ECONOMIC DIRECTIONS 2019

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Energetic… can-do spirit… high quality of living, built on strongly held values

We are a community of choiceStrathcona County is widely known as a peaceful, safe and family-friendly community. You’ll find access to state-of-the-art recreation facilities, good schools, parks, shopping and entertainment. Agriculture is an integral part of our cultural, economic and environmental heritage. The Beaver Hills UNESCO Biosphere provides access to open spaces, hiking trails, lakes, and campsites with activities for all four seasons. Residents agree it’s a great place to

raise a family, and there is no place else they would rather be.

We empower and enable your successEntrepreneurs are empowered, can grow and be successful here. Our Economic Development and Tourism

team provides free confidential assistance to all businesses. Providing advice on business start-up, growth, and relocation. We’re a municipality that supports its citizens in reaching their highest aspirations, that strives to

provide quality infrastructure, and efficiently run programs and services.

We are Canada’s energy engineCanada’s largest hydrocarbon processing region, and partner in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association.

Our key business sectors are manufacturing, construction, professional and scientific / technical. A Strathcona County cross-functional team is dedicated to supporting effective development of its industrial heartland, and

the local and international companies who continually drive innovation.

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Economic Development and Tourism Team

Gerald Gabinet, Director Shane Olson, Commercial Development Sean McRitchie, Industrial Development Stephen Rausch, Business Development

Richard MacDonald, Small Business & Tourism Joanne McKinnon, GIS and Mapping

Marcy Fischer, Administration Support Rhonda Deighton, Administration Support

Gina Tsang, Design and Media

Contact 780.464.8095 to talk with us today, or visit strathcona.ca/edt

Economic Directions is an award winning publication which features a summary of economic activity in Strathcona County.

In Strathcona County, you can.

Economic Development and Tourism is committed to enabling the success and growth of business and industry in Strathcona County. We do this through

business and investment attraction, business retention and expansion, and entrepreneurial support. Our mission supports a strong, diversified and resilient

economy, contributing to advancing quality of life and place. Find out more about Strathcona County’s vision for the future: strathcona.ca/strategicplan

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InsideHere for Entrepreneurs

Non-Residential Development

Industrial Development

Residential Development

Tourism

Community Engagement

Partners, Sponsors and Associations

Facts and Stats

While Strathcona County tries to ensure that all the information contained in this

booklet is accurate, it does not accept liability for any inaccuracies

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We’re Here for Local EntrepreneursTo help you be sustainable and competitive in the marketplace. Come tell us about your business, goals and challenges.

We Offer:

• support, coaching and one-on-one assistance

• facilitate introductions and business linkages

• business referrals and connections with local networks

• research, data and information resources

• trained, knowledgeable staff with expertise in real estate, marketing and site selection

Small Business Conference – Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Small Business WeekTM

Strathcona County hosts a conference kickoff breakfast for the BDC Small Business WeekTM in October. Speakers touch on

timely issues for small businesses, such as building an online presence, understanding the funding landscape, digitizing your business, as well as breakout sessions on bulletproofing your brand, making market research work and social enterprise. Agencies are on site to provide information to help entrepreneurs with their business operation. Sign up for our e-newsletter to keep informed on this year’s event and other opportunities for small businesses. strathcona.ca/smallbusinessweek

Business Mentorship Program

Local entrepreneurs are invited to come together to share experiences, provide insight and resolve issues impeding business operations and growth. A partnership between Strathcona County and the Sherwood

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Park and District Chamber of Commerce, the business mentorship program has allowed participants to problem solve business challenges and form lasting partnerships within the business community.

Business Visitations

Each year, Strathcona County schedules about 20 visits with various industries—small to large. These meetings support business by addressing urgent concerns, building relationships and assisting with developing needs. The business visitations are attended by the Mayor and some members of Council, the Chamber of Commerce and staff from Economic Development and Tourism.

Business Retention and Expansion

Strathcona County interviews a sector or portion of the business community to determine opportunities for growth and expansion, and barriers and deterrents for growth and survival. In 2018, there was a continued emphasis on promoting local entrepreneurs in the award winning YOU CAN marketing campaign.strathcona.ca/youcanbusiness

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Business Startup Seminars and Support

If you are a new entrepreneur, Strathcona County continues to evolve a seminar format designed for you, including customized training, mentorship support and workshops. Sign up for the economic development and tourism e-newsletter to stay informed. strathcona.ca/youcanbusiness

Business Planning and Site Selection Resources

Search our inventory of vacant lease space, buildings and parcels with commercial and industrial zoning.

