The Town of Okotoks has taken an important step toward building a more vibrant, connected, and sustainable community with Council’s endorsement of the new Events Strategy: Vibrant Events, Stronger Identity.
Presented by Administration and approved by Council, the Events Strategy provides a clear framework for planning, supporting, and evaluating community events in Okotoks. Using a quadruple-bottom-line approach, Purpose, People, Planet, and Profit, the Strategy aims to ensure that local events reflect community values, foster inclusion, and contribute to economic and environmental sustainability.
Key elements of the new Strategy include:
- Clear distinctions between public events and private bookings.
- New programs and guides to support both Town-led and third-party events.
- Tools to better evaluate event success and facility use.
- Actions across four focus areas: Collaboration & Support, Inclusive Community, Financial & Environmental Sustainability, and Operations & Facilities.
- Measurable Key Performance Indicators to track progress.
The Strategy is backed by detailed appendices, including a baseline evaluation of 25 Town-hosted and supported events, an overview of current supports provided to external organizers, and a facility utilization report for 66 venues across the community.
Equity and environmental stewardship are central to the Strategy’s vision. Measures include accessibility audits, culturally diverse programming, Indigenous stewardship initiatives, and new volunteer-mentorship opportunities for emerging event producers. Sustainable practices such as waste diversion, responsible procurement, and low-emission transportation options will also be prioritized and tracked.
The Events Strategy aligns with Council’s strategic goals of responsibly managed growth, a strong local economy, demonstrated environmental leadership, and enhanced culture and community health. It builds on community feedback gathered through extensive public engagement and sets the stage for more targeted input through pre-event workshops, audience surveys, and post-event debriefs.
See Appendix A. Event Evaluations