Village of Champion ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PROFILE

Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 1

Welcome to the Village of Champion Champion is a peaceful, thriving community, located south of Champion on Highway 23. Champion offers great recreational opportunities due to its proximity to Little Bow Reservoir and Twin Valley Reservoir. A progressive community with something for everyone, Champion offers a warm, friendly, small‐town atmosphere you just can't beat!

Formerly known as Cleverville, in 1910, the decided to build a track next to what is now highway 23, bypassing the town. The decision was made to move Cleverville and in 1910 the new town site began developing. Legend has it that the new village was named “Champion” after H. T. Champion, a prominent Winnipeg‐ based banker who was a well‐known banker during the settlement of the West.

Road Travel Distances Distance Kilometers Miles Champion To: Vulcan 22 14 148 92 435 270 Carmangay 17 11 75 47 US border at 180 112 Coutts

Climate Champion has a moderate climate with warm summers. Winters are cool but are moderated by warm Chinook winds blowing from the west coast.

Average: J F M A M J J A S O N D Temperature oC -8.8 -5.6 -0.7 5.3 10.5 14.6 17.0 17.1 11.7 5.9 -2.7 -7.8 High temperature 3.1 0.5 5.3 12.4 17.5 21.5 24.5 25.0 19.1 12.7 2.8 -2.2 Low temperature -14.4 -11.6 -6.7 -1.8 3.4 7.6 9.6 9.2 4.2 -1.0 -8.1 -13.3 Precipitation (mm) 13.1 12.4 21.2 22.9 64.4 74.6 59.7 49.0 44.6 17.1 17.7 18.1

In 1911, the community received its charter and the first grain was hauled by rail. In 1915, one million bushels of wheat were shipped from Champion and thus Champion became known as "the Million Bushel Town". The Coal Mines were also operational during this time. Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 2

Key Demographics Village of SouthGrow Population Demographics (2011) Champion Region Bucking the Population 378 158,282 trend of other Annual population growth rate (2001-11 trend) 0.65% 2.0% small rural Median age 44.2 38.3 communities, Workforce population (age 15-64) 225 93,380 Champion’s School population (age 5-17) 80 26,290 population has Senior Population (age 65+) 75 26,440 grown slowly Average employment income $53,704 $52,819 but Average family income $90,295 $87,602 Number of dwellings 177 61,566 consistently over the past 10 years.

Economic Indicators Over the past 5 years, Champion has made several important upgrades to its infrastructure and has more upgrades planned.

Recent Investments and Projects Project Description Re-grading Village Major Road roads to improve Project surface and drainage. Twin Valley Water line to access Regional Water water from the Line Town of Vulcan. New Outdoor $288,000 upgrade. Swimming Pool Champion is slated New Fire Hall for a new fire hall building. Renovations that Community Hall included new flooring.

Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 3

Available Land There are 9 serviced residential lots available for new homes in Champion.

Local realty companies have many listings of residential lots and homes as well as several recreational and commercial opportunities. See  www.magnusonrealty.com  www.remax‐southern‐hr‐ab.ca  www.royallepage.ca/en/ab/Champion/properties

The average selling price of a home in Champion in 2014 was $192,000.

The Champion industrial area has a few lots available and room for considerable expansion. Please contact the Village office to learn more about these lots.

Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 4

Local Businesses Champion is small service centre with a variety of businesses that support the regional agricultural and energy industries. Local businesses include:

Sector Businesses  Long Coulee Growers  Snake Valley Farms Agriculture  Hillcrest Farms, Custom Farming  Champion School  Hope Christian School Public Sector  Village Office and ATB Agency Outlet  Prairie Rose Welding & Mechanical  Delude Design & Drafting  Howe Oilfield Solutions Manufacturing,  D & M Construction Construction,  Rhodes Electric Oil & Gas  Thompson Construction  Roofing and Re-roofing  Lakeside Oilfield Contracting Ltd.  R & K Mechanical  Champion Convenience and Liquor Store Retail  Champion Hotel  Champion Groceries  True Solutions, Computer and IT Support  Studio C Photographics  2nd Avenue Beauty Salon Other  Tumbleweed Mobile Massage  Pfob Real Estate Ltd.  Waddell Painting  Asani Healing  Zilla Auto Detailing

Workforce Statistics Statistic (2011) Village of Champion SouthGrow Region Workforce population (age 15-64) 225 93,380 Workforce participation rate 72% 70% % of Workforce with no diploma or post-secondary 25% 25% % of Workforce with high school diploma or equivalent 27% 29% % of Workforce with post-secondary diploma, certificate, or degree 48% 46%

Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 5

Employment by Industry Village of SouthGrow Statistic (2011) Champion Region Agriculture 16% 12% Oil & Gas 6% 5% Manufacturing 5% 8% Utilities, Transportation, 14% 15% Construction, Warehousing Retail & Wholesale 14% 14% Trade Finance, Insurance, 4% 4% Real Estate Professional, Scientific, Management, Waste 8% 7% Remediation Education & 14% 18% Healthcare Arts, Recreation, 7% 6% Accommodation Other 11% 11%

