Castor

Welcome

Welcome to our community. We hope the information contained within this profile is
useful. If additional information is required, please contact our representative from the
"Key Contacts" section.

Area Overview

The Town of Castor is situated at the crossroads of Highway 12 and Highway 36. The
town is a service centre for the surrounding farming community.

Castor offers everything required for daily needs. It boasts a competitive retail sector
and commercial industries. Main Street includes grocery stores, a drug store,
restaurants, financial institutions, hardware, and various service centres. In addition,
various contractors are available for all types of work including building construction,
plumbing, gas-fitting and electrical work. Service stations are available for vehicle
repairs and parts.

The Town is very picturesque with well-maintained homes and gardens. The streets are
tree-lined, and the natural beauty is very impressive. Throughout the community, a
natural pond system dissects the town providing an enjoyable area for walks and play areas.

Castor prides itself in its continuous efforts to provide a quality of life second to none.
The residents co-operate with each other for the betterment of the town. The family
unit as a whole is an important aspect for the townspeople. The facilities, entertainment
and social aspects are maintained with the family unit in mind.

Community Services

Municipal

Town of Castor
Box 475
Castor, Alberta
T0C 0X0
Tel: 403-882-3215
Fax: 403-882-3454

Recreation
Public Utilities
Public Library

Provincial

Transportation and Utilities

Federal

Canada Post

Community Lifestyle

Recreation

The recreation facilities and programs offered to the public are first-rate. The arena,
curling rink, tennis courts, swimming pool and parks are actively used by the residents.
These facilities have been well maintained over the years. The Golf Course offers a 9-
hole, grass green course with a new clubhouse. The curling rink was completed in 1988.

Various recreation programs are offered throughout the year. Minor hockey and ball
programs are easily accessible at low cost. Summer swim club, arts & crafts, dance
club, gymnastics, 4-H, woodworking and various recreation and culture programs are
offered on a regular basis. For adults, there is hockey, curling, ball, golfing, aerobics and
other activities offered throughout the year. The Recreation Department is continuously
working to build new programs for both young people and adults.

Other recreation facilities include the Valley Ski Hill [14 miles N.E. of Castor], R.V.
campground [water, sewage & electrical], various playgrounds, and boating.

Community Organizations

Many service organizations are actively involved in the community.

Religious Facilities
All Saints Anglican Church
Missionary Church
St. John Lutheran Church
Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church
United Church of Canada
Castor Community Lighthouse Church
Special Annual Events/Attractions

Our museum and library meets the cultural needs of the community. For the past 5
years the Castor Little Theatre has produced plays for the community. The play runs for
2 weeks as a dinner theatre and is a worthwhile evening for anyone who has attended
the productions.

Other highlights include Winterfest, which includes all types of entertainment, such as a
trade show, fireworks, cutter parade and ice sculpting. The whole community works
hard to provide a weekend of fun for all ages. Also, the Annual Fair is held in August,
and continues to grow every year.

Hospitality

Accommodation

Cosmopolitan Hotel
Grey Goose Motel

Restaurants

Badgers Restaurant
Shangri-la Inn
Tasty Mill
White Goose Family Restaurant

Economic Base

Agriculture is the main economic base in the Castor area. Cattle and hog production is a
major contributor to the economic stability of the area. Grain farming in the area is also
very strong, with all varieties of crops being grown. The crops are of high quality and
quantity. Castor is also the central loading station for hogs going to market from the
east-central Alberta area.

It is expected that agriculture will continue to flourish in the area. Good management
and continued stability will be maintained in the future.

Economic Facts

Small operations such as retail, concrete mix, service industries and the hospital and
county seat have provided the main employment in the area.

Major Businesses Products/Services

Filipenko Brothers Concrete Cement Production
AG Foods,Food Town Food Service
Value Drug Mart Drug Store
Home Hardware

Financial Institutions

Alberta Treasury Branch
Battle River Credit Union

Education

Castor is part of the Clearview Regional School Division #24, headquartered in Stettler
[Tel: 403-742-3331] and the East Central Alberta Catholic Separate School Division
#16, headquartered in Wainwright [Tel: 403-842-3992].

Over the years many of Castor's students have received provincial recognition for their
accomplishments in education, which speaks highly of the quality of education in the
area.

Public

Gus Wetter School provides education for Grades K to 12.

Separate

Theressetta Roman Catholic Separate School provides education for Grades 1 to 9.

Private

N/A

Emergency Services

Fire Protection

Castor is served by a 12-member volunteer fire department [Tel: 403-882-3333].

Police Services

Castor is served by the Coronation detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[RCMP] [Tel: 403-578-3622]. The detachment has 4 officers.

Ambulance Services

East Central Ambulance Association has 2 units that serve Castor [Tel: 403-882-3383].

