Sturgeon County has a series of plans that guide its work. These help us advance with intention.
The Strategic Plan is created by Council and informed by the community. It sets a vision and goals that guide decision-making over Council’s term in office from 2022 to 2025. Council identified strategic priorities, which are high-level actions that will help the County achieve its goals. Each of these priorities is supported by detailed actions and initiatives being undertaken.
Read on to learn how we’re taking decisive steps to make things happen and ensuring we remain future-ready to meet new opportunities and challenges as they arise.
Watch the 2025 State of the County Address.
Our Vision
Our Guiding Principles
Our Goals: Community Outcomes
The below community outcomes are goal statements that guide strategic decision-making; they help us evolve intentionally.
For each goal, Council identified strategic priorities – key action items – that will help us achieve our goals.
Our Actions: Strategic Priorities
The below actions are guiding our work between 2025 and 2028.
Diverse Business Hub
To reinforce Sturgeon County as an internationally competitive and supportive municipality to locate and conduct business.
Expected outcome benefits
- Internationally competitive to attract, grow and sustain diverse business
- Low cost, minimal red tape regulations
- Tenacious focus on new growth and innovation
- Predictable and stable external relationships
Key initiatives
- Industrial Heartland Utility Provision – Q3 2022 to Q4 2027
Explore the development of water access and distribution to the Industrial Heartland. - Industrial Heartland Utility Construction – Q2 2026 to Q2 2028
Commence intake construction for water access and distribution to the Industrial Heartland. - Industrial Heartland Utility Implementation – Q1 2028 to Q4 2029
Launch water access and distribution services to the Industrial Heartland. - Villeneuve Airport Investment Marketing – Q2 2025 to Q2 2026
Develop partnership and joint marketing strategy for Villeneuve Airport and surrounding area development interests.
Enhancements to core services
- Investor Website Launch
Develop an investor website to showcase why the County is a desirable place to invest. - Investment Competitiveness Review
Assess and recommend methods to improve the County’s competitiveness major investment attraction.
Meaningful Community Connections
To acknowledge and celebrate Sturgeon County’s history and relationships with Indigenous and other communities.
Expected outcome benefits
- Meaningful connections with Indigenous communities
- Engaging cultural, historic, and civic amenities
- Safe, welcoming, and diverse communities
- Small community feel and personal connections
- Strong community identity and pride
- Positive culture within the municipal organization
Key initiatives
- Joint Use Planning Agreements – Q2 2022 to Q2 2025
Develop Joint Use Planning Agreements with local school boards. - Municipal Ward Boundary Review – Q1 2027 to Q4 2027
Conduct a municipal ward boundary review.
Enhancements to core services
- Community Relations Alignment
Define community partnership goals and develop corresponding strategies. - Safe Community Facilitator Pilot
Enhance community safety through prevention strategies and collaboration. - Tourism Strategy Exploration
Develop initial tourism strategy and tactical recommendations.
Safe, Beautiful Communities
To cultivate safe, beautiful, and complete communities.
Expected outcome benefits
- Beautiful, surprising places with high standards
- Engaging cultural, historic, and civic amenities
- Integrated natural spaces and trail systems
- Safe, welcoming, and diverse communities
- Comprehensive land use and infrastructure planning
- Conservation of natural areas and agricultural lands
Key initiatives
- Greenspace Maintenance Agreement Framework – Q1 2024 to Q4 2026
Develop a Maintenance Agreement Framework for park, trail, and landscape service levels. - Agriculture Master Plan – Q3 2023 to Q2 2025
Develop a Master Plan and strategic growth and diversification framework for the current and future agriculture sector. - Fire Master Plan – Q4 2023 to Q2 2025
Develop a twenty-year strategic framework for fire services. - Municipal Development Plan: Regional Alignment – Q3 2023 to Q3 2025
Update Sturgeon County’s Municipal Development Plan in alignment with local strategic direction and regional policy.
Enhancements to core services
- Animal Control Bylaw Review
Review and update animal and dog control bylaws. - Fire Safety Training Expansion
Expand fire safety training to the public. - Enforcement Services Review
Review service standards, processes, procedures, and resourcing of enforcement. - Traffic Safety Strategy
Develop a strategy to improve traffic safety and promote inclusive mobility options.
Clean Energy Economic Ecosystem
To support long-term transition to a low carbon economy, prioritizing hydrogen and other clean energy production.
