Falher

Welcome

Welcome to Falher. We hope the following information is helpful and gives you an opportunity to get to know our community. If you would like any other information not listed here please do not hesitate to contact us.

The Smoky River Regional Economic Development office is also located in Falher. They would be happy to help you with any of your business questions. Please call the Economic Development Officer at 780-837-2364 or email at gradstaak@mdsmokyriver.com. For tourism information please call 780-837-2247 or email at tnfalher@telusplanet.net.

Area Overview

This area is one of the earliest agricultural communities in the Peace Region. The Town
of Falher is a Franco-Albertan community named after Father Constant Falher, o.m.i.,
the first parish priest who arrived in the area in 1912.

Known as the "Honey Capital of Canada", Falher is an agricultural service centre of major importance in the North Peace region. Falher's machinery dealerships and retail outlets serve the farming population throughout the Peace Country, and its burgeoning agricultural processing industry continues to find new local and international markets.

Community Services

Municipal
Falher Town Office
Box 155
Falher, Alberta T0H 1M0

Telephone: 780-837-2247
Fax: 780-837-2647

Municipal Library
Bibliotheque Dentinger

Provincial 
    Attorney General 
    Solicitor General 
    Provincial Court Room

Federal 
    Canada Post Office

Community Lifestyle

Recreation
Falher offers a wide range of recreational programs and facilities to its citizens and visitors alike. An arena with artificial ice provides excellent facilities for skating, hockey and broomball. A spacious community hall, used for many public and private functions during the year, occupies the second level.

The Falher Centennial Curling Rink has three sheets of artificial curling ice available from October to April, for all regular square draws and bonspiels.

An outdoor, heated swimming pool, operated by the Town of Falher, is open to the
public from May to August. In addition, a small wading pool is always appreciated by the moms and the tots on hot summer days. Other facilities include four baseball diamonds, a hiking trail, and a paved athletic track.

Golf is also available in the region with two courses within a few minutes drive of the town.

Avid hunters can find plenty of waterfowl and bird game throughout the area. Big game paradises are within a one-hour drive in all directions. Guiding and outfitting businesses supply hunters with fully experienced and qualified guides. On the other hand, if you simply wish to appreciate nature and wildlife, there are plenty of wilderness areas and natural habitats in the surrounding countryside.

For skiers, the recently completed Little Smoky Recreation area, located just an hour from Falher, is fully equipped with eleven downhill ski runs, a T-Bar ski-lift, cross country skiing and hiking trails, a chalet and a family toboggan run.

Community Organizations

Economic Base

Falher has an economic base in agriculture, oil & gas and forestry.
The good soils, long sunny days and favourable moisture to grow most crops provide for excellent farming operations. Grain volumes shipped from Falher are the second highest in Alberta and the alfalfa dehydrating plant producing over 140,000 tonnes of pellets annually. A new oat and pea processing facility is also under construction in the community.

In the areas surrounding the town, there have been many recent oil and natural gas discoveries which are currently being developed. Seismic crews, drilling rigs, wells and batteries are a common sight.
Forestry is also a strong industry here. There are three forest districts in the area and reports indicate that there are 10 million cubic feet of lumber being processed on an annual basis.

Apiculture is one of the area's major industries, with over 60,000 bee hives in the area producing over 10 million pounds (4.5 million kilograms)of quality honey per year. Thus, the town is proud to lay claim to the title: "Honey Capital of Canada".

Economic Facts

There is one grain elevator, one inland grain terminal, an alfalfa processing plant, a seed cleaning plant, and a new oat processing facility in the area. There are also farm implement sales and service centres in the community. Grain shipments from Falher's elevators are the second highest in Alberta, underlining Falher's importance as an agricultural centre. Also, an alfalfa dehydrating plant in Falher produces over 140,000 tonnes of pellets annually.

Our major agricultural businesses include:

Education

Public
Ecole Routhier School is part of the High Prairie School Division #48, headquartered in High Prairie [Tel: 780-523-3337]
Ecole Routhier School offers education services for Grades K to 6. The School offers quality programs in both English and French. In order to meet the needs of its French-speaking clientele, the amount of French instruction has gradually increased throughout the years, to a point where 80% of the total instruction in the School District is given in French. Instruction in the Catholic faith is also offered.

There are two possible routes available to students in the pre-school to Grade 6 category: parents have the choice of enrolling their children in the French as a First Language Program, where 100% of instruction is given in French from Pre-School to grade 2, and approximately 80% instruction is in French for grades 3 to 6 inclusive. The other option is the English Language Program, where all instruction is given in English except for about 30 minutes of Oral French per day. Junior and high school education is available in the nearby community of Donnelly.

Ecole Heritage is part of the Conseil scolaire du nord-ouest #1. Ecole Heritage offers education services for Grades K to 12. Programs are offered in French only.

Pre-School
There are also preschool opportunities offered in both english and french.

Separate
N/A

Private
N/A

Emergency Services

All emergency services can be accessed by dialing 911.

Fire Protection
The town obtains fire protection from the Smoky River Fire Department. This department has 17 active members, 2 pumpers, 1 tanker truck and a rescue unit. [Office Tel: 780-837-2455].

