numbers. With the third-largest proven crude oil reserves – 167 billion barrels – in the world, oilsandsrelated revenues will generate $927 billion in federal and provincial revenues and $600 billion in royalties over the next 25 years.

This is tax money that flows into every province, every city, town and village and virtually every household in the country. In straight export terms, Alberta petroleum is already worth $64.4 billion per year, with natural gas and petrochemicals adding $17.6 billion to that total, according to 2013 numbers from Statistics Canada. Over the next 25 years, investments in the oilsands will reach a staggering $514 billion, and every dollar invested creates about $8 worth of economic activity, with 11 per cent of that outside of Alberta. Investments will Oil and gas pipelines in the Peace region, one of three regions of Alberta with oilsands deposits. Enbridge plans a twin pipeline that would carry condensate east to Alberta and crude oil west to the B.C. northern coast | SHUTTERSTOCK

accelerate. Today, only two per cent of Alberta’s massive oilsands reserves are being mined, according to a report from the Alberta Ministry of Energy. The challenge facing the Alberta oil industry today is not fluctuating prices – oil was around $80 per barrel as Invest in Alberta went to press, about the same level as five years ago – but meeting worldwide demand. Alberta is a landlocked province, so the need is to move petroleum from the oilsands to tidal waters. There are two routes and two options and no doubt that the oil will flow. Two pipeline options are front-runners: Calgary-based Enbridge’s 1,177-kilometre Northern Gateway from Bruderheim, Alberta, to the northwest British Columbia coast, which would carry 525,000 barrels of oil per day; and TransCanada’s Energy East route, which would link, add and upgrade 4,600 kilometres of mostly existing pipelines to access port terminals in Quebec and New Brunswick. The eastern route would pipe 1.1 million barrels per day from Alberta and Saskatchewan. Both of these are multibillion-dollar ventures, and the former represents the single largest infrastructure project in Canadian history. Oil by rail is the other option, and it has already proven a contender as rail companies stepped up to fill the export gap as pipeline decisions await final approval. In 2009, 500 carloads of crude were shipped by rail in Canada, a count that rose to 160,000 carloads in 2013. Oil by rail By next year, barrels of Alberta oil moved by rail will total nearly twice as much as Northern Gateway’s planned capacity.

| 15

An estimated one million barrels of Alberta oil will be moving by rail by 2015, according to CN Rail. Rail oil shipments in Canada have increased by 300 per cent since 2009 | SHUTTERSTOCK

James Cairns, vice-president of petroleum and chemicals for CN, recently told the Daily Oil Bulletin that total planned rail facilities will allow for one million barrels per day of crude oil capacity from Alberta by 2015. Canadian Pacific Railway is on record promoting the movement of oil by rail from Alberta to northeast B.C. ports. It’s easy to see how that one-million-barrel-per-day mark will be reached. Alberta transload rail facilities being built or planned include a 140,000-barrel-per-day terminal at Hardisty, being developed by Gibson Energy Inc. and U.S. Development Group LLC; a 70,000-barrel-per-day facility planned for the Bruderheim area by Canexus Corp.; and a 40,000-barrel-per-day transload facility planned by Keyera Corp. and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP next to Keyera’s diluent terminal northeast of Edmonton. The economic advantages of transporting Alberta crude by rail far outweigh any advantages pipelines may possess, argues Randy Meyer, vice-president of business development and logistics with Calgary-based Altex Energy Ltd., which pioneered crude-by-rail shipments. For one, the heavy crude doesn’t have to be diluted with as much pricey condensate. While heavy crude being transported on pipelines needs as much as a 30 per cent diluent content, a 10 to 15 per cent mix works well for rail. That gives producers an immediate savings of

$15 a barrel or more, he noted. Rail also has the specific advantage of not having to go through a tortured regulatory process, as is the case with new pipelines like Energy East and Northern Gateway. Whatever the final decision, whether by pipeline or by rail, Canada’s most valuable treasure will reach a world hungry for energy. 

Oilsands investments 2012–2035 In billions of 2010 dollars: total $514 billion

Maintenance ($228) Upgraders ($14) Pipelines ($25) Mining ($79)

In situ ($168) SOURCE: CANADIAN ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

16 |

2015

CAPITAL A

CATALYST Edmonton’s robust economy a global magnet for developers, investors – and job seekers BY GEOFF KIRBYSON

he Edmonton Oilers are proving a catalyst for some serious downtown development two years before their new arena opens. The new Rogers Place arena, which opens for the 2016-17 season, will anchor the largest sports and entertainment complex in Canada.

More than 1.2 million people live in Edmonton region and about 40,000 newcomers are arriving every year. This aerial photo shows the University of Alberta in the foreground | CITY OF EDMONTON

Mixed commercial, residential and hotel skyscrapers immediately adjacent to the $480 million arena, plus several condo towers and the tallest building in Alberta, have already been announced in the Edmonton Arena District (EAD). “It’s really changing the skyline,” says John Rose, chief economist for the City of Edmonton. “The number of commercial and hotel-related developments is all predicated on the arena. The arena has changed the perception of the downtown.” James Cumming, president and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, agrees the EAD will be a stunner, but he notes the investment attraction of Alberta’s capital goes much deeper than hockey, real estate or even oil. High migration levels are creating a critical mass that is recharging the city, he says. In 2013, a total of 40,000 people moved to the Edmonton region for a population growth rate of 3.9 per cent. The new arrivals have helped push the residential vacancy rate to effectively zero and spurred a rush of new home construction. Many of the newcomers are young people, attracted by both lifestyle and career opportunities, Cumming says, especially in the burgeoning high-tech sector. Edmonton is home to the University of Alberta and its Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Facility, one of the premier electrical and computer engineering departments in Canada. The facility’s high-profile activities include computational intelligence, energy

systems, photonics, electromagnetics, nanotechnology and biomedical engineering. Edmonton, known as a world leader in resource extraction technology, also has the campus of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and many graduates stay to work in the city. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of people who are investing or creating startups in the tech sector,” Cumming says. A pair of startup incubators, TEC Edmonton and Startup Edmonton, which offer a wide range of services to young entrepreneurs, are spurring that trend.

| 17

Edmonton region by the numbers

5.7% 3.9% 4.9% 29,000

Unemployment rate Annual population growth Projected GDP growth rate 2014 New jobs projected in 2014

$91,860 Median

household income

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA

The 25-acre Edmonton Arena District redevelopment, now underway, will include a new hockey arena and the tallest towers west of Toronto and east of Vancouver | CITY OF EDMONTON

“There is a broader economy here than just resource extraction. There’s manufacturing, technology and agriculture. We’re known [for] and proud of the oil and resource extraction and production [technology], but we’re doing a lot of other things which are equally as exciting,” Cumming says. Jobs, jobs, jobs Local university and college graduates, like people from many countries, find Edmonton a job-friendly city. “We’re a labour-constrained economy,” Rose says, noting the diversity of the net migration has been a key factor. Seven years ago, the majority of newcomers came from other provinces. Now half of them are from other countries. In fact, over the past decade, Edmonton has doubled its percentage share of immigrants. “Edmonton is now able to draw on a global labour pool and identify the very special skills and experience we need to move the economy forward,” Rose says. And the numbers prove it. According to a recent report from the Conference Board of Canada, Edmonton will post Canada’s fastest-growing metropolitan economy in 2014 at 4.9 per cent, propelled by continued strength in the construction, manufacturing and energy sectors. The Ottawa-based think-tank also predicts employment growth will strengthen, as nearly 29,000 new jobs are expected to be created this year.

Technician at work in the clean room at the University of Alberta’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Facility’s NanoFab, the largest university-based fabrication clean room in Canada | EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY

With a forecast economic growth rate of 3.1 per cent in 2015, Edmonton will perform well above the national average. Cumming is quick to point out that the city’s growth, and indeed that of the entire province, is a good-news story for the rest of the country because so many of the raw materials and manufacturing jobs required to sustain the growth are located throughout the rest of Canada. “The steel for the EAD arena is coming from Eastern Canada. There is hard evidence this isn’t just an Edmonton or Alberta story. It’s producing jobs for eastern Canadians, too,” he says. 

18 |

2015

NOWTOWN Diverse and robust economy makes Calgary the richest and fastest-growing city in the West

BY FRANK O’BRIEN

Million-dollar-plus condominiums highlight Concord Pacific’s new mixed-use complex on Calgary’s Bow River, an indication of the economic strength in Canada’s hottest economy | CONCORD PACIFIC

groundbreaking ceremony in October 2014 sta rted construction of the Calgary Film Studio, a 50,000-square-foot sound stage that is already booking clients.

“We are well positioned to see our production volumes more than double over the next five years,” says Luke Azevedo, commissioner, film, television and creative industries, Calgary Economic Development. A robust film industry is a fitting metaphor for a city that is the hottest investment reality show in Canada. Think Dragons’ Den on steroids. The evidence is everywhere across the largest city in Alberta. A 1,700-acre development with a 27-hole golf course and a man-made lake. Multimillion-dollar condominiums sprouting on the Bow River waterfront. More new office development in the last year than in Toronto. Canada’s highest increase in consumer spending and job growth. Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi has even been nominated for the 2014 World Mayor Prize, the only Canadian mayor in the running. Calgary is now this country’s undisputed economic superstar. Qualico Communities is building the instant community of Harmony, with more than 3,500 homes on a 1,700-acre site with its own water system, a 135-acre lake, a 138-acre commercial campus and a 72-hole golf course, the largest in southern Alberta. The “village” will also include schools and medical facilities on former farmland near Springbank, just west of Calgary. Construction has started and show homes will open in 2015, according to

Karin Finley, vice-president of Qualico Communities. Downtown, Vancouver-based Concord Pacific has launched a high-end residential development on the banks of Calgary’s Bow River. “Prices effectively start at $1 million to $2 million, with the top estate penthouse close to $13 million,” says Peter Webb, senior vice-president of development at Concord

| 19

Calgary by the numbers

1.4M $116B $1,153 4.2%

Population

3.4% 4.4%

Annual GDP growth

Gross domestic product Average weekly wage Annual population growth

Annual retail sales growth

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA

Pacific, which redeveloped the former Expo 86 lands on Vancouver’s False Creek. “This project is unparalleled to any development in Calgary’s history.” The complex, on the edge of downtown Calgary, will include 200 luxury homes anchored by a 105-suite, 14-storey tower. With 8.9 million square feet of new office space announced last year, Calgary has surpassed Toronto for

the first time as the biggest office development market in Canada. The brand-new Class AA West Tower of Eighth Avenue Place has attracted a full house of resource giants such as Crescent Point Energy, Pembina Pipeline and Cenovus, all of which pre-leased the space at least two years ago. Only 3.3 per cent of Class AA space – which makes up

20 |

2015

Nowtown

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi joined provincial politicians, film industry heavyweights – and a crush of media – at the groundbreaking for the new Calgary Film Studio in October 2014 | CALGARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The new twin towers of Eighth Avenue Place West Tower, among $18 billion in new commercial real estate investment in Calgary | COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL

[Calgary] shared in the 85,000 jobs gained in Alberta in the past year – half of all the new jobs in Canada

nearly one-third of the downtown market – is still available, reports Colliers International. It is clear that developer confidence is high regarding upcoming pipeline decisions. This follows conditional approval by the National Energy Board of TransCanada’s Energy East pipeline. It is also widely anticipated that at least one of the two main pipelines proposed in Canada, Northern Gateway or Keystone XL, will be approved, according to commercial real estate agency Avison Young. The commercial real estate demand reflects Calgary’s stunning economic growth. In September 2014, the unemployment rate had fallen to 4.6 per cent; the city shared in the 85,000 jobs gained in Alberta in the past year – half of all the new jobs in Canada. Retail spending is breaking records. The latter is seen in an explosion of distribution warehouse leasing. Dominion Warehousing & Distribution and Sears Canada, for example, together took up more than 500,000 square feet in the first quarter alone. Speculative developers are tying up land and making multiple development permit applications in preparation for increased demand, Avison Young notes. “Demand for quality space will continue as Calgary evolves into Western Canada’s distribution hub.” Calgary is also a white-hot hotel market due to the growth in business travel and job-fuelled in-migration, studies show. Alam Pirani, executive managing director with Colliers International Hotels, says corporate growth in Calgary drives a lot of business. “Notwithstanding all the new supply that you see coming in, a lot of it is getting absorbed. From an investment perspective, [Calgary] is one of the most sought-after markets,” he says. “Calgary has experienced extraordinary revpar [revenue per available room, a leading indicator] growth in recent years,” adds Monique Rosszell, managing director of hotel market analyst HVS International, noting that about $18 billion in new commercial construction is driving the market. “The strength of the Calgary [development] market has also caused a surge in new hotel activity. The increase in the room supply will break all previous records in 2015, when 1,327 new rooms enter the market,” Rosszell says. Meanwhile, the residential vacancy rate is a tight 1.8 per cent, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC), and the average two-bedroom apartment rents for $1,267, up five per cent from a year earlier. “Rental demand in Calgary is getting a strong boost from elevated migration,” says CMHC analyst Richard Cho. “Net migration posted a new high in 2013 following a record year in 2012.” 

| 21

FROM PORTS TO PLAINS

In landlocked Alberta, proponents aim to grease a high-speed route to the southern Gulf

BY PETER MITHAM

il and gas wells, wheat fields and rangeland have long fed the pipeline of exports Alberta sends around the world. All told, the province exports $104.3 billion worth of goods a year. But getting those products to market quickly and efficiently has become increasingly important as greater global integration has made shorter delivery timelines a competitive requirement. Without a single ocean or river port, Alberta is locked into land transport for some of its most valuable commodities, prompting significant

investments in partnerships and construction designed to move goods to market. While rail companies invest in upgrades to lines heading west to Prince Rupert and east to Thunder Bay and Churchill, and governments invest in highway infrastructure, industry initiatives such as the Eastern Alberta Ports-to-Plains plan is to increase two-way transport of goods between Alberta and U.S. ports | SHUTTERSTOCK

22 |

2015

From ports to plains

Nearly 134,000 trucks a day roll through the Alberta-U.S. border at Sweetgrass-Coutts. The Ports-to-Plains Alliance is pushing for a second 24-7 crossing at Wild Horse, Alberta | EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Trade Corridor (EATC) and the Texas-based Ports-toPlains Alliance are building co-operative relationships to make sure the infrastructure lives up to its potential. Bud James, mayor of Killam, Alberta, southeast of Edmonton, is at the centre of both initiatives. Alberta’s representative with Ports-to-Plains Alliance, James also chairs EATC, which was formally constituted this past spring from a loose affiliation of three regional economic development alliances including Northeast Alberta Hub, the Battle River Alliance for Economic Development and the Palliser Economic Partnership. Linking the oilsands The region encompasses the key north-south routes of highways 41 and 36, which run from the U.S. border crossings at Coutts and Wild Horse north to the oilsands of Cold Lake and Wood Buffalo Regional Municipality. It also includes a number of rural municipalities that can benefit from greater representation. “A lot of opportunities await anybody interested in developing in the EATC area, as opposed to just putting the money where the traffic counts are highest,” James says. “EATC’s focus is on … putting business together with other businesses.” Promotion and advocacy is also part of EATC’s strategic plan, which is moving forward under James with

the assistance of an executive director. Alberta Transportation is developing a strategy that will guide infrastructure development in the province over the next 50 years. Public consultations regarding a draft strategy took place in spring 2014, and EATC contributed its perspective to ensure the economic benefits of highways aren’t lost in the planning details. However, much more remains to be done. Ports-to-Plains, originally launched in 1997, has the potential to connect the oilsands operations with equipment manufacturers along the alliance’s area, which extends as far south as key industrial regions in Mexico. “There’s a lot of commonality there in terms of the type of industry, which is primarily energy and agriculture, with some manufacturing thrown in,” James says. During the Ports-to-Plains annual conference in Del Rio, Texas, in 2014, participants visited the Caterpillar equipment factory in Acuña, Mexico, which makes large dump trucks and other components used in oilsands production. “[Such equipment] would be shipped up through the Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor,” James says. “There’s nothing to stop somebody from doing some of the manufacturing, adding a piece [to the] puzzle somewhere along the way – maybe in the U.S., maybe in Alberta – so it’s the finished project that reaches the Syncrude site.”

| 23

24-hour borders Shipping product in and out of the province requires reliable, multi-faceted infrastructure, however, something both Ports-to-Plains and EATC are working to secure. James says having just one port of call for imports and exports isn’t sufficient. While two branches of the Trans-Canada Highway cross the province – the Yellowhead in the north and Highway 1 in the south – both of which roughly parallel the country’s key rail lines, there’s just one truck crossing between the U.S. and Canada. Situated between Coutts, Alberta, and Sweetgrass, Montana, it’s the ninth-busiest truck crossing between Canada and the U.S., with nearly 134,000 crossings in 2013. “That’s the only border crossing for product running from the U.S. into Alberta,” James says. “We think that’s a problem, and we think there’s got to be an alternate for access.” EATC and Ports-to-Plains are joining with local governments in advocating for a second 24-hour crossing at Wild Horse, south of Medicine Hat. “It’s an infrastructure issue, and it’s convincing both federal governments that there needs to be expanded access,” James says. The issue is mirrored in the bids to build pipelines south to refineries in the U.S. and along the Gulf of Mexico, as well as TransCanada PipeLines Ltd.’s Energy East pipeline to Eastern Canada, and Kinder Morgan’s plans for pipelines to Pacific ports in B.C. “Moving our product to tidewater in more than one fashion is very important,” James says. “It can’t just be one pipeline. It’s got to be a combination of all three.” 

Churchill

CANADA BRITISH COLUMBIA

Vancouver Seattle

MANITOBA

SASKATCHEWAN

Edmonton ALBERTA

Saskatoon

Calgary

Regina Sweetgrass/ Coutts

Wild Horse

Winnipeg

Rapid City

UNITED STATES

Denver

Limon

Dumas

San Angelo Houston Galveston

MEXICO

Corpus Christi

Mazatlan

Guadalajara

Mexico City

Manzanillo

Highway routes linked in the Ports-to-Plains initiative

BUD JAMES | CHAIRMAN, EASTERN ALBERTA TRADE CORRIDOR Moving our product to tidewater in more than one fashion is very important

24 |

2015

AGRICULTURE &

INNOVATION

Alberta’s famous farming has matured from cattle and crops to biofuels and QR codes

BY NATALIE GIBSON

Jan Slaski, a senior researcher in plant crops with Bioresource Technologies, Alberta Innovates, says annual hemp exports could approach $50 million | ALBERTA INNOVATES

griculture in Alberta is broadening as agribusinesses shift from being producers of food to leaders in technology and global exports. Significant investment and economic benefits are being generated as agriculture entrepreneurs grow and diversify in an industry that already includes nearly half the cattle in Canada and crop fields that stretch to the horizon. In 2013, more than $11.8 billion in sales was generated from Alberta’s major agricultural products such as livestock, crops and other specialty cash crops. The food processing and beverage manufacturing sectors generated an additional $20 billion. Technology is changing how the sector operates, from smaller farm units growing higher-value products to retailers providing consumers with point-of-origin labelling through a QR (quick response) code. Consumers can scan the QR code and instantly link to the producer or processor’s website link from their phone. The ag industry is also at the forefront in linking to research and development in the bio-industrial sector through bio-materials to create textiles, fibre mats, biochemicals extracted from plants and biofuels as a nonfossil-fuel energy resource. Bio-refining is being driven by consumer demand, environmental pressures and the need for improving profitability in emerging technologies. For example, Himark BioGas Ltd., located north of Vegreville, is Canada’s first integrated bio-refinery. The facility uses organic waste products to generate green electricity, fuel ethanol, bio-fertilizer and cattle feed. The closed loop system utlizes manure from a large neighbouring feedlot to process in an anaerobic digester, which creates methane gas energy and fuels the Edmontonbased Growing Power Hairy Hill (GPHH) plant. In 2014 the plant was modified to enable it to accept up to 200 tonnes per day of municipal organic and biosolid

| 25

Half the cattle in Canada are raised in Alberta. Here wrangler Ken Pigeon of the 8,000-acre OH Ranch near Longview prepares for calving season. OH Ranch is managed by and for the Calgary Stampede | CALGARY STAMPEDE

Jan Slaski, a senior researcher in plant crops with Bioresource Technologies, Alberta Innovates, says 90,000 acres are under hemp production and total 2014 exports could approach $50 million. The town of Taber is emerging as a hemp production centre. A porposed new $25 million facility, planned to be in operation in 2015, will process hemp and other high-fibre crops. Alberta and Canada have one of the most comprehensive innovation ecosystems offering extensive support to companies through programs such as the National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program and the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Incentive Program. Robust funding programs such as Growing Forward 2 aid applicants in expanding research and commercialization of products; Alberta Innovates and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development bring together resources to support agribusiness. Financial organizations such as the Alberta Financial Services Corp. and Farm Credit Canada have specific agriculture lending portfolios that are helping retain Alberta farms and get more young farmers into the business. Like stalks of wheat in the field, Alberta’s agriculture industry continues to reach for the wide-open blue skies. 

Alberta’s farm cash receipts 2013 $3.5 3.0 2.5 Billions

waste from surrounding communities. The GPHH plant can generate 2.5 megawatts of electricity, which is sold to the local grid. Local wheat and excess biogas from the digester is used to run the nearby ethanol plant. The byproduct of ethanol production, known as distillers grain, is used as livestock feed and is high in protein and nutrients. Alberta companies are also making substantial investments in converting agricultural, forestry waste and noncrop plants into biofuels, bio-lubricants and biochemicals. Renewable energy and renewable chemicals continue to outpace other sectors – attracting significant global investment opportunities. Global biofuels production is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of six percent from 2013 to 2023 – almost twice as fast as the growth rate for fossilbased gasoline, diesel and jet fuel over the same period. Alternative crops are also on the rise. Farmers are seeking ways to increase profitability per acre without the intense marketing fluctuations of traditional grain crops. One example is the production of industrial hemp. Hemp can be used for a variety of purposes, the seed is highly nutritious and can be processed into a milk substitute or cold-pressed for its oil. The oil can be used as a lubricant for soaps or skin care. Hemp is best known for its fibres, which can be made into bio-composite car parts, green building materials, textiles and insulation.

2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 ef lax at iry gs er* Be& f he Da Ho th O a W l no

* INCLUDES OATS, RYE, BARLEY, SPECIALITY CROPS, HONEY, POULTRY, ETC. SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

26 |

2015

| 27

ALBERTA (UN)BOUND Tourism is a near $8 billion annual industry with marketing muscle and a bright future BY DARAH HANSEN

rewster Travel knew it would have a tourism hit on its hands last April with its brand-new, $21 million Glacier Skywalk in the heart of the Alberta Rockies.

But not even corporate executives were fully prepared for the global excitement the project would generate. In just six months since it opened, more than one million visitors have come from all over the map to take in the attraction, which offers sweeping mountain views from atop a glass-floored platform that sits 280 metres over the Sunwapta Valley in Jasper National Park. “It really is a bucket-list experience,” says Mark Hendrikse, Brewster’s director of marketing. The attraction is the first major private tourism investment in Alberta’s national parks in more than a decade, and its success promises to affect more than just the operator’s bottom line. Those in charge of selling Alberta to the world as a mustexperience destination are also banking on it to help drive up international awareness of all the province has to offer and, ultimately, the number of visitors from key markets in the Unites States, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Foreign visitors currently make up only a fraction of Alberta’s tourism statistics. Alberta receives about 33 million visitors annually across the province, from the resort towns of Banff and Jasper to the Badlands northwest of Drumheller. Most – more than 95 per cent – visitors come

from within Canada. Indeed, Albertans themselves make up the largest portion of visitors, followed by residents of British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Savvy marketing Just five per cent of tourists come from outside the country, according to Travel Alberta, the organization in charge of provincial tourism marketing. The United States leads the market in terms of travel volume, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Japan, Australia, the Netherlands and Korea. At the same time, foreign tourists tend to stay in the province longer than domestic travellers and spend more money.

The Glacier Skywalk has drawn more than one million visitors to its dramatic perch above Sunwapta Valley in Jasper National Park | BREWSTER TRAVEL

Alberta tourism expenditures by visitor origin Overseas (9%)

Alberta (65%)

United States (7%)

The campaign … has seen [Travel Alberta] partner with the Los Angeles Kings [hockey team] in a multimedia blitz

Other Canada (19%) SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA AND ALBERTA TOURISM, PARKS AND RECREATION

28 |

2015

Alberta (un)bound

grizzly bears and ice-blue, glacier-fed rivers. Travel Alberta recently broke from that holding pattern, launching a campaign aimed at southern Californians who share Albertans’ love of hockey and the great outdoors. The campaign, now entering its third season, has seen the provincial tourism office partner with the Los Angeles Kings in a multimedia blitz that runs across traditional media, digital and social media platforms. Fans will see #explorealberta on the digital board during NHL games, for instance, with messages reinforcing Alberta’s natural beauty and the fact the province is a 2.5-hour direct flight away. Travel Alberta also hosts a number of short spots on its YouTube channel that feature the Kings’ mascot, Bailey, experiencing some of the province’s best tourist locations. “We really allow the brand to hit the American traveller in a number of different ways,” says Chwin. Chwin says the tactics appear effective, though it is difficult to connect visitations to any specific partnership. However, visits this past summer from the U.S. were up 4.5 per cent over 2013, evidence the marketing strategy is proving successful.

Quality hotels allow visitors to experience Waterton Lakes National Park in comfort | TRAVEL ALBERTA Riders dressed as original North-West Mounted Police welcome tourists to Alberta’s Fort Museum in Fort Macleod, one of five historic forts in the province | TRAVEL ALBERTA

Of the estimated $7.4 billion in direct tourism spending to the province in 2012, 18 per cent is attributed to overnight visits from international travellers. “It is certainly big business,” says Royce Chwin, Travel Alberta’s chief marketing officer. Chwin says the provincial goal is to hit $10.3 billion in tourism revenue by 2020. It’s no wonder, then, that the province has been evolving its tactics of late with a focus on strengthening the Alberta brand in key markets. Chwin says right now the word “Alberta” has little resonance in the global market. The province, however, has successfully leveraged the brand created by Canada’s popularity and the postcard-perfect images of red serge,

Inviting the world Efforts to attract Asian visitors, particularly those coming from China, to the province have also increased, with the tourism budget invested in that market up 46 per cent this year over last, according to Chwin. China has become an important player in Canada’s tourism industry since 2009, when the Chinese government approved Canada as a travel destination for its 1.4 billion citizens. The volume of tourism stemming from that country has been steadily rising. With an estimated 100 million travellers worldwide by 2020, China promises to soon surpass the United States as the primary source of visitors to Alberta. Hendrikse says Chinese tourists make up Brewster’s fastest-growing market, with bus tours and hotel packages specifically tailored to accommodate particular needs. Special touches include everything from menus and travel packages translated into Mandarin to ensuring slippers and teapots are available in every hotel room. “They [Chinese visitors] really want to experience everything that a particular destination has to offer, even more than western visitors do,” Hendrikse says. Chwin says tourism from Japan is also showing signs of recovery. In the 1980s, it was Japan that made up the dominant Asian tourism market to Alberta. Interest has since slumped as Japanese tourists turned their attentions to destinations elsewhere. That trend appears to be reversing, with a busy direct flight now offered year-round from Calgary to Narita, Japan. Alberta tourism supports about 114,000 jobs and generates an estimated $3.4 billion in annual tax revenue to all three levels of government, according to Travel Alberta statistics. 

| 29

2015

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION Alberta is quickly emerging as Canada’s technological hot spot

BY NATALIE GIBSON

ighly skilled entrepreneurs have ignited Alberta’s tech sector. Pick your preference: do you want to make movies, test cutting-edge business solutions, gain from a highly skilled talent pool or invest in groundbreaking research that could alter an industry or a military battle? Tech-related jobs and investment opportunities are up for grabs. Combine talent, well-funded technology resources, academic hubs and a culture of entrepreneurs with an international reputation for innovation, and it is no surprise that Alberta’s information and communications technology (ICT) industry is Canada’s third-largest contributor to the gross domestic product. ICT in Alberta is diverse, with world-class companies in digital media, nanotechnology, life sciences, global positioning systems and software development. ICT is the province’s third-largest value-add sector with over

4,300 companies employing over 75,000 people contributing approximately $8.6 million to Alberta’s annual GDP. Centres of excellence Research and development centres of excellence are spread throughout the province. Innovate Calgary, linked to the University of Calgary; TEC Edmonton, part of the University of Alberta; and Tecconnect, which provides geo-spacial programming and research at the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College, are among the Lab workers at the University of Alberta’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Facility in Edmonton. Alberta is home to 26 world-class post-secondary higherlearning institutions | EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY

30 |

2015

Technology & innovation

industry, discovered in the early 1900s, is Canada’s strongest economic engine and a catalyst for the vibrant knowledge industry. From this foundation, innovation in advanced software systems focused on more efficient use of equipment, land and resources, geomatics and global positioning systems (GPS). Companies have launched products and services to international clients around the globe. A substantial resource is Calgary-based Tecterra, an organization supporting the development and commercialization of geomatics technologies for integrated resource management in Alberta and across Canada.

