Lac La Biche

Welcome

Welcome to Lac La Biche one of Alberta's oldest communities. Whether you are coming for a visit or planning to relocate to our community, we welcome you with a smile and handshake. There is always something to see or do when you come here.

As the gateway to Lakeland Provincial Park we are at the doorstep of unlimited recreational  opportunities. As a growing community of 2,700 we offer a host of services for even the most discriminating tastes. The Lac La Biche region is a marketplace of over 10,000 people, with a wide variety of cultures that add a unique flavor to the community.

Area Overview

Located in northeastern Alberta, the Lac La Biche Region is an area with a proud past, a strong today, and an ambitious tomorrow. One need only look to the name of the region's largest centre - Lac La Biche - for evidence of the area's noble link to the past. In the language of the Cree its name is Wa-has-shu-sea-haven: Haunt of the Female Deer. Translated into French, it's Lac La Biche , and the English Version: Lake of the Deer.

There's the other secret to the success and charm of this rural Alberta area: a grand mixture of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. While some other rural Alberta areas bowed to the pressure of past economic times, Lac La Biche and District not only survived, it triumphed, due in part to the tireless sense of enthusiasm and hard work possessed by the region's residents and businesses.

Trace the spirit back to the area's founding Native, French, Scottish and Metis settlers. And with the addition of each new nationality, the spirit lives on, resulting in a district that has the strength to withstand the worst of times, and soar through the best.

Lac La Biche  and District comprises the Town of Lac La Biche, the First Nations of Beaver Lake and Heart Lake, the Metis Settlement of Kikino and Buffalo Lakeand an umbrella area called Lakeland County, encompasing the communities of Plamondon, Rich Lake, Hylo, and Owl River.

The "future frontiers" awaiting you in Lac La Biche and District are not simply geographical. There are challenges and opportunities to be experienced in all sectors, from business and industry to tourism.

More fundamentally, it's a good place to raise a family: smaller communities nestled in an outdoor playground decorated with endless blue waters and skies, fresh air and tall trees. Don't think that the rural setting comes at the expense of typical urban services and conveniences, as the major centres of Lac La Biche and District are well equipped to serve your needs.

Also visit Lac La Biche / Lakeland County Economic Development Partnership Website for additional information.

Climate

Temperature - Daily Averages:
January -18.4 C ( -1.1 F)
April 2.1 C (35.8 F)
July 17.0 C (62.6 F)
October 4.7 C (40.5 F)

Annual Precipitation:
Total 53.3 cm (20.2 in.)
Rain 36.5 cm (14.0 in.)
Snow 133.0 cm (52.4 in.)

Frost Free Days: 105

Hours of Sunshine/Year: 2240

Summer time on Lac La Biche Lake

Community Services

Due to the geographic advantages offered by the Lac La Biche Region, many government departments are located in the Town of Lac La Biche in order to service northeastern Alberta.

Our community services directory has a complete listing of services available in the following categories.

• Aboriginal
• Arts & Culture
• Children and Youth Services
• Clubs & Societies
• Community Agencies / Programs
• Educational / Education Support / Vocational/ Career
• Emergency Services
• Government Services Health / Health Related Support
• Other
• Religious / Spiritual
• Seniors, Sports & Recreation

Visit the Lac La Biche / Lakeland County Economic Development Partnership to download the FCSS Community Services Directory

Community Lifestyle

Lifestyle in our community reflects the values and interests of the local residents, which translates into a busy schedule of indoor and outdoor activities throughout all four seasons. While the events and pursuits vary from year to year, locals and guests to the region have a multitude of choices to satisfy their cultural, artistic, athletic and/or recreational needs. The volunteer spirit is alive with many of the events and activities organized by residents with a strong sense of community pride. Many people also choose to live in the region because of the proximity to lakes and wilderness, and the numerous recreational activities available to individuals and families.

The community is geared towards a rural family lifestyle with many after-school activities for children and teens. Adult recreational and leisure pursuits are not forgotten in the Lac La Biche Region, and the community boasts an abundance of choices available to residents and guests alike. Newcomers are impressed with our wide range of clubs, associations and facilities. Best of all, it is affordable and convenient to take advantage of everything that the region has to offer.

