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MAY 2008, Volume
23 Issue 5
Click here to download this story in PDF format
Regional Roundup: Wetaskiwin, AB
Connected for growth
Wetaskiwin takes full advantage of its location –
and land – to tap into the Alberta advantage
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Auto dealers run a mile through downtown Wetaskiwin,
which boasts the highest per-capita auto sales in the
country. Thriving retail is just part of the action. |
A few years ago, there wasn't a vacant lot available in the city of Wetaskiwin, Alberta. Now, with more than 500 acres of newly developed land for sale, the city has expanded to accommodate industrial and residential demand.
And Wetaskiwin, population 11,000, is ready to receive them. The city has more than 600 businesses to handle the retail and service needs of homeowners and industry.
Located at the junction of Highway 2A and Highway 13, Wetaskiwin is 70 kilometres south of Edmonton and 90 kilometres from Red Deer with easy links to Highway 2, the main north-south Alberta corridor.
The city leaders have done much to build on Wetaskiwin's economic base of agriculture, manufacturing and distribution.
In 2003, they created a joint economic development initiative (JEDI), a tripartite agreement of the councils of Wetaskiwin, the Town of Millet and the County of Wetaskiwin. Their common vision promotes economic expansion and healthy industrial growth. According to JEDI's director, Richard Horncastle, the area served by JEDI is well situated to make that happen.
"Our location is ideal for businesses who are feeling squeezed by growth in larger centres like Edmonton and Leduc.
Our motto is 'Connected for Growth,' and we have a reliable transportation network which includes access to the Calgary-Edmonton trade corridor, CP rail access, proximity to Edmonton International Airport and our own certified airport that boasts a runway more than a kilometre long."
Industrial
He adds that 300 acres of land have been made available for light industrial development providing a range of options for new businesses: raw land, developed business parks and industrial condominium space, like the Beacon Business Park near the Wetaskiwin Airport. The developer, Imperium Industries, anticipates the warehouse condominium will be ready for occupancy late this spring.
The 7,000-square-foot fully serviced bays can be purchased for $150 per square foot or leased under several options. The 28-acre site has ample marshalling and storage space, an attractive lure for Edmonton developers who are facing the tightest vacancy rate - 1.1 per cent - in North America.
JEDI also helps businesses make a seamless move to the Wetaskiwin area. Horncastle said.
"We assist with labour recruitment, from a work force of 600,000 within commuting distance. The proximity of the University of Alberta, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and colleges in Wetaskiwin and Red Deer guarantee skilled labour for the future."
JEDI also develop relationships with local governments and organizations throughout the province "to work on any problems or constraints faced by our incoming or existing industries," said Horncastle.
An important factor of economic expansion in Wetaskiwin is the desire to "make sure industry doesn't interfere with the quality of life that is now enjoyed by the residents of this area," he said. "We are not close enough to the major oil producing areas of Alberta to attract heavy industry which can come with pollution problems. Our location typically attracts cleaner industries like distribution and manufacturing."
Housing
Proximity to Edmonton apparently makes Wetaskiwin ideal for homeowners who prefer a small-city lifestyle. Realtors like Don Copithorne, associate broker with Century 21 All Stars Realty Ltd. hopes to capitalize on that with Granite Springs, a 51-lot subdivision, recently developed by Royal Canadian Development Inc. of Edmonton.
Copithorne said, "Our largest pie-shaped lots are priced at $110,000, and 40-foot by 110-foot lots are as low as $75,000. It's no surprise we've had a lot of interest from Edmonton. We're about 30 minutes from the city and even closer to the international airport."
Granite Springs is one of eight new subdivisions developed on land released by the city of Wetaskiwin in 2005. Although Copithorne is still waiting for final approval from the city to start selling in Granite Springs, he says there's a big demand for the lots.
A downturn in the Edmonton housing market, where listings of homes for sale have more than tripled this year from 2007, may spread to Wetaskiwin, however
"Lots are less expensive than Edmonton and homeowners in Wetaskiwin don't give up anything to live here," Copithorne said.
Retail
Copithorne is referring to the upgraded retail facilities in the city. A Wal-Mart opened in August 2005, Mark's Work Wearhouse has set up shop, and Canadian Tire has expanded to a larger facility in the city. The Wetaskiwin Mall features Reitmans and the Source, and old storefronts in the historic downtown have been restored to their original design to entice customers.
The city is also home to the 560,000-square-foot western Canadian distribution centre for Home Hardware, and the largest Co-op Farm and Home Centre in the West.
Wetaskiwin's mile-long array of car dealerships makes it the highest per-capita auto seller in Canada. Dealers claim people come from all over Canada to get a car deal in Wetaskiwin.
Mayor Don Montgomery adds, "Wetaskiwin has a lot to offer. There're 400 acres of green spaces and many cultural and recreational organizations for families." Wetaskiwin boasts some unique features, including four museums, 20 kilometres of urban trails and a vibrant theatre company, he added.
Clean water
This January, a Canadian Press article profiled local rural landowners who claim their water wells have been poisoned by explosive "fracturing" used to recover coalbed methane. Copithorne, says he's unaware of the well water complaints. He adds that all the new subdivisions on the east side of Wetaskiwin are serviced by the city's water from the treatment plant in Coal Lake.
Tony Goode, city manager for Wetaskiwin, confirmed, "None of the water in our distribution system comes from wells but from the 23-square-kilometre lake. At our water treatment plant, water is chlorinated and treated for odour and colour and piped to the reservoirs on the eastern boundary of the city."
– Noreen Heighton
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