About Okotoks

Okotoks is a High Growth Business Environment

Located 15 minutes south of Calgary, Okotoks (pop. 25,000) is the 10th fastest growing community in Canada (42.9% – 2006-2011).

Okotoks has been ranked on the Top 25 Best Communities to Do Business in Western Canada list 2011 by Alberta Venture Magazine and on the Top 4 Communities Best List for Small Business in Western Canada 2011.

Why do people love Okotoks? Think rolling foothills and big mountain views, a young energetic population (one of youngest in Canada), modern recreation facilities, a pristine river valley, a funky Mainstreet, 50 km of off-street pathways with the river as its signature corridor, an internationally award-winning community that cares about environment and sustainability, an easy drive to Calgary. You get the picture…

Okotoks is the Foothills regional centre of commercial activity with a trade area of approximately 85,000. This includes Okotoks, High River, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Vulcan, Nanton and rural areas encompassing approximately 2,000 square kms. Trade area for tourism, industrial, selected retail and professional services businesses extends as far as South Calgary and southeast B.C. (trade area: 250,000).

• Foothills Region housing starts (2011) – 396
• Foothills Region construction value (2011) – $218 million

Okotoks has easy access to Highway 2 (CANAMEX highway) linking Mexico, the U.S., and Canada.

Okotoks is 10 minutes west of the Aldersyde industrial corridor (M.D. of Foothills), the largest single industrial land repository in the Calgary Region.

A September, 2012 resolution of Council will seek a continuous growth model enabled by pursuit of a sub-regional water supply – lifting a finite growth model established in 1998 that capped population at the capacity of the local water supply – the Sheep River (30,000 people).

Calgary Is An Economic Engine

The City of Calgary has been selected as one of the Top 3 “emerging powerhouses and best urban prospects in North America,” in its analysis of the world’s fastest growing cities, describing Calgary as “business friendly and relatively affordable.” (Forbes Magazine, 2010). Calgary #1 for Metro Areas in its Canadian Competitiveness Rankings (Site Selection Magazine, 2009).

Alberta is the Economic Engine of Canada

• Highest economic growth rate among Canadian provinces at 3.4%/yr over the last 20 years.
• One of most competitive tax environments in North America (no provincial retail sales tax, provincial capital taxes, payroll taxes, or machinery & equipment taxes).
• Highest personal disposable income in Canada (2009).
• Young (youngest population in Canada)
• Educated (63.7% over age 25 with post secondary certificate, diploma, or degree), and productive (GDP per hour worked highest in Canada and 17% above Canadian average) workforce.
• $193 billion in major capital projects proposed, announced, under construction or recently completed (2012).
• Export of $93 billion in commodities to 192 countries in 2011, an 18% increase over 2010.
• Third largest petroleum reserves in the world, after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Crude oil and equivalent production to rise to 3.1 million barrels/day by 2018.
• Investment per capita of $23,461 in 2011, more than twice the national average.
• One of most multicultural provinces in Canada (1 in 6 Albertans born outside Canada)

Additional Resources:

• Town of Okotoks website
• Okotoks Starting a Business Guide
• Okotoks Business and Relocation Guide
• Investment Guide for Foothills Region Communities (RISE Initiative)