November 16, 2021

Are you a local business owner? We want to meet with you!

The Okotoks Community Growth and Investment (CGI) Team is proud to introduce Okotoks first-ever Business Visitation Program (BVP). Introduced this September, the BVP is designed to help increase communication between the Town and local businesses, helping us better understand the pressures your business is facing and how we can further help you, as a valued business owner in Okotoks.

WHAT IS A BUSINESS VISITATION PROGRAM?

A Business Visitation Program can be defined as, “A structured process of visiting local businesses to conduct confidential interviews with the goal of identifying business needs, successes, challenges and opportunities.” (Source: EDA Community Economic Development Training Manual, July 2019).
While the outcomes of the program are formal in nature, the process and execution of a BVP tends to be quite casual. Visitation through the program can be as simple as a meeting over coffee to a more structured approach that involves focus groups and presentations. For the Okotoks business community, our visitation program will involve pre-planned meetings with a set schedule. This ensures the program is effective and efficient. An additional aspect of the visitation program includes a Warm Welcome visit, which will be available on request to all new businesses opening within the past year and moving forward.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO MY BUSINESS?

The CGI team is here as your first point of contact for anything that relates to your business and the Town of Okotoks administration. We endeavour to meet with every business in the community – storefront and homebased. Doing so helps both parties establish a strong channel of communication that can be consistent and relevant to each business’s needs. This can include topics of interest, areas of concern, policies and regulations to help the business community thrive. Armed with this information, our team can then leverage our expertise to help your business, including helping troubleshoot current issues, brokering relationships, connecting your business to additional support; providing opportunities for expansion and much more.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of a BVP to your business is the streamlining of communications between the Town's economic, planning and licensing offices. This communication helps Okotoks further reduce the red tape in starting or operating your business here.

 

HOW DO I SCHEDULE A VISIT?

Starting in November 2021 the Community Growth and Investment (CGI) Team will be reaching out to individual businesses by sector. But, if the opportunity arises, and you would like to meet before being contacted, don’t hesitate to reach out – we are here to help!

Contact us

New OKOTOKS sign

The Town is excited to announce the installment of a new OKOTOKS sign located on the corner of Clark Ave. and McRae St. Go check it out, take photos, and help promote Okotoks!

Polling Topic

Please provide your response to the polling topic below. The aim of this is to get a general sense of interest from our readers. Your response helps us improve the services we offer our Business Community.

Are you interested in being visited by our Community Growth and Investment team to discuss your business?

Previous poll results

We asked: “What advertising method do you primarily utilize to market your business?”

Answers: 6

Newspaper: 1(17%)

Print (other than Newspaper): 0 (0%)

Radio: 0 (0%)

Television: 0 (0%)

Social Media: 5 (83%)

Google AdWords: 0 (0%)

Other online: 0 (0%)

News

Mayor Tanya Thorn Re-Elected VP, Towns on AUMA Executive Committee

The Town of Okotoks is pleased to announce that Mayor Tanya Thorn has won her re-election bid to remain Vice President, Towns on the Board of Directors of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA). Mayor Thorn was elected by acclamation for Vice President and continues to hold Director, Towns South.

“I am thrilled to continue my position as Vice President, Towns as well as carry on with my work as Director, Towns South, said Okotoks Mayor Tanya Thorn. “I look forward to continuing to represent the collective needs of all municipalities, as well as in the area I represent, and remain deeply dedicated and committed to Okotoks’ issues.”

Read more

Council amends Land Use Bylaw for Wind Walk

At a special meeting on October 25, Okotoks Town Council passed third readings for both Bylaw 19-21 for land use re-designation and Bylaw 20-21 to rescind the Wind Walk Area Structure Plan. The Wind Walk development was a proposed 60-hectare community located on the south side of Highway 7 at Secondary Highway 783.

“With the lack of progress on the development and considering the new Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw, as well as an updated water allocation policy, the Town needed to re-evaluate the Wind Walk project,” said Jeff Greene, Community Growth Investment & Sustainability Director at the Town of Okotoks.

 

Read more

Upcoming Construction

Please be aware that construction and cleaning work will be taking place November 16 to 18 east of Lions Park. The parking lot will remain open to the public, but there may be heavy construction traffic. The public is advised to stay back from any heavy equipment as it passes through the area.

Click the button below to find a list of upcoming projects with timelines.

Upcoming construction

Upcoming Events

2022-2025 Town of Okotoks Budget Presentations

Day 1 - Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Day 2 - Wednesday, November 24, 2021 - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Day 3 - Thursday, November 25, - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Details

Light Up Okotoks!

November 19, 4:30 p.m.

Registration: FREE!

We are so excited to announce Light Up Okotoks 2021!

Shopping local has never been more important than now, and we'd like to help. The downtown core will see road closures on Friday, November 19. See the map for where the roads will be closed.

Find all the details about light up at okotoks.ca/lightup.

We'd love to feature all your holiday hours and specials on our website, as well as your beautiful light displays, so make sure to register.

Learn more and register

Biz after 5 - at Saluté

November 25, 1:30 p.m.

Fee: FREE!

This will be a fun evening of networking, snacks and drinks. Event is free, but registration is a must.

Register to attend

Building a Successful Growth Strategy for your Small Business

November 18, 11:00 a.m.

Registration: FREE!

Growing a business is like building a house. You start making plans, then you build the foundation and you finish with the external and interior finishing.

This webinar will go through each of the key stages for a successful growth strategy. At each step, you will be given advice, as well as suggestions on key indicators to monitor.

Register to attend

Virtual Speaking Masterclass

November 25, 11:30 a.m.

Registration: FREE!

Imagine being able to reach people in places you’ve never heard of and changing the lives of people you have never met.

Virtual communication has now been accepted as the norm. People know that they need to tune into the Facebook Lives and join the Zoom meetings otherwise they are going to be left out of the loop.

Sign up for the webinar and learn the key skills of effective online communication!

Register to attend

Are you organizing an event or webinar you want to share with the public?

If your business is in Okotoks, we can help you spread the word. Submit your event and we'll list it on the Town business events webpage.

Submit an Event

New Business Listings

The Town of Okotoks is thrilled to welcome the following new businesses to Town:

Homebased:

  • Reveal Construction - Construction contracting
  • Blue Sky Property Services - Commercial and residential cleaning with focus on realtors
  • Vladimir's Massage - Massage
  • Ifizzit - IT technical consulting and services (computers)
  • Heavenlea Pampered - Mobile spa
  • Hometown Renovations - Construction
  • Rok Fall Protection - Fall protection
  • Okotoks Chimney - Chimney sweep, fireplace inspection/maintenance

You can find more information on these new businesses as well as many others at our online business directory.

Online business directory

Town Information

Council meetings
COVID-19 updates
Business Events
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