TOURISM & QUALITY OF PLACE
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.
Alberta has always been known for its abundance of tourism products.
The M.D. of Bonnyville is invested in tourism. The visitor experience is an important component of the M.D. economy. A significant portion of the M.D. is dedicated to the tourism sector. The M.D. owns and operates 12 campgrounds and Kinosoo Ridge Resort, which offers year-round elevated adventures with 42 acres of skiable terrain in the winter and a 60-foot-tall Aerial Adventure Park and target golf in the summer. Tourism helps diversify the local economy. Travel Alberta’s goal is to almost double total travel spending in the province from $10 million to $19 million by 2035. The M.D. plans to be part of this tourism revenue and product growth with upgrades and expansions to our owned and operated recreation facilities. The visitor economy impacts many local businesses.
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
Median Total Household Income
$112,000 $105,000 $95,000 $96,000 $84,000
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
What you should know about the M.D. of Bonnyville:
The best lakes in Alberta are nestled in the boreal forest, the primary tourist attraction in the M.D. of Bonnyville. You are never far away from a lakeshore with all types of water recreation. Fishing is fantastic and the seasonal bird migration attracts many birders to our lakeshores. There are more than 20 resorts and campgrounds that attract thousands of visitors throughout the year. Opportunities for tourism investment are numerous.
The M.D. of Bonnyville trade area is between 67,000 people and is augmented every year by 50,000 people during the summer and every second year by another 25,000 people when the Air Show is held at CFB Cold Lake.
Visitors aged 22 to 34 represent 22 per cent of the total visitor population, while these 35 to 54 years old represent 28 per cent and those 55 years old and older represent 25 per cent. Visitors travelling with children aged zero- to nine-year-old represents 41 per cent.
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 multi-purpose trails and sports facilities in addition to those previously mentioned.
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.