Stettler

Welcome

On behalf of the Town of Stettler, welcome. We invite you to explore and discover all that Stettler has to offer. Stettler is a warm and friendly community located in the "Heart of Alberta".

Stettler is an excellent community that boasts a low crime rate and is a great place to raise a family. Fully serviced residential lots are available at competitive prices and new attractive mature adult housing is available. Stettler has modern up-to-date educational facilities with grades K-12, including business, fine arts and vocational programs; Post-Secondary - The Big Country Educational Consortium in co-operation with Red Deer College. Stettler has a full compliment of health facilities, community social programs and spiritual denominations to suit everyone's needs.

You'll find a full selection of merchants and services of every type available in Stettler. Our area camping facilities are first rate and whether you decide to stay in town or at one of the full service resort areas you'll be well looked after.

So come for a visit or do some business. Once you have been here I'm sure you will agree that Stettler is a great place to be.

Welcome to Stettler!

Jim Hunter
Mayor of Stettler

Area Overview

The Heart of Alberta. So proclaims the sign at the entryway to Stettler. And who’s to argue? For as long as the lifeblood of this province remains oil and agriculture, it will pump through nowhere as it does through Stettler.

With a trading area extending from Camrose to Drumheller, and from Alix to Saskatchewan, Stettler is the heart, mind and soul of east central Alberta. Selling, servicing, manufacturing – it’s all there, and in abundance. Not to mention learning, playing and feeding the spirit.

The Town of Stettler was named after Carl Stettler, a native of Switzerland, who came to Alberta in 1903. With a number of his fellow countrymen, he established a Swiss community, Blumenau, not far from what is now Stettler. With the arrival of the railroad, Stettler was established and Blumenau relocated there. Status as a town was granted in 1906.

In the early days, Stettler was a farm service and supply centre. To this day the community derives a good part of its economic strength from the agricultural industry.

Forty years ago there was a gold rush in Stettler County. Although the gold that men searched for ran black and thick and stank of sulphur, it produced a gush of economic activity still seen here today. The Fenn/Big Valley field was capable of producing 974 barrels of oil a day with virtually no water. Later, this field would produce 35,000 barrels a day for Gulf and account for 26% of the company's total production of light oil. This would soon draw other companies like Esso and Shell.

When the oil started flowing in Stettler, oil batteries and pipelines became a familiar fixture on the Stettler landscape. With the recent oil & gas expansions in the area, these facilities have been rapidly expanding.

Community Services

Municipal

Town of Stettler
P.O. Box 280
Stettler, Alberta
T0C 2L0
Tel: 403-742-8305
Fax: 403-742-1404

Municipal Library
Recreation – Parks & Leisure Services
Family and Social Services

Health Region

Stettler Hospital Complex
Community Health Authority #4

Provincial

Agriculture
Alberta Human Resources & Employment
Mental Health
Provincial Court
Transportation and Utilities

Federal

Canada Post
Canada Employment Centre – Human Resources Development Canada
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Community Lifestyle

Recreation

The Recreation Centre houses 2 arenas, the Municipal Library and several meeting rooms and a social centre. In addition, Stettler has a Performing Arts Theatre, indoor pool and a host of other facilities. New Liesure Centre opening 2006, complete swimming pool, waterslide, childrens pool, whirl pool and fitness centre.

The Stettler Elks Golf and Country Club is a 9-hole course, with grass greens located in Stettler. The Pheasantback Golf Course located 6 km north, has 18 holes in a natural setting with rolling hills, bush, water and grass greens.

Nearby parks include Rochon Sands Provincial Park, Boss Hill Provincial Park, The Narrows, Pelican Point and Ol' McDonald's Campground [all on Buffalo Lake], Content Bridge, River Creek RV Park [both on the Red Deer River] and Big Knife Provincial Park [on the Battle River]. All of these areas provide camping facilities.

Community Organizations

Stettler has over 100 community and service organizations, youth, adult and seniors clubs, as well as sports programs.

The Stettler & District Family and Community Support Services is a municipal-provincial partnership through which local people can develop services and perform activities to strengthen the family and community. This organization is involved in over 20 projects and associate projects that benefit the community. As well, they are contracted to operate the Federal and Provincial Employment Centre.

Other community organizations include:

1. Heartland Youth Centre – Big Brother/Big Sister and Boys & Girls Club
2. Handibus – transportation for the handicapped and senior citizens.
3. Home Support – meals on wheels, friendly visiting services and home support aids.
4. Stettler & District Food Bank.

Religious Services

Seventeen denominations are available in Stettler.

