On Oct. 1, the Government of Alberta published the Industrial Heartland Designated Industrial Zone (IH-DIZ) Framework. The Designated Industrial Zone (DIZ) framework has been launched by the Government of Alberta, Heartland municipalities and industry stakeholders to increase competitiveness and aid development in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland. The framework makes the Industrial Heartland the first designated industrial zone in Alberta, and gives partners and decision makers guidance on processes and regulations.
Facilities in the IH-DIZ will benefit from:
- Consistent, coordinated regulatory approvals,
- Shared access to infrastructure and resources,
- Minimized cumulative environmental impacts through participative governance of the zone and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Competitive Advantage
The Edmonton Metropolitan Region has grown into Canada’s largest hydrocarbon processing region. It is home to world-scale oil and gas refineries, and chemical and petrochemical facilities. Using IH-DIZ, there are clear expectations for operators, an improved understanding of environmental conditions and opportunities for shared infrastructure.
According to Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association, there is an opportunity to grow Alberta’s petrochemical sector by more than $30 billion in capital investment by 2030. There’s a clear competitive advantage in this area as it already has environmental infrastructure in place, such as water intakes and distribution, robust monitoring networks for air, soil and water quality, and wetlands.
