Grande Prairians enjoy an extraordinary quality of life – they live in a growing, vibrant community with the amenities found in larger cities, surrounded by natural beauty second to none. Grande Prairie is a model northern city – colourful, clean and beautiful in all seasons.

The city is a regional service centre and hub for trade, transportation, recreation, entertainment and culture, education, and health, emergency, social and government services in northwestern Alberta and northeastern B.C. The trading area takes in about 250,000 people, who spend more than $1 billion per year in stores, car dealerships and retail outlets.

The economy is driven by agriculture, forestry, oil and gas, and the service sector. These industries have flourished in recent years, resulting in a multi-year growth phase that shows no signs of slowing down.

Grande Prairie, located 450 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada with a 2007 municipal census population of 50,227, a 12.53 per cent increase since the 2005 municipal census.

We have a very young population, with the average age being 29.1 years.

Our growth was reflected in the number of building permits, which set a new record at 2,322 in 2006. The value of building permits reached $23.1 million in 2006, also a new standard. During that same year, almost 1,800 houses were under construction.

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