We're being proactive about our business growth. To ensure economic sustainability and long-term employment for our residents, we're targeting:
Alberta's positive business environment and the growing consumer market in the Calgary Region has strengthened the manufacturing sector and contributed to a growing number of new business start-ups, and an increase in business investment.
Advanced manufacturing
Almost 10 per cent of Airdrie's labour force is employed in manufacturing. Our proximity to Calgary, the Queen Elizabeth II Highway and the Calgary International Airport enable local manufacturers easy access to their customers, as well as a growing consumer market to increase their sales and revenue.
Alberta enjoys manufacturing productivity that is the highest in the country, and has one of the lowest unionization rates in Canada. Manufacturing represents approximately 10 per cent of Alberta's GDP, the largest contributor of any sector.
With a growing population and a thriving business environment, professional service firms are looking to Airdrie to start-up or expand their operations.
Airdrie's talented labour force, ease of access to downtown Calgary head offices, superior quality of life, and supportive business environment are all reasons why these firms are flocking to our city.
The City of Airdrie and the Calgary Region have seen a significant increase in the number of professional service firms due to Calgary's emergence as Western Canada's business centre. At last count, professional services contributed to the employment of more than 71,500 people, and injected $3.1 billion into the Region's total GDP.
Alberta's thriving energy-related development plus municipal and provincial infrastructure projects and private sector expansion continue to drive demand for professionals with expertise in:
Real estate availability: Airdrie offers a range of options for businesses from running a home-based business to established buildings for lease to units for purchase in our new business parks.
Cost competitiveness: No business tax, low property taxes and the advantages of Alberta's low provincial taxes.
Connections: Whether you need to be connected to the world, connected to Calgary or connected to the local community, Airdrie is the place.
Business support: With a thriving local Chamber and other resource organizations at your fingertips, Airdrie offers a supportive and welcoming business environment.
Educated and talented labour force: More than 1,100 people employed locally in engineering, architecture and other professional services.
Affordable and strategically located, Airdrie is well-suited to distributing and re-distributing a range of agricultural, industrial and manufactured goods to anywhere in Western Canada, as well as other Canadian, US and global markets.
Our location on the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, proximity to east-west road networks and the Calgary International Airport, and location within a growing consumer market, make Airdrie a prime choice for transportation and logistics-related businesses.
Airdrie has seen tremendous growth in the transportation and logistics sector. We welcomed Costco Wholesale to our city in 2008. The company opened a 260,000 square foot Western Canada distribution depot on 46 acres in Airdrie's northeast business park.
Costco joins a number of companies with distribution centres in the region. Wal-Mart, Rona, Shoppers Drug Mart and Canadian Tire have distribution facilities in the Calgary Region with service areas throughout Western Canada and beyond.
We believe the time is right to build environmentally-responsible and environmentally-focused businesses. With several local businesses having gained national and international recognition for their success, Airdrie is well-poised to take advantage of the movement to develop new environmental technologies, products and services.
Airdrie is home to a number of companies that focus on environmental services. These businesses are not only recognized provincially, but nationally and internationally as well. Airdrie sees great potential in building a critical mass in this emerging sector.
Alberta's environmental industries are at the forefront of developing new environmental technologies, products and services. Driven by the need to reduce pollution, develop cleaner production processes and ensure the long-term preservation of our environment, the province now boasts Canada's third-largest concentration of environmental companies.
There are currently 1,330 Alberta companies, employing almost 26,000 people, developing solutions for climate change and energy-efficiency, recycling and waste management, and remediation and water treatment. Together, they generate more than $3.5 billion in revenues annually.