The online property GIS database is updated quarterly and provides details and contacts on each location, maps, demographics and land-use information.strathcona.ca/stats

Contact us for site selection assistance including:

• site selection and real estate packages

• labour force and household expenditure data

• demographics including age, gender, income, language and ethnicity

• retail market analysis

Economic Updates

Whether you are a local realtor, developer or financial institution, we have documentation and hold presentations on the state of our local economy.

Facilitation and Consultation Meetings

Businesses who need to have their developments assessed for zoning matters, servicing requirements, infrastructure and levies can contact Economic Development and Tourism, which serves as a liaison between businesses and County departments.

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One-on-one basic business consultations are available to work through start up and expansion approaches.

Great Canadian Trade Fair and Sale

Visit Strathcona County staff at the annual trade show. We are happy to talk to you about a variety of topics that are important to visitors and residents alike. Our local elected officials will also be available to meet with you. This event will be held at Millennium Place April 12–14, 2019. sherwoodparkchamber.com

Agriculture

Strathcona County’s Agriculture Master Plan provides a long-term priority for agriculture. This made-in Strathcona County plan is guided by the following broad principle: agriculture will continue to be an integral part of Strathcona County’s historical, cultural, economic and environmental heritage. An urban agriculture strategy is rolling out. The County is partnering with residents, community groups and local non-profits to support a vision for new and established community gardens in our parks

and green spaces. Other strategies to be implemented are food and agriculture sector development and agri-tourism. For more information:strathcona.ca/agmasterplan

Market your business by adding it to the Strathcona County Business Directory strathcona.ca/businessdirectory

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Non-residential DevelopmentStrathcona County continues to grow as a community with emphasis on additional health services, food and accommodation services and retail services. Statistics Canada data shows the number of business establishments in Strathcona County increased from 10,947 in June 2017 to 10,956 qualified companies as of June 2018.

Statistics Canada data shows 3,527 Strathcona County companies have paid staff and employ an estimated 48,802 people. The remaining 7,429 business establishments are either self-employment companies or professional corporations. About 23 per cent of the companies are in “goods producing sectors”, such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, while the remaining 77 per cent are in the service sectors.

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Non-Residential Permit Values

The permit value of non-residential projects has increased 27.7 per cent from $157 million in 2017 to $201 million in 2018. This includes all commercial, institutional and industrial projects excluding new large storage tanks. Industrial building values increased to $63.5 million. The combination of commercial and institutional development increased by 8.9 per cent to $137 million for 2018. The opportunity to develop serviced industrial land remains strong. Commercial growth remains steady with new retail and commercial development throughout Sherwood Park.Due to new projects and commitments by major companies, non-residential permit values will continue to outperform our neighbouring communities. Construction of these large investments provides immediate economic impacts to the community, while long-term growth is catalyzed by new full-time jobs and spending.

Employment Changes (2017-2018)

Sector Annual change

Construction -1.6%

Professional, scientific and technical services -13.8%

Accommodation and food services -7.7%

Retail services -0.2%

Health services 15.2%

Financial and insurance 27.6%

Education services 0.9%

Increased Employment Sectors*

Sector Employment Annual change

Wholesale trade +775 +75.3%

Other services +814 +34.1%

Financial and insurance +418 +27.6%

*Estimated number of employees.

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20142015201620172018

New Commercial / Institutional Buildings

Non

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Commercial /Institutional

Improvements / Additions

New Industrial Buildings

Industrial Improvements /

Additions

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Trans-Canada (Yellowhead) Highway 16Trans-Canada (Yellowhead) Highway 16

Baseline Road

Wye Road

Sherwood DriveGranada Blvd.

dvlB doowtnerB

Broa

dmoo

r Blvd

Antho

ny H

enda

y Driv

e (Hi

ghwa

y 216

)

