Economic Development

Land 

Forestburg has a very flexible supply of residential, commercial, and industrial property. Several of the properties are already or can be readily serviced from Forestburg with water, gas, sewer, and electricity.  Forestburg has several residential properties for sale, and we have recently commissioned thirteen lots in the first phase of our new subdivision.

Location

Forestburg is located 179 kilometers from Edmonton, 82 kilometers from Camrose, 145 kilometers from Red Deer, 122 kilometers from Lacombe, 298 kilometers from Calgary, and 64 Kilometers from Bashaw.

Transportation

Forestburg is located on Highway 53. This highway runs from the east to west and connects to highway 13 just west of Hardisty, and Highway 21 north, south of Bashaw. Forestburg is also connected to Highway 13 by means of highway 856, also known as the Strome Road. Our major asset is the Battle River Railway with its head office located in Forestburg. This short line railway runs from Alliance in the east to the main CN line in Camrose and is a full-service railway.

Water

Forestburg’s new water treatment plant can supply commercial, industrial, and residential needs. The plant was designed to supply a population twice the size of our present population.

Natural Gas

 Forestburg has a natural gas supply sufficient to meet the needs of any commercial or industrial development.

Electricity

As with our natural gas supply, Forestburg has access to unlimited energy.

Agricultural Services

Forestburg home to the Forestburg Seed Cleaning Plant. We also have several seed, chemical, and fertilizer suppliers including Nutrien Ag Solutions, Pioneer BBK Fams Ltd., Ag Resource, and the Battle River Research Group – Agriculture and Extension. Forestburg is home to an Alberta Motor Association garage and several heavy-duty mechanics are employed in Forestburg. We also have two welding shops and a bulk fuel depot. Battle River Railway is a full-service railway and supplies rail sidings for the local producer cars. Coutts Home Hardware is a third-generation hardware store supplying a large agricultural area along with McNabb’s agricultural and industrial parts store.

Forestburg also is home to a custom meat processor located on the southeast side of Forestburg in the industrial zone and receives live beef, pork and lamb from the surrounding area. 
The facility that was originally built in 1999 and expanded in 2005 and 2020 includes a provincially inspected abattoir with a covered livestock pen area, coolers, cutting room, sausage kitchen with smokehouse room and storage area. 
14 locally based staff members are trained for various tasks which include butchering the livestock as well as cutting and wrapping the meat, preparing sausage and packaging the final products. 
In 2021, there were 816 beef, 392 pork and 103 lamb processed at Forestburg Meats.

Numbers Based on StatsCan figures from 2016

Available Workforce

Forestburg can provide a work force with an abundance of trades and professional skills including IT and computer skills.

Health and Emergency Services

Forestburg is located less than half an hour from hospitals is Daysland and Killam. We also have twenty-four-hour ambulance service located in Forestburg. Forestburg has a medical clinic open several days a week and a one-day a week dental office. Forestburg also has services of a chiropractor, massage therapist, and a full-service pharmacy. 

Forestburg is served by the Killam RCMP located twenty-five minutes away. We also share the services of a Peace Officer with the Flagstaff County, and a contracted by law enforcement officer. The Forestburg Volunteer Fire Department is a fully equipped, highly trained group of dedicated men and women serving Forestburg and surrounding area.

Education

Forestburg is home to Forestburg School, a K-12 school with an in-house Kindergarten and playschool. Forestburg School is on the few Alberta rural schools with a full junior high, and high school band program. Forestburg School is also home to an extremely generous scholarship and bursary program. Sine 1996 over half of Forestburg School students have enjoyed international travel form Germany to France, to China and Japan. Forestburg is less than one hour away from Augustana University Campus in Camrose, and two hours away from the University of Alberta main campus in Edmonton. Educational upgrading, ESL, and adult education training area available in Killam through FFCS. The Norther Alberta Institute of Technology is located two hours away in Edmonton. Other educational facilities such as Lakeland College in Vermillion, and Olds College in Olds are each approximately two hours away.

Recreation and Culture

Forestburg is a community blessed with an abundance of recreational and cultural facilities and activities. Past generations invest a great deal of time, effort, and financial resources to give Forestburg a quality of life second to none.

 Forestburg Curling Club - The Forestburg Curling Club offers 3 sheets of artificial ice and hosts Men’s, Ladies, Seniors and Mixed Curling Leagues. 

 Forestburg Golf Course – A nine-hole course with exceptional greens and fairways. This generously treed course also provides serviced RV Sites.

 Forestburg Gun Range – Six miles south of the Village.

 Forestburg Masonic Temple - The Masons have been active in Forestburg since 1921, the longest continually operating group.

 Forestburg Multi-Use Facility – Our recently constructed Arena is home to a variety of hockey and other on and off ice activities. The facility also has a meeting room with an elevator with a capacity of 120 people with full kitchen facilities.

