STEP - St.Paul/Elk Point Economic Development Alliance

STEP represents several communities from the County of St. Paul, located northeast region of Alberta, 200 km east of Edmonton. The region is very diversified with a strong Agriculture industry complemented with Tourism, Oil/Gas and Manufacturing. The Town of St. Paul is the major business center in the County, which also includes the Town of Elk Point, and the Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay.

STEP is a regional economic development partnership that identifies, plans, manages, and advocates for projects and initiatives that will: Attract | Retain | Promote | Support | Develop

Further information can be found by accessing the  STEP website.

STEP Advocacy Drives Regional Grant Success

Town of St. Paul, ACP: Regional Waste Management Service Delivery – $150,000

What: For the Town, in partnership with seven municipalities, to build on their collective involvement in the Evergreen Regional Waste Management Services Commission to assess current operations, identify gaps and overlaps, and evaluate new service delivery models.

Why: To enhance service efficiency, extend landfill lifespan, reduce GHG emissions, and align with the Commission’s oversight, supporting a coordinated regional waste management strategy.

Grants Managed by the County of St. Paul

ACP: Regional Agricultural Strategic Opportunity Assessment – $200,000

What: Create an inventory of agricultural assets in the STEP region across nine priority areas – feedstock, value-added production, local food, agri-retail, tourism, research, logistics, land, and marketing.

Why: To identify existing assets and business linkages, conduct an opportunity assessment, and develop targeted marketing materials to support future development in the region.

Grants Managed by the Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay

ACP: Alberta Iron Horse Trail (AIHT) Staging Area Development Plans – $200,000

What: Develop a Regional Design Plan for key community-tailored staging areas along the AIHT, with multiple municipalities across Northeast Alberta.

Why: To enhance tourism opportunities and visitor experiences, using AIHT as a central anchor to position communities in a way that they can pursue further investment and access provincial funding for tourism infrastructure improvements.