Investment in
Athabasca County

With low business costs, average non-residential taxes, and competitive non-residential land pricing, the Athabasca Region is a great place for future industry opportunities. Ongoing partnerships between local governments, businesses, industries, and educational institutions provide all the pieces to the development puzzle. While already well-positioned, the Athabasca Region boasts a diverse economy of agricultural production, forestry, oil & gas, sand & gravel, peat moss harvesting, transportation & logistics, and tourism. Those well-established resources, topped off with the educational institutions of Northern Lakes College, Portage College, and Athabasca University, means the region is ready to become yet another piston in the economic engine driving the country forward.

Key Areas of Information

Demographics: Learn about the diverse population of Athabasca County, including age groups, owner/renter information, average income and more.

Labor Force: Gain insight into the local job market, such as employment rates and the skills of our workforce that support various industries.

Education: Census driven data on education levels in our community, highlighting the qualifications and skills present among residents.

Site Selector Information: Details regarding the various utility providers within Athabasca County to assist businesses in making informed decisions.

For more detailed statistics and information, we encourage you to download our comprehensive fact sheet. This resource will provide you with all the key insights needed for living, working, and investing in Athabasca County.

Community Snap Shot

6,959

Residents in the County

$149M

Value of all Regional Building Permits

20,571

Non-Residential Mill Rate

$2,965B

Value of Major Projects in the Region

Top Industries

Forestry

Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc. (Al-Pac) is Canada’s newest and North-America’s largest, single-line bleached kraft pulp mill. It is located 30 minutes north of Boyle and 35 minutes northeast of Athabasca. Those looking to leverage local workforce talent and northern Alberta’s wood fiber resource can develop a niche, small scale, and high value output operation. This could range from a hobby craft to an industrial production.

Oil and Gas

The Athabasca Region is a service hub for the Athabasca Oil Sands, the Peace River Oil Sands, and the Cold Lake Oil Sands. Natural gas infrastructure is also in the region. Investment opportunities include highway commercial enterprises, oilfield services, freight trucking, management consulting, machinery & equipment repairs, metal fabrication and logistical/ warehousing support enterprises.

Agriculture

The County has 673 farms and one million acres of land (2021) that produces a wide variety of outputs and has potential to be processed locally in a lowcost business environment. The agricultural land is less than two-hours from the Edmonton CMA consumer and distribution network. Leading product outputs include beef, equine, poultry/eggs, wheat, canola, barley, peas, flax, oats, and specialty crops.

Tourism

Tourism is a feature of the region’s economy, driven by the presence of numerous lakes, rivers, trails, and vast open spaces offering natural beauty without the crowds. Investment opportunities exist for independent entrepreneurs and recreational property owners looking to develop businesses around this sector. The many trails and endless opportunities to adventure into the outdoors makes the Athabasca Region a great place to start a new tourism venture.