Religious Services
Several denominations are represented throughout the County. For a list of religious denominations click here

Community Organizations
Many community groups, sports clubs (indoor and outdoor), and service organizations operate in the County meeting the needs of all age groups. Click here for a list of Community Organizations

Recreational Facilities & Clubs
There are many recreation facilities and clubs, for any interest, throughout the county and surronding area. Click here for a complete list of clubs and facilities

Campgrounds
The region boast over 150 lakes with over 1200 campsites. For more information on campgrounds in the region click here

Hotels & Motels
For information on hotels & motels click here

Bed & Breakfasts
For information on bed & breakfasts click here

Cabins & Resorts
For information on cabins & resorts click here

SPECIAL ANNUAL EVENTS/ATTRACTIONS
- Western Canadian Ice Race Championship - March
- Lac La Biche Rodeo - May
- Lac La Biche Mission Historic Site/Celebration - July 1st
- Plamondon Motor Sports Club Mud Bog - August
- Lac La Biche Pow-Wow Days & Fish Derby - August Long Weekend

Visit the Comunity Events Calendar for more information and all the regional events.

Things To Do
Please click below links for more information

Back Country Canoe Circuit, Parks & Lakes, McArthur Park Hiking & Off road trails, Fishing, Water Activities Birdwatching, Portage Pool, Golfing

Historical & Cultural Attractions
Please click below links for more information Kak ki Yaw Cultural Camp - Teaching the lifestyle and traditions of the region’s Aboriginal community

Alkareem Mosque - Lac La Biche Muslim Association Lac La Biche Mission - A National Historic Site and a Provincial Historic Resource

 Plamondon Museum

Some Housing Pictures from around Lac La Biche

Some of the many things to do and see in Lac La Biche

Economic Base

Lac La Biche has a primary trading area of about 12,000 people with a thriving business and service sector meeting most everyone's needs. The mainstays of Lac La Biche's regional economies are forestry, natural gas, agriculture, government services and education, small business and tourism. The economic base is quite diversified, with no single industry employing more than 15% of the workforce. There is a wealth of natural resources, with forestry and natural gas currently having the most significance, however, the abundance of lakes and forested area holds great potential for tourism.

Lac La Biche  is situated at the southern end of the vast northern mixed-wood boreal forest, dominated by aspen and poplar, with blocks of spruce and pine.

Recent forestry developments have increased the size of this sector dramatically over the past several years. Over 30 companies operate within the forestry sector regionally. The biggest impact is the development of Alberta-Pacific's pulp mill, located 65 km away from the town. Lac La Biche is strategically located as the gateway to a significant portion of their woodlands area.

Lac La Biche  serves as the hub of the region's oil and gas operations. Drilling, seismic, and pipeline construction activity is relatively consistent, contributing significantly to the local economy. While there is continuous development within this sector, the potential remains for substantial increases.

Local businesses supply and service the forestry and gas sectors, yet there remains numerous opportunities for investment.

The agricultural sector is another strong component of the region's economic base. The local sector is primarily involved in beef cattle production, with othe livestock production, cereal grains, canola, grass seed, and other products rounding out this diverse industry. The sector is currently under serviced, so there are several opportunities for development.

Government Services, health care, and education play a key role in the local economy. Lac La Biche is northeastern Alberta's headquarters for many Provincial Government departments, and the home of Portage College, formerly the Alberta Vocational College. The inherent benefits of their presence has a very positive impact on the region.

Tourism is a burgeoning sector, holding great potential for the future. Lac La Biche consistently has over 175,000 tourists visit the region annually. While services are slowly being developed, many opportunities currently exist, and will continue to arise in the future.

