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Economic Development Newsletter Header
Nov 2014
This Month's Issue:
Light Industrial
Ventures and Opportunities in Light Industrial Zones
by Monty Killoh (mkilloh@stalbert.ca) 



 

"Light Industrial" is a term used to describe manufacturing businesses that typically produce products for end users and consumers rather than for other industries. As these industries aren't heavy polluters or need massive facilities, most municipalities often set aside zoning for light industrial- much like St Albert's Campbell and Riel Business Parks.

 

Light industrial zones have a workforce population that peaks from 8AM to 5PM, Monday to Friday; spending 40+ hours a week in this area makes convenience and proximity an important factor when these workers are looking for products and services. The local business community is conscious of this demand, and consequently St Albert's light industrial business parks are populated with many businesses that can't be classified as "light industrial."

 

Without doubt, workers are going to treat themselves to a meal out every once in a while, and having a restaurant or café within walking distance (or a short drive) is certainly desirable over having to make a longer trip to a traditional commercial area; businesses such as Rico's Bistro in Campbell Park and Hog's Head Tap House & Grill in Riel Park are examples of businesses catering to the local workforce's appetites.

 

If workers are going to want to pack in the calories close to work, they will also be looking for a convenient place to burn off those calories; businesses such as Sculpt Barre and Sturgeon Valley Athletic Club in Campbell, and Movimento Fitness and Curves in Riel, all offer fitness and personal training programs to those looking to stop by and break a sweat during lunch or after work.

 

With proximity and convenience being important values to these consumers, various massage therapists and health spas- such as Divine Health Studio in Riel and Active Life Centre in Campbell- have set up shop in the light industrial parks in anticipation of a demand for health services. Many light industrial businesses employ manual labourers, and with manual labour there is always the chance for physical injuries or ailments that can be soothed with a short trip to the nearest massage therapist.

 

The wealth and diversity of businesses in St Albert's light-industrial zones should be taken into consideration if you are looking to start a new business or expand an existing one; light industrial zones are for more than simply light-industrial!

 

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In This Issue

Join the Conversation!
Upcoming Events

 

Business@Lunch - 

Christmas Luncheon

Dec 10

 

Economic Development Christmas Open House

Dec 18

 

Small Business Mortgage Financing Seminar

Jan 13, 2015

 

Foundations to Innovations:

Feb 24, 2015

AGLC Warehouse Recap

by Nicole Liesner (nliesner@stalbert.ca)


(Concept art courtesy of AGLC)


2014 was a big year for St. Albert and industrial development.


In late 2013, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) announced that it would be looking for a new location to build a large 500,000 square-foot liquor warehouse in the Capital Region. This new warehouse would consolidate four warehouses in the Edmonton area to increase efficiencies.


As luck would have it, in March 2014, an announcement was made about the new warehouse location and St. Albert came out on top. Instead of losing a large warehouse, St. Albert would be able to keep the current space and on top of that, they were gaining the new warehouse, to be built just south of the Apex Casino. The new warehouse was going to be a whopping 534,000 square-feet and would bring 440 jobs to the St. Albert market. As noted by St. Albert councilor Wes Brodhead in the St. Albert Gazette (July 5, 2014), the one warehouse would equal roughly the entire industrial growth in St. Albert between 2002 and 2010. Industrial growth of the size does not occur in St. Albert on an ordinary day.


Ground breaking occurred in July 2014 and the site has been seeing steady progress into the winter months. The total build is expected to take two and half years, likely to become operational in 2017.


When the warehouse does open in St. Albert, hundreds of new people will be able to say they work in the "Best City in Canada." Along with other commercial and industrial growth, St. Albert is the place to be in the next five years. The AGLC's new warehouse is only one of the many projects slated to shift the St. Albert labour landscape.


To hear about other exciting projects that are coming into St. Albert, be sure to attend the annual Business Breakfast held at the Enjoy Centre, February 24, 2015. Tickets are on sale now

 

 

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT ON... Industrial Solutions Inc.

    




Industrial Solutions Inc. has been distributing Industrial Automation, Communication, Surveillance and Electrical products across Western Canada since 1992. Owned by local resident, Pierre Belhumeur since 1997, the company's main office is located in the Campbell Business Park, and serves businesses in the Industrial, Oil & Gas, Mining, Water/Wastewater, and Clean Energy sectors. The automation products that Industrial Solutions Inc. provides help their clients perform their processes more safely, and more efficiently. The company does a lot of customization work to suit products to the needs of their clients in hazardous or otherwise demanding areas like drilling rig platforms and wellhead sites.


With a staff size of around 10 people, it's integral that the right people are employed. Industrial Solutions Inc seeks experienced professionals with the technical knowledge first, and then focuses on training them for superior customer service. 

 

"We opened our location in St. Albert because it was located close to where we lived at the time, and a lot of the people we hired lived in the community already so it was a perfect fit", Pierre tells us. 

 

Competing against much larger firms, Pierre also credits his team's small size as an advantage. 


"We can make decisions much faster. We're more agile".

 

Industrial Solutions Inc. carries products from a range of trusted suppliers. They have just started distributing Schneider Electric's SCADAPack Smart RTUs (remote terminal units) which offer monitoring and communication capability with the processing and data-logging power of a PLC (programmable logic controller), and can be deployed in Class 1, Division 2 hazardous areas. Other suppliers in their network include Red Lion and Phoenix Contact. 

 

When asked what he liked about St. Albert, Pierre said that it was "a good place to have a business", and added a few other highlights of the community.