A Heron unmanned vehicle is tested at the Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems in Foremost, Alberta. Launchers fire the drones into 700 square miles of restricted airspace above the Foremost range | CANADIAN CENTRE FOR UNMANNED VEHICLE SYSTEMS

larger facilities that merge innovation and entrepreneurs. The University of Alberta is recognized as one of the top five wireless research groups in North America. Research resources and opportunities have created a plethora of investment and business opportunities. Alberta is home to 26 world-class post-secondary higher learning institutions – and where there is talent, there is innovation. Medical research Calgary has a well-developed health research network with a great environment in which to teach, test, develop and manufacture life sciences products and services. The Ward of the 21st Century (W21C) works with industry experts, researchers, health-care professionals and government to bring new ideas, prototypes or health-care products for testing in W21C’s “living laboratory.” Crafted through a unique partnership between the Cumming School of Medicine, the University of Calgary’s O’Brien Institute for Public Health and Alberta Health Services, W21C’s interdisciplinary research team works towards advancing knowledge and technological innovations for health systems improvement. The company’s research centre, and its simulation lab, are located at the University of Calgary’s Foothills Campus. Nanotechnology The National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT), located in Edmonton’s University of Alberta complex, is a Canadian leader of nanotechnology and microsystem development. NINT provides an environment conducive to the development of nano-enabled products and applications. It has advanced technology labs and more than 400 researchers involved in physics, chemistry, biology, informatics, pharmacy, engineering, medicine and pharmacy. Resource research It is no surprise that Alberta’s ICT sector is closely tied to the province’s abundant resources. The oil and gas

Digital media Creative industries and digital media have huge growth potential, and Calgary is the perfect backdrop with over 5,000 companies engaged in arts, entertainment and creative industry. Alberta is Canada’s fourth-largest filming jurisdiction, with the industry generating over $150 million per year in film and television production. Digital Alberta reports that more than 540 companies generate $500 million in annual revenues through digital media, social media, e-learning, gaming and mobile devices. A key centre is the Calgary Film Centre, which has just broken ground on a 50,000-square-foot sound stage. Invisible drones Unmanned vehicle systems (UVS), often known as drones, is a rapidly growing and dynamic niche sector with more than 70 Alberta companies, military agencies and educational institutions building a supportive cluster around UVS research, testing, development, manufacturing and operating training programs. Alberta research is pushing the capabilities of UVS, taking advantage of wide-open space on the ground and in the sky above. The Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems (CCUVS), located in Medicine Hat with testing range at Foremost, is instrumental in developing the unmanned systems. “CCUVS manages Canada’s first permanent area of restricted airspace for unmanned aircraft systems training, research and development for civil and commercial applications. The next great leap forward in technology is likely to come from unlocking the potential of flying beyond visual line of sight. With over 700 square miles of restricted airspace up to 18,000 feet above sea level, the Foremost UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] range is uniquely suited for domestic and international UAS companies to further develop this next-generation technology,” says Roger Haessel, chief executive officer of CCUVS. Alberta’s robust ICT sector is supported by numerous federal and provincial funding resources, which encourage companies and investors getting into and staying in the technology business. Services like the Alberta Innovates Connector, Regional Innovation Network and the National Research Council’s Concierge Service bring together Alberta’s tech industry insiders to pool information with investors looking to partner with Alberta companies and entrepreneurs. 

| 31

2015

Battle River

THIS IS FARM (AND OIL) COUNTRY Alberta’s largest wheat-producing region is also a major hub for the oil and gas industry

BY FRANK O’BRIEN

he Battle River region is the breadbasket of Alberta, producing more wheat than any other area in the province and posting total farm receipts of more than $1 billion per year. The latest census tallied 4,600 farms in the region with a total acreage of six million acres and an average farm size of more than 1,500 acres. And it is not only wheat that makes Battle River a contender among the top food producers in the province. At last count there were 487,000 head of cattle, and regional farms also raise more than 10 per cent of the province’s hogs, 24

per cent of the poultry and 3.1 million acres planted in crops, representing 13 per cent of Alberta’s crop fields. Aside from wheat, the region is the second-largest producer of canola, oats, rye and mixed grains. According to Statistics Canada, the Battle River region’s population totals about 69,700, an increase of 3.2% from 2006. Camrose, where a new city hall is under construction and will complete early next year, is the largest city in the Battle River region with a population of around 18,000. Wainwright is the region’s fastest-growing town with growth of 16 per cent from 2006 to 2013. Wainwright is a major retail and service centre with a strong economy Near Wainwright, 70 huge oil tanks dot Hardisty hub, a central tank farm where the majority of Alberta’s oil production converges | JORG HACKEMANN/SHUTTERSTOCK

32 |

2015

Battle River

Battle River is Alberta’s largest wheat-producing and second-largest crop production centre | KLETR/ SHUTTERSTOCK

Rendering showing new Camrose city hall, now under construction, in Battle River region’s largest town | CITY OF CAMROSE

anchored by the Canadian Forces base/ASU Wainwright, a major training centre. The military garrison at Wainwright, which can exceed 4,000 staff and support workers at peak times, has an estimated economic impact of $124 million annually. As for resources, the “Hardisty hub,” located 40 minutes southwest of Wainwright, is a central pipeline hub where the majority of Alberta’s oil production converges

town of wainwright

midst a bold prairie, Wainwright is hard working, community-minded, family-first. We value what it means to be free. Wainwright is located at the crossroads of Highways 14 and 41. It is roughly halfway between Edmonton and Saskatoon–two of Canada’s fastest growing cities–on Highway 14/40. Highway 41, the Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor provides market access to the oil sands in northern Alberta. The Town is located on the Canadian National Railway trans-Canada mainline and has spur tracks available. With a diversified and stable three pillar economy driven by oil and gas, agriculture and the military, Wainwright offers the opportunity for those driven to add services and/or manufacturing value to Wainwright’s thriving industries. The “Hardisty Hub” is located 40 minutes southwest and is a central pipeline hub where the majority of Alberta’s oil production converges for transportation to North American

for transportation to North American energy markets. The terminal complex – with 70 giant tanks – is one of North America’s largest terminals and is the starting point of several major pipelines. While agriculture accounts for about 17 per cent of the region’s employment, the biggest spurt in jobs is seen in the oil and gas sector, followed by construction. The region accounts for approximately three per cent of Alberta’s crude oil production, 2.7 per cent of gas production and 4.4 per cent of the number of wells drilled in the province. 

energy markets. The agriculture sector is vibrant with many opportunities for agri-value added business. Wainwright is also home to one of the busiest Army bases in Canada. Estimated local direct and indirect spending impact is $124,000,000 annually. Fully serviced highway commercial, industrial and residential land is available and investors are welcome. With a trading area of 40,000 people and its strategic position, Wainwright has robust commercial and professional service hub opportunities. Independent entrepreneurs benefit from business-friendly regulation, low business costs and affordable housing. Fibre optic phone and internet is available. Wainwright provides opportunities to achieve business competitive advantage and disposable income-enabled work-life balance. For more information, contact Wainwright Economic Development at 780.842.3381. www.wainwright.ca ROAM… to Wainwright where opportunities abound!

flagstaff county

elcome to the Flagstaff Region, located 150 km southeast of Edmonton, in East Central Alberta. Ten Towns and Villages located in the Region create an area that boasts an affordable cost of living, exciting recreational opportunities, friendly people, and a quiet rural lifestyle. There is always something to enjoy when you are in the Flagstaff Region. Why Invest in Flagstaff? The economy of the Region thrives on its strong agriculture and energy sector activity. A distinct regional advantage is the proximity to the “Hardisty Hub,” the central pipeline where the majority of Alberta’s oil production converges for transportation to North American energy markets. The population and primary trading area of the Region is comprised of 8,304 people, which encompasses the boundary of Flagstaff County, and extends to a radius of 40 km. The secondary trading area of 56,102 people extends to a radius of 80 km. This greater trading area encompasses portions of the neighbouring municipalities which include Camrose County, Beaver County, County of Paintearth, M.D. of Provost, Stettler County, and M.D. of Wainwright, as well as the City of Camrose, Towns of Provost, Stettler and Wainwright, and the smaller towns and villages within an 80 km radius. The Region has a steady transient population which increases the total trading area to 59,102 people. The Flagstaff Region has a skilled workforce with 38% possessing some form of post-secondary trade or university certificate, diploma or degree. The unemployment rate in the Region is quite stable, staying in the range of 2.5 - 4.0% for the past few years; this consistency ensures a steady workforce in the region. The Region offers affordable housing options, with the average

house price of $156,820. When compared to the Central Alberta Region’s average of $310,769 or the provincial average of $379,730, house prices are 41% lower in the Region than anywhere in the Province. The Region’s equalized assessments are competitive with other areas of the province. The average residential taxes on a $100,000 assessment would be approximately $1,362. The average commercial taxes on $100,000 assessment would be approximately $2,537. As an indicator of commercial tax competitiveness, the differential between commercial and residential tax rates in the Flagstaff region is on par with the Alberta community average of 2.5. Although the reported average household income for the region is lower than the provincial average, when combined with a lower cost of living and affordable housing options, this leaves more disposable income in the hands of residents—supporting a dynamic and vibrant retail and business services sectors. There is room to grow your business or invest within the Flagstaff Region, with undeveloped, affordable commercial and industrial lands that offer good highway and rail access. The expanding energy sector’s increased demand for housing creates new opportunities for single and multi-family housing development. The rural communities offer well-established infrastructure and commercial buildings ready for your business opportunity. For those seeking to return to rural living, turnkey business investment opportunities exist in the Flagstaff Region. We welcome you to the Flagstaff Region. For further information: Contact the Economic Development Department at 780-384-4100 or visit our website at www.flagstaff.ab.ca.

Welcome to Flagstaff!

Daysland 13

Strome

Fort McMurray

Sedgewick

Killam

855 856

Lougheed

Heisler

Hardisty Forestburg 53

Edmonton

855

Galahad Alliance

Red Deer

Calgary

www.flagstaff.ab.ca

• Strong agriculture, energy, and retail industry base. • Residential and commercial lands ready to be developed. • Affordable cost of living; own your own home! • Small, friendly communities. • Open spaces and scenic vistas – room for business, recreation, and families. • Wealth of natural amenities and beauty with the 130 km of undeveloped river valley. • Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor provides safe roads and well-developed infrastructure which links this region to Alberta’s abundant resources in the northeast, and the United States and Mexico to the south. • Access to markets by road, rail, and a regional airport.

camrose

he Stage is set for a Dynamic Life! Camrose is considered by many as one of the most beautiful cities on the prairies, boasting an exceptional quality of life for both citizens and visitors. Our community takes pride in our modern services, first class recreation facilities, all-embracing cultural opportunities, and extensive programs and services for all ages. We have the best of both worlds – big city amenities with small town friendliness and security. Camrose people get involved. You’ll notice people making things happen at trade fairs, jamborees, service clubs, church events and festivals. We have fun while we get things done – but it’s also important to us that every individual in our community has access to the resources they need to live the best life. Camrose is so active that it is hard not to get involved. Whether your chosen sport is golf, cross country skiing, swimming, hockey, aerobics, curling, soccer, volleyball, basketball, slow pitch, fastball, or if you just enjoy walking your dog in the park, you can do it all in Camrose. Not only do many of our athletes compete at world-class events, we are also pleased to host those world-class events right here in Camrose. Shopping in Camrose is outstanding! Enthusiastic day-trippers flock from miles around to shop our unique small businesses and services. A passionate entrepreneurial spirit thrives here in Camrose and as a result, you can always count on exceptional, friendly service from our many specialty retailers. Our distinctive Main Street experience has it all – from original artwork, glamorous gowns and designer shoes to furnishings and decor to make your home wonderful. Major box stores and grocery chains located throughout the City provide great varieties of goods and services to regional shoppers. There’s certainly a lot to

browse throughout the vibrant shopping atmosphere in Camrose! Camrose is a great place to operate a business. The City has a population of over 18,000 and a trading area of over 100,000. Our population has been growing steadily at approximately 2.3% per year which is a very sustainable and manageable rate. There are no business or machinery tax levies and Camrose maintains a land and building cost index lower than most other centres. The diverse and sophisticated labour force is made up of rural, non-transient young people who have a solid work ethic. While first-class medical services are provided by St. Mary’s Hospital, the Smith Clinic and Gemini Health Medical Clinic, there are many other agencies and services that contribute to our supportive community. Camrose has become a unique and active retirement centre. Program opportunities are available to young people and families at every stage by a wide variety of agencies and organizations. Yes, there are lots of reasons to live and raise your family in Camrose – great recreation, a wonderful quality of life, friendly neighbours, great friendships and good education. We are proud to call ourselves a University City with the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus located in the heart of the City. We are very proud of our community and we hope that you will visit us and perhaps one day become a resident of the City of Camrose. The Stage is Set! Contact Ray Telford Ec.D rtelford@camrose.ca 780-678-3025

“The stage is set” tells the audience that Camrose is a performance focused city, vibrant cultural centre and growing arts and recreational community. It conveys an active city and creates a sense of wonder, and a need to investigate what Camrose has to offer. It also says that Camrose is ready and waiting to welcome new families and businesses to a way of life they have been looking for. Email Ray Telford for more info at ecdev@camrose.ca

| 35

2015

Calgary

BUILDING A LEGACY Turner Valley centennial a reflection on how far Calgary region has come

BY FRANK O’BRIEN

he Calgary region is home to the largest city in Alberta, the Calgary International Airport – thirdbusiest in Canada – and surrounding towns and cities that are among the fastest growing and most prosperous in the country. Yet, a few miles southwest of Calgary, the small centre of Turner Valley allows a reflection on how far this region – once the domain of cowboys, trappers and wildcatters – has come in less than a century. This year, Turner Valley celebrates the 100th anniversary of the discovery of oil and gas in Alberta by William Herron, a rancher from Okotoks. Herron had hired drilling expert Archibald Dingman and, on May 14, 1914, Dingman struck oil and gas at a wellhead known as Dingman No. 1 and ushered in Alberta’s resource industry. For 30 years, the Turner Valley oilfields were a major supplier of oil and gas and the largest producer in the British Empire. “The discovery of the oilfield at Turner Valley was a transformative moment that changed the industrial and economic face of Alberta forever,” says Heather Klimchuk, Alberta minister of human services. When the original Turner Valley gas plant burned down in 1920, Imperial Oil bought up the operation and rebuilt the plant. The plant ceased operations in 1985 and the site was turned over to the provincial government. In this century, $20 million was spent on restoring the Turner Valley gas plant, which was celebrated during a May event marking the 100th anniversary of Dingman’s strike. Among the 1,100 visitors to the birthday party was Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s wife, Laureen, who grew up in nearby Diamond Valley and attended Turner Valley School. Dingman No.1 ushered in a new era for Alberta, and it is in the same region where a new generation of discovery is being forged. One only has to drive from Calgary in any direction to

see the dramatic transformation that has turned Prairie fields and foothills into progressive and fast-growing centres like Airdrie, Okotoks , Cochrane and Strathmore. The Calgary Region is now a major transportation hub for southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, eastern British Columbia and parts of the northern United States. The region’s population today is more than 1.4 million in 30 diverse urban and rural communities, which have detailed plans on how the region will welcome a halfmillion people or more in the next 60 years. To implement that plan, the Calgary Regional Partnership approved a three-year business plan and budget estimate, which provides very specific outcomes to be pursued over the three-year period up to 2015. 

HEATHER KLIMCHUK | ALBERTA MINISTER OF HUMAN SERVICES The discovery of the oilfield at Turner Valley was a transformative moment that changed the industrial and economic face of Alberta forever

Archive photos show the original works at Dingman No. 1 and the Turner Valley gas plant in 1914 | ALBERTA GOVERNMENT

36 |

2015

Calgary

Laureen Harper (centre) leads visitors on a 100thanniversary tour in Turner Valley, where the original buildings are being restored as a heritage and tourist centre in the Calgary region | OKOTOKS WAGON WHEEL

TECHNOLOGY

You can make it in Cochrane - from running your business to raising your family. Inventing, solving or serving in Cochrane, you can embrace the technology and trends of today while holding on to the character of yesterday. Cochrane is where your bottom line and your quality of life meet. M A KEI T HE RE. CA

Discovering the AirDrie ADvAntAge purpose-built facility makes it one of the largest plastic manufacturing companies in Canada. “When we chose to expand and put our two factories together, we chose Airdrie. It’s a great hub in that it’s close to a major international airport and close to the main highways for transportation,” says Joel Darichuk, owner and operating manager. Darichuk’s brother Brett, owner and general manager, agrees. “We have good people in the area, a fantastic business environment, and we can see continual growth. And that’s why we chose Airdrie as our key location,” says Brett.

Alta Injection Molding moved its Calgary operation to a custom-built, state of-the-art facility in Airdrie earlier this year. The Darichuk family has been a leader in Western Canada since 1994. From left, owners and brothers Robyn, Joel, Brett and Kevin. | Sergei BelSki for airdrielife magazine

Companies take their potential north of Calgary

usinesses know location is everything. Airdrie is well-positioned in one of North America’s strongest economic regions, and is becoming a hub for businesses large and small. This growing city is perfectly situated on the Calgary-Edmonton corridor and CANAMEX Highway, and minutes from the Trans-Canada Highway. It’s just 15 minutes to Calgary International Airport and 30 minutes to downtown Calgary, and offers a competitive advantage of no business tax, positive business environment and growing population. Major industry players choosing Airdrie National and multi-national companies like Costco and Alta Injection Molding are choosing Airdrie as a western Canada base. A familiar name to consumers, Costco Wholesale Corporation operates an international chain of membership warehouses. Their state-ofthe-art merchandise distribution facilities occupy more than 6.5 million square feet of space in locations across the world. In 2008, Costco spent approximately $150 million upgrading and expanding a number of depot operations. As part of this expansion, they opened a new Western Canada distribution facility in Airdrie. The 216,000 square foot facility has the potential to expand to almost 400,000 square feet on a 60 acre site. Costco’s Western Canada Distribution Centre services Costco stores in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, a total of 20 locations. The depot is a cross-dock operation – the stock comes in and goes out each day, with more than 200 truckloads inbound and 100 outbound trailers. “Costco chose Airdrie as it’s central to two major highways, and being in close proximity to both of those highways allows us to manage our transportation costs, and it’s just a great fit,” says depot manager Bob Dennis. Alta Injection Molding (AIM) is a family owned and operated custom injection business specializing in engineered resins and flexible packaging. With more than 60 employees, the company is growing rapidly, and relocated its business to Airdrie in 2014. Their 100,000 square foot

Growing population offers labour benefits One of the fastest growing cities in Canada, Airdrie has seen 7.7 per cent average annual growth over the past five years. Costco and Alta Injection Molding have both found success in hiring in the Airdrie market. The distribution centre employs almost 150 people, of which the majority are Airdrie residents. AIM hires locally when possible, and most of the management team relocated to Airdrie after moving their business to the city. With its youthful population (32 is the average age), Airdrie is wellpositioned to attract and maintain its labour force and resident community. Plus, with a number of residents commuting outside Airdrie, there’s a highly-skilled labour force waiting to work closer to home. In good company Other major companies that have chosen Airdrie as their home include Propak Systems Ltd, TransCanada Turbines, Fortis Alberta, and Mirolin Industries. With the exception of Propak Systems—which celebrates 40 years in Airdrie in 2016—all of these companies have moved to the city in the last six years. These businesses were able to find ideal locations, many of which were greenfield developments in Airdrie’s business parks along the QEII. The majority cite Airdrie’s lower cost operating environment and absence of a business tax as key factors in choosing Airdrie. “Companies tell us repeatedly that not having a business tax is a major advantage for them. It saves them money, plain and simple,” explains Kent Rupert, team leader for Airdrie Economic Development. “And being located along Alberta’s major transportation corridor in a rapidly growing community is an obvious advantage.” A city business loves Airdrie is gaining attention from across Canada for its positive business climate. In 2014, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business ranked Airdrie (and the ‘Calgary periphery’) in first place as Canada’s Top Entrepreneurial Community. The same year, the Real Estate Investment Network ranked Airdrie as the Top Investment Town in Alberta. Local businesses agree with these endorsements; 89 per cent say Airdrie is a good place to do business. Contact: Airdrie Economic Development, 400 Main Street, Airdrie, AB T4B 3C3 e-mail: economic.development@airdrie.ca phone: 403.948.8844 or 1.888.AIRDRIE website: www.airdrienow.ca • Twitter: @AirdrieNow LinkedIn: Airdrie Economic Development - Airdrie NOW!

okotoks

kotoks, 15 minutes south of Calgary, is a warm, inviting, vibrant and innovative town with an abundance of culture and history. It is the perfect place to visit, live and do business. Okotoks continues to experience residential, industrial and commercial development, with values over $96 million in 2013. With a population just over 27,300 people, Okotoks is the second youngest mid-sized urban center in Canada and the youngest community in Alberta; the average age of the population is 34 years old. Okotoks is currently going through an annexation process and is expected to grow over the next decades to approximately 80,000 people. The trade area for tourism, industrial, selected retail and professional services businesses is extensive. It reaches to the southeast region, including High River, Vulcan, Black Diamond and Turner Valley; the Municipal District of Foothills and communities south of Calgary as far as the southeast region of B.C. This translates and caters to a regional trade area of about 250,000 people. Okotoks is the regional hub of commercial activity for the Foothills south. The Town of Okotoks has won several awards and has been rated very highly on several Alberta Venture magazine lists for places to do business in Alberta. The Town of Okotoks does not charge a business tax for the majority of businesses, allowing them to operate in an affordable environment while being located in a sustainable community. Non-residential tax rates are among the lowest in the Calgary-region. Alberta’s favourable tax environment allows Okotoks to be a competitive option for business and head office relocations, branch offices and new facilities. The employment base in Okotoks consists of agriculture, education, construction, transportation and logistics, professional services, retail, and home-based business. Targeted sectors include technology and innovation businesses, professional and technical services, industrial businesses (e.g. warehouses, manufacturing), tourism marketing and product development, green building products, environmental services, tele-work, value added agricultural businesses, food processing and alternative energy. Light and non-polluting industrial development is also important as a local employment generator and to contribute to the community’s tax base. Currently, approximately 210 acres of developable industrial/ commercial land are available for sale, lease or build to suit in Okotoks. Okotoks has exceptional services and amenities such as fully

integrated emergency services; the Okotoks Health and Wellness Centre and various medical clinics as well as access to numerous hospitals in the area. The education system offers education for all ages as well as a post-secondary campus (Bow Valley College) and a Public Library. The recreation opportunities are plentiful and include over 50 kms of interconnected pathways, three golf courses, a comprehensive Recreation Centre with pool, curling rink, arenas (Murray Arena, home of the Okotoks Bisons), an indoor hockey arena (Parson Centennial Arena, home of the Okotoks Oilers), outdoor baseball park (Seaman Stadium & Duvernay Fieldhouse, home of the Okotoks Dawgs), Lion’s & Riverband campgrounds, many parks, playgrounds, outdoor facilities and the newly opened Legacy Regional Field House for indoor sports. A new regional Field House for the area opened in September 2014 and hosts a variety of indoor sports. Over the next two years, Okotoks will be hosting a variety of events that will attract thousands of visitors and participants nationally and internationally. Annual sporting events include: BMX competitions, Pro Rodeo, and hockey tournaments. Okotoks is inspired by a dynamic combination of old and new and provides rustic treasures and exhilarating experiences. The town is known as a weekend destination offering boutique style shopping and restaurants that cater to every taste! There are also many cultural and historical opportunities at the Okotoks Art Gallery, the Okotoks Museum and Archives, and Rotary Performing Arts Centre. To accommodate for the growing tourism attractions, there are now four hotels and three B&B’s in Okotoks. Events in Okotoks, such as the Buskers Fest, Taste of Okotoks, Holiday Light Up and Show and Shine, attract between 7,000 and 12,000 people per event. Visitors attend from all over the globe. Surrounded by magnificent mountain views and bountiful rolling hills, Okotoks is nestled within the pristine Sheep River Valley of the Alberta Foothills and advantageously located close to a number of fantastic tourist destinations: The only North American glacial erratic (“Big Rock”), Millarville Farmer’s Market, Spruce Meadows Equestrian Centre, Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, Kananaskis Country, the Cowboy Trail, Banff National Park, wide array of golf courses / camping / hiking, Saskatoon Farm, Chinook Honey Farm, Kayben Farms and more! Besides the beautiful views, the town has courteous and friendly people and small town charm that is second to none. Affordable cost of living and a strong economy, combined with the diverse landscape, low crime, and clean air and water, all contribute to making Okotoks one of the best places in Alberta to live, work or visit. Join us in Okotoks! Contact: Economic Development Ph: 403-938-8052 Email: ecdev@okotoks.ca Web: www.okotoksventure.ca The Town’s Economic Development department assists with feasibility and other research needs to enter the Okotoks marketplace as well as provides support to businesses for retention, expansion, attraction, licensing, relocation, and offers training opportunities year around.

