Heavy industries in the city of Okotoks, Alberta focus on the trade and transport industries, manufacturing, forestry and the extraction of natural resources. Current investment strategies employed by the city of Okotoks focuses on the need to increase the manufacturing sector in the city. Construction remains the biggest industry in Okotoks.

Land zoned for industrial use in Okotoks is available for sale, as these parcels of land are municipally serviced by the town of Okotoks. The Alberta Environment and Parks oversees the development of industrial lands in the province of Alberta.

One of the main concerns with industrial land use in Okotoks is that most of the land parcels that are zoned for heavy industrial land use do not have adequate access to water. The four industrial zones that currently exist in Okotoks have sufficient water supply for an industrial zone for 3-5 years worth. Currently the available land for industrial use is allocated in the following available land:

• Southbank Business Park (Burnswest) which has 53.11 Hectares available and 5.92 Hectares of land partitioned into 8 lots that are approved but have pending registration.

• Southbank Business Park (Tristar) which has 8.69 hectares available for use, and 5.06 hectares divided into 4 lots which are registered with pending approval.

• Okotoks Business Park has 4.06 hectares whose subdivisions into 9 lots are approved but are pending registration.

• Westmount Commercial which has a 2.82 hectare lot which is registered but pending approval.

Industrial land use in Okotoks is regulated by the Land-Use By-Law 21-17 which states that the following heavy industries are permitted to operate on the zoned land:

• Service Stations

• Outdoor Storage

• Excavation, Stripping and Grading

Industrial yard spaces are governed by specific restrictions according to the amended Land Use By-Law of Okotoks. Industrial Storage Yards, which fall under Outdoor Storage are only permitted in the following conditions:

• The parking of vehicles in industrially zoned areas, for no more than 72 hours.

• The display of vehicles for Automobile Sales

• The temporary storage of vehicles intended for repair at an Automobile Repair Shop

• The temporary storage of building supplies for a Building Supply Center

Storage yards and yard spaces are to be used only in approved industrial sites and must be screened from all adjacent sites and thoroughfares in accordance with the satisfaction of the Development Authority.

Yard spaces for wrecked or damaged vehicles must be enclosed by buildings or a screening fence with a minimum of 2 metres to the satisfaction of the Development Authority.

Yard spaces for outside storage of building supplies shall be enclosed by buildings or screening fences at least 2.5 metres in height to the satisfaction of the Development Authority.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okotoks

https://www.okotoks.ca/sites/default/files/2021-04/2021-FactSheet.pdf

https://www.okotoks.ca/plans-growth

https://pub-okotoks.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=16379