www.grandecache.ca
September 2008
ECONOMIC PROFILE LOCATION Majestic vistas of mountain peaks and valleys encircle a small town sitting high in the front ranges and foothills of the Canadian Rockies. The Town of Grande Cache, Alberta is an undiscovered gem! Nestled midway between Grande Prairie and Hinton on Highway 40, the scenic route to Alaska, the town is just over two hours from Jasper. The town is 440 km northwest of Edmonton, and nestled 140 km north of Hinton and 180 km south of Grande Prairie. Modern living is balanced with mountain wilderness, affordability, and a genuine small-town atmosphere. Built on a mountain plateau, the town faces south towards the Continental Divide and the pristine Willmore Wilderness Park. An elevation of 4200 feet gives a panoramic view of 21 mountain peaks and 2 river valleys. Grande Cache offers outstanding outdoor adventure, relaxed lifestyle and unparalleled potential. It is a growing community with a wealth of opportunity in tourism, residential, and resource industry development.
POPULATION Due to the change in Grande Cache’s economy, the make-up of the town’s population has definitely changed since 2001. While the 2006 Census indicates that the current population in Grande Cache is 3,783, the Town is confident that this number has now risen over 4,000 and the estimated population of Grande Cache is closer to 4,200. There are six aboriginal Co-ops within the area with a total of over 330 residents. A number of work camps exist within the trading area, although these tend to be more transient based, therefore it is difficult to calculate actual population. Many of our key industries are experiencing significant growth, which will affect our population in the near future with additional families being recruited to the community.
TOURISM & RECREATION Grande Cache is the gateway to the Willmore Wilderness Park, 4,464 square km of pure unspoiled mountain wilderness. Motorized vehicles are not allowed in the park. A network of trails, most of which were established by natives, trappers and outfitters, provide access to the backcountry. Fast-flowing rivers and streams with waterfalls are found throughout the park. 1 of 5
Grande Cache Economic Profile
Sept/08
The natural setting of the surrounding Grande Cache area provides opportunities for a wide range of recreational pursuits, including hiking, biking, white water rafting and paddling, horseback riding, golfing, sight seeing and wildlife viewing, camping, heli-tours, telemark & cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice climbing. On average, over 18,900 people visit the Grande Cache Tourism & Interpretive Centre per year. Grande Cache has a rich tradition of hunting and fishing. A variety of game fish are available to the sport-fishing enthusiast. Rainbow trout, brook trout, Dolly Varden [bull trout], Arctic grayling and Rocky Mountain whitefish populate the lakes and streams. As for hunting, you can choose to hunt on your own or use the services of several outfitters and guides in the area. Elk, moose, mule deer, whitetail deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, grizzly bears, black bears, and wolf are all plentiful in the area. Among some of the Grande Cache area’s more interesting wildlife were huge meat eating dinosaurs, which hunted our once muddy shore with strides 3 metres (10 feet) long. Although no longer permanent residents, they left thousands of footprints behind, embedded high in the mountains in steep sheets of rock. There are over a dozen sites containing tracks in a 25 square kilometre (10 sq. mi.) area, making it one of the best dinosaur track sites in the world. Originally uncovered by local coal mining activities, this site was designated a protected Provincial Historical Site by the Province of Alberta in 2006. Currently, public access is restricted. It is our goal to share this unique treasure by providing safe and sustainable tours to our Dinosaur Trackways in the future. Grande Cache is home of the Northface Canadian Death Race, a 125 kilometre extreme running race. The trail includes three mountain summits and over 17,000 feet of elevation change, as well as the crossing of a major river at our spectacular Sulphur Gates canyon at the confluence of the Smoky and Sulphur Rivers. This race is held every August long weekend. A community 3-day festival compliments the race. Deathfest is a weekend full of fun for the whole family including games, rides, and entertainment. In 2008, the final Killer Concert featured Doc Walker, Canadian Country Music Awards 2008 Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Video of the Year, and Band of the Year winners. The unique Passport to the Peaks hiking program celebrates the beauty of the 21 mountain peaks that surround Grande Cache, and is designed to encourage hikers of every skill level to achieve a summit... or several. Each mountain is rated as either Bronze, Silver or Gold depending upon the level of difficulty. On each summit is a Cairn Box with an embossing Summit Stamp mounted inside, particular to that mountain. Local recreation facilities include the Akasaka Recreation Complex [swimming pool, arena, curling rink, fitness room], tennis courts, ball diamonds, a golf course, Fireman's Park, Grande Cache Lake [day-use, boating, fishing], and Victor Lake [canoeing, fishing]. Nearby campgrounds include Grande Cache Municipal Campground, Hide-A-Way Camp, Blue Bridge Campground, Pierre Greys Lake Campground, and Mason Creek Day use area, with over 200 campsites.