Health Care

Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital has 25 active-treatment beds. Other medical services
include 2 medical clinics, 1 dental clinic, and the Health Unit. Ambulance service is also
available.

There is also a senior citizen's lodge in Castor.

Key Contacts for Business Development

Municipal

Town of Castor
Box 475
Castor, Alberta
T0C 0X0
Tel: 403-882-3215
Fax: 403-882-3454
E-Mail:castor@telusplanet.net

Garry DeVloo
Mayor

Micheal Yakielashek
Administrator

J.D.Klasson, Economic Development Officer
toll free 888-882-3156

Provincial (Updated December 2004)

Alberta Economic Development
2rd Floor, Provincial Building
4920 - 51 Street
Red Deer, Alberta
T4N 6K8
Tel: 403-340-5300
Fax: 403-340-5231
Andre Tremblay, Regional Manager
andre.tremblay@gov.ab.ca
Dawna Allard, Regional Development Officer
dawna.allard@gov.ab.ca
Lisa Houle, Regional Project Officer
lisa.houle@gov.ab.ca

Doug Griffiths
Member of the Legislative Assembly [MLA]
Wainwright

Constituency Constituency Office
#201, 1006 - 4 Avenue
Wainwright
T9W 2R3
Phone: (780) 842-6177
Fax: (780) 842-3171
battleriver.wainwright@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#130 Legislature Building
10800-97 Avenue
Edmonton
T5K 2B6
Phone: (780) 422-5369
Fax: (780) 422-5385

Federal (Updated May 2006)

Kevin Sorenson
Member of Parliament [MP]
Crowfoot Constituency

Parliamentary Address
House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 947-4608
Fax: (613) 947-4611
E-Mail: Sorenson.K@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Address
4945 - 50th Street
Camrose, Alberta
T4V 1P9
Telephone: (780) 608-4600 1-800-665-4358
Fax: (780) 608-4603
TTY:
E-Mail:

Location

The Town of Castor is located in the County of Paintearth #18, in east-central Alberta.
It is 160 km east of Red Deer, 245 km southeast of Edmonton, and 290 km northeast of
Calgary.

Post Secondary Education

Post-secondary education is available from Red Deer Community College in Red Deer,
Olds College in Olds, and from Edmonton or Calgary-based post-secondary institutions.

Taxation

	Residential/Farmland	Non-Residential
2005
Municipal Tax Rate	19.8402	19.8402
Education - Alberta School Foundation Fund Tax Rate	5.0877	7.3749
Education Opted Out Tax Rate	5.0877	7.3749
Seniors Lodge Accommodation Tax Rate	.4316	.4316

Mill Rates [2002]

Residential-Public 23.60
Residential-Separate 23.60
Non-Residential-Public 26.58
Non-Residential-Separate 26.58

Transportation

Air Service

The Castor Airport is a local air-strip. The nearest commercial and freight services are
offered at Calgary International Airport or Edmonton International Airport.

Highways

Connecting highways are Highway 12 and Highway 36. The high quality grade of the
highways makes easy access both north-south and east-west. Should access to
Edmonton and the northwest be required, the highway allows the journey via Camrose in a
little over two hours.

Trucking Firms

Hiway 9 Express
Dove Transport Ltd.
East Country Delivery

Bus Services

Greyhound Bus Lines provides regularly scheduled inter-community service.

Couriers and Taxis

Greyhound Courier Express, Loomis, Purolator

Utilities

Electrical Power

Atco
Tel: 403-882-3255

Natural Gas

Town of Castor [Urban]
Box 479
Castor, Alberta
T0C 0X0
Tel: 403-882-3215

Paintearth Gas Co-op Ltd. [Rural]
Box 5
Castor, Alberta
T0C 0X0
Tel: 403-882-3974

Telephone

Telus
4831 - 51 Street
Red Deer, Alberta
T4N 2A6
Tel: 403-342-3611

Water Supply

The source of water is the Parr Reservoir. The reservoir capacity is 51,650 cubic
meters, the treated reservoir capacity is 817 cubic metres, and the design capacity is
2,182 cubic meters.

Waste Management

Sewage treatment is provided by a series of lagoons consisting of 4 short and 2 long
detention ponds.

Residential garbage is collected weekly, while commercial and industrial garbage is
collected twice weekly.

Population

Total Population 1991-2001

Castor Population by Age Group (2001)

Education Statistics

Castor Highest Level of Schooling 2001

Labour Force

Castor Labour Force By Industry - 2001

Income

Building Permits

Total Housing Starts

Value of Building Permits

Dwellings

Projects

Summary of Projects in Castor as of September 2006

Value of Projects by Sector (as of September 2006)

Largest Projects in Castor as of September 2006