Highway 21

Clover Bar Road

Lakeland Drive

Emerald Hills CentreSherwood Common

Emerald Hills Corner

Aspen Plaza

Sherwood Towne Square

Centre in the Park

Millennium Place

Sherwood Park & District Chamber of Commerce

Information & Volunteer Centre

Millennium Ridge

Broadmoor Baseline Crossing

Broadmoor BuildingsEmerald HillsUrban Village

Summerwood Centre

Lakeland Ridge

Heritage Hills Crossing

Hillshire

Sherwood Park Plaza

Sherwood Park Mall

Durham Town Square

The RidgeNottingham Centre

Maplewood Plaza

Salisbury Greenhouse

Brentwood Plaza

Broadmoor Heritage Plaza

Wye Road CrossingWye South

1000 Sherwood Centre Salisbury Market

Village Market

Wye Gardens Plaza

Wye Business Centre Salisbury Gate

Shivam Park

Mills Haven Centre

Baseline Village

Buckingham

Savona CentreMarket in the

Centre of the Park

Sherwood Drive Retail

EDMONTON SHERWOOD PARK

Aerial photo from Google Earth

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www.strathcona.ca/retail18.01.19.EDT

2019 Retail Map.ai

Beaverbrook SquareBroadview Plaza

Sherwood Park Retail Areas 2019

Reduced Employment Sector

Sector Employment Annual changeProfessional, scientific and technical services -475 -13.8%

Accommodation and food services -341 -7.7%

Transportation and warehousing -198 -7.5%

Calculated based upon Statistics Canada Business Patterns data – June 2018

Industrial Space

Region Vacancy rate Avg lease rate (sq. ft)

Edmonton 6.6% $10.27

Sherwood Park 5.2% $10.30 - $13.00

Greater Calgary 4.8% $10.00

Office Space

Region Vacancy rate Avg asking rental rates

Downtown Edmonton

“Class AA” 15.79% –

“Class A” 18.87% –

“Class B” 11.42% –

“Class C” 14.61% –

Suburban Edmonton 18.11% $12 - $25

Sherwood Park

Office 25.75% $12 - $22

Retail/Commercial Space

Region Vacancy rate Avg lease rate (sq. ft)

Sherwood Park ~6% $24 - $32

Sources: Strathcona County Economic Development and Tourism, Colliers Edmonton. All data as of January 2019

Real Estate

Figures are intended to provide a general average. The range of rates is based on building types, size of the specific space, type of use, access to customer visibility, road traffic counts, timing of negotiations, developer competition, and the details of the lease negotiations. For site-specific projects, visit the developers’ resources at strathcona.ca/retail

Retail

Strathcona County’s retail sector continues to grow with an excellent market balance of approximately 6 per cent retail vacancy. As of January 2019:

• an estimated 4,239,405 square feet of retail space in Sherwood Park concentrated in key retail zones; Broadmoor Boulevard, Wye Road, Sherwood Drive, Clover Bar Road, Baseline Road, Emerald Hills District, and Aspen Plaza

• 152,417 square feet of new retail space added in 2018• total retail floor space in Sherwood Park is predicted

to grow to 5.9 million square feet by 2037• based on a retail supply and demand analysis, it has

been determined that the Strathcona County retail market as of January 2018 experienced a retail sales leakage of 13%

For the updated 2018 retail market analysis, visit strathcona.ca/retail

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Trans-Canada (Yellowhead) Highway 16Trans-Canada (Yellowhead) Highway 16

Baseline Road

Wye Road

Sherwood DriveGranada Blvd.

dvlB doowtnerB

Broa

dmoo

r Blvd

Antho

ny H

enda

y Driv

e (Hi

ghwa

y 216

)

Highway 21

Clover Bar Road

Lakeland Drive

Emerald Hills CentreSherwood Common

Emerald Hills Corner

Aspen Plaza

Sherwood Towne Square

Centre in the Park

Millennium Place

Sherwood Park & District Chamber of Commerce

Information & Volunteer Centre

Millennium Ridge

Broadmoor Baseline Crossing

Broadmoor BuildingsEmerald HillsUrban Village

Summerwood Centre

Lakeland Ridge

Heritage Hills Crossing

Hillshire

Sherwood Park Plaza

Sherwood Park Mall

Durham Town Square

The RidgeNottingham Centre

Maplewood Plaza

Salisbury Greenhouse

Brentwood Plaza

Broadmoor Heritage Plaza

Wye Road CrossingWye South

1000 Sherwood Centre Salisbury Market

Village Market

Wye Gardens Plaza

Wye Business Centre Salisbury Gate

Shivam Park

Mills Haven Centre

Baseline Village

Buckingham

Savona CentreMarket in the

Centre of the Park

Sherwood Drive Retail

EDMONTON SHERWOOD PARK

Aerial photo from Google Earth

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www.strathcona.ca/retail18.01.19.EDT

2019 Retail Map.ai

Beaverbrook SquareBroadview Plaza

Sherwood Park Retail Areas 2019

For greater detail of popular retail areas in Sherwood Park, aerial

photos, or for the latest retail market analysis,

visit strathcona.ca/retail

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Industrial DevelopmentWe are Canada’s energy engine, Canada’s largest hydrocarbon processing region, and partner in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland

Association and Strathcona Industrial Association.