HEALTH CARE & EMERGENCY SERVICES Grande Cache Community Health Complex has 10 acute care beds, 5 physicians, an Aboriginal Health Liaison, Palliative/Pediatric/Pastoral care, Physiotherapy, X-ray facilities and laboratory. The Health Unit maintains an office in the Provincial Building. Other medical services include a medical clinic, a public health nurse, chiropractor, two physiotherapists and one dentist. An optometrist visits Grande Cache once a week. Veterinary services are available one day per week; full time services are located in Hinton and Grande Prairie. Emergency 9-1-1 service provides easy access to Police, Fire, and Ambulance services in Grande Cache. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has a full detachment to provide community police services. Grande Cache has a full time BLS service with 4 full time and several part time and casual personnel, and utilizes 3 ambulances and 2
rescue trucks. The Grande Prairie Ambulance Service provides Paramedic Air Ambulance to Edmonton. The community is served by a 35-member volunteer fire department, with a fully equipped fire hall and a complete line of rescue vehicles. Correctional Services Canada provides back up.
HOSPITALITY A variety of accommodations exist in Grande Cache, including 7 hotels, motels, and inns with over 440 rooms. There are also bed and breakfasts, lodges, cabins, and campgrounds. Ten full service restaurants, 5 lounges, and 3 takeout restaurants service the town.
COMMUNITY SERVICES The community provides for everyday needs through a varied retail sector. All the basics are covered, including groceries, clothing, automotive, hardware and building supplies. The town center is home to a variety of shops and restaurants. Professional services are also available, such as real estate, insurance, financial, and legal services.
EDUCATION All levels of public education are available in Grande Cache. There are public schools that provide children with a close-knit school environment from Kindergarten to Grade 12. There is a Christian school program for children from Kindergarten to Grade 8. For those of Aboriginal descent, the Susa Creek School provides education within a cultural setting. Grande Cache is part of the Grande Yellowhead Regional School Division #35.
TRANSPORTATION Grande Cache Municipal Airport is located 24 kms from town, has a 5,000-metre runway and is operated on a 24hour basis. The airport handles charter and emergency flight transportation. Alberta Rail-Net serves Grande Cache under contractual arrangements. Passenger service is provided by Canadian National Railways to Hinton, which is the closest depot. Grande Cache is connected to Hinton to the south, and Grande Prairie to the north, via Highway 40, the Bighorn Highway.
