Okotoks Economic Development
5 Elizabeth Street T1S 1K1 Okotoks, AB, Canada

If you’re planning to construct a building, start or renovate a business, erect a sign or build a deer deterrent fence, tonight's information session is for you. Learn how the new Land Use Bylaw could affect you at tonight's information session. It will include a short presentation and time for questions after. Two sessions to choose from 7:30 pm or 8:15 pm.

In this month’s Business Beat, we took a bit of a different direction. We decided to interview some of the members of our planning department and got responses on various questions that come up frequently with our business community. Sign up to receive the next Business Beat: Okotoks.ca/Newsletter

Due to ongoing technical difficulties, the Mayor's live was not broadcasted live. However, it will be posted shortly as a recorded video. Sorry for the inconve...nience. Please send us a PM or comment below if you have any questions you would like answered. The mayor is available to answer your questions so if you post them now, they will be included in his recording See more

The Town advises all business owners who used Premium Fire to certify their fire extinguishers to have them checked again by a certified company. "Premium Fire Protection Ltd. does not have ULC certification under the Fire Extinguisher Service Agencies category and was never authorized by ULC to use File No. EX28493 or make reference to it in any form." Learn more: https://www.ul.com//ulc-warns-unauthorized-fire-extinguish

Alberta’s government is expanding the small business relaunch grant to put more money in the hands of job creators when they need it to survive the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The updated SMERG program will replace the previously announced Enhanced COVID-19 Business Benefit and will provide funding to more businesses facing increased public health measures. Here are some quick nuggets:... Applications for the additional $10,000 payment will open in the second half of April for any organization that meets the eligibility criteria. -Applications received before the previous program closure on March 31 will continue to be processed. -Companies that did not apply under the first run of SMERG will not be able to apply for the initial payments only the new $10,000 payment. -Money received under SMERG does not need to be repaid. Learn more: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm

Service Updates to Waste Collection, Snow Clearing and Fire Hydrants: Okotoks.ca

A winner has now been selected for this competition. *To quality, please note that you have to like/follow at least one of our social media pages @Okotoks Economic Development. You also have to leave a comment with the name of your favourite business in Okotoks. If you commented multiple businesses and you win the contest, we will contact you to select only 1 of the businesses in your comment for your $50 gift card. *Hint: You get a bonus for liking/following more than 1 of o...ur social media accounts. Note that we draw from only qualifying entries. Follow the contest at Okotoks Economic Development and participate to win one of 11 remaining $50 gift cards to your favourite Okotoks businesses. Thank you all for participating and for shopping Okotoks. Good Luck

*CEBA requirements and deadlines have changed: As of December 4, 2020, CEBA loans for eligible businesses increased from $40,000 to $60,000. Applicants who have received the $40,000 CEBA loan may apply for the $20,000 expansion, which provides eligible businesses with an additional $20,000 in financing. All applicants have until March 31, 2021, to apply for $60,000 CEBA loan or the $20,000 expansion.... Learn more: https://ceba-cuec.ca/ #strongertogether

To enter the Okotoks 12 Reasons to Shop Local Contest All you have to do is: Simply like one (or all 3) of the Okotoks Economic Development social media pages (@OkotoksEconomicDevelopment : Twitter, Instagram, Facebook). Tag your favourite Okotoks small business... *You can enter up to 3 times a day by tagging your favourite businesses on all 3 of our social media pages. Winner will be announced on Monday 28th December, 2020 Prize: $50 gift card to the LOCAL OKOTOKS business you tag Good Luck | #ShopOkotoks #okotoksbusiness #StrongerTogether #happyholidays #okotoks

Shop close to home this year. Okotoks businesses are finding innovative ways to continue to serve you and help you complete your holiday wish list both online and off. Check out Festive Fridays downtown where businesses are staying open late every Friday until December 18 or go online to sites like shopokotoks.ca to see what your neighbourhood businesses are offering this season. #shopokotoks #buylocal #strongertogether #happyholidays #holidayshopping

The 2021 budget, approved by Council at the December 14 regular meeting, focuses on providing priority services to the community while mitigating the economic impacts from COVID-19 within a zero percent property tax increase. Although 68 percent of respondents supported a moderate increase to maintain priority services, the budget took into consideration the impacts of COVID-19 and the economy, which resulted in Council not increasing property taxes again for the second year.... Council endorsed citizen recommended service level reductions for 2021 only, such as maintaining a four-day per week schedule for the museum and art gallery, and decreasing service hours for municipal enforcement. Permanent changes to service levels were approved for a reduction in mowing cycles and the amount of printed material produced by the Town. The budget also includes a 2.26 percent increase to utility rates, which reflects inflation costs for these services. According to a 2020 report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, Okotoks continues to have one of the lowest spending per capita rates in the province, ranking fifth for medium-sized municipalities. Learn more at https://www.okotoks.ca//approved-2021-budget-focuses-prior

*Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant (Program expansion) Starting early the week of December 14, job creators who have experienced a 30% revenue loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic will qualify for the program, lowering the threshold from the existing 40% revenue loss requirement. This 30% threshold will be available to impacted businesses retroactive to March. Alberta businesses affected by the public health orders in effect from November 6, 2020 and later will also be ...eligible to apply for a second payment through the program. Job creators that meet the program’s eligibility criteria will be able to apply for 15% of their pre-COVID-19 monthly revenue up to: -a maximum of $5,000 in funding for their first payment, and -a maximum of $15,000 for their second payment Details: https: //bit.ly/3aaRIAZ

