Community Profile 2020
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Town of Hinton COMMUNITY PROFILE 2020 picture yourself here Featuring the many reasons you a production of and your family belong in our Town of Hinton community. Strategic Services HINTON 2 0 2 0 COMMUNITY PROFILE greetings from our Mayor Dear prospective, or recent, Hinton Resident, Welcome to Hinton! Welcome to the Gateway to the Rockies! Welcome to our community! Hinton has been incorporated for more than 60 years, but our history stretches back far longer. Area indigenous peoples used this land for hunting, and it represented the joining point of multiple peoples’ territories, a meeting place. The earliest residents at the turn of the century were brought here for the fur trade, finding new opportunities to fill the appetites of fur consumers around the nation and globe. We were the end of rail, making us the jumping off point for many a adventure. As rail prospered, the iron horses’ appetite for coal grew, and so did many a community in the region. But when diesel engines took coals place, many communities disappeared, or shrunk to a fraction of their former size. This was not a fate Hintonites allowed. Instead, we became a timber community. We grew once again. As timber markets fluctuated and needs changed, the industry remained, but others grew alongside, as we added oil and gas exploration, and their accompanying industry and services. We now embody a wide variety of industry, be it timber, gas and oil, and coal. The fluctuations taught us to diversify. Hintonites are hardy, inventive people, and we find new roads. Where there are none, we make them. Powered by those diverse resources, we explore further. We grow our tourism industry alongside our regional partners and neighbours including provincial and federal parklands. We grow our technology sector, encouraged by our readily available highspeed internet and potential for telecommuting. We seek ways to use the leavings of oil and gas exploration and our accumulated knowledge to blaze new trails. All of this passion and resiliency fuels a passion and dedication to community that empowers much of Hinton’s unending volunteer spirit. We invite you to join us. To find your adventure. To define Hinton in your way. We welcome you home! HINTON 2 0 2 0 COMMUNITY PROFILE table of contents WELCOME 1.1 Overview 6 1.2 History 7 DEMOGRAPHICS 2.1 Population 8 2.2 Hinton Income 9 MAKING HINTON YOUR HOME 3.1 Development Permits 10 3.2 Local Realtors 11 3.3 Real Estate Opportunities 12 3.4 Housing 13 3.5 Rentals 14 BUSINESS 4.1 Major Industries and Manufacturers 15 4.2 Hinton Taxation 16 FACTS AND FIGURES 5.1 Climate 17 5.2 Trade Area 18 QUALITY OF LIFE 6.1 Shopping, Hotels, and More 19 6.2 Recreation 20 6.3 Culture 23 6.4 Non-Profit and Service Organizations 24 WHAT HINTON HAS TO OFFER 7.1 Education 26 7.2 Healthcare Services 28 7.3 Emergency Services 29 7.4 Churches and Religious Groups 29 SERVICES 8.1 Transportation 30 8.2 Communications 30 8.3 Utilities 31 8.4 Provincial and Federal Services 31 EVENTS 9.1 Annual Events Calendar 32 FOR MORE INFORMATION 10.1 Contacts 33 HINTON 2 0 2 0 COMMUNITY PROFILE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY executive summary If you’re looking for a welcoming community and a strong and growing economy, you have come to the right place. Hinton is ready for new and relocating businesses, for new residents, and for new investments. Unlike other communities in this area, we already have a strong multi-industry economic base. This economic stability means that we are able to offer unparalleled opportunities and supports to both businesses and residents. We are eager to build on your success as you, your work, and your family continues to strengthen our community offering more for our citizens. BUSINESS IN HINTON Ideal location: Highway 16 and Drinnan Way intersection alone offers traffic volume of 6,100 eastbound and 8,270 westbound; we serve a trade area of over 37,000 people, with growth anticipated to 40k by 2028*. With real estate available directly on the highway, Hinton businesses attract locals and visitors alike. Low taxes: both residential and non-residential rates are low when compared to other communities in the region. Work force: just under 70% of the population is between the ages of 15-64**; Hinton offers a large, qualified, and capable workforce. Major industries: coal mining, oil and gas, tourism, a pulp mill, a saw mill, and forestry research and training are all important aspects of Hinton’s economy. Plus, we are the regional hub for education, healthcare, and retail. The best representation of business life in Hinton can be expressed through the many thriving businesses that have already made a home in Hinton; from unique stores and restaurants to chain stores to industry-related companies, the wide range of successful businesses is proof that Hinton offers a supportive environment. CULTURE