Make it BIG One of these things is not like the other. Be the big dog in Okotoks. 15 minutes south of Calgary. Fast growing. Business cost competitive. Skilled workforce. Transportation access. 98% satisfaction rate.1

Economic Development okotoksventure.ca

98% satisfied with quality of life, 2013 Community Survey

rocky view county

here is a place away from the hustle and bustle, with scenic views in all directions, the majestic Rocky Mountains to the west and golden prairies to the east. On these tranquil and expansive lands are the very best in water, power and transportation infrastructure that rival any big city. It offers the wide-open spaces and the infrastructure that business needs. Its proximity to Calgary, Canada’s wealthiest and fastest growing city makes it just the right place for business and industry looking for the amenities of the big city and the space of a suburban countryside. With a competitive tax structure and a dynamic vision for growth, it’s the perfect place for new manufacturing facilities, professional offices and large corporate campus amenities. This is Rocky View County and it’s waiting for you! With acres of available space for business and industry in all sectors, Rocky View County is perfectly positioned for growth and development. Commercial real estate in the Calgary Region enjoys some of the lowest overall vacancy rates in Canada. Strong demand in real estate has made it a rare commodity. With a booming downtown core, quality business space is becoming expensive. Rocky View has plenty of space for commercial campuses and affordable parking. Growth locations in the County tap into the Region’s diverse labour market without the costs and inconvenience of urban congestion. There are hundreds of acres of land available in Balzac and Conrich, just north and east of Calgary. Ideally served by the Calgary Ring-Road, these lands are close to nearby attractions like the CrossIron Mills regional shopping center, Callaway Park, Bingham Crossing commercial core and Springbank Airport. The options are endless. Design the commercial campus your business needs and come to work every day, enjoying panoramic views of the majestic Rocky Mountains! Linked to Calgary via the Calgary Ring-Road, land in Rocky View County has direct access to Southern Alberta’s major thoroughfares including the Queen Elizabeth the second highway, Crowchild Trail and the Trans-Canada Highway. Another benefit of relocating to Rocky View County is the land for development is ready and available today. There is no need for costly delays. Commercial campuses can be designed to suit your organization’s requirements, with lower operating costs for taxes, utilities, parking than locations in urban centres. Whether you own your space or lease, there are more options available to businesses, in Rocky View County. More space for business in Rocky View means more space for current and

future growth. This has been evident with companies who require the land for loading docks, warehousing, outside storage and logistics movement. It’s no wonder some of the world’s largest retailers like Wal-Mart and Target call Rocky View County home. Real estate developers of all kinds, in partnership with investment trusts and private investors, have quickly realized the many strategic advantages that Rocky View County offers. Rocky View County has identified three major areas, outside of Calgary, that are ideal for corporate campus development: Balzac, Conrich and Langdon. The first is the Balzac area, home to the 1.3 million square foot CrossIron Mills, Western Canada’s first fully enclosed shopping center to be built in the last 20 years. Located northeast of Calgary, it is central to a majority of the Region’s future housing growth and an ideal location for new commercial campuses and private healthcare centres. With the bulk of the Calgary metropolitan population in this area, excellent proximity to Calgary International Airport and superior connectivity through the Calgary Ring-Road, the Balzac area is a perfect site for a potential hospital and healthcare campus. East Balzac also offers excellent access to several power and natural gas networks, as well as business parks that would complement and enhance a healthcare campus. If transportation, warehousing and logistics are a company’s focus, Conrich has rail-based economic opportunities. Located east of Calgary along McKnight Boulevard, Conrich is minutes from the Calgary RingRoad, the Trans-Canada Highway and Calgary International Airport. Home to CN Rail’s 680-acre transportation and logistics hub, Conrich will be Western Canada’s premier logistics centre for decades to come. Business parks adjacent or in proximity to CN’s Calgary Logistics Centre will take advantage of excellent capacity and logistics efficiencies. In the Conrich area, there is significant space available for the expansion and development for commercial campuses. Companies looking for a community to call home should definitely consider Langdon. With a young and vibrant population Langdon is recognized as one of Southern Alberta’s most dynamic new hamlets. Langdon has great proximity to the Trans Canada Highway and Highway 22X. Langdon would be an ideal location for a number of corporate campus developments. With the most dynamic economy in Canada and possibly in North America, the Calgary Region is a global destination for investment. Within the Region, Rocky View County offers prime locations for business and industries needing space. Leading the way in commercial campus opportunities is Rocky View County, with key locations in Balzac, Conrich and Langdon quickly becoming global destinations for investment. With competitive taxes, a varied selection of land, and a proximity to impressive infrastructure and labour pools, Rocky View County is a strategic location to base your next business venture. Avoid the congestion and develop the space you need, the way you want it. Invest in Rocky View County! Contact: David Kalinchuk, Economic Development Manager at Rocky View County Tel: (403) 520-8195 Email: dkalinchuk@rockyview.ca Website: www.rockyview.ca

| 41

2015

Capital

MORE JOBS THAN PEOPLE TO FILL THEM Alberta’s capital region welcomes – and employs – workers from around the world

BY GEOFF KIRBYSON

ost Albertans have at least some idea of the state of oil prices. Nolan Crouse is not most Albertans. The chair of the Capital region board helps oversee 24 municipalities in the Edmonton area and is acutely aware of what drives the area’s growth. “I look at the [oil] prices before I go to bed every night and I put them in a spreadsheet. I have a good sense of the numbers. They can go from $80 to $100 [per barrel] in a year. It depends on the person. Some people don’t pay any attention to it, some pay a lot of attention to it,” he says. His infatuation is understandable considering Alberta’s boom-and-bust economic history, but he’s optimistic the

increased role of forestry products and agriculture will help insulate the province from a sustained economic slowdown. With 28,000 people coming into the Capital region annually for the last eight years, there’s no question the area is booming. It is not, however, without its challenges. Roxanne Carr, mayor of Strathcona County, which has a population of 93,000 on Edmonton’s east boundary, acknowledges few jurisdictions are likely to feel much sympathy for an area that has more jobs than people to fill them. She hopes the federal government will make it easier for temporary foreign workers to not only immigrate to Alberta but also attain permanent worker status. The hotel and food industries have been particularly hard hit by the shortage of workers. The North Saskatchewan River flows through Edmonton, the heart of the Capital region, where more than 2,000 newcomers arrive each month | CAPITAL REGION

42 |

2015

Capital

A stormwater system shelters a residential community in Strathcona County, where a labour shortage is a challenge for expanding businesses | CAPITAL REGION A common sign in the Capital region, which has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada

“When you have Tim Hortons and other food retailers limiting their hours that they’re open, it has a domino effect. It’s a lack of service, they’re losing money and so it begins,” he says. In the meantime, Carr says the region is dedicating resources to attract people with disabilities to the workforce. One of the Capital region’s burning questions is whether all of its municipalities should pursue a joint economic development policy, a growth plan that has been in various stages of discussion since 2008. Crouse says the benefit from such co-operation could be an increased ability to attract international companies to the region. On the other hand, if it were co-ordinated too centrally, it could come across as too bureaucratic. “Bigger isn’t always better. We’re still fact-finding,” he says. Carr thinks it’s time for action. “I think it’s a visionary step by Alberta and the Capital region. It’s all about dealing with the pressures of growth and sustainability with 24 municipalities looking at the future together,” she says. 

why stony plain? The Place to Be…

tony Plain is strategically positioned to become one of the Capital Region’s leaders in industrial and commercial development. Conveniently located 20 minutes west of Edmonton and adjacent to major transportation corridors, the town is home to a diverse economic base, a trade area of more than 300,000 and a competitive labor force. Stony Plain also boasts one of the lowest property tax rates within the Capital Region. The diverse economy provides access to a widerange of workforce skills, including construction, retail and wholesale trade, manufacturing, healthcare and social services, education, professional services, finance and real estate. “We continue to invest in the development of Stony Plain’s commercial sector because we see results. Market activity has risen consistently and the town’s planning team is proactive and cooperative. We feel welcome and appreciated in the community.” – Murray Kulak, Owner Decker Properties Management Ltd Culture & Economy Our community’s natural, physical and cultural attributes provide a high quality of life, enjoyed year-round by our residents. We are committed to building a place where people not only want to make a living, but to live. Our emphasis combines cultural, social and environmental aspects of our community to enhance its economic impact. With an average annual population growth rate of 2.8 per cent, a strong entrepreneurial spirit and easy access to Edmonton’s services, suppliers and infrastructure, Stony Plain is an attractive choice for business start-ups that are looking for a community that can fuel their creativity. Currently, around

1,000 businesses of all sizes call Stony Plain home and there is always room for more. “As a Main Street business we are proud to be a located in this historically significant area of Stony Plain. The unique atmosphere has helped attract customers from not only the region but also from Greater Edmonton.” – Sandi Hrycun, Owner Phina’s Room to Grow Our expanding business parks play a crucial role in the town’s current and future success. The North and South Business Parks in Stony Plain are zoned and development ready for commercial and light industrial use and are well suitable for all types of business – from manufacturing to service industries. The strength and growth of the local economy is also propelled by its proximity to a comprehensive network of air, rail and ground transportation. This, coupled with exceptional pricing on lots and land parcels, make Stony Plain a prime location for business development. “Stony Plain offers a stable business environment and opportunities for long-term growth. Serviced land prices are extremely competitive. We value the proximity to transportation networks.” – Ron Jodoin, President, Jen-Col Construction Ltd The Town of Stony Plain is committed to the growth and expansion of its business community. This commitment is evident in work and implementation of the Town’s Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan. We want your business to be part of our growing community. Come join us in Stony Plain Town of Stony Plain Economic Development 780-963-8653 | b.otto@stonyplain.com | stonyplain.com

“They’re saying great things about business in Stony Plain...”

stonyplain.com

@TownStonyPlain

city of st. albert along (or adjacent to) St. Albert Trail. Plenty of Room to Grow St. Albert has designated 617 acres of land in their western region as “Employment Lands”. These lands are vital opportunities for non-residential investments that will offer high quality employment opportunities for local residents, spin-off economic opportunities for local business, and positive fiscal benefits for the City. There is a visioning process for the Employment Lands that is currently underway, and expected to be completed in early 2015. St. Albert: ‘The Best Place to Live in Canada’ 2014

t. Albert is experiencing a business revolution. New developments are occurring throughout the city, the likes of which have not been seen in 30 years—making this an ideal time for business owners to get involved and benefit from the largest non-residential growth the city has ever experienced. A SMART City St. Albert is positioned to become one of Canada’s leading SMART Cities. A SMART City is a place that embraces technology and advanced data analytics to support innovation and maximize government efficiency, while at the same time improving local quality of life. It focuses on realtime applications, centralized controls, predictive analytics, advanced broadband networks, and open data to generate sustainable advantages. In 2014, the City launched an “Alberta SMART City Alliance” with partners including the University of Alberta, IBM Canada, CISCO Canada, and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). The Alliance is a cross-sector collaboration focused on supporting a provincial knowledge network of urban leaders, and advancing innovative technological and data-based solutions to many of the complex issues facing Alberta communities. A SMART City symposium was also successfully held on September 18 as a forum for senior public and private sector leaders. Creating Outstanding Downtowns The City of St. Albert and its Council are committed to the development of St. Albert’s downtown area, and have begun implementation of their Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan. In keeping with the city’s Botanical Arts brand identity, this initiative will provide a vibrant downtown that includes a mixture of employment opportunities, commercial, institutional, government and medium-to-high density residential land uses with a focus on high-quality design of any development. The proposed benefits of the DARP initiative include an increase in tourism and related spending, enhanced business attraction and retention, and enhanced residential attraction with reduced leakage. Our iconic Perron District will provide an area for active street level commercial retail uses with moderately scaled buildings characterized by continuous storefront retail and pedestrian-oriented development, while the Gateway District will provide an area for active street level uses and a wide array of uses including residential, office and commercial and retail uses that are of a scale and density appropriate to its prominent location

From Foundations to Innovations Along with being selected as the “Best Place to Live in Canada” by MoneySense magazine in 2014, St. Albert was also recognized as a Top 5 Alberta Investment Town (REIN, 2012-13) and “One of the Best Communities for Business in Alberta” (Alberta Venture, 2013). By establishing positive relationships with businesses, fostering public engagement efforts, and cultivating innovation, St. Albert has built a solid foundation for growth and positions itself to be an economic leader in the region. The City of St. Albert Located on the scenic Sturgeon River, and in the heart of Alberta, St. Albert has been recognized as the Best Place to Live in Canada in 2014 by MoneySense magazine. St. Albert celebrates a rich history that dates back over 150 years. Founded in 1861 by Father Albert Lacombe, St. Albert is the oldest, nonfortified community in Alberta and was the largest agricultural settlement west of Winnipeg. In 1900, St. Albert was incorporated as a village followed by town status in 1904. St. Albert officially became a city in 1977. Today, St. Albert is a bustling city with over 63,000 residents. Officially known as “The Botanical Arts City”, St. Albert is known for its abundant green spaces, and for having one of the highest numbers of maintained trees per capita in the country. Additionally, the Red Willow park trail system connects many parks, schools, and residential areas through 85 kilometres of trails. Contact The City of St. Albert Economic Development Division has plenty of resources for investors, including: • Retail Market Analysis • Entertainment Demand Study • Future Industrial Land Study • Hotel Demand Study • Regional Labour Studies • Major Event Economic Impact Report For more information on St. Albert and its development, please contact us: Guy Boston, Executive Director, Economic Development Ph: 780.459.1631 gboston@stalbert.ca www.cultivatebusiness.ca

Invest in Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LEDUC COUNTY

THRIVING

Communities,

As the centre of the thriving oil & gas service industry, the strategically located Nisku Industrial Business Park has access to Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil sands and a locally based supply chain.

There are over 7,000 acres of existing and developed industrial land available for investment, with over 600 businesses already located in the area. Not only a strategic oil & gas asset, the area has a thriving agriculture sector, advanced manufacturing operations, and an experienced logistics and cargo network.

*Leduc County comprises the entire region

VILLAGE OF WARBURG

Central to thriving communities along Highway 39 and only 10 minutes from the resort area of Pigeon Lake, Warburg is a quiet but friendly community. This farming area has an abundance of oil & gas wells and is next door to a large Capital Power generating station.

VILLAGE OF THORSBY

Offering the best of both worlds, Thorsby provides proximity to larger urban centres with the peacefulness of small town living. The new water treatment plant is oversized for current demands and has surplus capacity to provide high quality treated water to new consumers, be they residential, commercial or industrial.

TOWN OF CALMAR

Strategically located on Highway 39 with available land for development, Calmar boasts a state of the art elementary school, new outdoor fitness park and all the amenities of a larger community.

International Region Building

BUSINESS EdmontonEdmonton

TOWN OF DEVON

Bike Town Alberta, is an active community with amazing outdoor spaces, a blend of quaint older neighbourhoods, and modern living. Devon is ideal for business with no business taxes and access to world class research facilities such as CanmetENERGY, Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge centre for clean energy.

TOWN OF BEAUMONT

Nisku Nisku Industrial Industrial Business Park Business Park Leduc Business Park Leduc Business Park

City of

The bilingual Town of Beaumont has doubled in size since 2004. Retail and Home-Based Businesses are flourishing. Young, growing families with high disposable incomes create an ideal environment for growing business.

City of

CITY OF LEDUC

This fast growing, young community with over 28,000 residents, provides an educated and skilled workforce, as over 70% of residents work locally. Leduc offers a high quality of life with trails, recreational facilities and a thriving residential community. Benefits include competitive tax rates, location on the strategic CANAMEX Corridor, and direct access to the Edmonton International Airport, Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest growing major airport. Opportunities are available in the Leduc Business Park and thriving downtown.

www.internationalregion.com

AlbertA’s InternAtIonAl regIon T

he history of this region can be traced back to 1889 when Robert Taylor Telford settled a piece of land near a scenic lake. This piece of land would become the cornerstone of a new town, Leduc. Many years later, a historic oil strike put the area on the map and transformed this agricultural region into a powerhouse economy dominated by the oil and gas industry. From 1921-1946, Imperial Oil drilled 133 consecutive dry oil wells across Central Alberta, making no major oil discoveries. The Leduc exploratory well was Imperial Oil’s final attempt to find oil in Alberta. The company reluctantly decided to drill one more well, hole number 134, and discovered oil at Leduc No. 1 in February 1947. One of the richest deposits ever found in Western Canada, it revolutionized the region, province, and the country. When the Leduc No. 1 well was decommissioned in 1974, it became clear that although the region found initial success from the discovery, the advantages to the region itself would drive the economy for years to come. In the sixty plus years following the discovery, this area, now known as Alberta’s International Region, has emerged as a vital energy hub, having benefited greatly from aggressive investment and the entrepreneurial drive of its original oil patch companies. Today, Alberta’s International Region refers to the area located 20 kilometers south of Edmonton, Alberta’s capital city, and is comprised of Leduc County, the City of Leduc, Towns of Beaumont, Calmar, and Devon, as well as the Villages of Thorsby and Warburg. The region has thrived as an ideal location for business investment due to its strategic location, thriving economic environment, competitive tax regime, and market access. These advantages have supported industry diversification in the region to include the following sectors: energy, agri-foods, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and retail/commercial. Alberta’s International Region is home to one of the most comprehensive transportation networks in North America. This includes the Edmonton International Airport, Canada’s fastest growing major airport, which features advanced cargo capabilities and 24 hour operations. The region has immediate access to an expanded intermodal rail yard, and both the High Load Corridor and CANAMEX Trade Corridor, providing easy access to major national and international markets. Other regional assets include the Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator, Food Processing Development Centre, Enform Training Facility, Canadian Welding Bureau Advanced Training Centre, and CanmetENERGY Devon Research Centre, which provide infrastructure and services that support the establishment of business ventures within the region. Alberta’s International Region is ranked as one of the “Top 25 Places to do Business in Western Canada” (Alberta Venture, 2012) due to the lowest corporate provincial tax rate in the country, no provincial sales tax, capital taxes or payroll taxes. The region has a strong, diversified, and integrated business community that is responsive to growth. This industrial growth would not be sustainable without the support of the communities in the region. A 35% increase in regional population over the last eight years has provided employers with access to a talented and skilled workforce. Access to world class post-secondary educational institutions in nearby Edmonton, health care facilities, cultural attractions and venues, along with recreation and extracurricular activities, add to the high qual-

ity of life observed within Alberta’s International Region. Each community within Alberta’s International Region offers something unique to residents as well as investors. Leduc County Leduc County is the rural municipality located at the heart of Alberta’s International Region and one of the strongest economies in the world. Leduc County is a major employment hub in the region, with both the Edmonton International Airport and the Nisku Industrial Business Park within its borders. The Nisku Industrial Business Park is the largest developed industrial energy park in Canada, with more than 600 businesses. The energy sector has continued to fuel the growth and development in the Leduc County region. However, as a rural municipality, agriculture continues to be a cornerstone of industry. The agricultural industry is an integral part of Leduc County’s history and future as the county works hard to encourage production, profitability, and sustainability of the agriculture industry through information and program support. As the southern gateway to the Capital Region, Leduc County offers an economic advantage, a sustainable agricultural network, environmental leadership, and a quality of life unsurpassed for residential and industrial citizens. City of Leduc With a population exceeding 28,500 and more than 1,800 businesses, the City of Leduc is a fast-paced urban centre strategically located along Highway 2. Since 2006, Leduc’s growth continues to climb despite national economic downturns seeing an overall growth rate of 68%, and an average

five-year growth rate of 5.8% (2009-2013). In 2013, the City of Leduc experienced the second highest value of building permits in Leduc’s history, totalling over $277 million. Leduc features fantastic development opportunities with affordable land and an industrial area that is rapidly developing as an economic and transportation hub. Leduc’s north industrial area covers over 3,000 acres of preferred industrial and commercial lands, including the Leduc Business Park which neighbours the Nisku Industrial Business Park. Residents benefit from a high quality of life including enviable recreation amenities and a full range of services available within the municipality. The City of Leduc is a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive mid-sized city offering abundant amenities for citizens and businesses that plan to make Leduc their new home. Town of Beaumont The bilingual community of Beaumont was founded in 1895 by French settlers and has grown into a thriving community with a population of 15,828. One of the fastest growing communities in Canada, Beaumont’s population has more than doubled in the last 10 years and strong growth is expected to continue due to Beaumont’s proximity to industrial parks, commercial shopping centres, and the Edmonton International Airport. Beaumont is home to many young and growing families; 24.6% of the population is under the age of 15 and 71.3% is under the age of 50. Residents also boast one of the highest average family incomes in the Capital Region at $123,815. Town of Calmar Calmar is located just 25 minutes southwest of the City of Edmonton, and provides a rich quality of life found in a small town setting with the amenities of a larger community. Calmar is a charming, safe, and friendly community, ideal for raising a family. The community boasts a state of the art elementary school and

upgrades to the secondary school are expected to be completed in 2016. The town offers various local sports teams as well as recreation facilities. Growth has been observed by way of new residential subdivisions with affordable housing and an expanded industrial park featuring oilfield related manufacturing businesses. Town of Devon Devon is located on the banks of the scenic North Saskatchewan River and includes an extensive trail system. This trail system makes the community ideal to host events for the three major cycling disciplines and has transformed Devon into Bike Town Alberta. Devon features an excellent school system, an award winning fire department, a full service RCMP facility, a hospital and a full range of professional medical services. The community provides residents with opportunities to live active, healthy lives and a sense of belonging is prominent. Devon is the heart of conventional oil exploration in Alberta, historically as the site of the Leduc No. 1, and as the current home of the CanmetENERGY Devon Research Centre. The town is setting the stage to play a lead role in innovative alternative energy development in the province. The community also boasts a growing retail and commercial sector with a variety of professional and customer oriented services. The area is ideal for businesses as the town does not levy tax on businesses. Village of Thorsby Thorsby offers the best of both worlds with its proximity to Edmonton and Leduc, yet the peacefulness of living in a small town. Thorsby features a complete recreation centre with facilities that are rare in a village of its size, complete with an ice rink, bowling lanes, fitness centre, yoga/ dance studio, and field house. The village has a new elementary school as well as a secondary high school. The water treatment plant, which came on stream at the start of 2011, has surplus capacity to provide treated water to potential new consumers, be they residential, commercial or industrial. Village of Warburg Warburg is a small but energetic community that boasts of friendly residents and prides itself on its community spirit. Initially a farming community, Warburg grew when the Northeastern and Lacombe railways were extended. Incorporated in 1953, it is now a center for agriculture, oil, and electrical power industries including a large Capital Power generating station. This self-sufficient community provides business, recreational, and residential services to its residents. Invest in Alberta’s International Region Though Alberta’s International Region is home to seven individual communities, they all offer similar regional advantages for business investment. Alberta’s International Region is strategically located as a centre for energy and oilfield services, transportation and logistics, advanced manufacturing, agri-foods, and retail. Alberta’s International Region is where innovation and entrepreneurialism converge.

Leduc’s North Industrial Lands

Connect with us Leduc-Nisku Economic Development Association 1.844.986.9538 www.internationalregion.com info@internationalregion.com

50 |

2015

Central

INTO THE HEART OF IT Recreation, billion-dollar plant expansion and soaring air travel characterize Alberta’s heartland

BY FRANK O’BRIEN

entral Alberta and its biggest city, Red Deer, is smack dab between the two biggest cities in the province in an area that aptly represents the Alberta advantage. A few miles from Red Deer, Belterra Land Co. is completing a $40 million master-planned development near

Red Deer picked among the top 10 towns for real estate investors in Western Canada this year | CITY OF RED DEER

Sylvan Lake, the most popular lakeside recreational destination in the province. The near 50-acre site for Belterra’s The Slopes project is selling home building lots and they are being snapped up quickly. Says Chris Artibello, president of Belterra Land Co., “We were overwhelmed by the amount of local interest.” Also close to Red Deer, at Joffre, Nova Chemicals is making a much bigger and much different contribution

| 51

to the Central region economy. Last year Nova broke ground on a $1 billion expansion of its Joffre manufacturing facilities, which already include five plants: three for ethylene production and two for polyethylene production. The Polyethylene 1 Expansion Project, as it is known, involves 800 construction workers and will increase capacity by about 40 per cent. The project is expected to complete and start up in the summer of 2016. Red Deer itself is prime for investment, according to Andrew Schulhof of Strategic Investment Realty. Red Deer offers the same logistics as Edmonton with the addition of no business tax and an average household income of $94,000, Schulhof says. Red Deer, forecast to see 3.5 per cent economic growth in 2015, was picked among the top 10 cities for real estate investors by Western Investor magazine this year. The action can be seen at Red Deer Regional Airport, which was named the busiest regional airport in Canada in 2013 by Nav Canada, with 49,000 takeoffs and landings that year. Airport CEO R.J. Steenstra noted Red Deer beat out 50 contenders for the crown, and he is confident his airport will remain in the top tier. Steenstra says the goal is for Red Deer airport to be the aviation gateway to Central Alberta and a key part of the

Red Deer College students have many opportunities for hands-on learning in state-of-the-art facilities | RED DEER COLLEGE Sylvan Lake is seeing development of a $40 million subdivision by Belterra Land Co. | BELTERRA LAND CO.

52 |

2015

Central

transportation network in and out of the area. Red Deer College (RDC) which celebrated 50 years in 2014, has positioned its 290-acre campus as a leader in applied research and innovation. The college was recognized in 2013 by Alberta Venture magazine as “ one of Alberta’s most innovative organizations for the Centre for Innovation in manufacturing.” The applied research and innovation focus extends to environmental and health research, according to college president and CEO Joel Ward. The College is also primed to use global industry experts to teach students and help businesses take advantage of opportunities around the world. Its International

Red Deer Regional Airport was the busiest regional airport in Canada in 2013, and traffic hasn’t slowed at the aviation gateway to Central Alberta | RED DEER REGIONAL AIRPORT

red deer county

ed Deer County’s central location, fast-growing economy, and competitive advantage make it a great place to do business. Located in the heart of one of Canada’s most prosperous regions, Red Deer County’s economy is broad-based with a vibrant energy sector, a cross section of processing plants and manufacturers, and a great selection of commercial ventures. Red Deer County is deeply rooted in the agriculture sector, and is known worldwide for its agri-business industry. Thriving commercial and industrial parks in Red Deer County offer location, convenience, and a full range of utilities. Connect to the world with easy access to major international air, rail, and ground transportation routes. You can access 2.4 million people in a 150 km radius (approx 90 miles) or an hour’s drive to Alberta’s major centres of Edmonton and Calgary via the Queen Elizabeth Highway, which connects Alberta to the rest of Canada and the United States. Your business can connect with international opportunities through the Red Deer Airport, which offers passenger, charter, and air cargo service. The Red Deer Airport has recently increased their air service to allow better flexibility for business

and personal travel. In Red Deer County, you will have access to a young, highly skilled, highly educated labour market and one of the best tax environments in North America. Raising Central Alberta’s profile as a great place to do business, Red Deer County’s Economic Development Department is a one-stop shop to potential supply chains, partnership, and market expansion opportunities. Stop in to discuss labour, warehousing, and distribution, or to learn more about the County’s top industries including manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation. Contact Sandra Badry Economic Development Coordinator, Red Deer County 1.403.357.2395 sbadry@rdcounty.ca www.rdcounty.ca

Red Deer County THRIVING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Progressive Growth, Traditional Values

www.rdcounty.ca

Sandra Badry, Economic Development Coordinator

sbadry@rdcounty.ca

1.403.357.2395

Red Deer County’s central location, fast-growing economy, and competitive advantage make it a great place to do business. We are located in the heart of one of Canada’s most prosperous regions, along the crossroads of major international air, rail, and ground transportation routes. Our thriving commercial and industrial parks offer location, convenience, a full range of utilities, and access to your markets. In Red Deer County, you will have access to a young, highly skilled labour market and one of the best tax environments in North America.

| 53

Business Graduate Certificate is the first credential of its kind offered at any post-secondary institution in Alberta. “RDC’s Donald School of Business is strategically located in downtown Red Deer to connect business leaders of today with community and world leaders of tomorrow. By adding this new program, the College continues to demonstrate how we respond to business demand for relevant programs in our region and our world,” says Ward. With the economic growth in the Central Region, many of the business graduates may find plenty of work close to home. 