ECONOMIC BASE The Town of Grande Cache was established in the early seventies to accommodate the development of a coal mine. Throughout its short history, Grande Cache’s economy has been strongly affected by the ever-changing world markets for natural resources. In response to booms and recessions, the community strove for economic diversification, and successfully expanded into different industries. Today, the key industries in Grande Cache are oil & gas exploration and development, forestry, coal production, tourism, thermal-electricity generation, and a federal correctional institution. There is a varied retail sector servicing residents & visitors, and a growing service sector supporting expanding resource industries in the area. 3 of 5
Key Industries: Oil & Gas Exploration and Development - There is rapid expansion of oil and gas development in the area. EnCana Corporation and Conoco Phillips Canada have both set up operations in the community. EnCana has 96 employees and retained contractors in Grande Cache. Conoco Phillips has 50 contract operators and employees based out of their local office. Coal Production - Grande Cache Coal Corporation currently employs 275 people and is planning on expanding operations to meet the global demand for metallurgical coal. It is expected that there will be a steady increase in produced tonnage over the foreseeable future. Milner Power is looking to commence mining operations at #14 Mine in 2009, requiring 75 new full time employees. Thermal-Electricity Generation - Milner Power’s power plant currently employs 66 people, and uses coal to produce electricity. Operation expansions include a newly proposed $1.4 billion dollar power plant. This unit could start breaking ground late 2009 or early 2010. One thousand workers will be involved during the 3-year construction time, with as many as 700 workers at one time. Once in operation, up to 40 new employees will be hired. Forestry - Forestry continues through timber harvesting and the opening of a value-added lumber mill by Foothills Forest Products, which employs 175 people. There are plans to expand the wood pellet production, as well as potential expansion for power generation and the value-added forest products operation. Federal Correctional Institution - The Grande Cache Institution is immediately adjacent to the town, and is in the process of moving from minimum to medium security. They currently employ 200 staff, and plan on recruiting 80 additional employees by the end of 2008. Tourism - The tourism economy continues to grow to help diversity our economic base, with increasing tourism products and services. We currently have Wild Blue Yonder rafting tours, Taste of Wilderness hiking tours, U Bar Trail Rides and High Country Vacations for horseback trips, and Pacific Western Helicopters, offering sightseeing tours, heli-hiking, skiing, etc. Economic growth in Grande Cache has been strong over the last several years and is anticipated to continue into the foreseeable future.
LAND BASE & DEVELOPMENT The Town of Grande Cache has developed into a mature community with a wide range of businesses and community services. Retail development, hotels, and government services are concentrated in the Town Centre consisting of seven multi-purpose buildings located around common parking areas. The Grande Cache Community Health Complex is located immediately north of the Town Centre. Private developers have purchased commercial mixed-use and industrial land immediately east of the Town Centre across Highway #40 at both the north and south ends of town. Development has began in the fall of 2008. The Town of Grande Cache is currently in the process of acquiring approximately 2,400 acres of land from the Province south of the community towards the Sulphur River to provide for additional residential, commercial, and recreational developments. Multi-family housing is located to the west of the Town Centre. Large areas of predominantly single-family housing extend west and south from the Town Centre in six Stages. New residential lots have been developed to support the town’s growth and are currently available for sale.
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Table 1: Building Permits Total Building Permit Values Building Permits Value, Commercial Building Permits Value, Industrial Building Permits Value, Institutional Building Permits Value, Residential Building Permits Value, Total Total Housing Starts
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
$1,930,000
$557,000
$5,153,000
$7,995,000
$ 734,500
$0
$190,000
$0
$3,234,000
$1,025,000
$0
$3,012,000
$0
$ 800,000
$1,447,000
$262,000
$182,000
$17,199,938
$15,749,000
$4,303,000
$3,941,000 $22,653,938.00
$27,778,051
$7,509,513
$2,192,000 0
0
112
51 + 13 40 condo units Source: Statistics Canada 2000-2004 Building Permits Town of Grande Town of Grande Town of Grande (numbers may not add up due to rounding) Cache statistics Cache statistics Cache statistics
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES Grande Cache offers endless opportunities for outdoor recreation and adventure, a relaxed lifestyle and ever expanding investment potential. Sharing in the Alberta economic boom, the Grande Cache area is experiencing a rapid expansion of oil and natural gas development, forestry, coal production, and tourism. These sectors have significantly diversified the economy, and will better equip the town to weather future downturns in the commodity markets. Economic growth has been strong over the last several years and is anticipated to continue into the foreseeable future. Significant growth in all sectors of the economy is creating new employment opportunities in Grande Cache. Looking at long-term development, Grande Cache is seeking developers and investors with tourism, recreation, and residential products to help realize the potential of the area. A strong core group of business owners, working with the community, are dedicated to the future. Tremendous opportunities await those who embrace New Urbanism Principles. Be a part of the exciting growth of our vibrant and progressive mountain community!
KEY CONTACTS Tara Wignes, Manager of Economic Development & Tourism Ph: 780.827.3362 ext 27 E-Mail: tara.wignes@grandecache.ca Darren Ottaway, Chief Administrative Officer Ph: 780.827.3362 ext 31 E-Mail: darren.ottaway@grandecache.ca Town of Grande Cache P.O. Box 300 Grande Cache, Alberta T0E 0Y0 Fax: 780.827.2406 5 of 5