Special Annual Events/Attractions

The Stettler Town and Country Museum is the 5th largest museum in the Province. It has a fine selection of historical artifacts and buildings which give a fairly accurate representation of Stettler's history. Buildings on the site include the Whetsel and Ransom Schools, Lakeview Church, Nevis Store, Estonian House, the Court House and the CNR Station.

Alberta Prairie Railway excursions provide a nostalgic ride on a steam-powered train through rolling parkland and picturesque farms as well as offering a glimpse of the past in the unique museums and communities in east-central Alberta.

Contact the Stettler Business and Tourism Centre for up-to-date information at (403) 742-3181.


Annual Events:

• Stettler Music Festival - March/April
• Stettler Chamber of Commerce Trade Show – April
• 4-H Show & Sale – May
• Stettler Show & Shine/Crazy Days – June
• Canada Day Celebrations – July
• Stettler Flying Club and Fly-In Breakfast – September (Labor Day)

Hospitality

Accommodation

• Stettler Hotel
• Super 8 Motel
• Best Western Motel
• Heartland Lodge
• Plains Motor Inn
• Royal Hotel
• Stettler Motel
• Ramada Inn (opening 2006)

Restaurants

• A & W Restaurant
• Club Cafe
• Colleen's Cafe
• Cottage Restaurant
• Dairy Queen
• Hong Kong Restaurant
• Kent’s Cafe
• Kentucky Fried Chicken
• Kowloon Bar & Grill
• Little House of Coffee
• Red Onion Pizza
• RMD Pizza & Lounge
• Royal Canadian Legion
• Salt & Pepper Lunch Stop
• Sandwich Patch
• Smitty's Family Restaurant
• Subway Sandwiches and Salads
• Sylvester’s Bar & Grill/Pizza Hut
• Town Pump Restaurant
• White Goose Restaurant

Economic Base

Two primary industries dominate in the Stettler region -- agriculture [ranching and grain farming] and oil & gas. Agriculture is the mainstay, which employs most of the rural population and supports a healthy agricultural service sector within the Town of Stettler.

Agriculture is the greatest contributor to Stettler's economic stability and offers many opportunities. Stettler farmers produce such diverse items as dairy products, straw, hay, barely, canola, oats, honey, poultry, cattle, hogs and rye. As the town is in the heart of a very productive agricultural industry, there is not only great potential to provide numerous services to area farmers, but also to become involved in food-processing.

The oil & gas industry supports a large segment of the population from the Town and County. It also supports a large oil well servicing sector within the Town of Stettler. Morrison, Enerflex, Tornado, as well as many other oilfield players are in Stettler. In addition, some 50 plus local firms provide services to the oil and gas fields, pipelines, gas processing plants, and field facilities.

Tourism has become a big part of Stettler's economy with the advent of Alberta Prairie Steam Tours. Alberta Prairie offers an exciting one-day adventure on board a real steam or diesel powered train. There are about four trips a week in the summer with different entertainment and excursion packages offered such as a teddy bear, special, murder mystery or Oktoberfest. In the winter there are a limited number of fine dining excursions. Now in its 13th year of operation Alberta Prairie will carry over 21,000 passengers a season.

In addition, Stettler attracts sportsmen from all over with the abundance of hunting and fishing in the surrounding area. Excellent camping facilities are located throughout the region.

Also within the Town of Stettler, a significant level of employment is concentrated in government services and trade industries.

Economic Facts

Traditional business ties developed by the agricultural and oil & gas industries, coupled with Stettler's location, have facilitated the introduction of new service industries into the area. Stettler is by no means limited to these industries alone, due in part by the Town's aggressive business community. Recent gains have been made in manufacturing with the establishment of Enerflex and Tornado Oilfield Services.

There are 446 registered businesses in the Town and County of Stettler, excluding those located in Villages and Hamlets.

Major Businesses Products/Services

• Western Canada Lottery Corporation
• Bill's Farm Supplies [1976] Ltd. Farm Implements
• Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. Oil & Gas
• Homestead Equipment
• Kennedy Oilfield Services Ltd.. Oil & Gas Servicing
• Wilfort Construction Road Construction
• Stettler Auction Mart Auction Services
• Marshall Construction Oilfield Construction
• Franklin Supply Co. Oilfield Services
• Tornado Technologies Inc.
• Extra Foods Grocery Store
• Parcels Trucking Ltd.
• AgroTec Farm Equipment
• Stettler (IGA) Garden Market
• Enerflex
• I.D. Apparels
• CCS Energy Services
• Canadian Enviro-Tub Inc.
• Centalta Industries
• Heartland Industries
• Koch Pipelines LP
• Top Notch Oilfield
• Checkmate Oilfield Services
• Stettler Independent
• Shelter King Steel Buildings
• Deans Machine Inc.
• Doug’s Tank Truck Service
• WalMart
• Peavey Mart
• Home Hardware

Financial Institutions

• Alberta Treasury Branch
• Bank of Nova Scotia
• Battle River Credit Union
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
•  Farm Credit Corporation
• Royal Bank of Canada
• TD Canada Trust

Education

Stettler is part of the Clearview School Division #71, headquartered in Stettler [Tel: 403-742-3331].