Randy Woelfel, former Nova Chemicals CEO, speaks at the company’s expansion groundbreaking event in Joffre. The $1 billion project is scheduled for completion in mid-2016 | NOVA CHEMICALS

parkland county

ituated west of Edmonton, Parkland County is a rural municipality that offers the business opportunities of a major urban centre in a country residential lifestyle. Central to Parkland County’s economic landscape is the Acheson Industrial Area, an economic development hub that covers nearly 10,000 acres, is home to more than 200 local businesses and serves as a major employer within the Capital Region. As one of the largest industrial areas in all of Western Canada, hosting leading organizations in the agricultural sector to the power generation and transmission industry, the Acheson Industrial area holds significate expansion capacity. Described as the “jack of all trades” area of Parkland County, the Acheson Industrial Area offers exceptional industrial opportunities, from agriculture, to transportation distribution and logistics, to a host of smallto medium-sized advanced manufacturing and specialty chemical operations. Whereas other industrial areas within the province are more specialized, the Acheson Industrial Area offers it all. Exceptional economic opportunities are generated for Parkland County due to the fact it borders on Edmonton, a major urban centre

with a metro population of more than 1.5 million. Separating Parkland County is its industrial lands, where operating costs are often half that of a major urban centre or the surrounding industrial areas within Alberta. Parkland County incubates small business by offering an attractive package of no business tax combined with a low industrial tax. It’s what continues to draw industry to Parkland County. Parkland County’s affordable land costs are even more appealing for larger industrial operators, where these costs savings are more truly realized. With over $300 million in Industrial Building Permits in the last 3 years alone (adding 2.4 million sq. ft. of buildings), The Acheson Industrial Area is leading the way for development in the Edmonton Region. Call to discover why so many businesses are choosing Parkland County to be their home! Tom Koep, Manager, Economic Development & Tourism, Parkland County Phone: 780-968-8406 Email: tkoep@parklandcounty.com www.parklandcounty.com

BUSINESS IN A TIGHTSPOT? Spread out... grow your business in Parkland County. One of Alberta Venture’s Top 25 Best Communities for Business in 2013

• 10-40% industrial land cost advantage in Edmonton Region • 10-75 km roundtrip savings on trips to northern Alberta/B.C. • 13 km to CN Intermodal Terminal, spur access available • Acheson Industrial Area: over 2M sq.ft., $312M in development since 2012 • 120 existing Transportation/Distribution/Logistics enterprises

www.roomtogrow.ca

City of WetaskiWin Oil & Gas Services The oil & gas sector is Wetaskiwin’s fastest growing industry. Annugas Compression manufactures a double-acting gas compressor that can improve conventional oil well production by up to 85%. G & B Rubber Products has been manufacturing specialized rubber products for over 50 years. Speth Drilling is a world leader in low impact seismic shot hole drilling, which allows drilling to occur in environmentally sensitive areas.

etaskiwin is situated in central Alberta, 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Edmonton, the provincial capital of Alberta. The Edmonton International Airport is only 30 minutes away. The city’s economy, originally based on agriculture, has expanded to include advanced manufacturing, distribution, oil & gas services, education and medical services. Wetaskiwin is the major city in the region, which has a primary trading area of 50,000 people. Wetaskiwin also owns the Wetaskiwin Regional Airport, which is the location of Skyport, one of the only airside land developments in Canada where titled land can be acquired, thereby facilitating the financing of new construction. (At most airports, land is only available through long-term lease) Manufacturing in Wetaskiwin Advanced manufacturing is a significant industry in Wetaskiwin. Manluk Global Manufacturing Solutions utilizes precision machining techniques to create specialized valves for the oil & gas industry. Supreme International manufactures feed mixers, which are purchased by dairy farms and cattle feed lots in countries as far afield as Saudi Arabia. A.C. Dandy Electrical Products manufactures electrical enclosures, controllers, lighting and portable power systems as well as high voltage mobile electrical substations. Fisher & Ludlow manufactures steel platforms & staircase units destined for chemical plants and oilsands extraction operations. Masco Crane & Hoist manufactures overhead cranes, ranging in size from ½ ton to 100 ton.

Quality of Life The quality of life in Wetaskiwin is unparalleled when compared to other cities in Alberta. The city has a 17 acre (7 hectare) lake within the city which is surrounded by a 2.5 kilometer (1.5 mile) hiking trail. The latest addition to the roster of recreational facilities is the Manluk Aquatic Centre which features two pools, two waterslides and one of the few indoor surfing attractions in western Canada. Tourist Attractions The world-class Reynolds-Alberta Transportation Museum has more than 1,100 cars, trucks, motorcycles, aircraft, tractors and industrial machinery in its collection. Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame showcases the achievements of its members. Over 200 aviation leaders have been inducted. Distribution Opportunities The city is connected to a highly efficient roadway transportation hub, a fact which influenced the decision of the national hardware chain Home Hardware, which has over 1,000 stores, to locate their western Canada Distribution Centre in Wetaskiwin. This 700,000 sq.ft (65,000 m²) facility employs over 400 workers. Also, both the Canadian Pacific main north-south railway line and the rail line to eastern Canada run through Wetaskiwin.

Development Opportunities Western Canada’s largest industrial park is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of our city. Wetaskiwin is looking for an industrial park developer who would create a project that would attract companies who cannot find affordable land for expansion in their current location. Because of our low cost of raw land, the final market price of industrial land in Wetaskiwin would be less than 50% of the cost of similar land in other major centres across the province of Alberta. There are also development opportunities for both residential and retail projects.

Ec Dev - SCB - Jan 12 12 - DRAFT.pdf 1 1/17/2012 12:29:29 PM

Alberta’s City of Alberta’s

for manufacturers distributors Most underserved retail market in the & developers

province of Alberta lowest real estate cost highlighting of any city inretail Alberta Independent survey opportunities. Contact us for your copy located 30 minutes from the Edmonton No current retail speciality outlets for: International Airport Computers & Software Men’s fashion distribution centre for western Canada for Home Hardware national retailer shoes Men’s Women’s & Children’s Denham Landing, anchored by Walmart manufacturing centre for agricultural, seeking tenants for multi-tenant bulding electrical and energy industries in second phase of bigbox development Wetaskiwin Mall still has space available site of Skyport, aviationprogram hub for during current general modernization the region

CMY

Wetaskiwin Regional Hospital & Care Centre is a modern, full service, 24-hour facility system comprisedScotiabank, of elementary, Joineducation Snap Fitness, Sportchek, secondary and programs Warehouse Onecollege and many others To continue your quest for success, please call: Ron Holland, Economic Development Manager 780-361-4404 rholland@wetaskiwin.ca www.wetaskiwin.ca

central alberta Central Alberta’s strength in unity and economy played a pivotal role in the City of Red Deer’s recent successful bid to host the 2019 Canada Winter Games. with almost 70,000 employees. A variety of crops are grown in the region including barley, canola, wheat, and alfalfa on an average farm size of 785 acres. The region is the largest producer of hogs and poultry and over 41% of all dairy cows in Alberta are located in Central Alberta. Central Alberta’s thriving agri-business includes livestock and plant production, food processing, natural health products, and biofuels.

entral Alberta is located at the heart of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB), and in between the cities of Calgary and Edmonton. Central Alberta plays a vital role in Alberta’s integrated energy, agriculture, and logistics sectors. Many industries seeking an operational base are attracted to the Central Alberta Region for its location, space, skilled workforce, and positive business atmosphere. Central Alberta’s mix of location, quality of life, and strong economic fundamentals has resulted in some of the fastest community growth rates in Canada, as people are moving here from all over the world to be at the center of the “Alberta Advantage”. This has resulted in the Central Alberta region attracting a young and increasingly diverse demographic that helps give our region a vibrant culture that is welcoming to one and all. Our growing communities have also invested heavily to ensure a high quality of life, and that access to services keep pace with our population growth. With all this, it is no surprise that Central Alberta has recently been home to many important cultural and business events.

Manufacturing and accessing markets in Central Alberta: Central Alberta has a significant manufacturing base, with a large number of fabricated metals and machinery manufacturers. Tied closely to the oil and gas mining activity occurring across Alberta, Central Alberta’s manufacturers provide important services to these operations. The region has excellent transportation and warehousing systems including quick access to the Trans Canada Highway and two national rail services providing Central Alberta industries with transcontinental freight service. The Red Deer Regional Airport is also the most active regional airport in Canada offering daily service via Northwestern Air and Air Canada and is currently expanding.

Agriculture in Central Alberta: Central Alberta has a longstanding reputation in crop and livestock production. The Central Alberta region is Alberta’s second largest agricultural region, and is the largest employer of rural Central Albertans

Project News Release:

In the central Alberta region, Nova Chemicals Joffre site is currently undertaking a major expansion of its facility, valued at just under $1 billion, and will include a world-scale polyethylene reactor. By April 2015, 800 construction workers will be working on the site daily.

Town of Rocky MounTain House

Dean Schweder, Economic Development Officer Town of Rocky Mountain House dschweder@rockymtnhouse.com Phone: 403-847-5260 www.rockymtnhouse.com

A Strong Community with a Promising Future

New sidewalks and planters are part of Main Street redevelopment.

Recreation Centre Concept Plan depicts the modern new structure adjoining Rocky’s twin arenas and curling club.

Fun

ResidenƟal

Gov’t/Inst.

Commercial 63 Permits issued as of September 2014.

$40 $35

Flourishing

Building Permits Family

(137)

(88)

$30

(75)

Financial Stability

$25 (117)

(143)

(114)

(94)

$20 (106)

$15

(81) (100)

$10

(71)

(Total number of building permits issued in brackets)

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

$5 2003

The Town is aiming to enhance the quality of life for its citizens through facility and infrastructure upgrades. The major upgrade to Main Street worth $11 million will introduce barrier-free sidewalks, new light standards, trees, planters and more construction will continue during the summer of 2015. The renovation and expansion of the recreation centre, which commenced in the summer of 2014, will make it an excellent venue for everyone to enjoy. The first phase worth $13 million will encompass the construction of a two-storey multi-purpose facility, with a large lobby, meeting and party rooms, fitness centre, multi-purpose rooms, banquet facilities and new enlarged change rooms. Future phases include more recreation amenities, such as a field house with an indoor running/walking track. The Town is seeking developers for residential and rental development within the community to accommodate the future exploration and mineral operations that will happen in the area. The Town is eager and willing to assist developers through the process. There are also highway commercial opportunities available to locate your business. The Town of Rocky Mountain House is a great place to live. New projects and on-going development in the region mean Rocky has a strong future.

Town of Rocky Mountain House

(Building permits in millions of dollars)

Strong Community with a Promising Future ... This is Where Adventure Begins! Locals describe Rocky Mountain House as family-oriented, fun, financially stable, and flourishing; these are truly the four pillars of a great community in which to live, work and play. Along with a strong community spirit and a small-town feel, Rocky offers a wide spectrum of services to its trading area of 21,000 people and thousands more tourists during the summer months. Rocky Mountain House is a major centre for timber, agriculture, and oil and gas enterprises, as well as being a gateway to the splendid recreation areas of the Rocky Mountains. It offers full amenities for tourism, health care, recreation, education, banking, shopping and dining. The local arts and culture scene is flourishing. The summer of 2014 proved to be another great year for events like Marketplace on Main, which was enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Today, the future looks bright for the thriving community of 7,300. With exploration in the Duvernay Shale region that surrounds Rocky Mountain House and possible future development in the coal industry, the community hopes to welcome new companies and residents in the future. Development and local construction is strong and active in the community. In 2014, there have been many significant developments around town with a record year for building permit values. • Main Street redevelopment • Recreation Centre expansion • Addition to Railway Plaza • Expansions to three local hotels • Park Avenue Adult Condominiums • New stores including Peavey Mart and The Brick anchoring Main Street

www.rockymtnhouse.com Check out our new website

TOWN OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE

Where Adventure Begins

The JeDI RegIon – We have IT all! Entrepreneur Spirit · Great Lifestyle · Amazing Communities

ight next door to Edmonton and integrated with major highway, air and rail transportation systems, the JEDI region offers investors affordable land for industrial development. The JEDI region is minutes away from Nisku Business Park – the largest energy services industrial park in Canada. This positions the JEDI region as a cost effective alternative for developers seeking undeveloped, lower priced land in response to construction and/or expansion demand of the oilfield service and manufacturing sectors. Located within Alberta’s fertile growing belt, value-added agriculture related business opportunities supplement the core industry clusters of manufacturing, oilfield services and tourism. Home to over 1,300 businesses, the region provides comprehensive services to both industry and residents. In addition to quick, easy access to the Edmonton International Airport, the region is intersected with major highway transportation routes, including the QEII, Highway 2A,13 and 22 – all of which are key routes for distribution of goods in and out of Alberta, other parts of Canada and North America. The Wetaskiwin Regional Airport (Transport Canada Certified) is located within city limits and provides 24 hour service. Furthermore, the regional airport is adjacent to SKYPORT, a unique opportunity for business and industry development. The JEDI region is renowned for great restaurants, wholesome country lifestyle, fabulous outdoor recreation opportunities in a park like setting and affordable housing – all of which create an enviable quality of life within close proximity to larger urban centers. With its central location, the region has the ability to attract and draw from the skilled labor force within the region and surrounding communities. JEDI is the one-stop shop for developers and investors by providing regional and site specific information, matching supply with demand and guiding developers through the land use development process – saving developers time and money! The JEDI region is an ideal place to live, work and operate a business. Successful businesses in the region range from home grown enterprises such as Manluk Global Manufacturing Solutions which grew from a small machine shop to a world leader in manufacture of petrochemical and mining products to Home Hardware’s Western Distribution Centre which employs over 400 workers; other successful businesses include: Seth Drilling which produces low impact seismic drilling rigs for Western Canada and U.S. markets; Supreme International, with head office in Wetaskiwin, manufactures and distributes agriculture feed processors throughout the world’; ACE Manufacturing specializes in custom electrical enclosures, shipping globally from its 90,000 sq. ft. facility; Goodon Industries is a leader in post frame construction in Western Canada and parts of the US; Bigstone Custom Cabinets, a family operated business in Millet, provides high quality cabinetry for domestic and commercial markets. Rick Wilson from Viewland Resorts states, “As a developer, I see plenty of opportunity for industrial development in the JEDI region” Take A Closer Look At The JEDI Region – The Possibilities Are Limitless Contact: Edie Spagrud, Ec.D. Director of Economic Development, Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) 780-361-6232 espagrud@jedialberta.com www.jedialberta.com

services sector accounts for approximately 11%; while education and other services accounts for approximately 7% each.

Ponoka Real Opportunities he Town of Ponoka and Ponoka County is home to 15,000 urban and rural residents serviced by fast, convenient links to markets and suppliers; whether they are located along the north-south Highway 2 or 2A, or on the east-west Highway 53 corridor. The broader trading area for many commercial/industrial enterprises based in Ponoka encompasses an estimated 70,000 people. Ponoka, like Edmonton to the north and Calgary to the south, lies at the crossroads of the province’s primary economic corridor, linking the major metropolitan areas and running right alongside Ponoka’s recently expanded Town limits. Of the top five employer groups in the area, approximately 23% of the labor force is found in agriculture and agricultural-related operations; health/social

Ponoka is open for business! Whatever your business needs, we are eager to help you: • begin your search for land and business opportunities • look at what makes Ponoka an attractive market to do business • find resources for starting or growing your business • utilize planning tools such as maps and community plans • find answers to your questions about licensing, permits, and fees • or connect with our Economic Development Board comprised of local business people Contact: Town of Ponoka, 5102 48th Avenue, Ponoka, AB T4J 1P7 Tel: (403) 783-4431 • Fax: (403) 783-6745 • email: Town@Ponoka.org

Ponoka is open for business!

Whatever your business needs, we are eager to help you:

• Begin your search for land and business opportunities • Look at what makes Ponoka an attractive market to do business • Find resources for starting or growing your business • Utilize planning tools such as maps and community plans • Find answers to your questions about licensing, permits, and fees, or • Connect with our Economic Development Board comprised of local business people

Real Opportunities The Town of Ponoka and Ponoka County is home to 15,000 urban and rural residents serviced by fast, convenient links to markets and suppliers; whether they are located along the north-south Highway 2 or 2A, or on the east-west Highway 53 corridor. The broader trading area for many commercial/industrial enterprises based in Ponoka encompasses an estimated 70,000 people. Ponoka, like Edmonton to the north and Calgary to the south, lies at the crossroads of the province’s primary economic corridor, linking the major metropolitan areas and running right alongside Ponoka’s recently expanded Town limits. Of the top five employer groups in the area, approximately 23% of the labor force is found in agriculture and agricultural-related operations; health/social services sector accounts for approximately 11%; while education and other services accounts for approximately 7% each.

EDA 2015 ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE & AGM Partnerships for Prosperity April 8–10, 2015

For more information, contact the Town of Ponoka Town of Ponoka 5102 48th Avenue, Ponoka, AB T4J 1P7 Tel: (403) 783-4431 Fax: (403) 783-6745 email: Town@Ponoka.org

Sylvan lake G

listening water. A picturesque promenade. Ice cream and picnic baskets. These are all the things you might expect to find in a resort community such as Sylvan Lake. You wouldn’t be disappointed; the views and to-dos for visitors and residents alike are nothing short of spectacular. Nestled in Central Alberta, juxtaposed between the mountains and prairies Sylvan Lake’s natural beauty attracts over 900 thousand visitors per year. Waterslides, an indoor BMX park, twenty-two area golf courses, an active marina and a beautiful waterfront promenade all contribute to making Sylvan Lake a popular year-round destination. If that’s all there were to Sylvan Lake, it might be more than enough. But the story doesn’t end there; in fact, that’s just where it starts! The Town of Sylvan Lake has transformed itself, from just a resort town into a thriving hub of industry and commerce. This transformation has seen the town double in size in little more than a decade. In the rapidly growing, economically thriving province of Alberta, Sylvan Lake is fast becoming a preferred location to establish roots, enjoy recreation, and conduct business. Location, location, location! Sylvan Lake is a top choice for location in Alberta for a host of reasons. The Town’s appeal rests not only in its location alongside the pretty lake for which it’s named, but also for its proximity to the province’s large urban centres, mountains, and major trade routes. The new Sylvan Lake, with a forecasted population of 14,484 for 2014, is home to a thriving industrial hub, with its core industry being oil and gas extraction, as well as support activities for mining and quarrying, such as drilling, well foundation construction, and surveying. Additionally, commercial construction, manufacturing, and science and technical companies engaged in architectural, engineering, and related services find their home in Sylvan Lake. The median age is 32 and there is a strong supply of residents with college-level post-secondary and trades-based and apprenticeship credentials. While occupations in trades, transport and equipment operation hold the highest share of Sylvan Lake’s labour force, there is also strong representation in hospitality, business, finance, administration and real estate. It’s abundantly clear that the town has a well-rounded industrial and commercial base and a young, educated and diverse labour pool from which to draw. Alberta’s tax environment is one of the most competitive in North America. The only province without a retail sales tax, Alberta has no provincial capital or payroll tax for businesses. Sylvan Lake adds to the appeal with no local business tax. Home to many corporate headquarters and sales offices, as well as servicing centres and custom fabrication

shops, Sylvan Lake offers a more competitive tax rate than many other urban centres in the region. With an abundance of newly constructed and/or renovated professional, commercial and industrial buildings to choose from, Sylvan Lake is also in the process of annexing 700 hectares of land, which translates into plenty of room for new companies exploring the region. Additionally, the town boasts competitive utility and permit rates. Wondering about what there is for your family when you move to Sylvan Lake? The answer is: plenty! With four public and two catholic schools, as well as two private Christian schools, a host of sports and community programs, along with local health care services, Sylvan Lake has got your family covered. Need supports for seniors? Sylvan Lake has two lodges and a number of community programs. Looking for recreation? Enough can’t be said about the abundance of opportunities in Sylvan Lake and area. There’s an indoor aquatic centre which will be adjoined to the multiplex featuring two NHL-sized arenas, a 5 sheet curling rink and a seniors centre scheduled for construction in 2015, a clean lake with a beautifully developed waterfront promenade, minor sports, and of course the gorgeous Rocky Mountains accessible for day trips. All this, and it’s only a short 1.5 hour drive to either of Alberta’s two large urban centres, Edmonton and Calgary. Come for a visit. Bring the family. There’s plenty to see and do and no shortage of sights to see. But bring your business partners, too, as you will be impressed and attracted to the thriving industrial and commercial aspects Sylvan Lake, Alberta, has to offer. For more information about business opportunities in Sylvan Lake, contact: Vicki Kurz, Economic Development Officer Town of Sylvan Lake, 5012 48 Ave., Sylvan Lake, AB T4S 1G6 403.887.1185 ext 226 vkurz@sylvanlake.ca www.sylvanlake.ca

62 |

2015

Mackenzie

READY FOR GROWTH Northwest Alberta boasts a bustling business environment

BY NOA NICHOL

ou’d be hard pressed to find a more productive business environment than the one that exists in Alberta’s Mackenzie region. Situated in the far northwest corner of the province, the member communities that make up the local Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI), including the towns of High Level and Rainbow Lake, the Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement and Mackenzie County, are home to 25,325 residents and an abundance of natural resources. “The REDI region is, in a word, incredible,” says Rainbow Lake Mayor Boyd Langford. “Our location on the doorstep of the Northwest Territories and at the south end of the proposed Mackenzie pipeline provides even

More than 800 farm operators work nearly 220,000 hectares of land in Mackenzie, harvesting wheat, canola, oats and other crops from the fertile ground | WINTERFORCEMEDIA

greater opportunities for this area – opportunities REDI plans to capitalize on.” The pipeline, which could transport natural gas from the Beaufort Sea to tie into gas pipelines in northwest Alberta, was first proposed in the early 1970s, spurring a flurry of engineering and environmental studies and public-policy reviews and economic analyses. In 2011, the National Energy Board granted its approval, giving Canadian petroleum giant Imperial Oil until 2015 to start construction without having to go through another review. Though the future of the pipeline remains unclear, there’s plenty more happening in the northwest now to be excited about. Thanks to extended summer daylight hours, the region offers exceptional agricultural economic

| 63

Wood products account for hundreds of millions of dollars in exports from the northwest to destinations around the world each year | WDEON/SHUTTERSTOCK A mix of English, French, Mennonite, First Nations and Métis culture and history presents ample chance for cultural tourism | JEFF WHYTE

potential – a sector that makes up a large slice of the local economic pie. More than 800 farm operators work nearly 220,000 hectares of land in Mackenzie, coaxing wheat, canola, oats and other crops out of the ground and sending cattle, elk and bison to market. Trees also generate their fair share of prosperity, with wood products accounting for hundreds of millions of dollars in exports from the northwest to destinations around the world each year. The local forestry industry is made up of small operators (loggers, transport and service) and bigger companies, including the Tolko

Industries sawmill in High Level – one of the largest mills in Alberta. Tourism, too, is an economic contributor, with plenty of future potential. The REDI region’s natural geographic characteristics and unprecedented access to wilderness areas provide multiple ecotourism, adventure and recreational opportunities, particularly for RV travellers. “Opportunities in the northwest are certainly exciting,” confirms Chris MacLeod, deputy mayor of High Level and REDI chairperson. “It will be wonderful to see what will happen in our incredible region.” 

town of high level

igh Level, located along the Mackenzie Highway half way between Yellowknife and Edmonton, is the retail and services area for one of Alberta’s most promising regions. Although High Level is a young community, founded in 1965, the region has developed an abundance of both renewable and non renewable resources ranging from agriculture and forestry to oil and natural gas. As the transportation and service center for Northern Alberta, High Level serves a market area in excess of 22,000 people within a 200 km radius. This means that High Level is in an excellent and strategic location for new businesses to start up and grow to meet the needs of the local and regional customers. High Level provides an extensive range of community services,

provincial government branch offices, retail shopping, industry services, schools, a college, a new hospital, indoor swimming pool, arena, curling rink and many other facilities. In addition, there is a long list of active community organizations and service groups. The Town of High Level is open to new businesses and fosters an environment of business development. We do this by maintaining and upholding land-use bylaws that direct new business to agglomerate in the downtown core or in specific industrial districts within Town’s limits. Town staff is always open and available to assist with any new development proposals. For more information please contact; Town of High Level, 10511 - 103 Street, High Level, Alberta, T0H 1Z0 780-926-2201 www.highlevel.ca

OPPORT NITY U O Y

Putting “YOU” in the middle of Opportunity in High Level AB

www.highlevel.ca

64 |

2015

North Central

DIVERSIFIED Where the Alberta advantage was raised

BY GEOFF KIRBYSON

hen you’ve got the oilsands in the area, every other Alberta sector is gunning for second place. There’s no question that oil is the focus in Alberta’s North Central region with thousands of workers being bussed in and out of housing camps and billions of dollars being spent on exploration in the all-important industry. But Allen Geary, acting executive director of the Northern Alberta Development Council, says forestry is a major force in the region, too. “It just doesn’t get as much profile as oil and gas. It has produced more than $5 billion worth of product [per year],” he says.

The town of Athabasca in Athabasca County is at the heart of the North Central region, with about 10 per cent of the region’s population | TOWN OF ATHABASCA

About one-fifth of the province’s agricultural crop is in the region, too, he adds. There’s also retail, construction, education, health care and a sizable manufacturing base focused on forestry products and food products. Geary says even though the price of a barrel of oil has fallen to about $80 recently, the impact in his region has been minimal. “These projects have to keep going on in development, especially the larger ones. In some cases, they won’t be starting operations for two or three years,” he says. You’d be hard pressed to find somebody with his finger more on the region’s pulse than Mike Osborn, general manager of Community Futures Northwest Alberta (CFNA). CFNA is under contract with Western Economic Diversification Canada to supply non-traditional loans

| 65

and advice to entrepreneurs who can’t get money from the banks. “We’re pretty busy. We’re one of the busier organizations like this in the province. We have the largest area to cover and the smallest population,” he says. Indeed, the North Central region covers 13,780 square kilometres but its 23,000 people account for just 1.1 per cent of Alberta’s population. This kind of geography and demographics presents unique challenges, most of which pertain to attaining critical mass. “With some business ideas, we know they would work in a larger centre but we have to be a little more creative to get them to work in small communities,” he says. “The diversity of the region’s economy has made it virtually recession-proof,” Osborn says, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some problems. Like other areas of the province, the North Central region is continually challenged to recruit talented people. Osborn says the region’s economy could certainly benefit

Forestry is a $2 billion annual business in North Central | TFOX PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK

from the addition of more temporary foreign workers, but the situation isn’t as dire as in other parts of the province. “No retailers have been forced to reduce their hours yet, but it could be coming,” he says. 

MIKE OSBORN | GENERAL MANAGER, COMMUNITY FUTURES NORTHWEST ALBERTA

Diversity of the region... has made it virtually recession-proof

Town of RedwaTeR

he Town of Redwater is a vibrant, welcoming community, home to approximately 2,300 people and 120+ businesses. Residents enjoy the healthy, relaxed lifestyle of their picturesque rural surroundings with the added bonus of easy access to urban amenities.

INVEST In Alberta’s Heartland!

Unique Location Brings Employment Opportunities Located in Sturgeon County, only 30 minutes from Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan we are 5kms from Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. Redwater brings easy access for industry employees, with its close proximity to major transportation corridors (Highways 28 & 38 w/rail access), and direct access to Fort McMurray, Alberta. Full Service Community Redwater offers K-12 schools with Registered Apprenticeship Programs, quality emergency & medical services, a first class recreational and cultural facility, a 9-hole golf course, curling club, outdoor swimming pool, as well as numerous parks & sporting venues. Perfect for nature hikes and bird watching with over 100 km of trails for equestrian and recreational use.

