Red Carpet Initiatives

Current Initiatives

• Business License Bylaw and Fees Review

  

  Review of the Business License Bylaw is underway, with the goal of bringing a simplified, more business-friendly bylaw before Council for approval in 2022.

  A review of the business license fees is in progress. Administration will be recommending a less complex business license fee structure for 2023.

  Learn more

• Newsletter

  

  The Business Beat e-Newsletter was officially launched in February 2021. The updated Community Growth and Investment e-newsletter contains articles, access to support, information on projects from the town as well as a monthly question that is fun and business friendly. Articles to date have covered a range of topics from why businesses require a business license, to the Town’s efforts in reducing red tape, to a Q&A with the Planning Team.

  Sign up for the Business Beat

• Land Use Bylaw

  

  The previous Okotoks Land Use Bylaw was adopted in 1998. At that time, Council had recently adopted a finite growth model premised on managing growth within the carrying capacity of the Sheep River.  A lot has changed since 1998. Since that time the Town has shifted from a finite growth model to a continued growth philosophy, undertaken a large annexation, and adopted a new Municipal Development Plan, which sets a new direction for the future growth of Okotoks. The new Land Use Bylaw reflects the vision of the MDP and is a more user friendly, succinct document that will support future growth.

  Details

• Water Solution

  

  The Foothills Okotoks Regional Water Project, a partnership between the Town of Okotoks and Foothills County, continues to positively progress.

  Raw water will be pumped from the Bow River where it meets the Highwood River through a shared water system to water treatment facilities in both municipalities. The water system is an essential water management strategy that will increase water supply system resiliency and reduce water supply vulnerability for the region.

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• Industrial Tax Incentive Policy

  Launched in April 2021, the Industrial Tax Incentive Policy was created as a business investment and attraction (BIA) strategy, designed to incentivize new industrial development. Successful applicants will be eligible for 3 years of abated taxes in decreasing increments.

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• Commercial and Industrial Development Study

  

  The purpose of the MXD Study was to assess, identify and define the potential development opportunities for commercial and industrial development in Okotoks from a real estate, economic and planning perspective. The second key objective was to identify immediate and medium-term opportunities for commercial and industrial development in Okotoks and the optimal mix and positioning of land uses for these areas for opportunity.

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• New Highway 2 Gateway and Interchange

  

  The Town is working with Foothills County and Alberta Transportation toward the completion of a Functional Planning Study for a future interchange at the intersection of Highway 2 and 338 Avenue.  The future interchange will serve as a new gateway to the community, providing easy access to this major north-south highway for the efficient movement of goods, services and people, and it will support future industrial and commercial development in the North Point Area Structure Plan area adjacent to Highway 2.

• Site Licensing

  

  The site license for development is a single business license approval provided by the Town of Okotoks to a building permit applicant at the start of a residential or non-residential project. The site license provides business licensing on a project basis, for the duration of the project, saving on the costs and time associated with licensing of each individual sub-contractor and trade working on the project separately. The site license has been applied to single- and semi-detached dwellings since 2013, with multi-unit residential developments and non-residential developments and renovations being refined in 2021.

  Learn more