Employment by Industry

Arts, Recreation, Accommodation Other 7% 11% Agriculture 16% Oil & Gas 6%

Education & Manufacturing Healthcare 5% 15%

Utilities, Transport, Retail & Construction, Professional, Scientific, Wholesale Warehousing Management, 14% Finance, Insurance, 14% 8% Real Estate 4%

Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 6

Transportation Infrastructure Facility Details 2014 Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) measured at junction of highway 23 and 529. Highways and Traffic  Highway 529 West bound: 170 Counts  Highway 529 East bound: 320  Highway 23 North bound: 1,270  Highway 23 South bound: 1,160 Rail Served by the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline Regional Airport Lethbridge Airport International Airport Calgary International Airport

Municipal Tax and Utility Rates Service Rate Property Tax: Residential 18.687 (2014 Mill rate) Property Tax: Non-Residential 19.0555 (2014 Mill rate) Residential/ Non-residential water and waste water $41.00 per month plus $1.53/ m3 Garbage and recycling $25.00 per month

Utility Providers Service Provider Gas Direct Energy Champion has easy access to highway Electricity Fortis/ Epcor Telephone Telus 23 and rail transportation and is True Solutions or Internet midway between Calgary and Wild Rose Internet Lethbridge.

Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 7

Education Facility Details Pre-school  A private kindergarten operates and out of Champion School Kindergarten  Champion School (Grades 1-9) Elementary  Hope Christian School Grades School 1-12)  Champion School (Grades 1-9) Secondary  Hope Christian School Grades (Middle/ 1-12) High) School  County Central High School in Vulcan (grades 7-12) Post-  Lethbridge College offers some Secondary courses in Vulcan  University of Lethbridge  Lethbridge College Post-  University of Calgary Secondary  Southern Institute of Technology (Calgary) Further  Adult Learning Education Council

Health Care and Emergency Services Champion has a fire hall and a volunteer fire brigade and ambulance service is provided through Vulcan & District Emergency Medical Team.

Vulcan Health Center is an 8 bed active facility with 15 long‐term care beds, radiology, fully equipped modern lab and modern emergency area. Services include occupational therapy, mental health worker, social worker and palliative care.

Other health Service in Vulcan include a chiropractor, optometrist, podiatrist, hearing aid service, occupational therapy, massage therapist, mental health and social workers, and a Public Health Unit

Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 8

Facility Details Doctors, Clinics Vulcan Medical Clinic Acute care, emergency, long-term Vulcan Health Centre care, palliative care, laboratory Police (911) RCMP Vulcan Volunteer fire and emergency first response team with certifications and Fire (911) accreditations Ambulance (911) Vulcan and District Emergency Medical Team Long-term care - Extendicare Vulcan Seniors Housing Lodge – Peter Dawson Lodge in Vulcan

Recreation, Cultural Events and Attractions Facility Details Champion Swimming Newly built seasonal outdoor pool Pool Champion Community Park and Campgrounds Campground Library Champion Library Baseball diamonds 2 baseball diamonds Arena Seasonal skating arena Rodeo Grounds Champion Rodeo Grounds Community Hall Champion Community Hall Seniors’ Drop-in Pioneer Club Seniors’ Drop-in Centre Centre  Royal Canadian Legion Clubs and  Lions Club Organizations  Pioneer Club  Roping Club  Congregational Church Churches  Evangelical Free Church

Village of Champion: Economic Development Community Profile 9

Area Attractions  Vulcan Trek Station and convention ‐ Vul‐Con scheduled yearly in July with special guest actors from the Star Trek movies and series.  Vulcan Golf and Country Club  McGregor Lake: Fishing all year round. Fire Pits at each campsite. Swimming area, dock, playground, washrooms.  Coffin Handle Butte: The Coffin Handle Butte Legend is displayed at the Champion Tourist Information Centre.  Blackfoot Crossing: www.blackfootcrossing.ca  Majorville Cairn (Medicine Wheel): Consists of a central cairn, which is linked to a surrounding stone circle by 28 spokes, and the cultural landscape which contains this monument. The designation encompasses 160 acres and is situated on a height of land with an expansive view of the surrounding prairie landscape west of the Bow River in .  Twin Valley Reservoir and Campground. Located about 40 km southwest of Champion at the base of the Twin Valley Dam.  Crowfoot Ferry: Operates 7 a.m. to midnight daily from April 23 to noon of November 14. 5 km south of Junction of Highways 1 and 56, on Range Road 201 (pdf 266 K).

Contact Information Village of Champion Vulcan Business Development Society SouthGrow Regional Initiative Marilyn MacArthur, Brady Schnell, CAO Peter Lovering, Manager Manager, Business Development 110 – 1 Ave. S. P.O. Box 27068, Box 367 Champion, AB T0L 0R0 Champion AB T0L 2B0 Lethbridge AB, T1K 6Z9 Ph: (403) 897-3833 Phone: (403) 485-4100 Phone: (403) 394-0615 Fax: (403) 897-2250 Fax: (403) 485-3143 Fax: (403) 485-3143 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.vulcanbusiness.ca www.southgrow.com June 2015