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By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wheatland County has officially announced their approval of the development permit for the CGC Wallboard Manufacturing Plant, which occurred at the April 9, Municipal Planning Commission meeting.
A release, distributed May 1, stated the $210 million investment is the result of collaboration between the county, CGC, the Government of Alberta, and the Invest Alberta Corporation.
“CGC Inc. approached the county and initiated discussions in 2021 regarding the development of a wallboard plant within the Goldfinch Industrial Area Structure Plan. CGC applied to amend the Goldfinch Industrial Area Structure Plan, to adopt the CGC Wheatland Wallboard Manufacturing Plant Area Concept Plan, and to redesignate the lands to Intensive Industrial District to accommodate their proposal. These documents were approved by Wheatland County council on June 20, 2023,” released the county in a statement. “The plant will feature a 220,000 square foot facility that will manufacture wallboard products for delivery throughout Alberta and Western Canada. According to CGC, the plant will create over 100 permanent jobs within Wheatland County, as well as an additional 200 jobs during the construction phase of the facility.”
The planned location of the facility was described as “strategic” by the county, as the area is served by significant connections to the local transportation network, including the Canadian Pacific Railway, and Highways 24, and 22X. Subject lands are noted to be an approximately 20-minute drive from Calgary, and less than an hour from the Calgary International Airport.
“Once the development is complete and operational, the tax revenue generated from this investment will have a very positive impact on our tax base and on the community,” stated the county. “We anticipate that the additional tax revenue generated by CGC may potentially relieve the distribution of taxes on other non-residential properties. Ultimately, the approval of this development aligns with Wheatland County’s Strategic Plan, aiming to foster a diverse and thriving economy. This approval opens the possibility of attracting further investment to the area, leading to increased revenue, resources, and job creation, both during and after construction.”
CGC has committed to operating the facility without the use of any hazardous materials or associated odors. Further, the facility is eventually intended to be serviced by a local solar field for its power requirements.
The county added a professional wildlife biologist and/or avian specialist will be monitoring the local development region for the presence of wildlife to plan for disturbance mitigation efforts. Additional environmental considerations are outlined in the CGC manufacturing plant area concept plan.
Further information about the project is available via the same document.