Strathcona County has a unique perspective to offer as a leader

in industrial development, with over 50 years working with industry and living safely alongside pipelines which move up to 40 per cent of Canada’s oil. We are Alberta’s leading industrial municipality as

measured by the value of manufactured goods. Over 11,000 businesses and organizations are located in the county, including over 220 manufacturing companies. They serve a market of 1.4 million people in Edmonton’s Metropolitan region.

Strathcona County has a cross-functional team dedicated to supporting effective development of Strathcona County’s portion of Alberta’s Industrial Heartland.

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We welcome and are well equipped to handle current and future industrial growth. We have recently completed the area structure plan and transportation master plan for this important industrial area, to maintain excellent infrastructure supporting road, rail and pipeline access to regional and global markets.

Inter Pipeline

Inter Pipeline’s construction of the Heartland Petrochemical Complex is well underway. The facility is designed to convert locally sourced, low-cost propane into 525,000 tonnes per year of polymer grade polypropylene, a high value and easy to transport plastic used in the manufacturing of a wide range of finished products. The Heartland Petrochemical Complex will cost approximately $4.1 billion to construct, and will consist of a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and a polypropylene (PP) facility and (CUB) central utility building.

Inter Pipeline was awarded $200 million in royalty credits from the Government of Alberta’s Petrochemical Diversification Program, in support of the complex. Construction is underway, with more than 2,000 onsite workers, and completion is scheduled for late 2021.

MEG Energy

MEG Energy owns a 1,200 acre parcel of land in Strathcona County, and has disclosed plans to develop commercial processing facilities, including a Diluent Recovery Unit and partial upgrading facilities. MEG also owns a smaller parcel of land in the Industrial development area of Lamont County, adjacent to the Bruderheim Energy Rail Terminal, where they are developing the HI-Q® demonstration facilities to advance their proprietary HI-Q® technology.

Air Products

A new Canadian plant has been built in Strathcona County under a long-term agreement for Air Products to supply Shell Scotford with hydrogen and steam, and to supply hydrogen to North West Redwater Partnership Sturgeon Refinery. The facility produces 150 million standard cubic feet per day of hydrogen. A project investment of $300 million.

ATCO Energy Solutions

The ATCO Heartland Energy Storage and Logistics Centre encompasses more than 600 acres of continuous land in Strathcona County. The project currently includes four salt caverns for hydrocarbon storage, with the capacity to store approximately 400,000

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cubic metres of propane, butane, ethylene, and natural gas condensate. Two additional caverns are anticipated to be completed in the near future.

ATCO Power

The Heartland Generating Station is a proposed 400 megawatt (MW) natural gas fired power generation station. The project will produce enough electricity for approximately 400,000 homes in Alberta. The Heartland Generating Station will

create between 300 and 400 full-time jobs during the three-year construction phase and 35 or more full-time jobs for operating the plant on an ongoing basis. Plans for the ATCO Heartland Generating Station Phases are subject to economics.

TC Energy (Formerly TransCanada)

The Grand Rapids Pipeline Project began operations in the fall of 2017, connecting crude oil resources from the west Athabasca oil sands area

to Strathcona County. The 460 km dual pipeline system consists of 20-inch pipeline to transport blended bitumen from Northern Alberta to the Edmonton Area and a 36-inch pipeline to transport diluent from the Edmonton Area back to the Fort McMurray area. Total product moved will be up to 900,000 barrels per day of crude and 330,000 barrels per day of diluent.

The Heartland Pipeline Project is a proposed 36-inch pipeline that will aid in the transport of up to 900,000 barrels of crude oil from Strathcona County to the Hardisty Alberta hub. As they have progressed through the regulatory process and advanced Project planning, TC Energy has adjusted their construction schedule to respond to current market conditions and continues to work with its long-term committed shippers.