Expected outcome benefits
- Internationally competitive to attract, grow, and sustain diverse business
- Clean air, land, and water
- Sustainable development
- Partnerships with industry and others to drive emission reductions
- Meaningful connections with Indigenous communities
Key initiatives
- Sturgeon Valley Hydrogen Development Initiation — Q4 2022 to Q4 2026
Position Sturgeon Valley South as a clean energy community, with complementary partnerships and test sites for home heating, fueling, and smart infrastructure. - Sturgeon Valley Hydrogen Development Implementation — Q1 2027 to Q4 2031
Implement Sturgeon Valley South clean energy test sites for home heating, fueling, and smart infrastructure.
Enhancements to core services
- Advocacy Prioritization
Develop proactive advocacy roadmap that includes advancement in the local hydrogen economy.
Carbon Neutral Municipal Operations
To achieve carbon-neutral municipal operations by considering benchmarks that reflect Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) measures.
Expected outcome benefits
- Carbon neutral municipal practices
- Partnerships with industry and others to drive emission reductions
- Conservation of natural areas and agricultural lands
- Transparent and action-oriented decision-making based on sound rationale
- Integrated strategic and business planning
Key initiatives
- Municipal Fleet Dual Fuel Conversion Pilot – Q2 2025 to Q4 2027
Implement pilot program to strategically convert a small subset of vehicles and test the outcomes. - Record Digitization – Q4 2020 to Q4 2025
Implement a well-defined digitization plan that will convert paper to electronic files and physical forms to digitized workflows.
Enhancements to core services
- County Centre Energy Assessment
Complete an energy, cost, and greenhouse gas saving building improvement assessment. - Fleet Services Yard Solar Exploration
Investigate grant availability to install a solar cell in the Fleet Services Yard.
Sustainable, Thoughtful Decisions
To embed thoughtful long-range financial and operational planning into decision-making processes.
Expected outcome benefits
- Transparent and action-oriented decision-making based on sound rationale
- Future-focused thinking to proactively respond to emerging opportunities and challenges
- Long-term financial planning and sustainability
- Careful debt and reserve stewardship
- Integrated strategic and business planning
Key initiatives
- Facility Current State Analysis – Q3 2023 to Q3 2025
Complete a comprehensive evaluation of existing County facility needs and develop a plan to address areas of improvement. - Facility Long-Range Master Plan – Q3 2026 to Q3 2027
Develop a long-range County facility growth plan. - Financial System Modernization – Q2 2024 to Q4 2027
Execute a multi-year core financial system replacement project. - Municipal Census – Q1 2026 to Q4 2026
Conduct a municipal census. - Regulated Assessment Review – Q3 2021 to Q2 2025
Complete a technical review and audit of the non-residential assessment process on transparency and equitability. - Strategic Plan Renewal — Q1 2025 to Q1 2026
Review and update Council’s Strategic Plan. - Sturgeon Valley Operational Impact Review — Q3 2025 to Q2 2026
Complete an analysis of program, staff, and community implications associated with Sturgeon Valley growth. - Waste Strategy – Q3 2024 to Q2 2025
Develop a Waste Strategy and implementation plan for sustainable waste stream management.
Enhancements to core services
- Procurement Policy Implementation
Implement directive, procedure, and process changes to align with the Procurement Policy. - Rural Registered Ditch Enhancement
Enhance the inspection and data collection processes for rural registered ditches.
Modern, Adaptive Administration
To prioritize municipal workforce and process and policy modernization that supports a productive and future-ready organization.
Expected outcome benefits
- Engaged and effective people – Council, Administration, and Volunteers
- Continuous learning and improvement mindset
- Future-focused thinking to proactively respond to emerging opportunities and challenges
- Clear and supportive governance processes
Key initiatives
- Communications Audit — Q1 2024 to Q2 2025
Complete an audit of County communications tools and techniques application. - Content Management and Collaboration — Q1 2022 to Q4 2025
Implement SharePoint as the corporate records management solution and develop standards, guidelines, processes, and employee training. - Digital Permitting System Implementation – Q4 2022 to Q4 2025
Implement a digital platform for planning and development submissions. - Engagement Framework — Q1 2024 to Q4 2025
Develop standards, tools, and templates for consistent and thoughtful external engagement. - Municipal Election Preparedness – Q1 2025 to Q4 2025
Evaluate and implement compliance changes to election processes outlined in Bill 20. - Online Services Modernization – Q1 2025 to Q4 2026
Prepare all County services to take advantage of web-based service delivery methods - Safe, Respectful, and Inclusive Workplace Strategy – Q1 2024 to Q1 2025
Develop a strategy that codifies the County’s commitment to a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace.
