LAKELAND - City of Cold Lake council unanimously passed a motion authorizing the municipality to provide a letter of support to the Municipal District of Bonnyville’s expression of interest to Invest Alberta, backing a bid that could bring a world-class petrochemical facility, and over 3,500 permanent jobs to the region, at a special meeting held on July 15.
The request for a letter of support came from Coun. Ben Fadeyiw of the MD of Bonnyville, who reached out to the Cold Lake mayor’s office directly.
The MD’s proposal is in response to a Request for Information (RFI) issued by Invest Alberta on behalf of a confidential client seeking a suitable Canadian site for the development.
The project would require 2.6 square kilometers of land, natural gas supply exceeding 300,000 terajoules annually, and water usage topping 30 million cubic metres per year. Power demand is estimated at 4,000 gigawatt hours annually, and access to rail is either required on-site or must be feasibly added, according to the City of Cold Lake.
Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2026, lasting up to four years before the facility becomes fully operational.
“Time is of the essence,” said Mayor Craig Copeland during the discussion among council. “They were sitting in a meeting regarding this project. I mean, there’s obviously a lot of permanent jobs with this, but a lot of requirements that are required to meet the objective of refineries.”
A draft letter was circulated for council’s review during the meeting. City council expressed strong support for regional collaboration on economic development opportunities of this scale and approved the motion of interest.
According to Scott Kovatch, Economic Development Specialist with the MD of Bonnyville, the municipality’s response to Invest Alberta’s RFI aligns closely with council’s long-term planning goals.
“Responding to Invest Alberta’s Request for Information (RFI) is in line with the MD’s council-approved Business and Industry Growth Strategy (BIGS) and council’s 2022–2027 Strategic Plan,” Kovatch said.
He noted that the RFI was sent to several Alberta communities, including the MD of Bonnyville, due to key regional advantages.
“There are many things that make the MD a competitive location for a variety of industries – tax rates, land availability, skilled work force, and an enviable quality of life for everyone who lives here,” said Kovatch.
He added the importance of intermunicipal cooperation in securing major investment, stating, “Letters of support from our neighbouring municipalities are always an important element, as we work together to grow our communities.”
However, he noted that the full scope of the project’s impact remains uncertain.
“It is too early to comment on the impacts the project may have on our communities.”