"I like the size of St. Albert, and how convenient it is to get around. It's been said before, but it really is a good place to have a family!". Pierre also gives a shout-out to a nearby business.


"Sturgeon Valley Athletic Club is a really great place to workout. I go there during my lunch breaks!". 

 

Industrial Solutions Inc.

#2, 215 Carnegie Drive

St. Albert, AB  T8N 5B1

Phone: (780) 460-9533

sales@indsol.com

www.indsol.com

 

The Spotlight on Business is a monthly feature wherein we highlight a local business and learn more about what they do and how they positively contribute to the identity and economy of St. Albert. If you, or someone you know, would like to be featured in a future issue, please contact hpacheco@st-albert.net with a brief description of the organization. 

 

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Economic Development Christmas Open House - Dec 18, 2014

   

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Foundations to Innovations: 2015 Business Breakfast - Feb 24, 2015

    





Join us for our milestone 10th Business Breakfast as we discuss the significant growth that has been happening in St. Albert, and the exciting new development that is soon to come.



Foundations to Innovations: 2015 Business Breakfast
February 24, 2015
Moonflower Room, The Enjoy Centre


Early Bird 2-for-1 Registration available now until January 25 2015

http://bizbreakfast2015.eventbrite.ca



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New Businesses in St. Albert
Find local companies in our St. Albert Business Directory

Commercial/Industrial Businesses


  

Bambini and Roo                         780-569-1766

104 - 50 St Thomas St

Retail

www.roonaturalsbabystore.com

 

Careit Urban Deli St Albert Inc.     780-488-1110

105 - 140 Bellerose Dr

Deli, Take-Out, Butcher Shop

careit_crestwood@hotmail.com

 

Eclipse Health and Fitness           780-370-2976

107 - 1 Hebert Rd

Sales of Vitamins / Supplements

clipserdo@hotmail.com

 

Mace Marketing Inc         780-910-4114

3 - 30 Chevigny St

Auto Detailing and Some Sales

greg@speeddemons.com

www.speeddemons.com

 

OH Liquor Store                        780-909-4747

103 - 50 St Thomas St

Liquor Store

dannyshines@gmail.com

 

Place for Your Stuff Limited Partnership         855-886-0488

17 Rayborn Cres

Self Storage

dstang@avifund.ca

 

Simply for Life St Albert             780-458-1102

203 - 24 Inglewood Dr

Nutrition Consulting & Weight Loss

info.stalbert@simplyforlife.com

www.simplyforlife.com

 

Sunset Grill (St Albert) Inc.         780-569-2288

340 - 525 St Albert Tr

Casual Dining All-Day Breakfast Restaurant

sunsetgrill@shaw.ca

 

St Albert Massage Therapy (Savannah Duchscher)            780-460-6895

218 - 2 Hebert Rd

Massage Therapy

 

Vinyl Rock Café          780-470-0788

50 - 24 Perron St

Coffee / Soup / Sandwich Café

vinylrockcafe@shaw.ca

www.vinylrockcafe.com

 

 

Home-Based Businesses


 

10 Minas Ventures                   780-915-2426

Plumbing / Mechanical

 

1817816 Alberta Ltd.                780-905-2846

Design, Build, Contracting - Home Renovations / New Construction

 

620756 Alberta Ltd.                   780-998-2822

New Home Construction

info@rosecrofthomes.ca

 

Alvilux Service Construction Ltd.           780-934-1238

Post Construction Cleaning

alviluxservice@gmail.com

 

At Home Therapy                                       780-904-6396

Mobile Massage Therapy - Service Provided at Home of Client

marcia_wells@gmail.com

www.wellbeingthrapeutics.ca

 

Bear Contracting                         780-222-3681

Snow Removal and Lawn Care

 

Classic Physique                          587-926-4245

Personal Training

plenfeld@hotmail.com

 

CompleteCareFree                        780-460-8810

Property and Information Systems Security, Management and Services

info@completecarefree.com

www.completecarefree.com

 

Discovery Dayhome                       780-996-8746

Dayhome - Programming and Care of Children Ages 1 to 7

gateshouse@shaw.ca

 

JPower Contracting Ltd.                780-717-2910

General Home Contracting

jpower.contracting@gmail.com

 

Judge Carpentry                              780-263-3325

Contracting - Carpentry Specializing in Decks and Fences

tonjudge@gmail.com

 

Loov Photography                            780-619-5668

People Photographer (& Landscape)

shannon@loovphotography.ca

www.loovphotography.ca

 

Northern Lights Automated Gates        780-245-6265

Supply & Install Gate Operator Systems

cody@nlag.ca

www.nlag.ca

 

Step-Up Town Car Service                      780-233-1829

Town Car Service To and From St Albert / Airport

frasch@telusplanet.net

 

T8N Magazine (T8N Publishing Inc.)    780-940-6212

Media - Magazine

rob@t8nmagazine.com

www.t8nmagazine.com

 

Ultra Beauty Inc.                                      780-966-5527

Online Beauty Supplies, Education

angela@ultrabeauty.ca

www.ultrabeauty.ca

 

Vintage Vixens                                          780-660-4226

Retail Business Selling Corsets & 50's Style Dresses at Parties

allisonmcmillan@hotmail.ca

 

 

  

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Monthly Growth Stats

Single Family Housing Starts


    

 

 

Single Family Dwelling Resales


  

 

 

Building Permits Issued


 

 
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