3.1 Economic Strengths

The Municipal District of Big Lakes is a rural municipality of about 4500 people. Key economic strengths are the:

• Oil & Gas fields and Special Waste Treatment Facility around the Town of Swan Hills,
• The forest industry in the High Prairie and Swan Hills areas
• Tourism is very big for all communities around Lesser Slave Lake.
• High Prairie is also the chief trading community for one of the most productive mixed farming areas in Alberta

The total operating budget for 1998 is slightly over $26,227,000.00 Of this amount $6,366,000.00 represents school taxes collected on behalf of the province and another 9,983,000.00 represents transportation projects for the Municipal District of Big Lakes, which we manage on behalf of Alberta Transportation and Utilities.

3.2 Profile on Industries

The Forest Industry

The Alberta Forest Service has a regional office in High Prairie, which manages the Lakeshore Forest Area. This office employs 14 full time professional and technical staff. The area office is responsible for all aspects of forest and range management for crown lands covering an area over 18,478 km2 within the Lakeshore Forest Area. High Prairie has two major forest based facilities, Tolko Industries Ltd. and Buchanan Lumber. 

A) Buchanan Lumber

Buchanan Lumber is one the largest employers in the High Prairie area. Locally, Buchanan Lumber employs approximately 275 people as well as additional 150 seasonal workers. The economic impact of this industry results in 1.6 million being distributed monthly throughout the local economy.
 

Facilities	Products	Markets
Sawmill Planer	8 ,9,10 feet studs Speciality Sawing Railroad ties Bridge Beams	Canada US Japan Europe Middle East
Finger Joint Plant	Finger Joint Studding
3 Dry Kilns
3 Shops

*Source: Buchanan Lumber
 

For information contact:  Buchanan Lumber Box 38 High Prairie Alberta T0G 1E0 Phone: 1-(780)-523-4544

B) Tolko Industries Ltd.

Tolko Industries Ltd. is relatively new to the High Prairie area, starting up in 1992. This is Tolko’s first OSB mill (Oriented Strand Board) which uses advanced technology in it modern manufacturing facility to produce OSB of the highest quality. They have a Forest Management Agreement (FMA) with the province to manage an area that encompasses a radius of 150 km from the plant and provides an annual harvest of 700,000 cubic meters of Aspen and Balsam Poplar. 

ORIENTED STRAND BOARD (OSB)

• Available in thicknesses of ¼ " to 1 ¼ " (6mm to 32mm)
• Customer cutting is available from a 12’x 24’ master panel
• Tongue and Groove sanding available 
• APA certified in either PRS or Struc 1

For information contact:  Buchanan Lumber  Box 38 High Prairie  Alberta T0G 1E0  Phone: 1-(780)-523-4544

The Oil and Gas Industry

The petroleum industry has had a major impact on the regional economy. A number of seismic crews and drilling operators work in the region searching for natural gas and oil reserves. This activity has spawned an array of petroleum service businesses in such areas as exploration, instrumentation, monitoring, transport, maintenance and equipment. As a result this industry has become an important sources of employment for residents of the Municipal District of Big Lakes. Some of the major oil/gas companies are:
 

Shell Canada	Federated Pipeline Ltd.
Cal Ven Ltd.	Chauvco Resources Ltd.
Mark Resources	Chevron Canada Resources Ltd.
Penn West Petroleum	Home Oil
International Colin Energy	Amoco Canada Petroleum Corp.
Nova Gas Transmission	Esso Resources Canada Ltd.

3.3 Profile of Agriculture

The farming area of the Municipal District of Big Lakes includes approximately 66,800 hectares of land classified as Agriculture. On these lands a great diversity of field crops are classified including wheat, barley, oats, canola, seed crops and quality forage crops which support a productive livestock sector, primarily beef cattle. Although the possibilities for expansion are largely dependent on international commodity prices, the large available land base and favourable growing conditions in the area provide for good expansion opportunities.

The total number of farms in the Municipal District of Big Lakes is 532 and the average size is 331.4 hectares (819 acres). The total area for each farm in crops is 138 hectares (342 acres). The total area seeded in wheat is 70 hectares (172 acres). The average number of beef cows per farm is 59 and the average number of pigs per farm is 72
. 
Livestock & Poultry Profile

Type of Livestock	# of farms	# of head
Cattle & calves	343	42,431
Pigs	29	2,081
Sheep	16	295
Horses	160	1,140
Goats	18	198
Rabbits	15	83
Poultry	42	2,913

*Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census of Agriculture

Crop Profile

Farm by type	# of farms	% distribution
Cattle	238	50.7%
Grain & Oilseed	80	17.1%
Field Crop	54	11.5%
Miscellaneous Speciality	30	6.4%
Wheat	27	5.8%
Livestock Combination	14	3.0%
Dairy	11	2.3%
other combination	7	1.5%
Hog	4	0.9%
Poultry & Egg	3	0.6%
Fruit	1	0.2%
Vegetable	0	0.0%
Total farms Classified	469	100.0%

*Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census of Agriculture

  Agriculture Services

Numerous agriculture services are available in the area to accommodate the needs of area farmers: 

In addition to the above, there are several other agriculture related business services located in the region, including brush clearing, aerial crop spraying, weed and pest control services and parts suppliers 

3.4 Regional Trading Area

Within the region of the Municipal District of Big Lakes, High Prairie is the major service center for a population of approximately, 17,000. Communities that utilize High Prairie as a service center may include:

• Hamlets of: Enilda
                    Grouard
                    Joussard
                    Faust
• Village of: Kinuso
• Towns of: McLennan 

Fahler

• Municipal District of: Big Lakes 

Little Smokey
East Peace
Greenview

3.5 Industrial Land Availability

Land designated for industrial use:

• Just west of High Prairie adjacent to Highway #2 on the "Tolko Industries Ltd." site. (Tolko has an Oriented Strand Board Plant)
• Just east of Enilda adjacent to Highway #2 and the railroad.

 

3.6 Labour Market (Major Employers)

Public Sector

Major Employers	Services	Employees
Provincial Government Services
Environmental Protection	Lands and Forest Services	. . 30
	Fish and Wildlife
	Parks and Recreation
Agriculture Food & Rural Development/ Public Lands Division /Regional Advisory Services	Agriculture Services	5
Local Government
Municipal District of Big Lakes	Municipal Administration	32
Town of High Prairie	Town Administration & maintenance	20
Keeweetinok Lake Health Authority	Health Unit	25
Royal Canadian Mounted Police	Police Services	30

* Source: 1998 Regional Business Directory (Human Resource Development Canada)
 

3.7 Employment Statistics for High Prairie

3.8 Employment Services
 
 

Career Resource Center	Phone: (780) 523-5745	Fax: (780) 523-6616
High Prairie Native Friendship Center	Phone: (780) 523-4511	Fax: (780) 523-3055
Northern Abilities	Phone: (780) 523-2004	Fax: (780) 523-3600

Business Training Providers

Alberta Vocational College	Phone: (780) 523-6690	Fax: (780) 523-3303
Lesser Slave Lake Community Development Corporation	Phone: (780) 849-3232	Fax: (780) 849-3360
Career Resource Centre	Phone: (780) 523-5745	Fax: (780) 523-6616
Northern Alberta Job Corps	Phone : (780) 523-6630	Fax: (780) 523-6616