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Starting a Business in Heisler!

The Village is excited to welcome your new business to our community. No business licence is required by the Village in order to operate and there are many free resources available. 

Where can my business be located?
Land Districts

The Village has the Downtown Commercial District, Highway Commercial District, and the Industrial District where you can establish a business.
Check them out on this map!

The purpose of the Downtown Commercial District (C1, pg. 24 of Land Use Bylaw) is to provide land for high density commercial activities in the downtown area such as:

● Retail
● Professional, financial, and service businesses
● Clubs, associations, churches, and lodges
● Government buildings

The purpose of the Highway Commercial District (C2, pg. 26 of Land Use Bylaw) is for commercial operations where customers normally drive on to the site and close proximity to the highway such as the purposes listed for district C1 as well as:

● Trade workshops
● Service stations
● Automobile, truck, and farm implement dealerships
● Lumber Yards
● Boat and recreational vehicle sales and services
.
The purpose of the Industrial District (IND, pg. 28 of Land Use Bylaw) is to provide land for manufacturing, warehousing, storage, where this will not deleteriously affect nearby residences.

NOTE: Other uses for each district are up to the discretion of the Development Authority. For more in depth information on lot specifications, parking, loading and allowable uses visit the Land Use Bylaw. If you wish to redistrict a location you must fill out an application to amend the Land Use Bylaw and state your reasons for the change. Information on the entire amendment process can be found under section 18 of the Land Use Bylaw.
 

Development Permits

A development permit is required for any developmental changes of a lot except for those listed in Section 7, page 7 of the Land Use Bylaw. These exemptions include maintenance, internal alterations, gates & fences of certain specifications, and more. To gain a development permit an application must be completed, that application must be approved and a development permit must be issued before construction has begun. For more information on the application process visit the Land Use Bylaw in Section 9, page 8. The decision process to approve the permit is outlined in the rest of the Land Use Bylaw. It is important to note that the development permit does not come into effect until 14 days after it is issued.

When a prospective or current ratepayer wishes to purchase a lot from the Village of Heisler, the prospective purchaser must sign a Land Sale Agreement for Lots Requiring Development corresponding to the type of district lot they are purchasing. We have recently reduced the required development deposit from $5,000 to $3,000 on Village lots . For more information visit Policy LSD-001 : Land Sale Agreement for Lots Requiring Development. Visit this link to see what lots are for sale at the prices of $2500 and $1.

Tax Exemptions

To encourage commercial development there are tax exemptions available for development of non-residential lots in Heisler. There is the possibility of 2 years tax exemption with the development of a vacant lot and 3 years for the demolition and development of a lot. The tax exemption begins the year after the development has been completed. An Application and Agreement (located on the last page of Policy LSD-003) must be filled out to be presented to Council to be approved. Purchasers must start development within 6 month of the agreement. For more information and to check eligibility visit Policy LSD-003: Non-Residential Development Incentive Policy

Advertising Through the Village

Take advantage of the free advertising within the Village’s monthly newsletter that is mailed to residents! New businesses get a full page feature! Send an advert to administration@villageofheisler.ca a week before the end of the month.

Also contact the Village Office to have your business added to the Business Directory on the Village’s website. More Business promotion opportunities on the website are coming soon!
 

Resources Through Flagstaff County:

Heisler is a part of The Battle River Economic Opportunities Committee (BREOC) which is a collaborative partnership representing the County of Paintearth No. 18, Flagstaff County, the Towns of Castor and Coronation, the Villages of Forestburg, Halkirk and Heisler, and the greater Region that surrounds them.
Check out BREOC’s Resource Page for entrepreneurial support, workshops, and resources. Included in their resources is The Battle River Innovation Centre (BRIC): the region’s go-to centre for business and employment services.

Another terrific resource for small business owners is Flagstaff Crafted! By joining the Flagstaff Crafted directory you can gain access to resources, marketing initiatives and new opportunities at no cost. The Flagstaff Crafted brand is recognized throughout the region and is sure to help your business flourish.