Enhancements to core services
- Contract Management Centralization
Implement an improved contract management access, maintenance, and execution system. - Code of Conduct Policy
Review and update employee, contractor, County Board and Committee, and Council member codes of conduct. - Employee Performance Evaluation
Recommend and implement an updated employee performance evaluation tool to align with identified compensable factors. - Fire Service Capability
Enhance fire service training techniques and capabilities in industrial area and wildland. - Information Systems and Preparedness
Implement disaster recovery, Information Technology, business continuity, and cyber security improvement initiatives. - Employee Noise Management
Incorporate new noise hazard element in the Health and Safety Management System.
Reliable, Effective Infrastructure
To enhance local broadband, emergency, transportation, and recreation infrastructure.
Expected outcome benefits
- Modern broadband and digital capabilities
- Reliable and effective infrastructure
- Integrated natural spaces and trail systems
- Safe, welcoming, and diverse communities
- Commitment to high quality of life
- Predictable and stable external relationships
- Continuous learning and improvement mindset
- Asset management and performance measurement
Key initiatives
- Asset Management — Q4 2019 to Q4 2025
Implement utility, agriculture, and pavement preservation and evaluation asset management capabilities. - Broadband Access Improvement — Q1 2024 to Q4 2027
Prepare a recommendation and implement Council direction on expanding high-speed internet access in areas outside of Phase One. - County Park Feasibility Study — Q1 2024 to Q2 2025
Complete a delivery and park provision feasibility study on neighbourhood and County parks. - Natural Asset Management Creation — Q1 2026 to Q1 2027
Develop an asset management plan and asset inventory for County natural assets. - Parks Bylaw — Q1 2024 to Q2 2025
Develop new parks bylaw to address the use of all County parks, trails, and open spaces.
Enhancements to core services
- Multi-Year Capital Plan
Continue to refine the 3-year Capital Plan process. - Open Space Initiative Engagement
Implement public engagement techniques for every open space capital improvement. - Paved Road Repair
Improve asphalt repair time and equipment needs by utilizing new technology and process techniques.
Diversified Revenue and Partnerships
To realize opportunities for alternative revenue generation and shared efficiencies through innovative new models and partnerships.
Expected outcome benefits
- Tenacious focus on new growth and innovation
- Alternative revenue generation and service delivery models
- Comprehensive land use and infrastructure planning
- Circular economy opportunities
- Future-focused thinking to proactively respond to emerging opportunities and challenges
Key initiatives
- Community Aggregate Payment Review – Q3 2023 to Q2 2025
Review and develop recommendations to update the Community Aggregate Payment Levy and allocation model.
Enhancements to core services
- External Membership Review
Review and assess effectiveness of all external memberships
Economical, Desirable Services
To ensure residents will be offered cost-effective and highly valued services.
Expected outcome benefits
- Commitment to high quality of life
- Healthy and resilient
- Ongoing community consultation and engagement
- Quality, cost-effective service delivery
- Continuous learning and improvement mindset
- Integrated strategic and business planning
Key initiatives
- Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs) — Q4 2023 to Q4 2027
Renew collaboration agreements with neighboring municipalities, as required by provincial legislation. - Intermunicipal Fire Agreements – Q3 2025 to Q4 2026
Engage with municipal neighbours to renew fire agreements. - Intermunicipal Recreation Agreements — Q1 2024 to Q4 2025
Engage with municipal neighbours on future recreation agreements.
Enhancements to core services
- Utility Service Request Integration
Integrate service request system with inspection, asset, and reporting processes. - Utility Alert Self-Service Implementation
Enable water usage alert setting functionality for utility customers to monitor personalized water limits.
Our Plans
Other Strategies and Plans
- Municipal Development Plan
- Land Use Bylaw
- Budget
- Alberta Industrial Heartland Association (AIHA) Strategic Plan
- Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB) Growth Plan
- Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB) Servicing Plan
- Edmonton Global Strategic Plan
- Edmonton Region Hydrogen HUB Plan
- Municipal Government Act