Also visit the Lac La Biche / Lakeland County Economic Development Partnership Website for additional information

Economic Facts

ALBERTA PACIFIC FORESTRY INDUSTRIES INC. ECONOMIC IMPACT Alpac contributes approx. $40,000,000 into the regional community

Visit the Lac La Biche / Lakeland County Economic Development Partnership Website for additional information

Education

The ten public schools that operate in the region’s communities are under the
jurisdiction of the Northern Lights School Division offering provincially certified
instruction for grades K to 12. The schools have seen continuous growth of 3% per
annum over the last five years which has resulted in substantial upgrading of facilities
and expansion of curriculum to include language training in French, Arabic, Cree and Russian. Highly qualified educators, which are committed to providing a high standard of learning, staff the schools. Most schools have active parent advisory committees.

The community is proud of the provincial recognition given to several teachers and students, who have received awards for excellence in teaching and scholastic achievement. For information and links on education click here

Winter picture from January's Dogsled Race Event

Emergency Services

Call 911 for Police, Fire, and Ambulance emergencies.

Fire Protection:
Lac La Biche is served by a 25-member volunteer fire department [Tel: 780-623-4311]. In addition, several volunteer fire departments stationed in the villages and hamlets of the region provide good protection for the rural areas.

Police Services:
Lac La Biche is served by a 13-member [5 urban, 8 rural] local detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP] [Tel: 780-623-4380].

Ambulance Services:
Lac La Biche has an ambulance service with Advanced Life Support qualified attendants [Tel: 780-623-2142]. Air ambulance is available locally.

Also visit the Lac La Biche / Lakeland County Economic Development Partnership Website for additional information

Lac La Biche Fire Station

Health Care

Skilled and professional hospital health services are provided to the residents of the Lac La Biche region by Lac La Biche's William J. Cadzow Community Health Centre. Opened in 1985, the hospital's facilities include 30 active treatment beds. The hospital also serves as an outpatient satellite of Edmonton's W.W. Cross Cancer Institute. The town's two medical clinics [Associated Medical Clinic, Lindsay Medical Clinic] provide area residents with regular medical care.

The region is served by five doctors, three dentists, psychologists, two chiropractors, and an optometrist.

The Lac La Biche Health Unit's public Health Nurses and Health Inspectors service the region. The Unit also provides home care, dental health, speech-language pathology, early intervention, rehabilitation, and other services.

Also visit the Lac La Biche / Lakeland County Economic Development Partnership Website for additional information

William J. Cadzow Community Health Centre

Key Contacts for Business Development

Municipal
Town of Lac La Biche
Mayor : Thoman L. Lett
C.A.O. : David Sarsfield
Box 387
Lac La Biche, Alberta T0A 2C0
Phone: (780) 623-4323
Fax: (780) 623-3510
townllb@telusplanet.net

Regional
Lac La Biche Regional Community Development Corp.
Manager, Community Economic Development
Box 2188
Lac La Biche, AB
T0A 2C0
Tel: 780-623-2662
Fax: 780-623-2671
rcdc@telusplanet.net

Lac La Biche & District Chamber of Commerce
President: Hajar Haymour
Box 804
Lac La Biche, AB
T0A 2C0
780-623-2818
llbcofc@telusplanet.net

Provincial (Updated May 2006)
Alberta Economic Development
Box 412
Room 308, Provincial Building
5025 - 49 Avenue
St. Paul, Alberta
T0A 3A4
Tel: 780-645-6358
 Fax: 780-645-6241
Garry Krause, Regional Manager
Maryann Robinson, Client Service Representative

Northern Alberta Development Council
Corinne Huberdeau, Senior Development Officer
Phone: (780) 623-6982
Website: OpportunityNorth.ca

Ray Danyluk
Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)
Lac La Biche - St. Paul Constituency

Constituency Office
4434-50th Avenue
St. Paul, AB
T0A 3A2
Phone: (780) 645-6999
Toll Free: 1-866-674-6999
Fax: (780) 645-5787
laclabiche.stpaul@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#503 Legislature Building
10800-97 Avenue
Edmonton, AB
T5K - 2B6
Phone: (780) 415-9578
Fax: (780) 422-6284

Federal (Updated May 2006)

Member of Parliament
Fort McMurray--Athabasca, Alberta
JEAN, Brian (Conservative)

