Chestermere purchases 101 acres of land to attract industry to Alberta's newest city

Aerial view of the 101 acres of land the City of Chestermere acquired for future business development (supplied)

The City of Chestermere has acquired a highly desirable section of land in the southeast section of the city with plans to bring jobs and residents to Alberta’s newest city.

“We are creating a better, non-residential tax base with this,” said Mayor Patricia Matthews at Thursday’s land purchase announcement. ‘Chestermere’s grown so fast in the last decade that we’ve been trying to keep up and offer our residents a diversity in tax base so we can pay for better amenities and offer better services.”

Chestermere hopes to sell or lease sections of the development along Range Road 240, which does not currently have a name, with plans for business operations to begin as early as 2018.

“This would look more along the lines of light industrial development as well as larger employment centres so that we can invite more people to work in Chestermere and stay here and play here and live here,” said Mayor Matthews.

Jean-Marc Lacasse, Chestermere’s manager of economic development, says the city hopes to attract industry including professional, technical, and research and development.

“Since Chestermere has become a city, Chestermere has become on the radar screen of investors and many businesses, and they have been inquiring about land purchase and coming here,” said Lacasse. “We’re looking at the type of development that would have low impact and be really innovative in the way that we can provide employment in Chestermere.”

According to Lacasse, in the past Chestermere has been forced to turn away commercial inquiries due to a lack of available space. The city’s newly acquired land will allow businesses a chance to purchase or lease in a location with easy access to the Trans-Canada Highway, Glenmore Trail, the Calgary International Airport and the CN Logistics Park.