Daycare/Nursery

• Stettler Child Care Centre
• Sharebear Playschool Society

Public

Public schools in Stettler include Stettler Elementary School [K-5], Stettler Middle School [6-8], and William E. Hay Composite High School [9-12]. Programs in business and fine arts are offered, along with vocational programs.

Separate

East Central Alberta Catholic Separate Schools Regional Division #16.

Private

N/A

Emergency Services

Fire Protection

Stettler is served by the Stettler Town and County Fire Department, which has 30 volunteers, a rescue van and three fire trucks.

Police Services

The Stettler detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP] has an overall strength of 12, comprised of 1 Sergeant, 1 Corporal, 6 constables on Town detail, 2 Highway Patrol persons and 2 Technical and Support personnel [Tel: 403-742-3381].

A Community Resource Officer, who is an RCMP constable, works out of the Wm. E. Hay Composite High School. This constable is a reference and liaison as well as teaching the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program for students in the Clearview School Division. The Community Resource Officer is a joint project of the Town, County and Clearview School Division.

Ambulance Services

The Stettler and District Ambulance Association offers 24 hour Basic Life Support to the Town and County of Stettler. The Association has 3 fully equipped ambulances and is located in a brand new Ambulance Station. [Tel: 403-742-1900].

Health Care

The Stettler Hospital Complex is a fully accredited 150 bed multilevel facility. The hospital offers 24 hour emergency service with 2 of the 6 physicians on call for emergency treatment. The 50 acute medical care beds offer pediatric, medical, surgical, obstetrical and ambulance care. Renal Dialysis Unit with 6 stations.

The Auxiliary Hospital and Nursing Home, with a total of 100 long term care beds, provides nursing care, rehabilitation, nutrition and pharmaceutical services to the residents. Day support and respite care is available for community referrals. The fully staffed Radiology, Laboratory, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Recreation Therapy Departments boast the latest in available training and equipment.

Community Health Authority #4 includes programs such as community health nursing, coordinated home care, Alberta Aids to Daily Living, environmental health, dental health, speech pathology, and Alberta hereditary diseases.

Stettler also has an Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission office and Alberta Mental Health Clinic.

Senior Housing

The County of Stettler Housing Authority operates Willow Creek and Heart Haven seniors’ lodges in Stettler. Also, Paragon Place combines senior lodge facilities and senior self-contained units. [Tel: 403-742-2953].

Key Contacts for Business Development

Municipal (Updated May 2006)

Town of Stettler
P.O. Box 280
Stettler, Alberta
T0C 2L0
Tel: 403-742-8305
Fax: 403-742-1404
Email: townoffice@stettler.net
James Hunter
Mayor

Robert Stoutenberg
Town Manager
Tel: 403-742-8305
Fax: 403-742-1404
Email: robs@stettler.net

Alan Willis - EDO
Stettler Regional Board of Trade and Community Development
Box 58
Stettler, Alberta
T0C 2L0
Tel: 403-742-3181
Fax: 403-742-3123
Toll Free: 1-877-742-9499
E-Mail: arwillis@telus.net

Provincial (Updated May 2006)

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

Hon. Shirley McClellan
Member of the Legislative Assembly [MLA]
Lacombe-Stettler Constituency

Constituency Office
Box 1386
119 - 2nd Avenue West
Hanna
T0J 1P0
Phone: (403) 854-4333
Fax: (403) 854-2812
drumheller.stettler@assembly.ab.ca

Legislature Office
#224 Legislature Building
10800 - 97 Avenue
Edmonton
T5K 2B6
Phone: (780) 427-8809
Fax: (780) 428-1341

Federal (Updated June 2001)

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

Location

The Town of Stettler is located in the County of Stettler #6, in east-central Alberta at the junction of Highway 56 [north-south] and Highway 12 [east-west]. It is 179 km southeast of Edmonton, 230 km northeast of Calgary and 101 km east of Red Deer.

Post Secondary Education

The Big Country Educational Consortium, in co-operation with Red Deer College, has offered post secondary education in Stettler since 1982.

The College offers a wide variety of courses.

