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 Municipal District of Bonnyville has supported the Energy sector. Oil and gas is a crucial component of the M.D. economy. A significant portion of the M.D. labour force is connected to the energy sector. The M.D. is working towards diversifying the local economy, and has identified the renewable technologies sector as an opportunity for diversification. A future with renewable technologies represents change and new and increased resource development, jobs, and increased long-term revenue for the M.D.
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 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, supported by natural resources.
Population
Source: Statistics Canada 2021 Census
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
M.D. of Bonnyville Value Proposition
The M.D. of Bonnyville is an investment-oriented development enabler with favourable industrial and residential land costs. The region has a skilled labour force, with industry receptive post-secondary training institutions offering micro credentials. The M.D. of Bonnyville has undertaken an asset management program that is committed to infrastructure investment. The M.D. of Bonnyville has business friendly zoning, access to an industrial land inventory, competitive permitting costs and approval times, and a unique rural-urban lifestyle.
M.D. OF BONNYVILLE
What you should know about the M.D. of Bonnyville:
The M.D. of Bonnyville is poised for investment in renewable energy technologies. This includes energy production using a renewable energy source like solar, wind, biomass (biofuels and wastes), and geothermal heat. Research shows the region has significant feedstock for solar, wind, and biomass energy technologies. Research regarding geothermal is ongoing.
Currently, opportunities exist to supply renewable energy to countries across the globe. In 2002 clean energy investments totalled $32 billion USD. In 2022, the total increased to $495 billion USD. The industry has matured with policy support, and is expected to grow to $2 trillion USD by 2030 according to Next Move Strategy Consulting.
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.