Town of St. Paul Supports Three Regional Grant Applications through STEP Alliance

The Town of St. Paul has endorsed three regional grant applications submitted by the STEP Economic Development Alliance, focusing on business growth, recreation, and tourism trail development. The applications are being submitted through the Alberta Community Partnership (ACP) program, which funds collaborative projects between municipalities.

If approved by the province, the studies are expected to begin in 2026.

Identifying Gaps and Opportunities

One of the proposed projects, the Retail & Commercial/Industrial Gap Analysis, will be led by the Town of St. Paul. The study will identify what goods and services are currently missing in the region, pinpointing areas where new business or investment could succeed.

It will also analyze local demographics and shopping trends to better understand who lives in and visits the area, as well as which industries are thriving or underserved. The information will help municipalities attract new investors and plan for sustainable growth.

Recreation and Trail Development Studies

The second project, a Regional Recreation Review, will be led by the Town of Elk Point and will focus on recreation accessibility, participation, and future facility needs across the region.

The third, called Alberta’s Next Trail Destination, will be led by the Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay. This initiative will explore opportunities to expand the regional trail network, building on the success of the Iron Horse Trail and strengthening tourism links between communities.

Under ACP guidelines, each municipality can lead one grant but may partner on several others. Each project can receive up to $200,000 in funding, with no matching funds required, allowing communities to collaborate on large-scale studies without stretching local budgets.

Projects Not Approved at This Time

Two other proposals were deferred for future consideration — a Regional Fire Services Study and a Joint Area Structure Plan for lands east of St. Paul.

The fire services study would have reviewed regional fire protection needs in response to wildfire risk and increasing emergency demands. However, Fire Chief Trevor Kotowich questioned the benefit, noting that the Town already cooperates regionally on areas such as training, inspections, and investigations, and that wildfire risk in town is lower than in surrounding rural areas.

The proposed joint area structure plan focused on land east of St. Paul along Highways 29 and 881, an area with potential for agricultural, residential, commercial, and light industrial growth. The project would have guided coordinated development and servicing between municipalities, but council chose to defer the application until after the upcoming municipal election.

Council Emphasizes Long-Term Planning

While only three of the five proposed projects were supported, council members agreed that regional collaboration is key to future growth. Mayor Maureen Miller noted that participating in studies is essential to attract investment, saying that communities must be proactive in seeking funding opportunities or risk losing them to others.

Coun. Brad Eamon added that he hopes the approved studies will produce actionable data that leads to real progress.

The County of St. Paul council has also passed motions supporting the same three projects and indicated that further discussions with STEP Alliance municipalities will take place as planning advances.