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Cardston Tourism and Economic Development Cardston Tourism and Economic Development Economic Development Action Plan Economic Development Action Plan Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 COMMUNITY CONTEXT ........................................................................................................... 2 3.0 POPULATION & GROWTH ANALYSIS ....................................................................................... 3 4.0 ECONOMIC INDICATORS & KEY INFORMATION ...................................................................... 6 5.0 SITUATION ANALYSIS .............................................................................................................. 8 6.0 BUSINESS STRATEGY ............................................................................................................. 10 Business Retention & Expansion ....................................................................................... 12 Business Attraction ........................................................................................................... 15 Tourism Enhancement ...................................................................................................... 17 Create a Vibrant and Sustainable Community .................................................................. 19 Cardston Tourism & Economic Development Economic Development Action Plan 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Economic Development Action Plan outlines the Town of Cardston’s strategy to stimulate economic growth in the region and make Cardston a desirable community to live, work and play. The plan has been developed from priorities identified by youth and seniors groups and Town Council strategic planning sessions. The plan will guide administration and the economic development board in managing workflow and allocating funding for economic development. Mission Statement To enhance Cardston’s economy by creating an environment that attracts, retains and expands business and tourism to complement quality of life for all Cardston residents. Vision Statement Cardston, a healthy, vibrant, progressive community with opportunity for all. Roles and Responsibilities The role of the Economic Development Board is to: • Maintain a strong presence in regional economic development associations such as SouthGrow, Alberta Southwest (County), Community Futures, Chinook Country Tourism and The Chamber of Commerce. • Promote a clear message that the Town of Cardston is “Open for Business” • Identify innovative and creative means to promote and market Cardston to attract tourism and investment into the region. • Work collaboratively with the planning and development department to support commercial and residential development. • Proactively consult, facilitate and support the growth, retention and expansion of existing Cardston businesses. • Develop and foster key relationships with the development and business community. • Foster cooperation, partnerships and collaborations with the Blood Tribe and Cardston County. • Recognize that the economic viability of neighbouring communities supports continued growth in Cardston. In order to accomplish our goals, a situation analysis was done to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and treats. This plan will work to leverage our strengths to create a competitive advantage for economic development while acknowledging our weaknesses and pursuing opportunities. The plan will focus on 1) Business Retention and Expansion, 2) Business Attraction, 3) Tourism Enhancement and 4) Creating a Vibrant and Sustainable Community. Page 1 Last update: November 19, 2013 Cardston Tourism & Economic Development Economic Development Action Plan 2.0 COMMUNITY CONTEXT The Town of Cardston is a community of 3,580 (2011 Census) located in the rolling foothills of Southern Alberta, just 25 km north of the US State of Montana. It is 77 km southwest of Lethbridge and 234 km south of Calgary at the junction of Highways 2 and 5. To the north lies the Kainai Nation (Blood Tribe) Indian Reserve, the largest reservation in Canada with a population of approximately 10,000 people. 40 km to the west lays the Rocky Mountains and Waterton International Peace Park. The Town is located in the Cardston County which has a population of 4,167 (2011 census) making the trading area approximately 15,000 people. The Town of Cardston was established in 1887 by Mormon pioneers from Utah who travelled to Alberta in one of the century’s last covered wagon migrations. The Cardston Temple, The Card Pioneer Home, The Remington Carriage Museum, The Courthouse Museum and the Cobblestone Manor stand as reminders of Cardston’s rich history and founding fathers. In addition to its rich Mormon history, Cardston also enjoys a unique blend of Native American culture and the presence of several Hutterite colonies in the area. Cardston experiences a continental climate characterized by a combination of short, cool summers and cold winters. Although individual snowfall rarely exceeds 6 inches, the harshness of winter is moderated by frequent Chinook winds that melt the