Police Services
Falher is served by the McLennan detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP] [ Office Tel: 780-324-3061].

Ambulance Services
Falher is served by the Smoky River Ambulance Service, 17 km east of Falher [Office Tel: 780-324-3911].

Health Care

The nearest hospital/nursing home complex is the 120-bed facility in McLennan, located 17 km east of Falher. The town itself has 2 doctors, 1 medical clinic, 1 health unit, 1 dentist, and 1 senior citizen lodge. Optometrist services are available once per week.

The Villa Beausejour has over the years proven to be a very satisfying and attractive housing alternative for many seniors in the Smoky River Region and surrounding rural communities. This Lodge offers 69 rooms for senior citizens who still wish to enjoy the privacy of their own room while benefitting from common meals, housekeeping services and the opportunity for social interaction.

Other seniors who prefer to live independently in their own suites, are offered subsidized rental accommodations in one of the 28 apartments in the Manoir Ste. Anne, a senior citizens' self-contained project.

Key Contacts for Business Development

Municipal
Town of Falher
Box 155
Falher, Alberta
T0H 1M0
Telephone: 780-837-2247
Fax: 780-837-2647

Margaret Tardif
Mayor

Gerard A. Nicolet
Municipal Administrator
tnfalher@telusplanet.net

Smoky River Regional Economic Development
P.O. Box 210
Falher, Alberta
T0H 1M0

Tel: 780-837-2364
Fax: 780-837-2453
email: gradstaak@mdsmokyriver.com

Greg Radstaak, Economic Development Officer

Provincial
Sara Chamberlain, Manager
Alberta Economic Development
Postal Bag 900 - 3
105 Provincial Building
9626 - 96 Avenue
Peace River, Alberta
T8S 1T4
Telephone: 780-624-6114
Fax: 780-624-6490

Bob Hall, Regional Manager
Alberta Economic Development
#1401 Provincial Building
10320-99 Street
Grande Prairie, AB T8V 6J4
Tel: 780-538-5230
Fax: 780-538-5332

Hector Goudreau
Member of the Legislative Assembly [MLA]
Dunvegan Central Peac Constituency

Constituency Office
P.O. Box 1054
031- 1st Avenue SW
Falher T0H 1M0
Phone: (780) 837-3846
Toll Free: 1-866-835-4988
Fax: (780) 837-3849
dunvegan.centralpeace@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#513 Legislature Building
10800-97 Avenue
Edmonton
T5K 2B6
Phone: (780) 415-9421
Fax: (780) 427-1835

Federal
Peace River, Alberta
WARKENTIN, Chris (Conservative)

Parliamentary Address
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 992-5685
Fax: (613) 947-4782
E-Mail: Warkentin.C@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Address
207 - 10605 West Side Drive
Grande Prairie, Alberta
T8V 8E6
Telephone: (780) 538-1677
Fax: (780) 538-9257

Location

The Town of Falher is located in the Municipal District of Smoky River #130, in north-west Alberta. Edmonton is 413 km southeast of Falher. Grande Praire is 161 km southwest of Falher. Peace River is 62 kilometres north of the Town of Falher.

Post Secondary Education

Northern Lakes College of Slave Lake offers a variety of local courses for adults
including university-level courses, professional and personal development, and general interest courses. Check out their website at www.yourfuture.ab.ca.

Taxation

Mill Rates 2006
Residential - Public 21.335
Residential - Separate N/A
Non-Residential - Public 23.04
Non-Residential - Separate N/A
 Machinery - 16.997

	Residential & Farmland	Non-Residential
2006
Municipal Tax Rate	16.824	16.824
Education - Alberta School Foundation Fund Tax Rate	4.338	6.043
Seniors Lodge Accommodation Tax Rate	0.173	0.173

Transportation

Air Services
The nearest airport is the Smoky River Regional Airport, located 10 km east of Falher. This airport is operated by the M.D. of Smoky River (837-2221)

Rail Services
Falher is served by RaiLink. Only freight service is available.

Highways
Falher is situated on Highway 49, just east of the junction of Highways 2 and 43, the
main thoroughfare of northwestern Alberta.

Trucking Firms

Utilities

Electrical Power & Natural Gas
ATCO Electric Ltd.
Falher, Alberta
Telephone:1-800-668-2248

ATCO Gas Ltd.
Falher, Alberta
Telephone; 837-5105

Telephone
Telus
Telephone: 310-2255

Water Supply
The source of Falher's water is Winagami Lake.

Waste Management
Sewage treatment is provided by 1 aerobic pond and 4 anaerobic ponds.

Residential, commercial and industrial garbage is collected weekly. There is a landfill site for solid wastes.

Population

Total Population 1991-2001

Falher Population by Age Group (2001)

Education Statistics

Falher Highest Level of Schooling 2001

Labour Force

Falher Labour Force By Industry - 2001

Income

Family Expenditure

Falher Family Expenditures (1996)

Building Permits

Total Housing Starts

Value of Building Permits

Dwellings

Projects

Summary of Projects in Falher as of September 2006

Value of Projects by Sector (as of September 2006)

Largest Projects in Falher as of September 2006