INVESTMENT READY 

Industrial



Commercial



Residential

Dedicated to Development The municipality is dedicated to future development, offering a 3 year Property Tax Rebate for new construction projects. Our region is a hub of activity generated by the presence of industry and commerce, predominantly with the growing oil and gas trade. We welcome the opportunity to make our community your home! Contact Contact our Economic Development Office for more information or to set up a community tour. Patricia Nicol Ph: (780) 942-3519 ext. 33 | ecdev@redwater.ca

www.redwater.ca

town of vermilion

We welcome your business.

he Town of Vermilion places a high priority on Economic Development – but just like you, we know that there is more to life than business. Vermilion has a quality of life that is second to none. We have the best of both worlds – big-city amenities with smalltown friendliness and security. We are very excited that you are investing some of your valuable time to learn about the Town of Vermilion. Strategically located along the picturesque Vermilion River at the main intersection of Yellowhead Highway #16 and Buffalo Trail Highway #41, Vermilion is a hub within the Alberta Eastern Trade Corridor. Two hours east of Edmonton, Alberta and the Edmonton International Airport and only 30 minutes to Lloydminster, AB/SK, Vermilion has become and is recognized as a strong and effective service centre. Our local economy is based primarily on two key sectors – agriculture and the oil and gas industry. Agriculture is the foundation on which the Vermilion Region was built. The industry includes grain, oil seeds, beef, hogs, specialized livestock, and dairy products. The region is host to numerous trade shows, seminars and sales related to the agriculture industry. On the crossroads of Highway #16 and #41, Vermilion is strategically located between the oil fields in Wainwright, Lloydminster, Elk Point and Cold Lake. All areas are easily accessible from Vermilion. Located within the Alberta HUB region Vermilion benefits and has access from the Cold Lake oil sands area as well as a major part of the Athabasca oil sands one of the largest oil and gas reserves in Alberta. Currently the Town of Vermilion is experiencing economic growth from the energy sector as

multiple energy companies undertake pipeline expansions to the east and west of Vermilion and a Oil Rail Loading Facility begins development to the west. Vermilion offers quality parks including the Vermilion Provincial Park, recreational and cultural facilities and programs complimented by well designed neighborhoods and crescents, along with a mix of commercial and industrial businesses. We also offer outstanding medical services. When you visit Vermilion, chances are you will want to move here. We do have the New Ideas For Living in Vermilion! Residents have stated that the quality of life in Vermilion is secondto-none, thanks to great amenities and service, growth and development, established businesses, a good variety of new businesses, lots of parks and green spaces, various activities, good economy, good health care and that they feel it is a very family-oriented community. Vermilion is a great place to purchase or build a home – we have everything from mature neighbourhoods with majestic tree-lined boulevards, to brand new subdivisions bustling with family activity, single family dwellings, to condominiums and seniors-focused housing complexes. Our newest residential subdivision will feature housing for various markets, great builders and wonderful communities. Whether you move here to raise a family or to retire in a beautiful, safe and friendly community, you will be able to establish your dream home here in Vermilion. Our residents are outstanding citizens donating their time, talents and finances to local boards, cultural groups, committees and sports teams. Vermilion is so active it is hard not to get involved. We like to shop locally in Vermilion where familiar faces greet customers within an array of businesses including pharmacy, clothing, furniture, hardware/lumber, agricultural dealerships, oilfield companies, boutiques and restaurants. With new developments in Industrial, Highway Commercial and Residential, the Town of Vermilion is experiencing a large increase in business investment. Make your move to Vermilion – we offer ‘New Ideas for Living’ and New Ideas for Business. For more information on Vermilion’s opportunities, contact us today! Mary Lee Prior, Economic Development 5021 - 49 Avenue, Vermilion, AB T9X 1X1 Phone: 780.581.2419 Fax: 780.853.4910 Email: economic@vermilion.ca

68 |

2015

Northeast

STRONG. STABLE The Northeast Alberta HUB region is growing, with no end in sight

BY NOA NICHOL

he Northeast Alberta Information HUB (Alberta HUB) region provides a lifestyle to suit almost anyone with its bustling towns and cities, smaller villages and rural areas. “The Alberta HUB Region provides a variety of housing options and modern amenities for all those seeking safe communities, a promising career and essential public and retail services,” says Bob Bezpalko, executive director of the Northeast Alberta Information HUB. The economic and lifestyle magnet of the Alberta HUB has resulted in the creation of a rich cultural mosaic,

The northeast is the base of an established and growing aerospace and defence industry, with 4 Wing Cold Lake considered the busiest fighter base in Canada | JOHN P. ROHRER

with flourishing communities of French, Cree, Metis, Lebanese, Romania, Italian, Russian and Ukrainians. It also boasts Alberta’s only Irish settlement, St. Brides. The Alberta HUB is located on one of the largest oil and gas reserves in Alberta – the region covers the entire Cold Lake oilsands area and overlaps the southern part of the Athabasca oilsands. The action involves big-name companies, including Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Devon Energy, Encana, Husky Energy, Imperial Oil and Suncor. Currently, Bezpalko estimates, there is more than $22 billion being invested in oil and gas projects, $4 billion in pipeline projects and close to $200 million in

| 69

More than 300 oil- and gas-producing companies are active within the Northeast Alberta Hub region | NORTHEAST ALBERTA INFORMATION HUB

The town of Vegreville, whose population is largely of Ukrainian descent, is home to the world’s largest Ukrainian Easter Egg. | WIKIPEDIA

infrastructure development, creating excellent business opportunities. The Alberta HUB region is also home to an established and growing aerospace and defence industry, with 4 Wing Cold Lake considered the busiest fighter base in Canada thanks to an almost unrestricted 1.17-million-hectare air weapons range equipped with state-of-the-art threats and targets. 4 Wing, which employs thousands of military members and civilians, hosts annually a “Maple Leaf” training exercise. This attracts enough international military forces to the area to leave surrounding commercial accommodations with little to no vacancy for four to six weeks each spring and injects a substantial amount of capital into local hospitality-related businesses. While the aerospace sector takes off, things are also growing on the ground. A strong agricultural sector in the Alberta HUB region produces 15 per cent of Alberta’s oats and 12 per cent of the province’s canola, along with other mixed grains. Additionally, the region includes one of the country’s largest cattle feedlots, plus Alberta’s first and only organic-fruit cottage winery, both located in the Two Hills area. Besides the inherent economic value of these natural resources, new technologies and engineering innovations are being developed and refined locally to enhance the ability to recover oil in the area – and around the world.

Thorhild CounTy

hether for business or pleasure, you are sure to get a warm welcome from Thorhild County businesses and residents. As a small community with a big heart, we enjoy sharing the beauty of our surroundings with visitors and potential neighbours and businesses.

Bring us your ideas: We’ll make them work! We want you to invest and live in our community. Thorhild County offers: * All Business Opportunities, * County Industrial lands ready for investment, * Affordable homes for sale, * Family-oriented communities, * Health care services within and near the County, * Competitive taxes, * Safe Community living, skiing, beautiful lakes, fishing, recreation facilities, friendly people, and more.

Where the heck is Thorhild County? * 3.5 hours south of Fort McMurray * 45 minutes northeast of Edmonton * Within 45 minutes of Alberta’s Industrial Heartland * 1.5 hours northeast of the Edmonton International Airport

ThorhildCounty.com Community Development Contact - Edward LeBlanc Edward@thorhildcounty.com 1-877-398-3777

Invest - Innovate - Grow

Bring us your ideas: We’ll make them work! Our population is growing. Your business ideas are the County’s opportunities. Thorhild County has commercial, industrial and residential property for sale. The Thorhild Industrial Area Structure Plan was initiated to encourage economic development throughout the County. This new Area is located northeast and just outside of the Hamlet of Thorhild. The Area is close to three phase power, Alberta’s Industrial Heartland area, and existing municipal infrastructure. Enjoy country and small town living Thorhild County is a popular commuter community for Fort McMurray and Alberta Industrial Heartland area employees. A drive through the County reveals seven hamlets, business services, diversified farms, greenhouses, and recreation facilities for all ages. Thorhild County is a summer and winter adventure destination. If you enjoy swimming and relaxing on the beach and scenic little campgrounds, then Long Lake Provincial Park and Half Moon Lake Park Natural Area are both a short drive from anywhere in the County. White Earth Valley Natural Area is a naturalist’s gem for hiking, mountain biking and trail riding in the summer or snowmobiling and Nordic skiing in the winter. Welcome to Thorhild County! Contact Edward LeBlanc, Community Economic Development Officer Edward@thorhildcounty.com 1-877-398-3777

vegreville

entrally located in the heart of Northeast Alberta, 1 hour east of Edmonton on a 4 lane TransCanada highway, Vegreville is the perfect location for any business or resident. Invest:: The Town of Vegreville is a full service, progressive community with a population of 5700+ and a trade area of over 130,000. With the abundance of services, retail, industry and activities, it is the service hub for the region. The Town Vegreville offers incentive programs which include a non-residential and multi-housing programs to assist with continued growth.

Vegreville TOWN OF

www.vegreville.com /TownofVegreville

@TownofVegreville

Innovate: TELUS is bringing fibre optic technology to the area in a big way – over 90% of all homes and businesses in the community will have direct access to the TELUS Fibre Optic Network. Vegreville‘s award winning recycling programs Include a partnership with Growing Power Hairy Hill-aerobic digester, accepting the towns’ organic waste materials, and the Vegreville Materials Recovery Facility. Alberta’s major environmental research facility, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF) provides direct access to Alberta’s top re-searchers and innovative technologies for the Vegreville area. Grow: Vegreville has many opportunities for growth with commercial, industrial and residential land ready and available for development. Transportation amenities include a fully operational regional airport with a 4000 ft lighted runway and available lease lots; the Edmonton International Airport, only 127 km away and the accessibility of rail lines in town. Contact: Vegreville Economic Development www.vegreville.com 780-632-3891 ecdev@vegreville.com

AthAbAscA county

short 90 minute drive north of Edmonton is the historic riverside town of Athabasca. Nestled at the elbow of the Athabasca River, this full-service community boasts a growing music scene and numerous societies, clubs, and sports teams for its 3,000 residents. Also offered is the Athabasca Regional Multiplex, which is planning to add a new pool and public library to its amenities. A service hub for commuters and more than 30,000 people residing within a 100km radius, Athabasca has also seen its commercial and industrial sector grow. Businesses gain closer access to customers in the oilsands without giving up the comfort of rural living or the convenience of accessing the City of Edmonton. Venture beyond the town borders and you’ll find yourself in Athabasca County. The municipality has two major north-south highways – Highway 63 and Highway 2 – through it and is at the intersection of several key oilsands operations. The Town of Athabasca is a three hour journey from Fort McMurray; the hamlet of Wabasca is a two hour drive and the Town of Slave Lake only 130 kilometres. The Athabasca Regional Airport is a thriving rural airport that boasts a new LED Precision Approach Path Indicator light system, the first of its kind in North America, and an AVGAS (100 LL) 24/7 self-serve system. Signs of growth can be found throughout the region. The private sector is investing in the community of Wandering River, recognizing its strategic location along Highway 63 as an important service stop for the commercial trucking industry and oilsands sector commuters – nearly 35,000 vehicles travel through the hamlet each week. The twinning of Highway 63 will be complete in 2016. Located 200 km south of Fort McMurray, Wandering River will soon be home to a 650 man camp, and a new A&W restaurant will

join several existing food establishments. Grassland is another key service community along the Highway 63 corridor where a proposed Ramada Inn will complement the assortment of restaurants and service stations catering to the travelling public. Further south, the Village of Boyle is a full service community with a thriving downtown business sector including a pharmacy, two grocery stores, accommodations, and other services for those travelling through or calling the community home. These communities benefit from the award-winning regional water pipeline that runs from south of Athabasca to Boyle and north to Wandering River. The Athabasca region offers a great balance between urban amenities and a rural lifestyle, and is cottage country to many capital region residents who appreciate the convenient location and clean, sandy lakes for summertime boating, fishing, and swimming. Publicly and privately owned campgrounds are perfect for weekend or seasonal visitors. Hunting becomes a primary draw in the fall, followed by a well-established network of snowmobile trails in the winter. An excellent school system, three post-secondary institutions, two hospitals, and many private medical practices offer families the quality education and healthcare they seek. Employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled labourers across several sectors, including retail, agriculture, public service, and the trades are readily available throughout the area. A visit to Athabasca County truly puts you at the centre of it all. For more information on Athabasca County, contact: Laura Barfoot, Tourism/Economic Development Officer (780) 675 2273 | lbarfoot@athabascacounty.com

Seeking an opportunity in Alberta’s north? take a look at

ATHABASCA COUNTY

WANDERING RIVER

We offer:

2 813

GRASSLAND

ATHABASCA

COLINTON

BOYLE 2 63

ROCHESTER 831

Athabasca County

ALBERTA

• two major north-south highways connecting the oilsands with the capital region • resource sector supply chain opportunities • affordable land for your business investment • a balance between urban amenities and a rural lifestyle for your team • a trading region of 30,000 within 100 kms; 950,000 people within 150 kms

Athabasca County at the centre of it all

www.athabascacounty.com

Contact our Economic Development Officer 780-675-2273 | 1-844-662-2273 lbarfoot@athabascacounty.com

LLoydminster

loydminster is a border city in Canada’s two most dynamic provinces, Saskatchewan and Alberta. This community is not simply booming or thriving its excelling! Lloydminster is ranked #1 in Canada and #1 in mid-sized cities on the Canadian Federation of Independent Business Top Entrepreneurial Cities report, #2 on the Bank of Montreal’s Small Business Density List and is one of the Top 25 Business Communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan & British Columbia. Lloydminster is a mega mecca for business development and growth. Arrive in Lloydminster from any direction and the growth is clear

Lloydminster advertorial 2h 39062.indd 2

with over half of a billion dollars of large scale construction activity. As land is used up within city limits, the City of Lloydminster is proactive and preparing for other options in neighbouring municipalities, negotiations for annexation with the County of Vermilion River, the R.M. of Britannia and the R.M. of Wilton has begun and is expected to be completed by May 2015. Lloydminster’s population is young and growing rapidly. With a 15.7% growth from 2006-2011 and a 13.23% growth between 2011 and 2013, the 2013 Municipal Census estimated the population at 31,483. Lloydminster’s growth was ranked #9 of all 82 communities of populations between 20,000 – 100,000 in Canada! It’s projected that by 2030 Lloydminster will have crested the 50,000 residents mark. Lloydminster is a place where companies progress to the next level. It’s a community built upon an economic foundation anchored by agriculture, oil & gas, retail and service industries combined with a prosperous and stable business environment. In addition to a desirable economic climate, Lloydminster offers a reasonable cost of living with a high focus on quality of life. In Lloydminster you can enjoy all the amenities of large urban centers in a comfortable, livable community. With these advantages and amenities, local, national and international company’s expectations are exceeded to establish and expand their operations in Lloydminster. Companies such as ADM, Husky Energy, and Foremost have chosen to call Lloydminster home. Our consistently low unemployment rate is a reflection of Lloydminster’s resilient economy.

2014-11-25 9:58 AM

| 73

2015

Palliser

PALLISER Southeast region holds nearly a third of Alberta’s farmland

BY DARAH HANSEN

alliser is Alberta’s southeastern economic region, so named for Capt. John Palliser, the Irish-born leader of an expeditionary team that mapped the region in the mid-19th century. Comprising 13 urban centres and seven rural municipalities, the region is home to more than 112,000 people. The largest urban centre is the city of Medicine Hat, a thriving Prairie community of more than 62,000 people. Don’t be misled by the relative obscurity of the “Palliser” name. The region boasts a diverse economy led by oil and gas resources, pipelines, coal mining and electrical power generation. Farming is still a way of

life for many area residents (despite John Palliser’s early declaration that the region had insufficient rainfall to sustain agriculture). The region now has more than 3,300 farms with 2.4 million acres in crops and $584 million in livestock. It also has nearly a third of all irrigated land in the province of Alberta. Like much of southern Alberta, Palliser’s population is young. The region’s prime working-age demographic, those between the ages of 20 and 49 years old, consists of 43.3 per cent of the total population. Nearly half of the residents between 25 and 64 years old have postsecondary qualifications. The top three major occupations include mining and oil and gas; retail trade; and ranching, crop farming and agri-food manufacturing. Pretty and prosperous Medicine Hat is the main city in the Palliser region | CITY OF MEDICINE HAT

74 |

2015

Palliser

Canola fields brighten the landscape of Palliser region, home to 3,300 farms with 2.4 million acres under crops | STEERDRAGON/ SHUTTERSTOCK

The Cancarb thermal carbon black plant in Medicine Hat is the largest of its kind in the world, with a capacity of 45,000 tonnes per year. In April 2014, Cancarb was purchased by Tokai Carbon Co. Ltd. of Japan | PALLISER ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

Wide-open spaces and big skies represent the economic opportunities across the Palliser region | SHUTTERSTOCK

Tourism and outdoor recreation are also critical to economic stability. The region has a popular downhill and cross-country ski area, located at Hidden Valley in Cypress Hills Provincial Park. There are over 15 golf courses, numerous camping areas and a variety of reservoirs, rivers and lakes for swimmers and boaters. Other recreation options include leisure centres, ice arenas, BMX tracks, ball diamonds, soccer fields, walking and cycling and hiking trails. If the countryside seems vaguely familiar to newcomers, it may be because they’ve seen it before on the silver screen. Among the big-name films shot on location in Palliser is Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning 1992 cowboy epic, Unforgiven. 

| 75

76 |

2015

Peace Country

PEACE & PROSPERITY Peace River region: high incomes and higher expectations

BY FRANK O’BRIEN

lberta’s Peace River region, anchored by the largest and fast-growing City of Grande Prairie – 460 kilometres northwest of Edmonton near the B.C. border – is known for its oil and gas, but is also a forestry centre and an important agriculture area. With just 3.5 per cent of the provincial population, the Peace accounts for a quarter of all forestry in the province and more than 26 per cent of the natural gas production, and boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, if not the world. The median household income in the city is $126,877. The region’s noted service industries, such as engineering and transport, could also be recruited if and when BC Hydro’s $8 billion Site C dam project gets the go-ahead

Rendering of the new 200bed, $620 million Grande Prairie Regional Hospital expected to open in 2017. Grande Prairie already boasts a regional college | CITY OF GRANDE PRAIRIE

nearby in northeast B.C. The Peace region has become a major northern trading area because the lack of a provincial sales tax lures shoppers from northeast B.C., according to Grande Prairie Mayor Bill Given. And the region is a job generator. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers estimates Alberta’s Peace region oil and natural gas sectors alone will generate up to 150,000 jobs over the next 10 years. The Region, for example, is home to the Peace Oil Sands where a major expansion is taking place at Shell’s Carmon Creek. The oil giant has committed $3.2 billion to the project. This will have an economic impact on nearby Peace River, a town of 7,500 where hotels are already often booked for months in advance and there is a tight residential vacancy rate.

| 77

The community of Peace River is situated within the Peace River Valley and straddles the banks of the Peace River. The bustling town is two hours northeast of Grande Prairie and has air, rail and bus services. Grande Prairie, which posted total retail spending of $3.5 billion in 2013, is still undersupplied with stores, according to Given. He estimates the city needs 300,000 to 500,000 square feet of new retail space to keep up. There is also strong demand for housing, reflected in a low residential vacancy rate and rising house prices. A new 200-bed, $620 million regional hospital is underway, expected to open in 2017, and the city already boasts the Grande Prairie Regional College. All of this action translates into an issue that has caused a rift between the city and its neighbouring County of Grande Prairie: the need for more land for development. The city has applied to annex 15,560 acres of regional land – equal to the current city footprint – to meet a 30year growth plan, with most of the land earmarked for non-residential development. The county came up with a counter-recommendation of 1,342 acres.

Grande Prairie Mayor Bill Given extends a warm welcome to all those seeking prosperity in Alberta’s Peace Region | RANDY VANDERVEEN

A provincial government decision on the annexation, which has been debated for months, is expected early in 2015. Annexation does not imply ownership of the land; it will simply be under city or county tax jurisdiction. However the annexation is decided, one thing is certain: Alberta’s Peace region will continue as one of Alberta’s strongest economic anchors. 

Pipelines lead to prosperity in Alberta’s booming Peace region, which produces 26 per cent of Alberta’s natural gas | EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Life is Good in the MiddLe

n the middle of Canada’s Oil Patch, in a region known for energy, forestry, agriculture and commerce, lies one of Canada strongest regional economies. With easy access to transportation corridors, affluent, young demographics, one of Canada’s most entrepreneurial cities, and a quality of life that balances urban amenities with outdoor living, the County of Grande Prairie is an ideal home for business and family. Welcome to the middle of everywhere. The County of Grande Prairie The County of Grande Prairie is strategically located in Alberta’s vibrant Peace Region, and serves the industrial, commercial and residential needs of Northwestern Alberta and B.C. While many choose the region for economic opportunities, most people who call it home fall in love with its lifestyle opportunities. The County of Grande Prairie offers easy access to all of the amenities available in other major urban centers, including vibrant arts and culture, modern healthcare facilities, community services, multiple K-12 schools, post-secondary education, sports and recreation facilities, restaurants and shopping. Events like the Grande Prairie Stompede, Reel Shorts Film Festival, Street Performer’s Festival, Swan Festival, and annual Christmas Festival of Trees, all help make the region a year-round cultural hub. Currently under construction in the County, the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum will be the number one educational tourism attraction in Northern Alberta. Once built, this 41,000 sq. ft. facility will host a world-class museum, research facility and community space, and the project is already opening up the palaeontological riches of the north. The County of Grande Prairie is the major sponsor of this state-of-the-art facility. Room to Grow The County of Grande Prairie is located in a resource-rich part of Alberta and serves four key sectors: Agriculture, Energy, Forestry, and Commerce. The County has over 3,900 acres of serviced and unserviced land available for industrial and commercial development, including heavy indus-

Trumpeter swans visit the County during their annual migrations, lending their name to the annual Swan Festival, and to the unofficial nickname of the City of Grande Prairie: Swan City. | Photo by Marilyn Grubb

trial. Our modern transportation networks include major highway access, as well as extensive pipeline networks and rail connections to deep water ports in Vancouver and Prince Rupert. Air service completes the picture, with daily flights and connections to North America’s biggest cities. Commerce The Peace Region is home to a uniquely young and affluent workforce. Thanks to a strong resource-based economy, approximately 260,000

regional residents spent a total of $2.8 billion in 2013. The total trade area in the Peace Region is on track to reach nearly 285,000 in the next 10 years. The region’s average household income is $102,000, a figure higher than both the national and provincial averages. Thanks to its status as a regional shopping hub, the Grande Prairie area is home to a number of large retailers that do not frequently do business in similar-sized cities, including Best Buy, Future Shop, Old Navy, Target, Urban Barn, Wal-Mart, and Costco. Independent businesses also make up a significant share of Grande Prairie’s retail sector and the connected local business community is thriving. In 2012, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business named Grande Prairie the Most Entrepreneurial City in Canada for the third straight year, and it continues to rank high in terms of business outlook and business owners per capita. In fact, despite being only the seventh largest city in the province, the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce is the second-largest chamber in the province, with 1,200 members. Energy As a central hub of Alberta and Northern B.C.’s traditional oil and gas industry, the County of Grande Prairie is primed to meet the needs of additional heavy industry and large-scale projects. The County is committed to infrastructure and service support, including modern divided The hamlet of Clairmont, located minutes north of the City of Grande Prairie, offers ample commercial and industrial development opportunity. | Photo by Klaus Peters

The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum is set to open its doors in 2015. Located in the County of Grande Prairie, this world-class dinosaur museum facility will become a top tourism destination for Northern Alberta. | iMaGe suPPlied by teePle architects

highways, rail access, flexible zoning bylaws, and robust telecommunications networks, even out in the field. Alberta boasts the third-largest petroleum reserves in the world, following Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. In 2011, energy exports from the province totaled $65.8 billion – approximately 71% of Alberta’s total economic exports. Within this context, the Peace Region is the province’s largest producer of natural gas and conventional crude oil. It is estimated that over 150,000 Albertans work directly in the oil and gas industry, or in related sectors. Of those, approximately 132,000 work in oil and gas extraction, 10,000 work in electricity, and 2,000 in both the coal and pipeline industries. By 2011, Alberta was ranked one of the top three investment opportunities compared to similar jurisdictions based on the combined tax and royalty rates for natural gas and conventional oil, thanks in part to the thriving Peace Region. Forestry The Peace Region is one of the top two Alberta regions for the production of forest products, first for employment in the forestry sector, and is the leading producer of pulp, paper and panelboard. The region is host to two major Forestry Management Agreements (FMAs): Weyerhaeuser Grande Prairie FMA, and Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor) FMA. These two FMAs cover nearly two million hectares of land, with over 1.3 million hectares of harvesting land. Agriculture The Peace Region is home to the northernmost agricultural industry in the world, and boasts a unique combination of northern climate, fertile soil, and a watershed fed by glacial runoff. The Peace Region has a reputation for high-quality agricultural products. Because the region is so export dependent, our excellent road and rail networks are a major benefit for agricultural producers in the region. The Peace Region exported all of its canola in 2006, and 97% was shipped through Port Metro Vancouver. Over 70% of wheat from the region was shipped through the Port of Prince Rupert, under direction from the Canadian Wheat Board. The Peace Region’s food grains are commonly pooled with products from the rest of Canada, and are branded as “Canadian” grain. This practice has been important in securing key trade agreements with importers who require large, predictable supply. Chris King Economic Development Officer County of Grande Prairie 780-513-3956 | cking@countygp.ab.ca | http://middleofeverywhere.ca

82 |

2015

Slave Lake

TRIAL BY FIRE Rebuilding of Slave Lake mirrors attitude of an entire region

BY GEOFF KIRBYSON

hen you’ve survived a fire that destroyed onethird of your homes, a couple of churches, the town office, the library and six apartment buildings, you know you have a strong community. The town of Slave Lake has rebounded quite nicely, thank you very much, says its mayor, Tyler Warman. “We have more apartment buildings than before the fire, 80 to 90 per cent of the homes have been rebuilt

Fire ravaged Slave Lake in May 2011, destroying one-third of the town | FIRSTONSITE

and the town office, churches and library have been rebuilt,” he says. “If you didn’t know anything about [the fire] and just came here, you’d never know it happened. We’re just a booming town now.” The Slave Lake region includes the town of Slave Lake, the municipal district of Lesser Slave River and the Sawridge First Nation. The region covers more than 10,000 square kilometres, which is nearly twice the size of Prince Edward Island but with just 1/15th the population.

| 83

Slave Lake’s economy is driven by a quartet of forestry mills, and it wouldn’t be Alberta if there weren’t some oilfield development on the go, too. But there’s even more diversification. Warman says while his town has a population of 7,000, another 4,000 people live within a 15-minute drive. So, with retailers such as Walmart and Canadian Tire, the town is becoming a regional service hub. Tourism is another big industry for the region, he says. Lesser Slave Lake is one of the biggest bodies of water in the province and is ideal for boating and fishing, and there’s plenty of hunting, hiking and golfing to be done, too. The falling price of oil, however, has had a negative impact on the amount of exploration taking place in the region, according to Gerry Allarie, owner of The Brick in Slave Lake and the town’s mayor for six years ending in 2001.

“Right now, we’re not firing on all cylinders with the downturn in the economy and oil. Hopefully, that will turn around in a year,” he says. On the flip side, however, the forestry industry is going full steam, the local mills are adding extra shifts and lumber prices are buoyant. One of the biggest challenges for small business in the region is the inability to bring on significant numbers of temporary foreign workers. Allarie says if 1,000 Filipino workers in Slave Lake were lost, it would be devastating for the hotel, restaurant and service industries. “Some of the mills have a significant amount of foreign workers, too. Then all you do [in response] is start stealing other people’s employees and driving up other prices. In the long run, that doesn’t work. You can’t sell $5 hamburgers,” he says. 

TYLER WARMAN | MAYOR OF SLAVE LAKE If you didn’t know anything about [the fire] and just came here, you’d never know it happened. We’re just a booming town now

Slave Lake today: 80 to 90 per cent of the homes and the town office, churches and library have been rebuilt, with help from volunteers from across the region, the province and the country | JWD PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK

84 |

2015

South Central

STRONG WINDS – AND FUNDAMENTALS South Central Alberta welcomes green and traditional power

BY DARAH HANSEN

H Potatoes are a $1 billion annual business in Alberta with 55,700 acres under the crop | SHUTTERSTOCK

istorians interested in Canada’s rich First Nations cultures may already know of one of its most famous landmarks: Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park in the Milk River Valley of South Central Alberta contains the largest concentration of rock carvings and paintings (or petroglyphs and pictographs) on the Great Plains of North America. It’s a major attraction in the region and among the most

popular. An estimated 550,000 visitors flock annually to the area, a national historic site, to take in both the stunning natural surroundings and the masterful work produced by the Blackfoot and Shoshone tribes more than 8,000 years ago. Tourism is considered a major economic driver in the region, but it is by no means the only one. In the economic region of Southgrow – made up of 20 rural communities surrounding, but excluding, the city of Lethbridge – agriculture is still king.

| 85

Productive farmland frames the 20 communities of South Central Alberta | MURATART/ SHUTTERSTOCK

86 |

2015

South Central

Cattle is big business in the region, which has some of the largest ranches in Alberta | SHUTTERSTOCK Rogers Sugar and Lantic Sugar factory near Taber: the fertile South Central region produces 61% of Alberta’s vegetables, including sugar beets | SOUTH CENTRAL REGION

From potatoes and sugar beets to alfalfa and wheat crops, “we pretty well grow everything in this region as we are blessed to have many miles of irrigation canals,” says Pete Lovering, regional economic manager. The region produces 61 per cent of Alberta’s vegetable crop, according to the Southgrow Regional Initiative.

