About the M.D. of Bonnyville
One significant task from the Municipal District of Bonnyville’s Business and Industry Growth Strategy was to create a community profile to help attract new people and businesses to our area.
What is a community profile? It is a snapshot of information, resources, and trends within the community that establishes the context for decision making specific to personal re-location or business retention, expansion, and attraction.
Since the late 1940s, the M.D. has supported the Energy sector. Oil and gas are a crucial component of the M.D. economy. A significant portion of the M.D. labour force is connected to the Energy sector. Many local businesses are directly and indirectly associated with oil and gas.
Workforce
The M.D.’s workforce of those over the age of 15 is approximately 10,000 with a participation rate of 68 per cent.
Education Levels
Close to eight per cent of M.D. residents have a university certificate, diploma, or degree. Approximately 18 per cent of residents have a college or non-university certificate or diploma, and over 14 per cent have apprenticeship trade certificates or diplomas.
The M.D. of Bonnyville trade area currently exceeds 67,000 people, and the region is predicted to grow over the next decade. The average household income in the region is among the highest in the province and is supported by natural resources. The region has a considerable military presence in CFB Cold Lake and is rooted in agriculture.
Population
Median Total Household Income
$112,000 $105,000 $95,000 $96,000 $84,000
M.D. of Bonnyville City of Cold Lake Lac La Biche County Alberta Canada
P.E.I.
Housing Costs
M.D. of Bonnyville
City of Cold Lake
Lac La Biche County
Alberta
Canada
$406,700
$315,000
$430,000
$450,704
$678,282
P.E.I.
M.D. OF BONNYVILLE
What you should know about the M.D. of Bonnyville:
The Cold Lake Oil Sands area is the second largest oil reserve in Alberta. The region, at its peak, produces over 500,000 barrels of oil per day. Imperial Oil’s project in the north portion of the M.D. is Canada’s largest in-situ oil sand operation, producing approximately Five per cent of all crude oil in Canada . The M.D. has over 17,000 oil/gas wells , which adds to the overall production.
The M.D. of Bonnyville has a well-established network of primary highways (372 km). One of Alberta’s major east-west highways traversing central Alberta, Hwy. 28, runs directly through the district as a high-load corridor between Edmonton and Cold Lake. Hwy. 41 is a high-load industrial route that runs north-south to the U.S. border. Hwy. 55 provides direct access to the South Athabasca Oil Sands, connecting to numerous communities and industrial sites in the region.
The area has two regional airports offering both passenger and cargo service. The M.D.-owned and operated airport, with a runway of 4,434 feet, is six kilometres north of the Town of Bonnyville on Hwy. 41 and offers direct flights to the Calgary International Airport. The Cold Lake Regional Airport is located four kilometres west of the City of Cold Lake with a runway length of 3,005 feet.
The M.D. of Bonnyville is approximately 300 km northeast of Edmonton International Airport (EIA). EIA is a major hub facility for Northern Alberta and Northern Canada for passenger and cargo activity. It is Canada’s largest major airport by total land area.
The region is serviced by Canadian National Railway (CNR) at Vermilion, south of the M.D. on Hwy. 41. It is a terminal point for CNR, on a secondary main line connecting Edmonton to the west and Saskatoon to the east. The distance to the Town of Bonnyville is 112 km, while Cold Lake to Vermilion is 165 km.
The M.D. of Bonnyville employs a concierge-level service with Planning and Development and Economic Development allowing for a streamlined and transparent development process. The M.D. is very competitive with its associated fees and averages approval times. Find out more at bit.ly/MDBvillePermits
The M.D. of Bonnyville is fortunate to be home to a number of existing industrial subdivisions. Please contact Economic Development Specialist, Scott Kovatch, for complete details at skovatch@md.bonnyville.ab.ca or 780-826-3171.
The M.D.‘s quality of life is supported by a post-secondary institution, the healthcare sector, and an abundance of outdoor recreation choices including 12 M.D.-owned campgrounds, hiking and snowmobile trails, sports facilities, a ski hill, and aerial adventure park at Kinosoo Ridge Resort.
Oil Production
Canadian energy producers finished 2022 by posting an increase in the production of primary energy, up 5.1 per cent to two million terajoules in December. Compared with December 2021, four of the six energy subsectors reported higher production, notably natural gas (+5.9%) and crude oil (+4.3%)
Statcan Energy Statistics, December 2022
According to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), oil and gas investment in Canada is growing, creating jobs and prosperity for all Canadians.
Investment was forecasted at $40 billion (oil sands/conventional) in 2023, up 11 per cent with the investments in research and development, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Canadian research and development investments in oil and natural gas is forecasted to be $2 billion by 2025.
Imperial Oil Cold Lake, located in the M.D. of Bonnyville, has been in continuous operation for over 45 years. In 2022, the company produced 140,000 barrels a day, employed 400 people with an additional 1,000 individuals employed by service partners. There are decades of remaining production potential with 1.7 billion barrels of proven and probable reserves remaining.
Oil Production facilities in the M.D. of Bonnyville
Cenovus Energy
CNRL
SCOTT KOVATCH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
Email: skovatch@md.bonnyville.ab.ca
Website: md.bonnyville.ab.ca
Phone: 780-826-3171
Imperial Oil
Foster Creek Plant
Beartrap Plant
Wolf Lake Plant
Primrose East Plant
Primrose South Plant
Primrose North Plant
Leming Plant
Mahkeses Plant
Maskwa Plant #3 Phase 5&6
Maskwa Plant #1 Phase 1&2
Mahikan Plant #2 Phase 3&4
Mahikan Plant #4 Phase 7&10
Nabiye Plant
Strathcona Resources
Orion SAGD
Tucker Lake Plant