Leduc County releases Q4 statistics for 2024

LEDUC COUNTY -- Leduc County continues to see significant industrial growth.

This is according to the county's Q4 statistics from 2024, which show increases across several categories. In the fourth quarter of last year, the county approved 102 development permits, up from 84 in the fourth quarter of 2023. There were also 416 building permits issued in Leduc County for the 2024 fiscal year, worth a total of more than $188,000,000.

This comes as the county's current Strategic Plan includes an economic development-specific marketing strategy to promote the County’s value proposition. It's anticipated the strategy will be completed in Q2 2025.

Some of the development highlights from last year include the completion of several Capital Power buildings, the Zi-tech Controls facility, and the Amazon Logistics project. Meantime, county staff note that the Capital Region Southwest Water Commission project and Woolsey Equities building are both now nearing completion.

Other areas of interest from Leduc County's Q4 2024 report show that efforts to improve local seniors' transportation have been well received. According to county staff, the Seniors Assisted Transportation subsidy program has helped seniors improve their ability to navigate their communities. Division Two Councilor Kelly-Lynn Lewis spoke to the program's success this week.

"I spoke to a gentleman in New Sarepta last week and he was so ecstatic," said Lewis. "It gave him meaning, and he was commenting how he gets out and helps everyone with groceries, and he was just glowing."

The Q4 report also shows that Leduc County continues to take a proactive approach in dealing with nuisance properties. The county's approach comes as part of a strategic goal associated with their Urban Standards Bylaw. Clarence Nelson -- Director of Enforcement Services -- says the county has reduced the number of unsightly properties to just two. 

"We've been very successful with the Urban Standards Bylaw, and it's helped us a lot," said Nelson. "The two properties in question are significantly large properties, they're in the rural sector, and the goal for us to have them completed this year."

The managing of nuisance properties is handled in collaboration between the county's Enforcement, Planning, and Agriculture Departments.