There are more than 3,200 farms operating in the area, as well as some of the largest cattle and other livestock ranches in the country. The region also counts oil and gas production among its most robust industries. But the sunny climate and flat landscape, inviting strong, gusting winds, makes it equally well suited to sustainable energy development. There are currently four wind farms in the region, including Blackspring Ridge, Western Canada’s largest turbine project, located in Vulcan County. The largest city in the South Central region is Lethbridge, a regional hub of about 90,400 residents and a key centre on the north-south corridor with air, rail and highway service. Lethbridge remains an affordable city compared to other urban centres in Alberta, with the average price of a detached home just under $250,000, according to the Alberta Real Estate Association. But it’s not the home prices that continue to attract newcomers, says Lovering. It’s the jobs. At 3.4 per cent, the region’s jobless rate is among the lowest in Alberta. “It is safe to say that employment opportunities abound in this area in all job classifications,” Lovering says. 

| 87

2015

Southwest

STRADDLING SADDLES AND BORDERS The Southwest is proud cattle country, with a tinge of high tech

BY FRANK O’BRIEN

rom ski hills to golf courses to a stunning international park that straddles two nations, Alberta’s Southwest region has growing capacity to market itself as a go-to destination. Indeed, it’s not just tourists that those in charge of local economic development are after. “If we can sell the idea that people can come here and live in a log cabin by the creek and still do their high-tech

or consulting business, I think that could be appealing to people,” says Bev Thornton, executive director of Alberta SouthWest Regional Alliance. “The region really holds opportunity for the entrepreneur who is making a lifestyle choice,” she says. The region encompasses group of 15 rural communities with a population of just over 33,000 residents, spread out over an area of 16,705 square kilometres. The five major centres, Nanton, Claresholm, Fort Macleod, Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass, range from 2,000 to

Strong, persistent prairie winds have encouraged the development of four wind power farms in the region | DAVID THOMSON

88 |

2015

Southwest

The annual rodeo draws large crowds and international competitors to Pincher Creek | REMY SCALZA

5,500 in population. The Southwest is one of Alberta’s largest agricultural regions, accounting for between five and six per cent of the cattle and calves, hogs, hens and chicken raised in the entire province. In addition, there are over one million

acres of cropland growing everything from barley and wheat to canola, hay and alfalfa. The Shell Canada Waterton gas complex processes more than 5.5 million cubic metres of raw gas each day into methane, propane, butane, condensate and sulphur. In 2012, the plant celebrated its 50th anniversary in Pincher Creek. While the region was built on natural resources, a new potential is found in “green” energy. The Southwest region is an advantageous location for the solar industry, with high amounts of year-round sunshine. Southwest Alberta is the site of the first commercial wind farm in Canada, and currently there are over 540 megawatts of wind energy connected to the power grid. Of the 70 wind development projects under construction in Canada, a large portion can be found in Alberta’s Southwest. Without a doubt, however, the region’s geography is its most enticing character trait. From sweeping prairie grasslands to the Rocky Mountains, it doesn’t get much better in terms of vistas. The region is also home to Waterton Lakes National Park, a 505-square-kilometre wilderness area that borders Glacier National Park in Montana to the south. Waterton and Glacier parks were combined in 1932 to form the world’s first International Peace Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

AlbertA SouthWeSt Alberta SouthWest … a landscape of opportunities

WHERE THE PRAIRIES MEET THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS... • 15 VIBRANT COMMUNITIES • SUNNY DAYS AND STARRY NIGHTS • WARM CHINOOK BREEZES • BREATHTAKING VISTAS

INVEST IN ALBERTA SW: A LANDSCAPE OF OPPORTUNITIES... READ ABOUT THE MANY TOURISM INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SOUTHWEST ALBERTA INDUSTRY REPORT - AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

WWW.ALBERTASOUTHWEST.COM 1-888-627-3373

he economy of the southwest corner of Alberta is based upon tourism and geotourism, energy, alternative energy and agriculture. Alberta SouthWest has more sunshine than anywhere in Canada; stars shine brilliantly at night and chinook winds warm the winters. The birthplace of the wind industry in Canada, the region is also where the prairies meet the Rocky Mountains, creating dramatic vistas, great open spaces, and outdoor adventure recreation opportunities. Market research indicates that significant tourism demand is also generated by heritage, arts and culture attractions. Alberta SouthWest is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, outstanding provincial historic sites, parks and a wide variety of attractions and events. In 2007, National Geographic identified the “Crown of the Continent” region as a significant, unique and authentic geotourism destination. Southwest Alberta forms the northeast corner of this larger international region, comprised of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, and the surrounding areas of British Columbia and Montana. Collaboration with National Geographic has resulted in geotourism mapguide and website www.crownofthecontinent.net. This transboundary partnership holds great potential for continued tourism development. Regional collaboration among 15 vibrant rural communities strives to support local business and attract new enterprise to the region. There is continued demand for campgrounds, cabins and RV parks as well as ski hill expansions. Opportunities are featured in more detail in a Government of Alberta investment document that can be viewed at www.albertasouthwest.com Enjoy photos, videos, community information in your virtual tour of the websites. And, please plan to visit in person!

Economic DEvElopmEnt lEthbriDgE ANNUAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: Lethbridge Census Agglomeration (CA)

5 4 3 2 1 For example, Great Britain is believed to have gone through their Take Off period between 1783 to 1802 when the population reached an estimated 10.5 million. The United States went through the Take Off period between 1843 and 1860 with a population that grew from 17 million to 31.4 million (84.7% increase). Riding on the same wave of immigration, Canada’s Take Off period ranges between 1896 to 1914 when population grew from 3.69 million to approximately 8 million (116.8% increase). Following on that, Great Britain reached Maturity by 1850, the United States by 1900 and Canada by 1950. Using Rostow’s model, it is reasonable to assume that all of these economies have now moved into the High Mass Consumption stage. In Canada in 2013, this was demonstrable: in comparison to the traditional goods-producing industries, the portion of Canada’s GDP in service-producing industries (one of the criteria of a High Mass Consumption economy) was 70% and the portion of employment in service-producing industries was 78%. As we now understand economic development, Rostow’s stages took citizens through improvements in per capita income, standard of living and purchasing power. In reviewing the theories of economic development, it is clear that the original premise of 20th century economic development was to increase growth in order to achieve full employment. With rapidly growing populations due to high birth rates and strong immigration from improved transportation, employment was foundational to quality of life and improved standards of living. The challenge with this premise now is that full employment has

2012

2013

2010

2011

2008

2009

2007

2005

2006

2003

2004

2002

2000

2001

1998

1999

1996

1997

1995

1993

1994

1991

1992

1989

1990

n the 1960’s, American economic historian W.W. Rostow developed a model suggesting that countries pass through five stages of economic development. According to Rostow, moving through the stages requires substantial investment in capital. There is also a correlation with population growth and skill development.

1988

What is the purpose of 21st Century economic development?

1987

‒ Full Employment Considered 5% Unemployment 12% 11% 10% 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0%

become the norm, particularly in resource-rich Alberta. The graph above shows that, even though Lethbridge is not in the vortex of Alberta’s non-renewable resource economy, unemployment rates since 1995 have been below 8% (with the exception of 2010’s recessionary impact) and, in fact, have been below the accepted ‘full employment’ benchmark of 5% for a number of those years. We’ve seen the strain in Lethbridge. In particular, it is notable that during the boom of 2005 to 2008, low labour availability actually resulted in a 2005 decline in GDP as companies were unable to find the labour they needed fast enough to take full advantage of the booming business environment. Even though GDP improved again after 2005, it is likely the labour shortage restricted the potential GDP opportunity throughout that full period of time. Full employment and labour shortages are predicted to continue into the foreseeable future, begging the question “What is the 21st century purpose of economic development?” New models of economic development are being considered around the world. The New Economics Foundation (UK) and the New Economics Institute (US) are just two organizations working on more dynamic models of economic development. Their work emphasizes that the quality of jobs, not the quantity, is key. This is because the current expectations for standard of living improvement generally encompass Quality of Life measures, not just ‘having a job’. These organizations are suggesting the following as possible metrics in addition to the more familiar business-driven metrics of GDP, job creation, capital investment, etc.: • Levels of literacy and income equality • Accessible health, education, sports and cultural facilities • Number of people living below the poverty line and measures taken to reduce • Status of women, children and minorities • Fiscal and environmental sustainability On this basis, Economic Development Lethbridge (EDL) has placed more emphasis for the next four years on economic strength and diversity combined with quality of life than in previous years. Our purpose is to facilitate the success of others and act as a catalyst for investment and growth within our city and across the province. On this basis, our 20152018 strategy is to move Lethbridge forward as a ‘first-class small city’ designed for the 21st century. Contact: Cheryl Dick, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Development Lethbridge 403-331-0022 www.chooselethbridge.ca

Lethbridge County Let us introduce ourselves… ethbridge County is a rural municipality surrounding the City of Lethbridge in southern Alberta. Located a two hours’ drive south of Calgary and forty minutes north of a 24-hour Canada-US border crossing, the County is home to more than 10,000 residents (but with a regional labour market of more than 100,000). Originally agriculturally-based, Lethbridge County has diversified its economic portfolio to include agri-food processing, commercial and industrial parks, road/ rail/air transportation services, alternative energy, and an emerging bioindustrial sector. We believe very strongly in regional partnerships and seek to work closely with the City of Lethbridge and the surrounding rural municipalities on projects of mutual interest whenever possible.

What is happening here – sustainability, community and long-term prosperity Like most parts of Alberta, Lethbridge County is growing, but at a steady and sustainable rate. A key part of the County’s future planning involves looking ahead to ensure that decisions being made today will be positive not only in the short term but in the decades to come. With the stability that comes from this philosophy, many businesses have found Lethbridge County to be an ideal location to establish themselves, expand their operations and prosper. Another key long-term strength for the County is its close relationship with both the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College, which supply a young, well-educated and diverse pool of workers into the local job market, and opportunities for project and research collaboration. Collaboration with these post-secondary institutions allows the County to pursue development in

non-traditional, high-tech sectors like alternative/renewable energy, bioindustrials, and pharmaceuticals. Agriculture continues to be the major economic sector for Lethbridge County but ongoing research and technological advances are opening up new possibilities and opportunities that would have been considered fanciful a generation ago. From the use of robots and drones in and over farm fields, to non-traditional crops and markets, agriculture has changed a lot in less than a generation. The County’s highly developed transportation network, particularly in highways and rail service, allows all products, whether agricultural or from another sector to arrive and depart quickly and efficiently to all points of the compass. Lethbridge County is proud that its companies supply goods and services not only across Canada, but around the world. See what makes Lethbridge County special and join us! Lethbridge County is strongly pro-business, valuing not only the existing companies that have chosen to locate here but also looking for new ‘partners in prosperity’ for future success. Why don’t you contact us and see how Lethbridge County could be your company’s next home, and perhaps one of the best decisions you might make? Here’s how to get started: Martin Ebel, Economic Development Officer, Lethbridge County Toll-free NA: (855) 728-5525 | E-mail: mebel@lethcounty.ca www.lethcounty.ca

PLANT. CULTIVATE. PROSPER!

We are proud of our heritage as one of the most fertile regions in Western Canada, and the agricultural sector continues to be a key part of our economy. However, Lethbridge County has grown and diversified into many other areas - commercial and industrial enterprises, transportation, agriprocessing, alternative energy and now an emerging bio-industrial sector. We want new companies to plant their roots locally and experience all the County has to offer!

A rich harvest doesn’t happen by accident – it involves hard work, perseverance and the right conditions for the crop. At Lethbridge County we understand that for our businesses to be successful, we need to ensure that they have a supportive, stable environment where they can thrive. Our competitive tax rate, diverse land portfolio, excellent transportation links (by road, rail, and air), and proximity to the US border make for prime conditions for businesses to grow and reach their goals.

Contact Martin Ebel, Economic Development Officer Toll Free North America: (855) 728-5525, mebel@lethcounty.ca

At Lethbridge County, we are proud of our family of businesses and what they are accomplishing. Perhaps the best indicator that we have a great business environment that so many of our companies continue to expand their operations, adding capacity, product lines, or even new divisions. That said, we welcome new businesses that see the great opportunities for growth in Lethbridge County, and want to be part of our success story!

Join us!

| 91

2015

West Yellowhead

KING COAL HAS CONTENDERS As Coalspur holds fire on a major mine, a strong economy continues to expand

BY FRANK O’BRIEN

est Yellowhead is the source of about 33 per cent of forest products in Alberta and is the leading producer of lumber. The area, which ranges from the B.C. border to the near centre of Alberta, is also the third-largest producer of conventional crude oil and the third-largest natural gas producer in the province. With Jasper and Grande Cache included among its top 10 towns, tourism is also a major industry in the area. Hinton and Edson, both with populations in the 9,000 range, are major west-east transportation hubs. And then there is the potential of king coal’s comeback.

Mining giant Coalspur, which has offices in Hinton, Australia and Vancouver, had planned to construct the Vista mine near Hinton starting in June 2014. When it goes ahead, the mine would generate $870 million and have a 30-year mine life. The Alberta Energy Regulator approved Vista earlier this year. Of 26 conditions attached to the project dealing with environmental, socio-economic and land use issues, 10 are to be met within five years. Coalspur has previously stated its plan to begin shipping six million tonnes by mid-2016, eventually expanding to 12 million tonnes. But, in the face of falling coal prices, the Vista mine plan has been shelved until markets improve. The potential of a $870 million coal mine near Hinton – approved but currently on hold – is among the economic highlights of the West Yellowhead region | SHUTTERSTOCK

92 |

2015

West Yellowhead

A third of all Alberta forest products are produced in West Yellowhead mills | MORENO SOPPELSASHUTTERSTOCK

The ski hills of Jasper on the western edge of the West Yellowhead help to draw thousands of tourists to the region every year | IM

“Coal markets remain challenging, and this continues to hamper efforts to deliver a fully funded financing package,” Coalspur’s community relations adviser told a meeting in Hinton. “Due to the delays in both securing full funding and all permits for Vista, we no longer intend to commence construction as we had planned. Our major contractors are aware of this delay and are working with us and remain committed.” Metallurgical coal, used in steelmaking and mined near

Hinton, has dropped from a high of over US$300 per tonne in late 2011 to $120 per tonne this year. Still, other industries are keeping the West Yellowhead region growing. The population was 67,614 in the 2011 census, up 2.7 per cent from five years earlier. The oil and gas industry, which accounts for 16 per cent of the West Yellowhead workforce, remains stable, and tourism and forestry also contribute to the economy. 

PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK

Located within the recep�ve community of Drayton Valley, Alberta, the Clean Energy and Technology Centre is opening soon to accelerate your bio‐business from innova�on to commercializa�on

Clean Energy & Technology Centre Home to the Bio-Mile

Clean Energy & Technology Centre Drayton Valley, AB admin@draytonvalley.ca www.draytonvalley.ca 780.514.2562

drayton valley Welcome to Drayton Valley, Home of the Bio-Mile

he concept of a Bio-Industrial Cluster is grown out of existing organizations in other areas however the application in a rural setting is what sets Drayton Valley’s Bio-Mile apart from others. Established on a partnerships, the theory is to have a group of industry’s pulling together to minimize waste material; one company’s waste is another one’s fuel. Thereby decreasing the carbon footprint and generating a community atmosphere within businesses. Clean Energy Technology Centre A key component to the Drayton Valley Bio-Mile is the Clean Energy Technology Centre (CETC). It will be a place where innovation converges to explore the realms of what is known. Whether it is training individuals towards a future career within existing industry or within the possibilities of the bio-industry or to assist an entrepreneur with a concept while they mold it into a business, the CETC will be a guiding force. Through the CETC, organizations, businesses, and individuals will have access to the space and resources needed to advance to their development. Partnerships are being forged between the Town of Drayton Valley and education institutions such as Norquest College and NAIT. By acting as a concierge for academia and industry, the Clean Energy Technology Centre will be the catalyst in creating and delivering programming to meet the increasing demand for highly-skilled and educated labour force. Bring us your ideas, let us guide you, the future is now – find out how: Kristina Vallee, Bio-Mile Coordinator, admin@draytonvalley.ca, 780.514.2562

town of hinton Seek Better Days in Hinton, AB n the West Yellowhead region, Hinton is the hub of activity and opportunity: the community’s diverse and stable economy ensures that quality of life is high. The low tax rates, the location on major transportation routes and the supportive community offer the best possible environment for business success. Hinton offers promising career opportunities in a variety of fields due to the many strong and successful industries located in and around town. Hinton’s economy includes coal mining, oil and gas, tourism, a pulp mill, a saw mill, forestry research and training. According to the 2013 “Hinton 2040 Community Sustainability Plan Outcomes and Measures Report,” Hinton’s economy is stable because no one industry makes up more than 25% of jobs. Since 1996, Hinton has shown a movement to less concentration on a few industries and to more economic diversity. Hinton’s Economic Development and Housing Manager, Kimberley Worthington explains, “This versatile and expansive economic base and above-average household income means that other businesses can thrive as well. Not only is Hinton open for business, but it is vibrant with breathtaking scenery and endless opportunities, making our community a strong consideration for employers who value a high quality of life for their staff.” With installation of the new TELUS Fibre Optic network, Worthington says Hinton is looking to attract technology, innovation and research industries to expand or relocate to the thriving community. Businesses will be better positioned to operate locally and compete globally by having access to the best technology available, including the fastest internet speeds that TELUS has to offer, as well as a range of cloud-base services. For many organizations, providing quality work/life balance has

become an expectation of their employees. Imagine trading in an hourlong daily commute for a 15 minute bike ride; envision cross-country skiing on lunch breaks, or walking on the extensive trail system Hinton maintains; picture living and working in a welcoming, opportunity-rich town in the Alberta Northern Rockies. Work/life balance is what Hinton does best. The marriage of employment and business opportunity, with outdoor recreational assets, as well as regional services for education, healthcare, and retail, make Hinton an appealing choice for staff and organizations looking to relocate or expand. Many organizations are open to progressive human resource practices, such as telecommuting and shift work; having the access to the best technology available supports this movement. “Hinton’s strong economy allows us to maintain a small-town feel while offering desired amenities,” Worthington explained. “With a variety of accommodations, meeting facilities, financial institutions, national and unique stores, as well as restaurants to choose from, you’ll find everything you need in Hinton.”

Deliver your peak performance

Commute with other trailblazers

For business in Hinton the sky’s the limit!

780 865 6004

Venture Hinton www.venturehinton.ca

venture@hinton.ca

94 |

2015

Wood Buffalo

CANADA’S TREASURE The oilsands capital is a dynamic urban centre next to one of the largest oil deposits on the planet

BY NOA NICHOL

t’s no wonder that the Wood Buffalo region, claiming nearly 65,000 square kilometres on Alberta’s eastern edge, is considered one of Canada’s greatest economic treasures. The area, home to more than 116,000 residents (and counting), boasts one of the world’s largest oil reserves and supports several major forestry operations facilities to boot. Thanks to its stunning natural

Imperial Oil’s Kearl oilsands plant, located about 75 kilometres northeast of Fort McMurray: 4.6 billion barrels of bitumen and a lifespan of more than 40 years | CNW GROUP/IMPERIAL OIL LTD.

surroundings, it also attracts adventure-seekers from around the globe with breathtaking travel and tourism opportunities. To start: oil and gas. Wood Buffalo is practically synonymous with the oilsands. In fact, the rich Athabasca deposits in the heart of the region have fuelled unprecedented local growth in recent years. According to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, the next two decades include no less than $500 billion in combined

| 95

Fort McMurray, Alberta’s iconic boom town, has matured into a vibrant community attracting families and a steady stream of investments | WOOD BUFFALO REGION

The new Fort McMurray International Airport opened June 9, 2014. The $258 million facility is five times larger than its predecessor | FORT MCMURRAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

oilsands investment, with annual operational expenditures set to grow to a whopping $23.1 billion in 2030. The sands are also generating and diversifying growth of other industries and areas of commerce. New technologies and innovations resulting from oilsands operations are setting standards for similar operations around the world. And, as the energy industry matures, a greater proportion of goods and services to support oilsands activity can be sourced from within the regional economy, rather than imported in from elsewhere. Other resource industries are also flourishing in Wood Buffalo. Several major forestry operations facilities exist in the area, including Northland Forest Products Ltd., which outputs no less than 225,000 board feet a day in a sustainable, environmentally thoughtful manner. Both Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc. and Millar Western Forest Products Ltd. hold timber rights in the region, too. But Wood Buffalo isn’t all work and no play. The outdoor recreation opportunities here are virtually endless, from world-class rapids at Fort Fitzgerald to wildlife – bison, whooping cranes – and other attractions in Canada’s largest national park, Wood Buffalo. Indeed, the oilsands site itself is a sight to see for visitors who want to learn about reclamation technology. Eager to display their production prowess and environmental initiatives, many energy companies are offering tours through Fort McMurray Tourism. A recent and exciting development in the Wood Buffalo region that promises to boost economic activity across sectors is the new terminal at Fort McMurray International Airport, which opened June 9, 2014. Not only is the $258 million, 161,458-square-foot facility five times

larger than its predecessor, it boasts a one-of-a-kind, environmentally sustainable facility built specifically for the northern climate. “Our economic impact extends outside of airport property,” says Scott Clements, president and CEO of the Fort McMurray Airport Authority. “We connect the people who live and work here to other Canadian urban centres and economies around the world.” 

wood buffalo: a dynamic investment community

or investors looking for a solid opportunity, Wood Buffalo is it. One of the fastest growing regions in Canada, Fort McMurray is a community made up of smart, energetic and ambitious people, who are optimistic about the future. From innovative businesses to opportunities in the oil industry, Wood Buffalo presents a unique investment outlook that is bright and secure.

The Future Is Now Currently, nearly two thirds of our households earn more than double the national average income, and while there are great developments already moving forward, the desire for more innovative businesses keeps growing. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is actively working with investors and entrepreneurs in the public and private sectors to develop opportunities, connecting energetic and ambitious business people with likeminded investors. By the most reasonable expectations, our region is expected to create 50,000 permanent jobs in the coming years, bringing in excess of 125,000 new residents – all of whom will be exploring ways to put their hard earned money back into the local economy. From parents with kids looking for recreational activities, to residents hungry for new restaurants, cafes, and other service-based businesses, the desire for an increasingly dynamic community is palpable. But it isn’t only service-based businesses with great potential here. Technology innovators developing potentially game-changing software are connecting with the oil sands industry to bring even more opportunity to the region. Ambitious entrepreneurs working in the creative sector are developing new media. And countless other smart, entrepreneurial people are developing projects that will contribute to not only Wood

Buffalo, but also communities across Canada and around the world. Proven Investment Landscape The Wood Buffalo investment market is vibrant and sought after. With municipal initiatives opening the door for several new projects, we have diverse range of commercial and industrial developments nearing completion. Projects currently underway include Parsons Creek, a mixed housing development that will become home to more than 24,000 residents – helping facilitate our growth and increasing population. Our recently completed airport expansion will be supported by the Prairie Creek Business Park with industrial and commercial services such as hotels, restaurants and other industry related businesses. Despite being a relatively small but growing community, Fort McMurray was rated 4th among Canada’s leading entrepreneurial cities by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses – something that is expected to continue as our population and economy continues its rise upward. But there is always more to do. If you’re an investor looking for opportunities to get involved with the dynamic and secure Region of Wood Buffalo, now is the time. We are dedicated to connecting financiers with entrepreneurs, dreamers with the people who can help make dream become reality and innovators with ambitious investors who recognize the amazing potential of our region. Contact For more information, please call 1.855.WB.ECDEV (1.888.923.2338) Www.choosewoodbuffalo.ab.ca or economic.development@woodbuffalo.ab.ca

Set Your Goals Higher in Wood Buffalo. By any calculation the numbers here add up to success on a truly extraordinary scale. It starts with a household income more than twice the national average. When you combine that income with a young average age and one of the highest population growth rates in the country what you get is opportunity – opportunity far beyond what you will find anywhere else in Canada.