 Forestburg Swimming Pool – The Forestburg Swimming Pool is presently undergoing a major upgrade. The pool provides full lessons program and is home to the Aquanauts Swim Club. The pool operates from Victoria Day until the end of August.

 Forestburg has several ball diamonds and a full-size soccer pitch.

 The Forestburg Riding Arena is our former arena and attracts horse enthusiasts from a wide area.

 Forestburg also enjoys a pickle ball club and double size tennis court.

 The valley Ski Hill is located thirty-five minutes from Forestburg, and well-groomed
cross-country ski trails are available at the Forestburg Golf Course.

 Big Knife Provincial Park and its picturesque Battle River Valley.

 Battle River Crossing Resort offers bird watching, disc golf, camping and hiking along the Battle River Valley.

On the cultural side, Forestburg has a long history of performance activities.

 The Walter Jahns’ Singers is on the largest community Choirs in rural Alberta. This Choir has been performing for over forty years.

 The Battle River Playmakers, now called the Curtain Time Players is an active drama troupe, which has also been in existence for many decades.

 Our children also enjoy figure skating and dance societies.

 The Diplomat Mine Interpretive Center is located close to Forestburg and Forestburg is home to the Forestburg and District Museum.

 The Battle River Train Excursions offer day trips to highlight local communities and agricultural vistas. The excursions also entertain visitors with theme events on long weekend and holidays. This major tourist attraction has attracted many visitors to the area and has been very successful.

Convention and Meeting Capabilities.

 Forestburg Community Hall has a banquet are of 5440 square feet with a fixed seating capacity of 300 with tables. The basement of the hall may be rented and has a full kitchen.

 Forestburg Multi-Use Facility has a meeting room with an elevator with a capacity of 120 people with full kitchen facilities.

 Battle River Innovation Center has been designed with large boardrooms that can accommodate up to 12 people and classrooms that can accommodate 20 or more people.

Industry and Employment – Forestburg has a well-established industrial, commercial, and employment base. Some of our larger business and employers include:

 Forestburg Transit Mix Ltd. has proudly served central Alberta since 1975 providing concrete needs, grading services, utility repairs, and much more.

 McNabb Construction is a gravel crushing industry specializing in highway construction with an agricultural and industrial parts department.

 PRISM Integrated Solutions is a fabrication company specializing in oil and gas equipment.

 Forestburg Meats is a recently expanded slaughter and processing facility.

 Big Knife Villa and apartments provides lodge and apartment living for seniors.

 Three tire and auto shops with regular and heavy-duty mechanics and a UFA bulk fuel service

 Coutts Home Hardware is a full-service hardware store located on Main Street.

 Forestburg Seed Cleaning Plant.

 Battle River Railway and producer car sidings.

 Battle River Ironworks offers shop / Portable fabrication and repair.

 Forster’s Greenhouse provides bedding plants/hanging baskets of all kinds and perennials.

 Two gasoline outlets with UFA Cardlock available twenty-four hours a day

Available Agricultural Workforce

Forestburg is an agriculturally based community with a wide range of services such as seed, chemical, research, bulk fuel, and producer car shipping. We are proud of our extensive range of agricultural expertise within the Village and immediate vicinity. Through many decades of power and coal generation we have a wide variety of journeymen, office staff, and administrators. We are fortunate to have retained many of the next generation of farmers in our area and thus another layer of expertise.

Forestburg is also able to draw workers from the surrounding communities of Heisler, Galahad, and Alliance.

Forestburg Churches

Bethel United Church, Forestburg Community Baptist Church, and Hope Lutheran Church. St. Martin Catholic Church is located twenty minutes away in Heisler, Alberta. Various other churches can be found in the surrounding communities.

Professional Services

Forestburg is home to two full-service banking institutions, the Bank of Montreal and ATB Financial. Legal services are provided to Forestburg by Farnham West Stolee, Kambeitz LLP on a weekly basis. Forestburg is home to two local realtors, Royal Lepage Rose County and Coldwell Banker Battle River Realty.

Special Events

Forestburg is developing an array of events to engage citizens and visitors alike. A few of our major attractions are the annual Mud Bog celebrations and Area 53 Raceway. These events attract visitors from across western Canada and abroad. Our Golf Club Cash Tournament held late in the summer is one of the richest tournaments held in central Alberta. Among many other events are the two Walter Jahns’ Singers spring and Christmas concerts along with the yearly Curtain Time Players dinner theatre. Our Community Christmas elements, which happens the night before our incredibly popular Christmas Market, is a major attraction. We have and will continue to expand our seasonal attractions for the enjoyment of all.

Economic Incentive

The Village of Forestburg is prepared to discuss economic incentives with any industry or business looking to locate in our community. 

Forestburg is open for business and we want to talk to you.