Strathmore named best small community for business

Times Reporter

 

Strathmore can add another item to its boasting list after being named the No. 1 overall best small community for business in Western Canada in Alberta Venture Magazine. 

“Alberta Venture Magazine got a hold of us a couple of months ago, probably in about February, and they talked to us about what is going on in town,” said Chief Administrative Officer Dwight Stanford.  

Stanford said administration sent material to the magazine about what was happening in town after being told Strathmore was being considered as one of the top 25 best small communities for business. Approximately a month ago the town was contacted and told Strathmore had in fact made it into the top 25. 

Alberta Venture Magazine credits fast development processes, the business property tax rates and industrial land prices as some of the reasons Strathmore is the place to be. 

The new Wildflower reservoir, the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the connection to the Calgary regional waterline are other bonuses to investing in Strathmore. 

“The town is business friendly, we try to help the builders, developers, investors because we want the town to grow so we can have more tax money. Particularly industrial and commercial because they produce good tax money that we need to help out our budget,” said Stanford. 

There is currently a 10-day maximum wait time for development permits, but Stanford states often they’re done within two days. 

Last year development permit numbers were good, though building permits have been lower in the past few years, something Stanford thinks is going to change. 

He said he thinks the building permits will improve substantially because of developers like Rencor Developments and Brett Wilson’s Prairie Merchant Corp. and the many others who want to invest in Strathmore.  

Ron Renaud, president of Rencor Developments, which built the shopping centre where Wal-Mart and Sobeys are located, will be moving forward with its newest commercial development in Strathmore this year.

Renaud said in an interview with Alberta Venture magazine that Strathmore is a great place to do business, the costs are reasonable, administration is accommodating and willing to work with the developer and the entitlement process is streamlined.  

 It’s not known yet which businesses will be coming first to the new development which will be on the east side of George Freeman Trail.