BOLD INNOVATIVE GROWTH – the Wood Buffalo Way Visit www.choosewoodbuffalo.ca or call 1.855.WB.ECDEV (1.855.923.2338) for more info.

| 97

2015

MEMBERS Michael Aiken Economic Development Coordinator Regional Economic Development Initiative for Northwest Alberta PO Box 1289, High Prairie, AB Canada T0G 1E0 p: 780-523-2594 ext. 104 e: redimanager@rediregion.ca

Raja Bajwa Senior Business Consultant City of Edmonton 8th Floor, HSBC Bank Pl., 10250 – 101 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 3P4 p: 780-496-5017 e: raja.bajwa@edmonton.ca

Bob Bezpalko Executive Director Northeast Alberta Information HUB 5015 – 49 Ave., St. Paul, AB Canada T0A 3A4 p: 780-645-1155 e: bobbezpalko@albertahub.com www.albertahub.com

Eric Burton Economic Development Specialist Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 3rd Floor, 639 5 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 0M9 p: 403-998-8843 e: eric.burton@gov.ab.ca

Gunnar Albrecht Flagstaff County 12435 Township Rd. 442, PO Box 358, Sedgewick, AB Canada T0B 4C0 e: galbrecht@flagstaff.ab.ca

Laura Barfoot Tourism/Economic Development Officer Athabasca County 3602 – 48 Ave., Athabasca, AB Canada T9S 1M8 p: 780-675-2273 e: lbarfoot@athabascacounty.com athabascacounty.com

Audrey Bjorklund Community Development Manager Clear Hills County Box 240, Worsley, AB Canada T0H 3W0 p: 780-685-3925 e: audrey@clearhillscounty.ab.ca www.clearhillscounty.ab.ca

Brenda Campbell EDO Town of Irricana 260 – 1 Ave., Irricana, AB Canada T0M 1B0 p: 403-955-4672 e: bcampbell@irricana.com www.irricana.com

Shay Barker Executive Director Battle River Alliance for Economic Development Box 373, Killam, AB Canada T0B 2L0 e: shay.barker@braedalberta.ca

Paul Blais Principal Millier Dickinson Blais 201 – 993 Princess St., Kingston, ON Canada K7L 1H3 p: 855-367-3535 ext. 241 e: pblais@millierdickinsonblais.com www.millierdickinsonblais.com

Roxanne Carr Mayor Strathcona County 2001 Sherwood Dr., Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 3W7 p: 780-464-8002 e: roxanne.carr@strathcona.ca

Jonathan Allan Economic Development Officer Town of Sundre 717 Main Ave. W, Box 420, Sundre, AB Canada T0M 1X0 p: 403-638-3551 ext. 111 e: jon.a@sundre.com Dawna Allard Regional Manager, South Central Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 2nd Floor, 4920 – 51 St., Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 6K8 p: 403-340-5302 e: dawna.allard@gov.ab.ca

Renae Barlow Director, Business Development & Marketing Economic Development Lethbridge 308 Stafford Dr. S, Lethbridge, AB Canada T1J 2L1 p: 403-331-0022 e: renae@chooselethbridge.ca www.chooselethbridge.ca

John Andersen Senior Project Officer, Strategic Initiatives Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education 5th Floor, Commerce Pl., 10155 – 102 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 4L6 p: 780-644-1868 e: john.andersen@gov.ab.ca

Dale Barr Executive Director / EDA Trainer Central Alberta Economic Partnership B102, Suite 354, 5212 – 48 St., Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 7C3 p: 403-704-4266 e: dale.barr@telus.net

Heather Anderson Economic Development Officer Woodlands County Box 60, Whitecourt, AB Canada T7S 1N3 p: 780-778-8400 e: heather.anderson@woodlands.ab.ca

Jim Barr President & Founder Seekers Media Inc 7302 – 158 St. NW, Edmonton, AB Canada T5R 2B3 p: 780-983-9913 e: jim@seekers-media.com www.seekers-media.com

Sacha Anderson Community Futures Crowsnest Pass PO Box 818, Blairmore, AB Canada T0K 0E0 p: 403-562-8858 e: sacha@communityfuturescnp.ca Trevor Anderson Economic Development & Tourism Officer Parkland County 53109A Hwy. 779, Parkland County, AB Canada T7Z 1R1 p: 780-968-8888 ext. 8259 e: tanderson@parklandcounty.com www.parklandcounty.com Milad Asdaghi Director of Community and Economic Development Town of Devon 1 Columbia Ave., Devon, AB Canada T9G 1A1 p: 780-987-8330 e: masdaghi@devon.ca Myles Auger Business Development Officer Bigstone Cree Nation Box 960, Wabasca, AB Canada T0G 2K0 p: 780-891-3836 e: myles.auger@bigstone.ca Sandra Badry Economic Development Coordinator Red Deer County 38106 Range Rd. 275, Red Deer County, AB Canada T4S 2L9 p: 403-350-2170 ext. 284 e: sbadry@rdcounty.ca www.rdcounty.ca

Scott Barton Chief Administrative Officer Town of Raymond PO Box 629, 15 Broadway S, Raymond, AB Canada T0K 2E0 p: 403-752-3322 e: scottbarton@raymond.ca Rick Bastow Manager, North East Region Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 5025 – 49 Ave., St. Paul, AB Canada T0A 3A4 p: 780-427-8116 e: rick.bastow@gov.ab.ca Mark Baxter Outlook Market Research & Consulting Ltd. 1455 Toshack Rd., West St. Paul, MB Canada R4A 8A6 p: 204-229-8190 e: outlook@outlookmarketresearch.com www.outlookmarketresearch.com Jeff Bell Industry Development Officer, Clean Energy and Bio-refining Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Building F-83, 6020 – 118th St., Edmonton, AB Canada T6G 2E1 p: 780-638-3158 e: jeff.bell@gov.ab.ca

Sean Blewett Manager Community Futures Chinook 5324 – 48 Ave., Taber, AB Canada T1G 1S2 p: 403-388-2923 e: wsteinborn@albertacf.com chinook.albertacf.com Guy Boston Executive Director City of St. Albert 29 Sir Winston Churchill Ave., St. Albert, AB Canada T8N 0G3 p: 780-459-1631 e: gboston@st-albert.net Dean Bradford Director, Community Services Woodlands County Box 60, 1 Woodlands Lane, Whitecourt, AB Canada T7S 1N3 p: 780-778-8400 e: dean.bradford@woodlands.ab.ca George Brosseau Sr. Director, Strategic Initiatives Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 5th Floor, 10155 – 102 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 4L6 p: 780-427-0802 e: george.brosseau@gov.ab.ca Aubrey Brown Executive Director Stettler Regional Board of Trade and Community Development 6606 – 50 Ave., Stettler, AB Canada T0C 2L2 p: 403-742-3181 e: executivedirector@stettlerboardoftrade.com Jacqueline Buchanan Economic Development Town of Three Hills 135 – 2nd Ave. SE, Three Hills, AB Canada T0M 2A0 p: 403-443-5822 e: jbuchanan@threehills.ca www.threehills.ca Kenn Bur City of Leduc 1 Alexandra Park, Leduc, AB Canada T9E 4C4 e: kbur@leduc.ca

Rhonda Carter Economic Development Officer Town of Whitecourt 5004 – 52 Ave., Box 509, Whitecourt, AB Canada T7S 1N6 p: 780-778-2273 e: rhondacarter@whitecourt.ca Sara Chamberlain Economic Development Officer Airdrie Economic Development 400 Main St. SE, Airdrie, AB Canada T4B 3C3 p: 403-948-8800 ext. 8455 e: sara.chamberlain@airdrie.ca www.airdrienow.ca Adena Cheverie Economic & Community Development Officer Mountain View County Postal Bag 100, Didsbury, AB Canada T0M 0W0 p: 403-335-3311 e: acheverie@mvcounty.com www.mountainviewcounty.com Tristan DaiHyun Choi EDO, Investment Attraction City of Airdrie 400 Main St. SE, Airdrie, AB Canada T4B 3C3 p: 403-948-8800 ext. 8433 e: tristan.choi@airdrie.ca Darlene Chuka Supply Team Leader Office of Small and Medium Enterprises 10025 Jasper Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 1S6 e: darlene.m.chuka@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca Dean Clark Managing Director Canadian Ventures Inc. 300 – 5 Richard Way SW, Calgary, AB Canada T3E 7M8 p: 403-269-1114 e: dean@cdnventures.com www.cdnventures.com Lisa Clement Regional Office Manager Northern Gateway Pipelines 253 City Centre, Kitimat, BC Canada V8C 1T6 p: 250-632-5431 e: lisa.clement@enbridge.com

98 |

2015

Members

Alanna Comeau Business & Tourism Development Town of High River 102 120 4th Ave. SE, High River, AB Canada T1V 1G8 p: 403-603-3537 e: acomeau@highriver.ca

Trevor Davison Managing Principal O2 Planning + Design 510 255 17 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2S 2T8 p: 403-228-1336 e: trevor.davison@o2design.com www.o2design.com

Wanda Compton Manager of Economic Development & Communications Brazeau County 7401 Twp. Rd. 494, Drayton Valley, AB Canada T7A 1R1 p: 780-542-7777 e: wcompton@brazeau.ab.ca brazeau.ab.ca

Paul Deleske Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) Calgary, AB Canada p: 403-539-2576 e: paul.deleske@aeso.ca

Matthew Cornall Investment Attraction Officer Central Alberta: Access Prosperity Box 5005, 100 College Blvd., Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 5H5 p: 403-342-3103 e: matt.cornall@accessprosperity.ca www.accessprosperity.ca Alina Cotovanu Student Calgary, AB Canada e: rusalimi@yahoo.com Ron Cox General Manager Community Futures Wild Rose Box 2159, 101 – 331-3 Ave., Strathmore, AB Canada T1P 1K2 p: 403-934-6488 e: wildrose@cfwildrose.ca Bob Cromwell Community and Tourism Development Cromwell Consulting Box 2192, Drumheller, AB Canada T0J 0Y0 p: 403-820-4277 e: bobbycrom@gmail.com Moses Dada Student Athabasca University 121 Sherwood Circle, Calgary, AB Canada T3R 1R7 p: 403-275-7190 e: tobadada@gmail.com Sara Dahlman Bookkeeper Dahlman Bookkeeping 219 Cannell Pl. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2W 1T6 p: 403-629-6578 e: sara.dahlman@shaw.ca www.edaalberta.ca Jerilynn Daniels Sr. Manager, Community Investments & Marketing, Public Affairs RBC 24th Floor, 335 – 8 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 1C9 p: 403-503-6186 e: jerilynn.daniels@rbc.com Ray Darwent Knowledge Exchange Coordinator Canadian Forest Service 5320 – 122 St. NW, Edmonton, AB Canada T6H 3S5 p: 780-435-7279 e: ray.darwent@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca Larry Davidson CAO Town of Fairview PO Box 730, 10209 – 109 St., Fairview, AB Canada T0H 1L0 p: 780-835-5461 e: cao@fairview.ca Kelly Davies President Animatters Animation & Design Studios Inc. 394 Nottingham Blvd., Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 5Z4 p: 780-970-0334 e: kelly@animatters.com animatters.com

03_INVEST IN AB 2015 List Addition.indd 98

Wanda Diakow EDO Special Area 4 Box 220, Consort, AB Canada T0C 1B0 p: 403-577-3523 e: wanda.diakow@specialareas.ab.ca www.specialareas.ab.ca Dan Dibbelt Executive Director Peace Region Economic Development Alliance 10128 95 Ave., Grande Prairie, AB Canada T8V 0L4 p: 780-527-6232 e: dandibbelt@hotmail.com Cheryl Dick CEO Economic Development Lethbridge 308 Stafford Dr. S, Lethbridge, AB Canada T1J 2L1 p: 403-331-0022 e: cheryl@chooselethbridge.ca www.chooselethbridge.ca Dayna Dickens Business and Tourism Development Coordinator Town of High River 309B Macleod Trail SW, High River, AB Canada T1V 1Z5 p: 403-603-3536 e: ddickens@highriver.ca Helen Dietz CAO Town of Innisfail 4943 – 53 St., Innisfail, AB Canada T4G 1A1 p: 403-227-3376 e: carmela.erickson@innisfail.ca www.innisfail.ca Gary Duffett Economic Development Officer Town of Provost Box 449, Provost, AB Canada T0B 3S0 p: 780-753-2261 e: edo@townofprovost.ca townofprovost.ca Sandra Duxbury Senior Director, International Strategy and Planning Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 5th Floor, Commerce Pl., 10155 – 102 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 4L6 e: sandra.duxbury@gov.ab.ca Kim Dyke Economic Development Officer Slave Lake Regional Tri-Council PO Box 1030, Slave Lake, AB Canada T0G 2A0 p: 780-849-8034 e: kimd@slavelake.ca Bob Dyrda Alberta SouthWest Regional Alliance Box 3041, Pincher Creek, AB Canada T0K 1W0 p: 403-432-0342 e: bobdyrda@gmail.com Patrick Earl Economic Development Manager Town of Bon Accord 5025 – 50 Ave., Box 779, Bon Accord, AB Canada T0A 0K0 p: 780-921-3550 e: pkearl@bonaccord.ca www.bonaccord.ca

Maureen Easton Economic Development Officer Vegreville Economic Development & Tourism 106 – 4925 50th Ave., Box 640, Vegreville, AB Canada T9C 1R7 p: 780-632-3891 e: measton@vegreville.com www.vegreville.com Martin Ebel Economic Development Officer Lethbridge County 100, 905 – 4th Ave. S, Lethbridge, AB Canada T1J 4E4 p: 403-317-6052 e: mebel@lethcounty.ca www.lethcounty.ca Jodie Eckert CED Coordinator Community Futures Centre West 3209 2nd Floor, Building B, 101 Sunset Dr., Cochrane, AB Canada T4C 0B4 p: 403-932-5220 ext. 321 e: jeckert@albertacf.com centrewest.albertacf.com Court Ellingson Manager Research and Community Sustainability Calgary Economic Development 731 – 1 St. SE, Calgary, AB Canada T2G 2G9 p: 403-221-7892 e: cellingson@calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com Linda Erickson Regional Manager Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 105, 200 – 5th Ave. S, Lethbridge, AB Canada T1J 4L1 p: 403-381-5414 e: linda.erickson@gov.ab.ca www.southgrow.com Mike Erickson Economic Development Officer City of Fort Saskatchewan 10005 – 102 St., Fort Saskatchewan, AB Canada T8L 2C5 p: 780-992-6278 e: merickson@fortsask.ca www.fortsask.ca Leona Esau Economic Development Officer City of Airdrie 400 Main St. SE, Airdrie, AB Canada T4B 3C3 p: 403-948-8800 ext. 8769 e: leona.esau@airdrie.ca www.airdrie.ca Kelly Eskeland Coordinator of Strategic Affairs Town of Olds 4512 – 46 St. , Olds, AB Canada T4H 1R5 p: 403-556-6981 e: keskeland@olds.ca www.olds.ca Bea Ewanchuk Senior Social Investment Advisor Shell Canada Ltd. 400 – 4th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 2H5 p: 403-691-2082 e: bea.ewanchuk@shell.com Stefan Felsing Communications Coordinator Yellowhead County 2716 1 Ave., Edson, AB Canada T7E 1N9 p: 1-800-665-6030 e: sfelsing@yellowheadcounty.ab.ca www.yellowheadcounty.ab.ca Jeff Finkle President & CEO International Economic Development Council 900, 735 – 15 St. NW, Washington, DC USA 20005 p: 202-223-7800 e: jfinkle@iedconline.org www.iedconline.org Yvonne Fizer Director of Special Initiatives The Changing Point 6715 95 Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada T6B 1A6 e: yvonne@thechangingpoint.com www.thechangingpoint.com

Jennifer Fossen Economic Development Coordinator Flagstaff County Box 358, Sedgewick, AB Canada T0B 4C0 p: 780-384-4121 e: jfossen@flagstaff.ab.ca Gerry Gabinet Director Strathcona County Economic Development 2001 Sherwood Dr., Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 3W7 p: 780-464-8257 e: gerald.gabinet@strathcona.ca Ed Gades Community Development Coordinator Saddle Hills County RR1, Spirit River, AB Canada T0H 3G0 p: 780-864-3760 e: egades@saddlehills.ab.ca www.saddlehills.ab.ca Brian Gale Business Development Manager BDG Business Development 138 3rd Ave. SE, Medicine Hat, AB Canada T1A 2L8 p: 403-529-5399 e: briangale@telus.net chinook.albertacf.com Kim Galloway Communications Consultant K.G. Consulting Box 10 Site 22 RR 1, Sundre, AB Canada T0M 1X0 p: 403-426-0600 e: kim@kg-consulting.ca www.kg-consulting.ca Brad Gara General Manager Community Futures Elk Island Region 4 – 5002 Diefenbaker Ave., Box 547, Two Hills, AB Canada T0B 4K0 p: 780-657-3512 e: cfeir@telus.net www.cfelkisland.com Penny Gardiner CEO EDAC 7 Innovation Dr., Flamborough, ON Canada L9H 7H9 p: 905-689-8771 e: gardiner@edac.ca www.edac.ca Davin Gegolick Planning & Development Officer County of Minburn No. 27 Box 550, Vegreville, AB Canada T9C 1R6 p: 780-632-2082 e: dgegolick@minburncounty.ab.ca minburncounty.ab.ca Ashton Gibson Business Development Officer Aboriginal Business Canada (AANDC) Edmonton, AB Canada e: adg992@yahoo.ca Natalie Gibson President InnoVisions & Associates 115 – 203-304 Main St., Airdrie, AB Canada T4B 3C3 p: 403-948-2110 e: nataliegibson@shaw.ca Ron Gilbertson President & CEO Enterprise Edmonton c/o Edmonton Economic Development Corporation 3rd Floor, 9990 Jasper Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada p: 780-424-9191 e: rgilbertson@edmonton.com Karen Gingras Economic Development Officer Lac La Biche County Box 1679, Lac La Biche, AB Canada T0A 2C0 p: 780-623-6750 e: karen.gingras@laclabichecounty.com

2014-12-23 12:13 PM

| 99

Brian Glavin Economic Develoment Officer City of Grande Prairie 10205 98 St., Grande Prairie, AB Canada T8V 6V3 p: 780-538-0475 e: bglavin@cityofgp.com investgrandeprairie.ca

Deana Haley Corporate Projects Manager Calgary Economic Development 731 – 1st St. SE, Calgary, AB Canada T2G 2G9 p: 403-221-7888 e: deana@calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com

Richard Horncastle, Ec.D. Strategy Builder Keystone Strategies 109 Keystone Cres., Leduc, AB Canada T9E 0J4 p: 780-974-4208 e: richard@keystonestrategies.ca www.keystonestrategies.ca

Schaun Goodeve Economic Development Coordinator Town of Morinville 10125 – 100 Ave., Morinville, AB Canada T8R 1L6 p: 780-939-7622 e: sgoodeve@morinville.ca www.morinville.ca

Charmaine Hammond Team Toby Box 418, Plamondon, AB Canada T0A 2T0 p: 780-798-2426 e: charmaine@hammondgroup.biz

Lisa Houle Economic Development Specialist Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education Box 20, 3rd Floor, Provincial Building, 10320 – 99 St., Grande Prairie, AB Canada T8V 6J4 p: 780-538-5636 e: lisa.houle@gov.ab.ca

Karla Gould Economic Development Specialist The City of Spruce Grove 315 Jespersen Ave., Spruce Grove, AB Canada T7X 3E8 p: 780-962-7634 ext. 293 e: kgould@sprucegrove.org Cathy Goulet President Killick Leadership Group Ltd 5528 – 43 St., PO Box 405, Lamont, AB Canada T0B 2R0 p: 780-618-4967 e: cathy.goulet@killickleadership.com Brian Graham Publisher TNC Publishing Group 1 – 6923 Farrell Rd. SE, Calgary, AB Canada T2H 0T3 p: 403-203-2963 e: publisher@tncpublishing.com www.tncpublishing.com Lori-Jo Graham Senior Development Officer Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development 5030 – 50 St., Olds, AB Canada T4H 1B3 p: 403-556-4244 e: lori-jo.graham@gov.ab.ca albertabiomaterials.com Angela Groeneveld Business Renewal Officer Town of High River RR2, Blackie, AB Canada T0L 0J0 p: 403-652-6213 e: jgroeneveld@platinum.ca Carolyn Guichon Consultant Strategic Solutions Calgary, AB Canada p: 403-860-6378 e: carolynworks@shaw.ca Leann Hackman-Carty Chief Executive Officer Economic Developers Alberta 127, 406 917-85 St. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T3H 5Z9 p: 403-214-0224 e: leann@edaalberta.ca www.edaalberta.ca Roger Haessel Chief Executive Officer Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems 4 – 49 Viscount Ave. SW, Medicine Hat, AB Canada T1A 5G4 p: 403-488-7208 e: roger@ccuvs.com Kristen Hagen Economic Development / Land Officer The Town of Fox Creek PO Box 149, Fox Creek, AB Canada T0H 1P0 p: 780-622-3896 e: kristen@foxcreek.ca www.foxcreek.ca Debbie Hagman Community Development Officer Alberta Culture & Community Spirit Box 1209, Stony Plain, AB Canada T7Z1N4 p: 780-968-3212 e: debbie.hagman@gov.ab.ca

Patricia Hardisty Business Development Representative Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 9909 Franklin Ave., Fort McMurray, AB Canada T9H 2K4 p: 780-788-4369 e: patricia.hardisty@woodbuffalo.ab.ca www.choosewoodbuffalo.ca

Hetti Huls Economic Development Coordinator County of Grande Prairie No.1 11101 – 84th Ave., Clairmont, AB Canada T0H 0W0 e: hhuls@countygp.ab.ca

Michelle Hargreaves President Hargreaves & Company Calgary, AB Canada p: 403-466-4554 e: coach@hargreavescom.com

Lorna Hunt Executive Director Airdrie Chamber of Commerce 106 – 120-2 Ave. NE, Airdrie, AB Canada T4B 2N2 p: 403-948-4412 e: info@airdriechamber.ab.ca

Kelly Harris-Martin General Manager Community Futures Tawatinaw Region 10611 – 100 Ave., Westlock, AB Canada T7P 2J4 p: 780-349-2903 e: manager@cftr.ab.ca

Ron Hymers Principal Community Infrastructure Finance Fund LP 212 Canter Pl. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2W 3Z2 p: 403-870-7288 e: ron.hymers@forefrontadvisors.ca www.cifflp.com

Amber Haustein Economic Development Specialist The City of Red Deer PO Box 5008, Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 3T4 p: 403-342-8106 e: amber.haustein@reddeer.ca www.reddeer.ca

H.L. (Bud) James Mayor Town of Killam PO Box 189, Killam, AB Canada T0H 0C0 p: 780-385-3977 e: bjames@town.killam.ab.ca

Carley Herbert Economic Development Officer Town of Wainwright 1018 – 2 Ave., Wainwright, AB Canada T9W 1R1 p: 780-842-3381 e: cherbert@wainwright.ca www.wainwright.ca

Diane Jenkinson Marketing and Communications Manager Municipal District of Bonnyville 4905 – 50 Ave., Bag 1010, Bonnyville, AB Canada T9N 2J7 p: 780-826-3171 e: djenkinson@md.bonnyville.ab.ca

Jennifer Hillmer Business Development Manager Jandel Homes 124A – 26230 Twp. Rd. 531A, Acheson, AB Canada T7X 5A4 p: 780-960-4232 e: jhillmer@jandelhomes.com

David Kalinchuk Ec Dev Manager Rocky View County 911 – 32 Ave. NE, Calgary, AB Canada T2E 6X6 p: 403-520-8195 e: dkalinchuk@rockyview.ca www.thinkingalberta.com

Karen Holditch Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Town of High Level 10511 – 103 St., High Level, AB Canada T0H 1Z0 p: 780-821-4007 e: kholditch@highlevel.ca www.highlevel.ca

Robert Kalinovich Economic Development Officer Town of Cochrane 101 RancheHouse Rd., Cochrane, AB Canada T4C 2K8 p: 403-851-2285 e: robert.kalinovich@cochrane.ca

Ronald Holland Economic Development Manager City of Wetaskiwin PO Box 6210, 4705 – 50th Ave., Wetaskiwin, AB Canada T9A 2E9 p: 780-361-4404 e: rholland@wetaskiwin.ca www.wetaskiwin.ca

Wendy Kalkan EDO Town of Pincher Creek Box 159, Pincher Creek, AB Canada T0K 1W0 p: 403-627-3156 e: economic@pinchercreek.ca

Jeff Holmes Mountain View County Bag 1001408 Twp. Rd. 320, Didsbury, AB Canada T0M 0W0 p: 403-335-3311 e: jeff.holmes@mountainviewcounty.com www.mountainviewcounty.com Larry Horncastle, Ec.D. Strategy Builder Keystone Strategies 109 Keystone Cres., Leduc, AB Canada T9E 0J4 p: 780-217-5995 e: larry@keystonestrategies.ca www.keystonestrategies.ca

Joji Kawaguchi Executive Assistant Office of the Associate Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations 130 Legislature Building, 10800 – 97 Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada T5K 2B6 p: 780-643-6740 e: joji.kawaguchi@gov.ab.ca Tim Keating President Keating Business Strategies Ltd. 17, 7727 – 50th Ave., Red Deer, AB Canada T4P 1M7 p: 403-314-9223 ext. 3 e: tkeating@kbsl.ca www.kbsl.ca

Kay Kerr Life Member Retired Box 386, Blairmore, AB Canada T0K 0E0 p: 403-562-2564 e: kaykerr@shaw.ca Christopher King Economic Development Manager County of Grande Prairie No. 1 10001 – 84 Ave., Clairmont, AB Canada T0H 0W0 p: 780-532-9722 ext. 1156 e: cking@countygp.ab.ca countygp.ab.ca Kevin Kisilevich Tourism Marketing and Development Manager GO EAST of Edmonton Regional Tourism Solutions PO Box 455, Vegreville, AB Canada T9C 1R6 p: 780-632-6191 e: kevin.goeast@gmail.com www.goeastofedmonton.com Phyllis Kobasiuk Councillor Parkland County 53109A Hwy. 779, Parkland County, AB Canada T7Z 1R1 p: 780-968-8422 e: pkobasiuk@parklandcounty.com www.parklandcounty.com Tom Koep Economic Development & Tourism Officer Parkland County 53109A Hwy. 779, Parkland County, AB Canada T7Z 1R1 p: 780-968-8406 e: tkoep@parklandcounty.com www.parklandcounty.com Mike Korman Economic Development Manager Town of Cochrane Economic Development 101 RancheHouse Rd., Cochrane, AB Canada T4C 2K8 p: 403-851-2502 e: mike.korman@cochrane.ca Dean Krause CAO Town of Westlock 10003 – 106 St., Westlock, AB Canada T7P 2K3 p: 780-349-4444 e: dkrause@westlock.ca Garry Krause Economic Development Officer Lac Ste. Anne County Box 219, Sangudo, AB Canada T0E 2A0 p: 780-785-3411 e: gkrause@lsac.ca www.lsac.ca Sylvia Krikun Economic Development Assistant Town of Mayerthorpe Box 420, Mayerthorpe, AB Canada T0E 1N0 p: 780-786-2416 e: edo@mayerthorpe.ca Lorna Kurio Econ Dev Liaison City of Lethbridge 2nd Floor, 910 – 4 Ave. S, Lethbridge, AB Canada T1K 6G9 p: 403-320-3005 e: lorna.kurio@lethbridge.ca Vicki Kurz Economic Development Officer Town of Sylvan Lake 5012 – 48 Ave., Sylvan Lake, AB Canada T4S 1G6 p: 403-887-1185 ext. 226 e: vkurz@sylvanlake.ca www.sylvanlake.ca Jean-Marc Lacasse Enterprise Facilitator Town of Chestermere 105 Marina Rd., Chestermere, AB Canada T1X 1V7 p: 403-207-7093 e: jlacasse@chestermere.ca

100 |

2015

Heather Lalonde Executive Director Economic Developers Council of Ontario Box 8030, 6505 Marlene Ave., Cornwall, ON Canada K6H 7H9 p: 613-931-9827 e: edco@edco.on.ca www.edco.on.ca

Members

Marilyn MacArthur, EcD Economic Development Officer Vulcan Business Development Society PO Box 1205, Vulcan, AB Canada T0L 2B0 p: 403-485-3148 e: edo@vulcanbusiness.ca www.chestermere.ca

Selena McLean-Moore Regional Development Project Officer Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education Medicine Hat Regional Office, 1st Floor, Provincial Building, 346-3 St. SE, Medicine Hat, AB Canada T1A 0G7 p: 403-529-3630 e: selena.mclean-moore@gov.ab.ca

Guy Lapointe Community & Economic Development Manager City of Lacombe 5432 56 Ave., Lacombe, AB Canada T4L 1E9 p: 403-782-1263 e: glapointe@lacombe.ca www.lacombe.ca

Phyllis Maki General Manager Community Futures Lakeland 5010 – 50 Ave., Box 8114, Bonnyville, AB Canada T9N 2J4 p: 780-826-3858 e: pmaki@telusplanet.net www.communityfutureslakeland.ca

Edward LeBlanc Community Economic Development Officer Thorhild County PO Box 10, Thorhild, AB Canada T0A 3J0 p: 780-398-2820 e: edward@thorhildcounty.com www.thorhildcounty

Ken Mamczasz Senior Development Engineer City of Edmonton 11th Floor, HSBC Bank Pl., 10250 – 101 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 3P4 p: 780-496-6036 e: ken.mamczasz@edmonton.ca

Kent McMullin Senior Business Strategist, Industrial Development City of Edmonton 1 Sir Winston Churchill Sq., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 2R7 p: 780-442-7150 e: kent.mcmullin@edmonton.ca

Monique LeBlanc Town of Turner Valley 223 Main St. NE, Turner Valley, AB Canada T0L 2A0 p: 403-933-6206 e: moniquel@turnervalley.ca

Nicole Martel Senior Director, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education 5th Floor, Commerce Pl., 10155 – 102 St., Edmonton, AB Canada p: 780-643-9467 e: nicole.martel@gov.ab.ca

Eleanor Miclette Manager, Economic Development & Community Services County of Northern Lights Box 10, Manning, AB Canada T0H 2M0 p: 780-836-3348 ext. 229 e: miclettee@countyofnorthernlights.com www.countyofnorthernlights.com

Jim Matthews Flagstaff County 12435 Township Rd. 442, PO Box 358, Sedgewick, AB Canada T0B 4C0 e: jmatthews@flagstaff.ab.ca