The TC Terminals Project will provide tank storage of up to 1.9 million barrels of crude oil and will facilitate the efficient movement of crude oil from Northern Alberta by providing a connection to access markets elsewhere in North America. The TC Terminals Project will be constructed in alignment with the in-service date of the Heartland Pipeline.

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TC Energy has also acquired lands in Strathcona County with access to existing CN and CP rail lines. The lands are approximately 2.5 km east of TransCanada’s TC Terminals Project, a crude oil batch accumulation and storage facility.

Pembina

In the summer of 2017, Pembina Pipeline Corporation launched the $250 million Canadian Diluent Hub (CDH), a large-scale condensate and diluent terminal at its Heartland Terminal site near Strathcona County.

The CDH development includes 600,000 barrels of above ground storage, multiple inbound and outbound pipeline connections, plus associated pumping and metering facilities. CDH is designed to augment Pembina’s existing diluent handling facilities in the area and offer diluent services for oil sands customers.

Keyera

Rezoning was approved in fall of 2017 to allow for an extension to Keyera’s existing salt cavern storage facilities. Keyera has also purchased all Sasol land holdings and any information regarding its use will be shared in future updates.

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Gibsons

The Gibson Edmonton Terminal recently expanded to 1.7 million barrels of existing storage, with long-term potential to increase capacity by an additional 2 million barrels – subject to future market conditions.

Shell

Quest Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project is a joint venture of Shell, Chevron, Marathon, Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada.

Now operational, this $1.35 billion project captures, transports and stores (permanently underground) over one million tonnes of CO2

a year, from Shell’s Scotford Upgrader in Strathcona County – the equivalent to taking 175,000 North American cars off the road each year. Once the CO2

is captured from the three hydrogen units, it is be transported by pipeline up to 80 km north to the chosen injection wells.

Enbridge

The 447 km Norlite Pipeline was completed and in-service as of June 2017. The 24-inch pipeline is capable of shipping 270,000 barrels per day of diluent from

the Enbridge Stonefell site to the Suncor East Tank farm near Fort McMurray, and has the potential to be expanded up to 400,000 barrels per day with the addition of pump stations.

Kinder Morgan

The Kinder Morgan Base Line Terminal is a joint venture with Keyera Corporation. It is a crude oil storage terminal located on land at Keyera’s Alberta Enviro Fuels facility in Sherwood Park, Alberta.

The Terminal became fully operational in 2018 and provides 4.8 million barrels of capacity. There is potential for the terminal to expand its operations by another 1.8 million barrels in the future.

Heartland Sulphur LP

The Heartland Sulphur Terminal has completed construction, and is in operation. This terminal provides the forming and liquid loading facilities required for Alberta producers to move the increasing sulphur supply to various world markets. The forming facility processes 700,000 tonnes of liquid sulphur sourced from Alberta oil sands and gas plants each year.

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Canadian Natural

Canadian Natural (CNRL) purchased assets from Shell, valued in the range of $12.7 billion. This includes ownership of the Athabasca Oilsands Project, 70 per cent of the Scotford upgrader, and the Quest CSS project. Shell will maintain ownership and operation of their refinery and chemical plants in Strathcona County, in addition to their existing land holdings, and will continue to operate the Scotford upgrader and Quest CSS.

Wolf Midstream

In February 2018, Wolf Midstream Inc. purchased the Stonefell Terminal, which is in the Heartland Industrial development area of Strathcona County, from MEG Energy. The Stonefell Terminal connects to the Access Pipeline System, of which MEG Energy also sold their 50 per cent stake in to Wolf Midstream, giving

Wolf Midstream a 100 per cent ownership interest in the Access Pipeline. MEG Energy will continue to operate Stonefell Terminal.

The Access Pipeline transports oil from MEG Energy’s Christina Lake production project and to the Bruderheim Pipelines system which connects to the Bruderheim Energy Terminal rail facility.

Value Creation Inc.

On track to invest $2 billion in an upgrading facility in Strathcona County, Value Creation Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary Value Chain Solutions Inc., will create more than 2,000 construction jobs and another 200 full-time positions once the facility is up and running. VCI’s leading-edge facility will upgrade diluted oil sands bitumen into a higher-value crude blend that can flow easier through pipelines. This provides significant cost savings to industry because it would reduce the need for diluent,

while increasing pipeline capacity by up to 30 per cent, and providing access to more refineries around the world that cannot currently accept Alberta’s oil sands bitumen. Construction of the Strathcona County-based project is already underway, with some foundational infrastructure in place and design work nearly completed. The plant is expected to be operational in 2022. Once completed, this would be the first commercial-scale partial upgrader in the world using this new technology, which VCI has been developing over several years.

