Economic Development

Goal 7

Spruce Grove is affordable to residents and businesses, has a diverse tax base and offers a range of commercial services, light-to-medium industrial activities, and employment options.

Declining affordability is an important challenge for Spruce Grove to overcome. Essential to Spruce Grove’s long term financial sustainability and affordability is the ability to expand the tax base and achieve a reasonable balance between residential and industrial/commercial tax assessment.

The benefits of such a strategy are two-fold: it provides additional municipal revenue and creates local employment opportunities. Building on this, being innovative and remaining competitive in the global economy at the regional and municipal level will be central to Spruce Grove's success in attracting new development.

Increasing opportunities

Increase local employment opportunities and municipal revenues through attraction, diversification, growth, and development of commercial and industrial businesses.

Develop an economic development strategy
Designate sufficient land for commercial/industrial development
Promote contiguous commercial/industrial development and infill where appropriate
Create a distinct identity for different areas and types of commercial development
Support home based businesses

Enhance the Gateway potential of Highway 16 and Highway 16A.

Increase Spruce Grove's exposure on Highway 16 through the Gateway Lands development
Work with Alberta Transportation to improve access and interchanges
Update the Highway 16A Commercial Corridor study

Commercial development

Continue to develop Spruce Grove as a regional service and commercial centre.

Develop regional vehicle-oriented commercial uses in existing corridors and nodes
Develop Gateway Lands based on principles discussed in Form and Infrastructure
Pursue strategies to conserve land and resources and reduce waste
Revitalize the City Centre with a focus on small-scale services oriented pedestrian uses, mixed use, and higher density residential development
Pursue opportunities to increase sports tourism potential

Provide opportunities for mixed use development to occur in the City Centre and the Urban Village and for integrated land use development to occur in Gateway Lands (Future Land Use )

Facilitate a range of approaches to mixed use development
Ensure mixed use infill development is compatible with adjacent land uses
Apply high standards of community design and increase pedestrian orientation

Develop commercial uses along First Avenue in a way that recognizes the transitional role this area plays between Highway 16A and the mixed use portion of the City Centre.

Allow businesses to take advantage of their visibility from Highway 16A
Apply high standards of community design to better integrate it with the adjacent mixed use area

Encourage the development of Neighbourhood Commercial uses as an integral component of city neighbourhoods.

Ensure new development is compatible with adjacent land uses
Locate in central visible locations and focus on service oriented uses
Design uses so they are pedestrian oriented with a high level of connectivity
Increase residential densities to levels capable of supporting neighbourhood commercial activity

Industrial development

Provide land for industrial uses south of Highway 16A which offer local employment opportunities and diversify the tax base.

Accommodate a diverse range of light-to-medium industrial and heavy commercial uses based on intensity level and need for visibility
Maintain a 10-year supply of industrial land and flexible parcel sizes
Apply design and landscaping standards to industrial sites and encourage amenities for workers to locate nearby

Incorporate eco-industrial best practices into the design and operation of industrial parks where feasible.

Explore options and partnerships to increase the use of eco-industrial best practices in industrial areas
Encourage industrial areas to conserve land, water, and energy and minimize waste.