Alexis Milinusic Stakeholder Engagement Lead Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education 5th Floor, Commerce Pl., 10155 – 102 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 4L6 p: 780-422-9312 e: alexis.milinusic@gov.ab.ca

Jerry Lemmon Team Lead, Centre of Excellence, Stakeholder Relations Talisman Energy Inc. 2000 – 888-3 St. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 5C5 p: 403-237-1210 e: jlemmon@talisman-energy.com Michelle Levasseur Economic Development Officer Town Of Devon 1 Columbia Ave. W, Devon, AB Canada T9G 1A1 p: 780-987-8306 e: mlevasseur@devon.ca www.devon.ca

Ross Mayer Senior Economic Development Officer Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 9913 Franklin Ave., Fort McMurray, AB Canada T9H 2K8 p: 780-788-1626 e: ross.mayer@woodbuffalo.ab.ca

Sarah Lewis Senior Development Analyst Millier Dickinson Blais 405, 1100-8 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 3T8 p: 416-367-3535 ext. 262 e: slewis@millierdickinsonblais.com

Leanne McBean Economic Development Coordinator Sturgeon County 9613 – 100 St., Morinville, AB Canada T8R 1L9 p: 780-939-8367 e: lmcbean@sturgeoncounty.ca sturgeoncountybounty.ca

Michael Liu Design and Media Specialist Strathcona County 2001 Sherwood Dr., Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 3W7 p: 780-464-8257 e: liu@strathcona.ab.ca Dallas Logan Development Officer Clear Hills County Box 144, Cleardale, AB Canada T0H 3Y0 e: dallas@clearhillscounty.ab.ca Bernadette Logozar Economic Development Coordinator Flagstaff County 12435 Township Rd. 442, PO Box 358, Sedgewick, AB Canada T0B 4C0 p: 780-384-4152 e: blogozar@flagstaff.ab.ca www.flagstaff.ab.ca Peter Lovering Manager SouthGrow Regional Initiative PO Box 27068, Lethbridge, AB Canada T1K 6Z8 p: 403-394-0615 e: pete.lovering@southgrow.com www.southgrow.com Denise Lussier Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 2nd Floor, Provincial Building, 9621 – 96 Ave., Peace River, AB Canada T8S 1T4 p: 780-523-6564 e: denise.lussier@gov.ab.ca

Bruce McDonald Life Member ED Management Consulting 10711 Mapleglen Cres. SE, Calgary, AB Canada T2J 1X1 p: 403-278-5384 e: b.mcd36@telus.net Verna McFadden Councillor Town of Sundre Box 420, Sundre, AB Canada T0M 1X0 p: 403-638-3551 e: verna.m@sundre.com www.sundre.com Corinne McGirr EDO County of Vermilion River Box 69, Kitscoty, AB Canada T0B 2P0 p: 780-846-2244 e: cmcgirr@county24-com www.vermilion-river.com John McGowan Chief Executive Officer Alberta Urban Municipalities Association 300, 8616 – 51 Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada T6E 6E6 p: 780-433-4431 e: jmcgowan@auma.ca Barbara McKenzie Executive Director Leduc-Nisku Economic Development Association 5911 50 St., Leduc, AB Canada T9E 6S7 p: 780-986-9538 e: bmckenzie@leducniskueda.com

Judy McMillan-Evans Consultant McMillan-Evans Consulting 723 – 5 Ave. SW, High River, AB Canada T1V 1B9 p: 403-652-9664 e: judy@mcmillan-evans.ca

Bob Miller Economic Prosperity Lead Calgary Regional Partnership Box 2093, Cochrane, AB Canada T4C 1B8 p: 403-8512509 e: bobmiller@calgaryregion.ca Benjamin Misener Planning & Development Manager Brazeau County Box 5, Site 18 RR1, Didsbury, AB Canada T0M 0W0 p: 780-514-2253 e: bsmisene@gmail.com www.brazeau.ab.ca Mark Morrissey Director of Economic Development City of Fort Saskatchewan 11121 – 88 Ave., Fort Saskatchewan, AB Canada T8L 2S5 p: 780-992-2231 e: mmorrissey@fortsask.ca Darcy Mykytyshyn Dean, Donald School of Busines Donald School of Business Red Deer College Box 5005, Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 5H5 p: 403-342-3555 e: darcy.mykytyshyn@rdc.ab.ca www.rdc.ab.ca Nesen Naidoo Manager Economic Development Town of Drayton Valley 5120-52 St. Box 6837, Drayton Valley, AB Canada T7A 1A1 p: 780-514-2230 e: nnaidoo@draytonvalley.ca www.draytonvalley.ca Rick Neumann Development Officer County of Barrhead No. 11 5306 – 49 St., Barrhead, AB Canada T7N 1N5 p: 780-674-3331 e: rneumann@countybarrhead.ab.ca Jim Newman Manager, Economic Development Lamont County 5303 – 50 Ave., Lamont, AB Canada T0B 2R0 p: 780-895-2233 e: jim.n@lamontcounty.ca

Patricia Nicol Economic Development Officer Town of Redwater PO Box 397, Redwater, AB Canada T0A 2W0 p: 780-942-3519 ext. 33 e: ecdev@redwater.ca www.redwater.ca Maria Noorani Senior Economic Development Officer Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 9909 Franklin Ave., Fort McMurray, AB Canada T9H 2K4 p: 1-855-923-2338 e: maria.noorani@woodbuffalo.ab.ca Stephen Novak Economic Development Officer Town of Ponoka 5102 – 48th Ave., Ponoka, AB Canada T4J 1P7 p: 403-783-0116 e: stephen.novak@ponoka.org www.ponoka.ca Andrew O’Rourke Economic Development Officer Mackenzie County PO Box 640, Fort Vermilion, AB Canada T0H 1N0 p: 780-928-3983 e: aorourke@mackenziecounty.com www.mackenziecounty.com Sarah Olson Economic Development Officer Town of Ponoka 5102 – 48 Ave., Ponoka, AB Canada T4J1P7 p: 403-783-0116 e: sarah.olson@ponoka.org Shane Olson Economic Development Manager Town of Okotoks C/O Economic Development, PO Box 20, Station Main, 5 Elizabeth St., Okotoks, AB Canada T1S 1K1 p: 403-938-8907 e: solson@okotoks.ca www.okotoksventure.ca Brenda Otto Economic Development Officer Town of Stony Plain 4905-51 Ave., Stony Plain, AB Canada T7X 1Y1 p: 780-963-8653 e: b.otto@stonyplain.com www.stonyplain.com Jane Palmer Aboriginal Affairs Advisor Devon Canada 60 Meadowview Point, Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8H 2E8 p: 403-592-8668 e: pelicanplace@hotmail.com Luke Pantin Economic Development Manager City of Leduc 1 Alexandra Park, Leduc, AB Canada T9E 4C4 p: 780-980-8438 e: lpantin@leduc.ca David V. Pattison Municipal Councillor Town of Morinville 10125 – 100 Ave., Morinville, AB Canada T8R 1L6 p: 780-939-4361 e: pattisond@ymail.com Richard Pauls Principal EcDev Solutions Ltd. 528, 3553 – 31 St. NW, Calgary, AB Canada T2L 2K7 p: 403-874-4943 e: rpauls@ecdevsolutions.com Jeff Penney Manager, Economic Development Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 9909 Franklin Ave., Fort McMurray, AB Canada T9H 2K4 p: 780-799-8699 e: jeff.penney@woodbuffalo.ab.ca

| 101

Byron Peters Director of Planning & Development Mackenzie County PO Box 640, Fort Vermilion, AB Canada T0H 1N0 p: 780-928-3983 e: bpeters@mackenziecounty.com www.mackenziecounty.com

Ward Read Chief Executive Officer Lloydminster Economic Development Corporation 5420 – 50 Ave., Lloydminster, AB Canada T9V 0X1 p: 780-875-8881 e: wread@lloydminster.ca www.lloydminstereconomy.ca

Gord Sawatzky Executive Director The Business Link 10160 – 103 St. NW, Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 0X6 p: 780-422-7774 e: gord.sawatzky@canadabusiness.ab.ca

David Petrovich EDEC Town of Black Diamond PO Box 10, Black Diamond, AB Canada T1S 1B9 p: 403-933-4348 ext. 213 e: edc@town.blackdiamond.ab.ca www.town.blackdiamond.ab.ca

Michael Reeves Ports to Plains Alliance Lubbock, TX USA p: 806-775-2338 e: michael.reeves@portstoplains.com

Melissa Scaman Economic and Community Development Specialist Ingenuity Consulting Services Edmonton, AB Canada p: 403-601-5648 e: melissa@myingenuity.ca www.economicdevelopment.ca

Kal Polturak, Ec.D., ICD.D President K. Polturak Management & Consulting Inc. Box 2336, Lac La Biche, AB Canada T0A 2C0 p: 780-984-2060 e: kanan@telus.net Michael Powell Industrial Development Enterprise Edmonton c/o Edmonton Economic Development Corporation World Trade Centre, 9990 Jasper Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 1P7 p: 780-917-7659 e: mpowell@edmonton.com Jennifer Powell Senior Project Officer, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 201, 4920 – 51st St., Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 6K8 e: jennifer.powell@gov.ab.ca Tammy Powell Regional Director Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 111, 111 – 54 St., Edson, AB Canada T7E 1T2 p: 780-723-8229 e: tammy.powell@gov.ab.ca Mary Lee Prior Community Economic Development Coordinator Town of Vermilion 5021 – 49 Ave., Vermilion, AB Canada T9X 1X1 p: 780-581-2419 e: mlprior@vermilion.ca www.vermilion.ca Catherine Proulx Managing Director Twist Marketing 215, 1235 – 26 Ave. SE, Calgary, AB Canada T2G 1R7 p: 403-242-4600 e: cproulx@twistmarketing.com www.twistmarketing.com Reg Radke Manager, Brooks Campus Medicine Hat College 200 Horticultural Station Rd. E, Brooks, AB Canada T1R 1E5 p: 403-362-1684 e: rradke@mhc.ab.ca www.mhc.ab.ca Ravi Ramharak Chief Operating Officer Western Commercial Lighting 122, 9704 – 39 Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada T6E 6M7 p: 780-993-9213 e: ravi@westerncl.com www.westerncl.com Wai Tse Ramirez City Planner City of Edmonton 11th Floor, HSBC Bank Pl., 10250 – 101 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 3P4 p: 780-496-6004 e: waitse.ramirez@edmonton.ca

Cliff Reiling Retired Cliff Reiling and Associates Box 1435, Blairmore, AB Canada T0K 0E0 p: 403-563-5572 e: cliff.reiling@shaw.ca Randy Richards Manager, Commercial Development Strathcona County Economic Development 2001 Sherwood Dr., Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 3W7 p: 780-464-8259 e: randy.richards@strathcona.ca www,strathcona.ca/retail Bonnie Riddell Councillor, Ward 7 Strathcona County 2001 Sherwood Dr., Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 3W7 p: 780-464-8134 e: bonnie.riddell@strathcona.ca www.strathcona.ca Bert Roach Economic Development Officer Town of Beaumont 5600 – 49th St., Beaumont, AB Canada T4X 1A1 p: 780-929-1364 e: bert.roach@beaumont.ab.ca www.beaumont.ab.ca Wayne Robert Urban Systems Ltd. 304 – 1353 Ellis St., Kelowna, BC Canada V1X 1Z9 p: 250-762-2517 e: tvincelette@urbansystems.ca Bill Robertson Mayor Town of Okotoks PO Box 20, Stn. Main, 5 Elizabeth St., Okotoks, AB Canada T1S 1K1 p: 403-995-2756 e: brobertson@okotoks.ca Alexandra Ross Economic Development Specialist Town of Okotoks PO Box 20, Stn. Main, 5 Elizabeth St., Okotoks, AB Canada T1S 1K1 p: 403-995-2769 e: aross@okotoks.ca Jordan Rumohr Manager Sturgeon County 9613 – 100 St., Morinville, AB Canada T8R 1L9 p: 780-939-8367 e: jrumohr@sturgeoncounty.ca Kent Rupert Team Lead Airdrie Economic Development 400 Main St. SE, Airdrie, AB Canada T4B 2Z6 p: 403-948-8844 e: kent.rupert@airdrie.ca www.airdrienow.ca Jonathan Saah Economic Development Officer Sturgeon County 9613 – 100 St., Morinville, AB Canada T8R 1L9 p: 780-939-8356 e: jsaah@sturgeoncounty.ca

Tracey Scarlett CEO Alberta Women Entrepreneurs 308, 10310 Jasper Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 2W4 p: 780-422-7781 e: tracey.scarlett@awebusiness.com Bruce Schollie President Schollie Research & Consulting 4603 – 50 St., Red Deer, AB Canada T4R 2G8 p: 403-346-9849 e: bruce@schollie.com www.schollie.com Cheryl Schultz Economic Development Specialist – Commercial City of Spruce Grove 315 Jespersen Ave., Spruce Grove, AB Canada T7X 3E8 e: cschultz@sprucegrove.org Dean Schweder Economic Development Officer Town Rocky Mtn. House Box 1509, Rocky Mountain House, AB Canada T4T 1B2 p: 403-847-5260 e: dschweder@rockymtnhouse.com www.rockymtnhouse.com Jiselle Sears Marketing Professional Edmonton, AB Canada e: jiselle.sears@gmail.com John Sennema Manager, Land & Economic Development City of Red Deer PO Box 5008, Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 3T4 p: 403-342-8106 e: john.sennema@reddeer.ca Trisha Sewell Economic Development Officer Cactus Corridor Economic Development Corporation PO Box 1255, Hanna, AB Canada T0J 1P0 p: 403-854-2099 ext. 215 e: trisha.sewell@cactuscorridor.com Sheba Sharma Senior Manager, Entrepreneurship Policy Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 5th Floor, Commerce Pl., 10155 – 102 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 4L6 p: 780-415-6074 e: sheba.sharma@gov.ab.ca Jeff Shaw Assistant Administrator Town of Cardston Box 280, Cardston, AB Canada T0K 0K0 p: 403-653-3366 e: jeff@cardston.ca Dean Shular Councillor Town of Drayton Valley PO Box 6837, 5120 – 52nd St., Drayton Valley, AB Canada T7A 1A1 p: 780-514-2200 e: dshular@draytonvalley.ca

Rick Siddle Consultant Siddle & Associates 24 Morgan Cres., St. Albert, AB Canada T8N 2E2 p: 780-458-5572 e: rick.siddle@gmail.com Catherine Simpson Community Benefits Advisor Talisman Energy Inc. 2000 – 888-3 St. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 5C5 p: 403-231-2864 e: cxsimpso@talisman-energy.com John Simpson Director of Planning & Development County of Grande Prairie No. 1 10001 – 84 Ave., Clairmont, AB Canada T8W 1B5 p: 780-513-3951 e: jsimpson@countygp.ab.ca www.countygp.ab.ca Darlene Sinclair General Manager Community Futures Lethbridge Region 2626 Parkside Dr. S, Lethbridge, AB Canada T1K 0C4 p: 403-320-6044 e: dsinclair@albertacf.com Julie Skrepnek Advisor to the Executive Director Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 5th Floor, Commerce Pl., 10155 – 102 St. NW, Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 4l6 p: 780-415 2231 e: julie.skrepnek@gov.ab.ca Lisa Slade Senior Economic Development Officer Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 9909 Franklin Ave., Fort McMurray, AB Canada T9H 2K4 p: 780-743-7973 e: lisa.slade@woodbuffalo.ab.ca www.choosewoodbuffalo.ca Gary Slipp President Network Global Inc. 1435 – 22nd Ave. NW, Calgary, AB Canada T2M 1P9 p: 403-714-2467 e: garyslipp@shaw.ca Elvira Smid Regional Director, Palliser Economic Partnership (PEP) Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 109, 346 – 3 St., Medicine Hat, AB Canada T1A 0G7 p: 403-529-3630 e: elvira.smid@gov.ab.ca Brenden Smith Student 904 – 23 Ave. NW, Calgary, AB Canada T2M 1T4 p: 587-700-2728 e: bsmith2736@gmail.com Kristen Smith Community Development Coordinator Saddle Hills County RR1, Spirit River, AB Canada T0H 3G0 p: 780-864-3760 e: ksmith@saddlehills.ab.ca www.saddlehills.ab.ca Holly Sorgen General Manager Community Futures Grande Prairie & Region 104, 9817 – 101 Ave., Grande Prairie, AB Canada T8V 0X6 p: 780-814-5340 e: holly@cfofgp.com www.cfofgp.com Edie Spagrud JEDI PO Box 6357, Wetaskiwin, AB Canada T9A 2G1 p: 780-361-6232 e: espagrud@jedialberta.com

102 |

2015

Talayna Spargo Sturgeon County 9613 – 100 St., Morinville, AB Canada T8R 1L9 p: 780-939-8367 e: tspargo@sturgeoncounty.ca www.sturgeoncounty.ca Angie Spence Assistant to the Director of Economic Development Brazeau County Box 77, Drayton Valley, AB Canada T7A 1R1 p: 780-542-7777 e: aspence@brazeau.ab.ca Valerie Squires Mayor Town of Irricana 260 – 1 Ave., Irricana, AB Canada T0M 1B0 p: 403-955-4672 e: vsquires@irricana.com Anna Stacheychuk Community Engagement CAPP 2100, 350 – 7 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 3N9 p: 403-267-1184 e: anna.stacheychuk@capp.ca Natasha Stead Economic Development Information Officer Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 9909 Franklin Ave., Fort McMurray, AB Canada T9H 2K4 p: 780-788-4370 e: natasha.stead@woodbuffalo.ab.ca www.choosewoodbuffalo.ca Daniel Steiner Special Projects Manager MD of Big Lakes PO Box 239, 5305 – 56 St., High Prairie, AB Canada T0G 1E0 p: 1-866-523-5955 e: specialprojects@mdbiglakes.ca www.mdbiglakes.ca Garry Stevenson Flagstaff County 12435 Township Rd. 442, PO Box 358, Sedgewick, AB Canada T0B 4C0 p: 780-384-4121 e: gstevenson@flagstaff.ab.ca Cynthia Stewart Director, Community Relations International Council of Shopping Centers 555 – 12 St. NW, Ste. 660, Washington, DC USA 20004 p: 1-864-968-9324 e: cstewart@icsc.org Tanya Stilborn Economic Development Officer City of Fort Saskatchewan 11121 – 88 Ave., Fort Saskatchewan, AB Canada T8L 3W9 p: 780-992-6278 e: tstilborn@fortsask.ca www.fortsask.ca Ed Straw Vice President, Strategic Business Solutions ATB Financial 239 – 8th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T2P 1B9 p: 403-974-8090 e: estraw@atb.com Jerry Sucharyna Business & Economic Development Manager City of Merritt Box 189, Merritt, BC Canada V1K 1B8 p: 250-378-8619 e: jsucharyna@merritt.ca www.merritt.ca Cindy Suter Economic Development Lac Ste. Anne County PO Box 219, Sangudo, AB Canada T0E 2AO p: 780-785-3411 e: csuter@lsac.ca

Members

Ray Telford Economic Development Officer City of Camrose 5204 – 50 Ave., Camrose, AB Canada T4V 0S8 p: 780-678-3025 e: rtelford@camrose.ca www.camrose.ca James Tessier Community Economic Development Coordinator Community Futures Alberta Southwest PO Box 1568, Pincher Creek, AB Canada T0K 1W0 p: 403-627-3020 ext. 221 e: james@cfabsw.com www.cfabsw.com Verona Thibault Executive Director Saskatchewan Economic Development Association Box 113, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7K 3K1 p: 306-384-5817 e: verona.thibault@seda.sk.ca www.seda.sk.ca Howard Thompson Inspections & Licensing Manager City of Red Deer Box 5008, Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 3T4 p: 403-406-8690 e: howard.thompson@reddeer.ca www.reddeer.ca www.reddeercorridor.com Carol Thomson Economic Development Officer Paintearth Economic Partnership Society Box 509, Castor, AB Canada T0C 0X0 p: 403-882-3211 e: cthomson@countypaintearth.ca www.paintearth.ab.ca Mitch Thomson Executive Director Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development 4512 – 46 St., Olds, AB Canada T4H 1R5 p: 403-507-4849 e: mthomson@oldsinstitute.com www.oldsinstitute.com Bev Thornton Executive Director Alberta SouthWest REDA Box 1041, Pincher Creek, AB Canada T0K 1W0 p: 403-627-3373 e: bev@albertasouthwest.com www.albertasouthwest.com Hal Timar Executive Director Nunavut Economic Developers Association PO Box 1990, Iqaluit, NU Canada X0A 0H0 p: 867-979-4620 e: exdir@nunavuteda.com www.nunavuteda.com Jana Tolmie-Thompson Economic Development Officer Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association 300, 9940 – 99 Ave., Fort Saskatchewan, AB Canada T8L 2C3 p: 780-998-7453 e: jana@industrialheartland.com www.industrialheartland.com Nancy Toombs Marketing / Communications Economic Developers Alberta 127, 406 917-85 St. SW, Calgary, AB Canada T3H 5Z9 p: 1-866-671-8182 e: nancy.toombs@edaalberta.ca www.edaalberta.ca Gerald Tostowaryk Associate Broker DTZ Barnicke Edmonton Inc. 602, 10104 103 Ave., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 0H8 p: 780-641-0837 e: edmontoncre@gmail.com www.edmontoncommerciallistings.ca

Nicole Trehearne Economic Development Officer Parkland County 53109A Hwy. 779, Parkland County, AB Canada T7Z 1R1 p: 780-968-8888 ext. 8259 e: ntrehearne@parklandcounty.com www.parklandcounty.com

Andy Weiss Chief Administrative Officer Town of Bowden 2101 – 20 Ave., PO Box 338, Bowden, AB Canada T0M 0K0 p: 403-224-3395 e: andyweiss1959@gmail.com www.town.bowden.ab.ca

Cory Tretiak Sales and Marketing Manager Adventure Warehouse 230 – 2 Ave. NE, Calgary, AB Canada T2E 0E2 p: 587-352-0586 e: cory.tretiak@gmail.com

Tyler Westover Small Business and Tourism Specialist Strathcona County, Economic Development 2001 Sherwood Dr., Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 3W7 p: 780-410-8511 e: tyler.westover@strathcona.ca

Joanne Trudeau EDO Lac Cardinal Regional Economic Development Box 377, Grimshaw, AB Canada T0H 1W0 p: 780-332-1169 e: joanne@laccardinal.com Walter Valentini Executive Director Palliser Economic Partnership Box 1046, Medicine Hat, AB Canada T1A 7H1 p: 403-526-7552 e: walter@palliseralberta.com Mark Vandenberghe Regional Development Project Officer Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 5th Floor, Commerce Pl., 10155 – 102 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 4L6 p: 780-427-6450 e: mark.vandenberghe@gov.ab.ca Greg Varricchio Economic Development Consultant IBI Group 400 Kensington House, 1167 Kensingtion Cres. NW, Calgary, AB Canada T2N 1X7 p: 403-483-7041 e: glvarricchio@gmail.com Joy Vonk Operations Manager Alberta Rural Development Network 215, 50 Brentwood Blvd., Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 2H5 p: 780-449-1006 ext. 221 e: operations@ardn.ca www.ardn.ca Dave Walker Manager, Economic & Business Development City of Spruce Grove 315 Jespersen Ave., Spruce Grove, AB Canada T7X 3E8 p: 780-962-7608 e: dwalker@sprucegrove.org www.sprucegrove.org Tony Walker Manager Community Futures Alberta Southwest PO Box 1568, 659 Main St., Pincher Creek, AB Canada T0K 1W0 p: 403 627-3020 e: tony@cfabsw.com www.cfabsw.com Larry Wall Executive Director River Valley Alliance PO Box 2359, Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 2R7 p: 780-496-2718 e: larry.wall@live.ca Leslie Warren Consultant Lethbridge College – Tiffin Conference Coordinator Box 24, Champion, AB Canada T0L 0R0 p: 403-485-5694 e: leswarren78@gmail.com Lisa Weekes Research Officer Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 1st Floor, Provincial Building, 346 – 3 St. SE, Medicine Hat, AB Canada T1A 0G7 p: 403-529-3630 e: lisa.weekes@gov.ab.ca

Dale Wheeldon President & CEO British Columbia Economic Development Association 102 – 9300 Nowell St., Chilliwack, BC Canada V2P 4V7 p: 604-795-7119 e: dwheeldon@bceda.ca www.bceda.ca Curtis Whyte President C. E. Whyte Consulting Inc. 8 Edforth Rd. NW, Calgary, AB Canada T3A 3V4 p: 403-991-1267 e: cewhyte@telus.net www.cewhyteconsulting.com Simone Wiley Director of Development Services Town of Westlock 10003 – 106 St., Westlock, AB Canada T7P 2K3 p: 780-349-4444 e: swiley@westlock.ca www.westlock.ca Virginia Wishart Economic Development Manager Town of Fort Macleod PO Box 1420, Fort Macleod, AB Canada T0L 0Z0 p: 403-553-4425 ext. 230 e: virginia@fortmacleod.com fortmacleod.com Karen Wronko Executive Director, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development Alberta Innovation & Advanced Education 5th Floor, 10155 – 102 St., Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 4L6 p: 780-422-8420 e: karen.wronko@gov.ab.ca Michelle Zeggil Land & Economic Development Officer The City of Red Deer PO Box 5008, Red Deer, AB Canada T4N 3T4 p: 403-342-8105 e: michelle.zeggil@reddeer.ca www.reddeer.ca Vicki Zinyk CAO Town of Bon Accord Bon Accord, AB Canada p: 780-921-3550 e: vzinyk@bonaccord.ca Vivian Zittlaw Economic Development & Tourism Coordinator Town of Westlock 10003 – 106 St., Westlock, AB Canada T7P 2K3 p: 780-349-4444 e: vzittlaw@westlock.ca www.westlock.ca

Is Lethbridge Right For My Business?

oo ! ) t e m d ( an

YES

NO Are you an aspiring entrepreneur with a great business concept?

YES

Want support to make it happen?

YES

Looking for a community focused on technology and innovation?

NOT SURE

YES

How about a great community?

OF COURSE!

Lethbridge based BlackBridge, has over 5 billion km² of high-resolution RapidEye imagery.

YES

tecconnect

We’re the 11th best place in Canada to raise a family.

tecconnect is a commercialization centre in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada that connects people, ideas and technologies in the Geospatial Sector.

Ready to enjoy the benefits of living in a campus community?

Do you want the ‘city life’ without a ‘city price’?

An Alberta centre for new commerce

There are many great reasons to Choose Lethbridge and we’d like to share more of them with you!

@uLethbridge @LethCollege

Will you need to grow your team?

403-331-0022 @chooseleth www.chooselethbridge.ca

If you are looking to hire or make yourself more hireable you’ll benefit from the fact that Lethbridge is one of only a few cities its size with two post-secondary institutions.

www.tecconnect.ca/geo

MIND

Want to exercise your mind or your body?

BODY

YES YES

Interested in a community that fits your family?

YES

Whether you move into the centre or not, you’ll be part of this entrepreneurial ecosystem when you Choose Lethbridge.

Enjoy 320 days of sunshine per year.

The business environment in Lethbridge includes investment in digital infrastructure, facilities to support growth in the knowledge-economy and organizations focused on innovation.

YES

Looking for more sunshine and mild winters?

YES

We’re near world class ski resorts and National Parks.

Starting, growing or expanding your IT business?

Can you find us on a map of Canada?

IT'S EASY!

Can you believe the average commute time is only 15 minutes?

WOW!

With art galleries, museums, libraries & theatres you’ll never stop discovering something new.

YES

240 km of pathways, ice rinks, indoor pools, sports centres and more to keep you active!

Ready to move?

NOT SURE

WOW - You’re on your way!

Find out how Lethbridge could be a good choice for you! 403.331.0022 • www.chooselethbridge.ca

• • • •