To find out about our industrial advantages visit strathcona.ca/youcanindustrial

Business investment and attraction for Strathcona County is focused on a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy that explores value-added opportunities in our energy cluster. A special digital supplement was developed by ICIS, the world’s largest petrochemical information provider icis.com/pages/custom-publishing/strathcona

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Residential DevelopmentMore people continue to move to Strathcona County, widely known as a peaceful, safe and family-friendly community, and a municipality that supports its citizens in reaching their highest aspirations, that strives to provide quality infrastructure, and efficiently run programs and services.

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80,000,000

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120,000,000

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2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

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Residential construction permit activity remains strong in the County with permits issued for 342 residential units, 137 of which were in a rural setting. Of the new construction permits, 65 per cent were for single dwelling units. The value for all

additions and renovations was $20 million or 13.5 per cent of the total residential values.

New residential construction remains relatively stable in recent years. In urban areas, new residential construction changes

with the housing market demand and existing real estate supply. We have had five good years of multi-family growth. The home building industry has kept a good balance of housing supply in the community. Rural areas tend to be custom built for particular owners.

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100

150

200

250

300

350

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2015

2016

2017

2018

Num

ber o

f Uni

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350

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0Singles Duplex Townhomes Apartments Others Singles Others

Urban Rural

Residential Unit Building Permits by Type

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

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Residential Construction Activity

In urban areas, all housing construction categories have seen a small decrease from 2017, and permits for residential units in rural areas have also had a slight reduction from 2017. This has been the trend over the past eight years.Strathcona County anticipates the completed unit inventory to climb in 2019, resulting in a slight decrease in single unit starts and steady growth in multi-unit starts.

Residential Construction Activity

Housing starts units 2018 2017 % Change

Single family 231 249 -7

Multi-family 174 199 -13

Total units 405 448 -10

Completions units

Single family 206 184 12

Multi-family 123 344 -64

Total residential units 329 528 -38

Under construction units

Single family 216 192 13

Multi-family 198 147 35

Total residential units 414 339 22

Complete and unabsorbed units

Single family 54 45 20

Multi-family 45 101 -55

Total residential units 99 146 -32

New dwelling units absorbed

Single family 197 159 24

Multi-family 179 356 -50

Total residential units 376 515 -27

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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) shows Strathcona County’s rental market at a combined vacancy of 6.5 per cent for apartments and townhomes.

The number of purpose-built rental units in Strathcona County has increased 50 per cent over the past three years with 1,227 units. Average apartment rents in the County are $1,332 per month.

Single Family Resale Market

Sherwood Park resale single family house prices remain relatively stable.The average price of a single detached home at the end of 2018 was $422,210.

To gain more statistical data about Strathcona County visit data.strathcona.ca

New Single-Family Absorbed in 2018

Style Number absorbed

Bungalow 21

Split-level 0

Two-storey 141

Other 15

Total 177

Rental information 2018 2017 2016

Average apartment rent $1,332 $1,343 $1,298

Apartment vacancy rate 6.5% 9.6 % 4.22 %

Town home vacancy rate N/A N/A N/A

Combined vacancy rate 6.5% 10.6% 3.2%

CMHC, Rental Market Report, Residential Construction Digest

$422,210The average home resale price in 2018Lorenz Team, Realty Executives/Edmonton Real Estate Board

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TourismConnect with Economic Development and Tourism to access resources and support to build capacity and develop your tourism business. We’re here to support you in providing great experiences to those that live in and visit the municipality.

We work with tourism operators on coordinating retention and expansion, and destination awareness through promotion of Strathcona County events, amenities and businesses. The County is a partner and member in tourism associations.

Beaver Hills Biosphere and Beaver Hills Initiative

The Beaver Hills Biosphere is a designated UNESCO biosphere with over 35 lakes, 800 plant types, 152 bird species and 48 mammals – there is much to see and enjoy. The Beaver Hills is an extensively treed, upland area consisting of rolling to hummocky terrain rich in native wetlands and aspen dominated Boreal mixed wood forest habitat. It is located in the south east corner of Sherwood Park and extends east of Elk Island National Park.