snow. The growing season has approximately 111 frost-free days with an average rainfall from May to September approximately 12 inches. Total hours of sunshine per year are 2,370. The economic base is made up of agriculture, tourism, and the public services sector (hospital, school and municipal government). The areas 45,000 acres of irrigated land and gross farm receipts totaling nearly $145 million generates strong potential in the agriculture sector. There continues to be opportunities for value added agricultural services in Cardston. The areas rich history, natural beauty and proximity to Waterton National Park help make tourism a viable industry as well. The region has recently seen an increase in oil exploration on the Blood Reserve and areas southeast of Cardston. Page 2 Last update: November 19, 2013 Cardston Tourism & Economic Development Economic Development Action Plan 3.0 POPULATION & GROWTH ANALYSIS Historically, over the last 30 years, Cardston has experienced relatively flat population growth. Significant periods of growth occurred during the 1970’s and early 1980’s but the growth rate has declined significantly since then. Table 1 displays historical population growth for Cardston, Cardston County and Alberta between 1961 and 2011. Since 1986, Cardston’s growth has been substantially lower than the Provincial average. TABLE 1 HISTORICAL POPULATION GROWTH 1961-2011 AVERAGE ANNUAL CHANGE POPULATION 5 YEAR RATE OF CHANGE (%) (%) Cardston Alberta Cardston Cardston YEAR Cardston County (000's) Cardston County Alberta Cardston County Alberta 1961 2,801 4,905 1,332 1966 2,721 4,259 1,463 -2.9% -13.2% +9.8% -0.6% -2.6% +2.0% 1971 2,685 4,130 1,628 -1.3% -3.0% +11.3% -0.3% -0.6% +2.3% 1976 3,063 4,228 1,838 +14.1% +2.4% +12.9% +2.8% +0.5% +2.6% 1981 3,267 4,292 2,238 +6.7% +1.5% +21.8% +1.3% +0.3% +4.4% 1986 3,497 4,419 2,366 +7.0% +3.0% +5.7% +1.4% +0.6% +1.1% 1991 3,480 4,490 2,546 -0.5% +1.6% +7.6% -0.1% +0.3% +1.5% 1996 3,417 4,565 2,697 -1.8% +1.7% +5.9% -0.4% +0.3% +1.2% 2001 3,475 4,325 2,975 +1.7% -5.3% +10.3% +0.3% -1.1% +2.1% 2006 3,452 4,037 3,290 -0.7% -6.7% +10.6% -0.1% -1.3% +2.1% 2011 3,580 4,167 3,645 +3.7% +3.2% +10.8% +0.7% +0.6% +2.2% Source: Statistics Canada TABLE 2 Table 2 outlines growth rates GROWTH RATE COMPARISONS experienced by similar communities 2001 TO 2011 since 2001. Cardston’s growth over the last 10 years has been slower than 5 YEAR GROWTH RATE POPULATION 2001 2006 2011 most of the comparative communities. Cardston 3,580 +1.7% -0.7% +3.7% Raymond and Magrath have seen Cardston County 4,167 -5.3% -6.7% +3.2% much higher growth since 2001, and Magrath 2,217 +6.7% +4.4% +6.5% are likely due to the growth of Raymond 3,743 +4.7% +0.2% +16.1% residential construction and their Pincher Creek 3,685 +0.2% -1.1% +1.7% proximity to Lethbridge. Fort MacLeod 3,117 -1.5% +2.7% +1.5% Claresholm 3,758 +5.7% +2.2% +1.6% Taber 6,851 +0.7% +4.5% +9.2% Page 3 Source: Statistics Canada Last update: November 19, 2013 Cardston Tourism & Economic Development Economic Development Action Plan The following charts show Cardston’s population structure from 1996 to 2011 and indicate trends that will effect economic development in the future. The trends indicate a growing number of people nearing retirement age by 2011. Succession planning and attracting qualified people to fill senior management roles left vacant by the baby boomers will present challenges in the immediate future. This also presents an opportunity to attract and retain younger generations that are beginning their careers. It is interesting to note that 2011 has seen an increase in the number of people in their 30’s living in Cardston. Chart 1 - Cardston Chart 2 - Cardston 2011 Population Structure 2006 Population Structure 80-84 80-84 70-74 Male 70-74 Male 60-64 Female 60-64 Female 50-54 50-54 40-44 40-44 Age Group Age Group 30-34 30-34 20-24 20-24 10-14 10-14 0-4 0-4 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 - 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Number of Persons Number of Persons Chart 3 - Cardston Chart 4 - Cardston 2001 Population Structure 1996 Population Structure 80-84 80-84 70-74 Male 70-74 Male 60-64 Female 60-64 Female 50-54 50-54 40-44 40-44 Age Group 30-34 Age Group 30-34 20-24 20-24 10-14 10-14 0-4 0-4 - 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 - 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Number of Persons Number of Persons Chart 5 - Alberta 2011 Population Structure Charts 5 and 6 show a comparison of the 80-84 provincial population structure to Cardston’s 70-74 Male 60-64 Female population structure; these charts show that 50-54 40-44 Cardston has a larger % of people that are 60 Age Group 30-34 20-24 and over compared to the provincial average. 10-14 0-4 This trend may be affected by the quality of - 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 our health care facilities and the result of Number of Persons (000's) aging retirees that have settled in Cardston. Cardston also has a higher % of children compared to the provincial average which also suggests that Cardston is a desirable community to raise a family in.
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