*Majority of Town facilities will close to the public starting December 13 As Alberta experiences continued increases in COVID-19 cases, the provincial government has ordered mandatory closures and more restrictions in order to bend down the curve and help reduce the spread of the virus. All closures and restrictions will be in effect from midnight on December 13 until at least January 12, 2021. For the Town, these new public health measures mean the following facilities will... be closed: Okotoks Recreation Centre, Natural High Fitness, Pason Centennial Arenas, Okotoks Art Gallery, Okotoks Museum, Rotary Performing Arts Centre and Foothills Centennial Centre as well as the Municipal Centre, Operations Centre and Fire Stations. Services will continue to be available via telephone and email. Contact information for all Town facilities is available at www.okotoks.ca/town-directory. *Mandatory restrictions effective immediately: No indoor or outdoor social gatherings Mask wearing in all public spaces and workplaces *Mandatory closures/restrictions effective December 13: -Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes closed to in-person service -Retail services, including malls, must reduce customer capacity to 15% -Places of worship limited to 15% capacity for in-person attendance -Entertainment and indoor recreation facilities must close -Outdoor recreation is permitted but limited to 10 or less people (following public health guidelines) -Personal and wellness services, like hair and nail salons, must close -Health services, like physio and acupuncture, remain open by appointment only -Hotels remain open but no spas, pools or in-person dining; room services only -Working from home is mandatory unless a physical presence is required for operational effectiveness *Complete details on the new public health measures are available on the AB Government website: https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx

"When the Provincial government announced new restrictions it also announced more help for small businesses. Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation Doug Schweitzer says doing nothing could mean the end for many businesses. We have reports of 40 percent of businesses may not be able to turn the lights back on if we do not provide them with supports, he says. That’s the extent of what we’re facing here in our province, 40 percent may not come back if we don’t step in and p...rovide support, now. Small businesses can qualify for up to $20,000 overall and the eligibility has been dropped from a loss of 40 percent of revenues to 30 percent."

To enter the Okotoks 12 Reasons to Shop Local Contest all you have to do is: -Simply like one (or all 3) of the Okotoks Economic Development social media pages (@OkotoksEconomicDevelopment : Twitter, Instagram, facebook). -Tag your favourite Okotoks small business... *You can enter up to 3 times a day by tagging your favourite businesses on all 3 of our social media pages. Winner will be announced on Tuesday the 15th of December, 2020 Prize: $50 gift card to the LOCAL OKOTOKS business you tag Okotoks and District Chamber of Commerce Community Futures Highwood Okotoks Business Association Okotoks Arts Council Oac Group Good Luck | #ShopOkotoks #okotoksbusiness #StrongerTogether #happyholidays #okotoks

The past year has been incredibly tough for everyone, including our local business community who has been hit hard. But our businesses are adapting; finding innovative ways to deliver products and services. * We would love to hear from local businesses on what they are doing to adapt! * Individuals are also free to comment on what they would like their favourite small businesses to do in order to meet their needs. * Comment below and let’s get a conversation going about some ...positive news and lessons learnt during these difficult times. Okotoks and District Chamber of Commerce Community Futures Highwood Okotoks Business Association Okotoks Arts Council Oac #StrongerTogether #shopokotoks #okotoksbusiness #okotoks

Please be advised of these mandatory restrictions effective immediately: -No indoor or outdoor social gatherings -Mask wearing in all public spaces and workplaces ... Mandatory closures/restrictions effective December 13: -Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes closed to in-person service -Retail services, including malls, must reduce customer capacity to 15% -Places of worship limited to 15% capacity for in-person attendance -Entertainment and indoor recreation facilities must close -Outdoor recreation is permitted but limited to 10 or less people (following public health guidelines) -Personal and wellness services, like hair and nail salons, must close Health services, like physio and acupuncture, remain open by appointment only. Hotels remain open but no spas, pools or in-person dining; room services only. Working from home is mandatory unless a physical presence is required for operational effectiveness. Complete details on the new public health measures are available at https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx For more information on the Town’s response to the pandemic and ongoing updates, visit www.okotoks.ca/COVID-19.

All Town facilities will close to the public starting December 13 As Alberta experiences continued increases in COVID-19 cases, the provincial government has ordered mandatory closures and more restrictions in order to curve and help reduce the spread of the virus. All closures and restrictions will be in effect from midnight on December 13 until at least January 12, 2021. For the Town, these new public health measures mean the following facilities will be closed: Okotoks Rec...reation Centre, Natural High Fitness, Pason Centennial Arenas, Okotoks Art Gallery, Okotoks Museum, Rotary Performing Arts Centre, Foothills Centennial Centre and Okotoks Public Library as well as the Municipal Centre, Operations Centre, Fire Stations and Southridge Emergency Services building. Services will continue to be available via telephone and email. Contact information for all Town facilities is available at https://www.okotoks.ca/town-directory.

Minister Schweitzer is hosting a series of (Industry Specific) Telephone Town Halls with Alberta businesses so the government can hear directly from you. *The first one is scheduled for tonight for Professional Services and Business Groups - Pre-registration has closed *The second one requires pre-registration by 3pm tomorrow, Dec 10 Pre-register (Dec10): https://extranet.gov.ab.ca/opinio6/s?s=dec10JEITTH... ------------- Telephone Town Hall Participant Information: https://bit.ly/3gxPXPF See more

Okotoks' facilities will be impacted by the new restrictions announced by the province. We are working to determine what can still be permitted and will update you as soon as possible.

The Province announced additional restrictions starting December 13. Effective immediately, all indoor and outdoor social gatherings have been prohibited. All Town facilities will be required to close as of December 13. The Town will provide details on impacted services tomorrow.