AND RECREATION IN HINTON Annual events: the Wild Mountain Music Festival attracts roughly 8,500 people from travelers to locals; the Föhn Festival offers fun for all ages and a chance to celebrate the cultural mosaic that defines our community; and our annual mountain biking events take advantage of our extensive biking trails and celebrates our active community. This is only a small sample of the range of annual events that we are proud to offer our citizens. An outdoor paradise: the area offers endless opportunities to hike, bike, ski, fish, hunt, camp, and ride off-road vehicles. Source: *- Hinton 2019 Economic Pitch Deck **-Statistics Canada, 2016 Census HINTON 2 0 2 0 COMMUNITY PROFILE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This combination of cultural and outdoor opportunity means that Hinton has something to offer everyone. QUALITY OF LIFE Median family income: $100,096* , which is higher than the median family income in Alberta and in Canada. Commute: we have a short average commute time between work and home. Plus, Hinton offers an affordable and convenient public transit system. Housing: the average price for a single family home is $374,631** , which is lower than national average housing prices. Amenities: unique and chain stores, traditional and non-traditional medicine services, recreational opportunities, and non-profit organizations all contribute to Hinton’s vibrant community. Hinton is a caring and supportive community. Over three winters, members of the community worked together to build the 3 km Beaver Boardwalk. With wood donated from West Fraser Mills and construction done completely by volunteers, this renowned path is a strong testament to the cooperative, generous nature of our community. We hope that after you read this document you will consider Hinton as you look to invest, start a business, find a home, and raise a family. With the combination of economic, recreational, and community opportunities, Hinton truly has something valuable to offer everyone. Source: *-Statistics Canada, 2016 Census ** - Alberta West Realtors Association HINTON 2 0 2 0 COMMUNITY PROFILE PAGE 6 welcome OVERVIEW Welcome to Hinton. Perfectly located on the Yellowhead Highway in the Athabasca River Valley, the Town of Hinton is 15 minutes east of the Jasper National Park gates and 300 km west of Edmonton. Every inch of Hinton offers opportunity— some of our strongest industries include: coal, natural gas, forestry, manufacturing, oilfield services, pulp and paper, gravel, and tourism. Hinton is an inclusive community celebrating an abundance of art, cultural, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Some of our main attractions include: the three-kilometer freshwater Beaver Boardwalk (the longest freshwater boardwalk in Canada), the annual Föhn Festival, the Mary Reimer Memorial Rodeo, the Wild Mountain Music Festival, and the acclaimed Hinton Mountain Bike Park. Hinton is rich with outdoor recreation opportunities; there are endless options for camping, hiking, skiing, fishing, water sports, hunting, and off-road vehicle riding. We also have phenomenal soccer, ball, and hockey groups, and we offer unparalleled mountain biking opportunities, making Hinton Alberta’s Mountain Bike Mecca. Thanks to our strong municipal leadership, the Town of Hinton is proactively planning and building to ensure the success and sustainability of our community—Hinton is open for business, recreation, culture, and the arts. We’re building our future today and invite you to “Seek Better Days” in Hinton. HINTON 2 0 2 0 COMMUNITY PROFILE PAGE 7 HISTORY In late November of 1810, explorer David Thompson arrived in what we know today as Hinton Alberta. Thompson camped here for two days and for an additional 25 days west of Hinton, prior to embarking on his epic journey to reach the Columbia River through the Athabasca Pass. Today, we remain influenced by the travels of Thompson and the mapping he did of the area. In the early 1900s, people started to settle in the Hinton area and called it home. Hinton was named for William P. Hinton, Vice President and later the General Manager of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR). Hinton was the “end of rail” for the GTPR and the small new community bustled with activity, growing to a population of around 500. Hinton began to thrive when the bounty of natural resources were realized. Coal mining became an important staple in Hinton’s economy, along with a pulp and power mill that was opened in 1955. Thanks to these industries, Hinton saw new growth, not only in population, but in economy and in land size. Today, Hinton’s highly sought after lifestyle is thanks, in part, to the major coal-mining operations, a pulp and paper mill, and the oil and gas operations that all thrive in Hinton.This solid foundation of an industry-driven economy has shaped Hinton into a progressive, successful, and prosperous community.