The Beaver Hills Initiative is a multi-stakeholder organization, governed by a board that works collaboratively to support the region, its natural beauty and quality of life. This is achieved through supporting cooperative efforts to sustain the quality of water, land, air, natural resources and community development. Strathcona County is a proud founding member of the initiative. beaverhills.ca

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Savour

A celebration of gourmet cuisine and local art. This community festival is a collaboration of independent artists, local restaurants, vendors and producers. Savour is an excellent opportunity for our local small businesses to showcase their culinary and artistic talents. Every year the event grows in popularity and 2018 saw more nearly 2,500 attendees during the four hour event – increasing exposure for 17 artists/artisans and 14 local independent restaurants and food trucks. We invite you to delight your senses and visit our 2019 event on Sunday, July 7.strathcona.ca/savour

Christmas in the Heartland

Christmas in the Heartland is hosted by the Josephburg Agricultural Society, and is a collaborative effort between rural community partners North of Highway 16, and multiple Strathcona County departments. The two-day event is a celebration of rural hospitality and spirit around the holiday season. Admission at all locations is free and visitors are immersed in festivities that include: Christmas markets where holiday crafts, baking and refreshments can be purchased; horse-drawn sleigh rides, and a variety of arts and cultural demonstrations. There is a self-drive option that is facilitated by an interactive tour of the venue. Chartered tours are available on Saturday.

We look forward to seeing you at Christmas in the Heartland on November 30 to December 1, 2019.strathcona.ca/events

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The Canadian Birkebeiner

Strathcona County is a proud sponsor of this annual Nordic ski event. Inspired by a Norwegian legend, the event is held at the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area. The ‘Birkie’ as it is affectionately known, is a volunteer-run, cross-country ski event.

Christmas in the Country

Christmas in the Country is an event held annually in the communities of south Strathcona County. It features festive activities, sleigh rides, delicious holiday treats and shopping. The grand finale is “Light up South Strathcona” in South Cooking Lake, at the Strathcona County South Contact Office. Self-drive and chartered bus options are available for Saturday only. Tourists near and far are invited to join in the festivities again on December 7, 2019.strathcona.ca/countrychristmas

Activity and Travel Guide

Strathcona County is proud to present the award winning Activity and Travel Guide. This online booklet highlights tourism outlets and operators in Strathcona County.strathcona.ca/youcanvisit

To plan your next experience visit strathcona.ca/youcanvisit

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Community EngagementStrathcona County values public input to decision making. The County supports public engagement that is honest, transparent and accessible. Economic Development and Tourism’s strategy, activities and relationships are informed by our interactions in the broader community.

Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee

The Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee (EDTAC) is a group of appointed community business representatives providing insight on items that support

strategic goals, objectives and issues that affect the business community. EDTAC members are lifetime champions for our business community. They share knowledge on the opportunities and challenges in their specific sectors of expertise. EDTAC also encourages creative solutions to identified challenges in

order to achieve positive results in a timely manner. We continue to work with the community to ensure we add value in each of our interactions. We invite you to watch for our many networking, information sharing and learning opportunities that come throughout the year.

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Partners, Sponsors and AssociationsThank you to the many regional, provincial, national and international organizations and groups for your assistance, knowledge and commitment.

Your engagement has moved Strathcona County forward to achieve our economic development and tourism goals.

Call 780-464-8095. We are here to help you with business initiatives.

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REDA Regional Economic

Development Association

gallery 501

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Facts and Stats*Q1 2019 statistics and subject to change.

98,381Population: Urban 71,332 / Rural 27,049

15,800Local Highly-Skilled Graduates

$365 millionBuilding Permits

$137 millionCommercial Permits

Visit strathcona.ca/stats to see more details

840,400Eligible Workers in the Region

160,655Average Household Income

Average Age

Extraction Manufacturing Scientific

Construction Trucking Engineering

Demographics

Leading Industries

Retail Market

Permit Values

1.4 millionMarket Area Population

$5.6 billionHousehold Spending Power

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Strathcona County 2001 Sherwood Drive

Sherwood Park, Alberta Canada T8A 3W7

strathcona.edt

StrathcoCounty

strathcona-county

Contact

Economic Development and Tourism

P: 780.464.8095 E: scedt@strathcona.ca

W: strathcona.ca/edt

Your online window to service –

strathcona.ca/countyconnect

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