Parliamentary Address
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 992-1154
Fax: (613) 992-4603
E-Mail: Jean.B@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Address
102 - 9912 Franklin Avenue
Fort McMurray, Alberta
T9H 2K4 Telephone: (780) 743-2201 1-877-532-6272
Fax: (780) 743-2287
TTY:

Financial Institutions:

• Canadian Imperial
• Bank of Commerce 623-4418 Bank of Nova Scotia 623-4445
• Alberta Treasury Branch 623-4446
• Lac La Biche Regional Community Development Corporation 623-2662

Real Estate:

•  Lakeland Real Estate/ Century 21 623-2100
• Royal LePage 623-2634
• Re/Max - La Biche Realty 623-2514

Location

The Town of Lac La Biche is located within the area of Lakeland County, in northeast Alberta. It is 220 km northeast of Edmonton, 148 km west of Cold Lake, and 291 km south of Fort McMurray.

For maps of Lac La Biche and area click here

Post Secondary Education

Portage College
offers 7 different areas of study with over 30 different certificates and diplomas ranging from career programs, trades and technical, and academic upgrading programs.

Fields of Study:

• Business
• University Studies
• Human Services
• Health and Wellness
• Native Arts and Culture
• Trades and Technical
• Academic Upgrading

Portage College

Taxation

	Residential	Non-Residential	Mach. & Equip	Seniors
Municipal	8.7252	11.1901	11.1901	8.7252
Requisition	4.1453	6.9032	0.1129	0.000

Taxation Figures (2006) (Includes education requisitions)

Scenic View of Lac La Biche Lake

Transportation

Air Service:
Located approximately 2 kilometers West of Lac La Biche on Highway 55 there is an all weather airport with a 1765 m (5800 ft.) paved and lighted runway. Fixed wing and helicopter charter service, Alberta Forestry air tanker base, and air ambulance services are available.

Highways:
A network of primary highways and secondary roads provides access to and within the region. Many routes are used extensively by industrial and commercial traffic, as well as tourists, offering an excellent way to see the pristine beauty, historic site and numerous lakes of the area. In 2002 the addition of a truck by-pass to the south of town has added convenience and safety to the road network.

 Truck- Hauling & Freight:
Numerous trucking firms service the region, with regular freight services offered by Lac La Biche Transport.

Bus Services:
Greyhound Bus Lines provides regularly scheduled inter-community service. Charter bus services are available.

Couriers and Taxis:
Loomis and Purolator Couriers, 2 taxi companies.

 Car, truck, and van rental services are available.

Rail Service:
Athabasca Northern - rail transport between Fort McMurray and Boyle

Utilities

Power
Epcor : visit the Epcor website for current prices, contracts and services

Natural Gas
Town of Lac La Biche Natural Gas System
Box 387
Lac La Biche, Alberta
Tel: 780-623-4323
townllb@telusplanet.net

Lac La Biche District Gas Co-op
Box 1050
Lac La Biche, AB
Tel: 780-623-4000

Water & Sewer
Town of Lac La Biche
Box 387
Lac La Biche, Alberta
Tel: 780-623-4566
townllb@telusplanet.net

The new Water Treatment Plant, H. A. Marchildon Water Treatment Plant, went on
stream on August 4, 2004. The capacity of the plant is 1,455 US gallons/minute or 2,095,200 US gallons/day.

Sewage treatment is provided by detention ponds and aeration ponds.

Waste Management
Residential garbage is collected twice weekly, while commercial and industrial garbage is the individual's responsibility. Disposal is at a modified land fill.

Also visit the Lac La Biche / Lakeland County Economic Development Partnership Website for additional information

Aerial view of Lac La Biche

Population

Total Population 1991-2001

Lac La Biche Population by Age Group (2001)

Education Statistics

Lac La Biche Highest Level of Schooling 2001

Labour Force

Lac La Biche Labour Force By Industry - 2001

Income

Family Expenditure

Lac La Biche Family Expenditures (1996)

Building Permits

Total Housing Starts

Value of Building Permits

Dwellings