Infrastructure

Sturgeon County is an integral part of the Edmonton Metro Region, connected to the rest of the region - and the world – by high quality road, rail, air and internet infrastructure.

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Sturgeon County Infrastructure

Sturgeon County is the northern extension of the Edmonton Metro Region. We are a diverse, growing community that embraces rural lifestyles while enjoying the benefits of being part of the second fastest growing region in Canada. Sturgeon County has modern road, rail and air infrastructure which connects us to the region and world.

Our County is just 40 minutes from Edmonton International Airport (EIA), the fifth busiest airport in Canada with over 8.2 million people flying in or out in 2018. Modern transportation and logistics assets ensure local businesses and residents can access global markets while enjoying the benefits that come with living in the second fastest growing region in Canada.

Sturgeon County Regional Highlights

Road Infrastructure

The Trans-Canada Highway is a transcontinental federal-provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean on the East coast. The main route spans 7,821 km (4,860 mi) across the country, one of the longest routes of its type in the world.
Sturgeon County is mere minutes from the Yellowhead route of the Trans-Canada Highway. The Yellowhead route provides direct overland access to the Port of Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s northwest coast, and is expected to see more use due to increased economic activity in the area.
More than $215 million has been budgeted or spent for recent highway, intersection and bridge upgrades near Sturgeon Industrial Park (SIP) which has increased connectivity and lowered drive times to/from Edmonton and area from the county's primary fully-serviced medium industrial area.

Rail Infrastructure

Sturgeon County is connected directly to the 32,000 kilometre Canadian National (CN) Railway network, which spans Canada and mid-America, connecting North America to global markets on three coasts.
Sturgeon County businesses involved in the Agricultural, Manufacturing and Heavy Industrial sectors enjoy direct access via the CN network to ports in Vancouver, Prince Rupert, the US Gulf Coast as well as markets in the US Mid-West, Central and Eastern Canada/US.
The Port of Prince Rupert is the closest North American deep-sea port to Asia. CN is the only Class I railroad with access to the Port of Prince Rupert, with total volumes rising 600% since 2006.
Cando Rail Services has started construction of the Cando Sturgeon Terminal in Sturgeon County, Alberta. Phase 1 of the terminal will provide additional rail capacity to Alberta's Industrial Heartland and utilize a loop-track system to enable storage of up to 1900 railcars. Early works and site mobilization have begun with completion expected in 2020.
For more information on Rail-based assets and companies in Sturgeon County, please view our Rail Fact Sheet!

Air Infrastructure

Villeneuve Airport (ZVL), owned and operated by Edmonton International Airport (EIA), is the only general aviation airport in the Capital Region with a NAV CANADA Air Traffic Control Tower.
Villeneuve Airport is home to 23 businesses, covering such activities as aircraft flight training, fixed-wing aircraft maintenance, helicopter maintenance and aviation operations. In 2017, BDK Properties completed construction of a 14,000-sq. ft. hangar, and Propworks Propeller Systems completed construction of a 4,000-sq. ft. hangar.
The total economic output of ZVL is nearly $62 million with 235 direct and spinoff jobs. Villeneuve Airport also hosts the Edmonton Airshow, with over 40,000 people expected to attend in 2019.
Sturgeon County is just 40 minutes from EIA. EIA is adjacent to the major highway linking Edmonton and Calgary, near the Yellowhead TransCanada Highway which connects Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver and near the Anthony Henday ring road allowing access to all parts of the the Edmonton Metro Region..
All EIA cargo facilities operate within airport Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), reducing trade barriers and enhancing access to key Canadian Markets.
EIA recently updated the Villeneuve Airport 2019 - 2023 Strategic Plan, which sets high-level goals for development at the airport.
Sturgeon County and EIA, together with neighbouring municipalities, are working to formalize a collaborative partnership structure that will accelerate infrastructure upgrades and provide a road-map for increased investment at Villeneuve Airport.

Internet Infrastructure

TELUS is investing $100 million to connect more than 90 per cent of homes and businesses in the City of St. Albert, including neighbouring communities in Sturgeon County directly to its fibre optic network. Construction work will begin in June 2019, with completion planned for 2020.
The gigabit-enabled TELUS PureFibre network is among the most advanced communications infrastructure available in the world today, enabling residents to immediately take advantage of dramatically fast Internet speeds up to a gigabit, while businesses, schools, healthcare providers and other institutions can access even more speed and capacity.
This new fibre optic infrastructure will also be the backbone of TELUS’ wireless network, enabling more wireless capacity and faster speeds throughout the region, and lays the groundwork for 5G technologies in the years ahead.
This new connectivity will help boost the local economy by encouraging new or continued investment, and will enable businesses to thrive whether they’re established operations or new home-based start-ups.
On December 8, 2020, Sturgeon County Council approved a new broadband strategy to improve internet access throughout the County
On November 24, 2021, after an extensive selection process, Sturgeon County has contracted with Canadian Fiber Optics for the development and operation of a fibre-based internet service, starting with a pilot project in the south-west corner of the county that includes the Hamlets of Villeneuve, Calahoo, and Riviere Que Barre, the Villeneuve Airport, and the Heritage and ProNorth Industrial Parks.

Infrastructure

Sturgeon County Infrastructure

Road Infrastructure

Rail Infrastructure

Air Infrastructure

Internet Infrastructure

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