For more information please contact:

Susan Rosin, Manager

Phone: 403-742-6700
Fax: 403-3285
Email: BCEC@Heartland.AB.CA

Stettler & District Community Adult Learning Council offers winter and spring courses in business, computer, recreation, fine arts, general interest/hobbies.

For more information please contact:

Orest Holubetz – Program Coordinator

Phone: 403-742-2280
Fax: 403-742-8860
Email: oresthol@telus.net

Taxation

	Residential/Farmland	Non-Residential
2005
Municipal Tax Rate	8.5620	8.5620
Education - Alberta School Foundation Fund Tax Rate	4.7470	6.2880
Seniors Lodge Accommodation Tax Rate	.3670	.3670

Mill Rates (2004)

Residential-Public 14.776
Residential-Separate 14.776
Non-Residential-Public 16.918
Non-Residential-Separate 16.918

A typical 1976 1,080 square foot bungalow house with a 1 ½ unattached car garage is assessed at $127,160 in 2005. The total 2005 residential taxes for this bungalow would be $1,797.

Transportation

Air Service

The Stettler Airstrip is located south-west of Stettler. Any light aircraft, single or twin engine, with a gross weight of 13,000 lbs. can use the airstrip. Other airstrips in the area include Red Deer Industrial Airport, Calgary International Airport and Edmonton International Airport.

Rail Service

Rail service is provided in Stettler by Central Western Railway Corporation. Highways Connecting highways are Highway 56 to Drumheller [south] and Camrose [north], Highway 12 to Saskatchewan [east] and Lacombe [west]. Also Highway 11 goes to Red Deer.

Trucking Firms

Stettler is serviced by a number of inter-provincial and regional trucking operations including Hi-Way 9 Express Ltd., and Cage Logistics Inc. In addition, there are a number of private individuals who provide local trucking services.

Bus Services

Passenger bus and freight service is provided by Ferguson Bus which provides bus service to and from Stettler and all major centers.

Couriers and Taxis

Courier services are available daily from both Purolator and Loomis. As well, Priority Post services are available through Canada Post.

Stettler is serviced by Central Alberta Taxi Service.

Utilities

Electrical Power
Atco Electric
Customer Service 1-800-668-2248
Emergency 1-800-668-5506

Natural Gas
Alta Gas Utilities Ltd.
Customer Service 1-866-222-2067
Emergency 1-866-222-2068

Shaw Cable
Customer Service 1-888-467-6990

Telus Communication
Customer Service 310-2255

Water Supply

The Town’s raw water supply is pumped from the Red Deer River to the Water Treatment Plant that is approximately 18 kilometers from Town. The Water Treatment Plant was built in 1984 at a cost of over $10 million. It is able to produce 5,500 cubic meters (over 1.2 million gallons) per day of drinking water that meets or exceeds all of the health and quality standards that are currently in place.

In 2001, Associated Engineering was commissioned by the Town to prepare a five- year Water Treatment Plant Capital Improvements Plan to increase the water treatment processing capacity. The cost for this five-year plan is in excess of $1.5 million and when completed will ensure that necessary capacity and quality of drinking water will be available for many years.

As of May 1, 2005 the water utility charge is a flat rate of $11.00 per month plus an amount based on the consumption of water in a building.

Waste Water Management

In 1997, the Town of Stettler constructed an innovative Wetlands Treatment System to compliment the traditional lagoon system for the treatment of municipal wastewater. This system will service a population to a maximum of 6,410.

Sewer service charge for residential users is $14.00 while the charge for commercial users is 40% of the water charge or $14.00 whichever is greater.

Waste Management

The Town of Stettler and local service clubs have a number of waste management initiatives. This includes a spring clean-up, composting program, household toxic roundup and the recycling of newsprint, flyers and bulk paper.

The Stettler Waste Management Authority operates a regional sanitary landfill and throughout the County there are a number of Transfer Stations. Each are open to the public and accept different types of sanitary landfill items.

The Town has a weekly residential garbage pick-up service. The residential garbage charge of $10.00 per month includes pick-up and operational charges for the Waste Management Authority. In addition, a private contractor has a garbage bin service for the commercial/industrial sector.

Population

Total Population 1991-2001

Stettler Population by Age Group (2001)

Education Statistics

Stettler Highest Level of Schooling 2001

Labour Force

Stettler Labour Force By Industry - 2001

Income

Family Expenditure

Stettler Family Expenditures (1996)

Building Permits

Total Housing Starts

Value of Building Permits

Dwellings

Projects

Summary of Projects in Stettler as of September 2006

Value of Projects by Sector (as of September 2006)

Largest Projects in Stettler as of September 2006