Cypress County

Welcome

Welcome to our wonderful community. We hope the information contained within this profile is useful for all people seeking business opportunities, visitors or residents of Cypress County. If additional information is required, please contact our representative from the "Key Contacts" section. For more information on Cypress County go to our website at www.cypress.ab.ca... and have a nice day!

Area Overview

Cypress County is a large, rural municipality with a diversified economy and a large tax base. The population in 2006 was 6,729 people.

Cypress County is a dynamic, friendly place to do business with strong growth potential. The area is growing rapidly due to an influx of migrants from Saskatchewan and other areas. There are business opportunities in the oil and gas and agricultural sectors of the community, and Cypress County has a skilled, highly adaptable labour force. Couple these opportunities with low land values, low utility rates, and some of the lowest property taxes in the province and there is an unbeatable combination of features for economic growth and development.

The Alberta Advantage
Alberta’s economy is thriving - it has the highest average rate of economic growth in Canada at 3.8% in the last five years! (Source: Government of Alberta). Alberta has also consistently been the province with the highest investment per capita.  Southeast Alberta in particular has a flourishing energy sector, agri-food (including value-added agriculture), research and development in the area of defence, engineering and construction, metal fabrication and machinery, non-metallic minerals, and tourism (Source: Palliser Economic Partnership).

Location

Cypress County is located in the southeast corner of Alberta.

Cypress County’s Proximity to Other Locations

Economic Base

The basis of the economy is agriculture but there is also a large non-farm population engaged in other pursuits associated with the oil and gas industry, the military, manufacturing, or other pursuits in the City of Medicine Hat.

Cypress County has a diversified agricultural economy based on ranching, dryland farming, and irrigated specialty crops. Total farm area in the County is 996,106 hectares. Farm numbers have remained relatively constant at 1,345 operators – both small and large operations.

The following tables outline the agricultural products produced within the County:

Crop	Acres
Spring Wheat	155,212
Durum Wheat	38,536
Winter Wheat	12,637
Oats	9,708
Barley	33,480
Mixed Grains	5,587
Corn	1,995
Rye	7,442
Alfalfa Mixtures	81,693
Canola (Rapeseed)	28,149
Dryfield Peas	13,849
Lentils	432
Chickpeas	1,295
Other Dry Beans	2,132

Livestock & Poultry	#
Cattle and Calves	149,211
Pigs	28,743
Sheep & Lambs	2,489
Hans & Chickens	27,730
Turkeys	169
Other Poultry	7,724

Source: Agricultural Census, 2006.

Economic Facts

Approximately 55% of the land area is held in long term government leases. The proportion of the land held in this manner has declined as the government has moved to sell some of this land to current lessees. Most of this land is held in the form of unimproved pasture used for grazing. Only 28% of the total area of the District is improved. There has been a gradual tendency for unimproved pasture to be turned into improved pasture and a slight decline in the incidence of summer fallow.

The major agricultural crop continues to be wheat but the total acreage has declined by approximately 4% in response to lower prices. Farmers have moved to fill the gap with oil seeds, particularly canola, being the most notable successor crop. The development of an alfalfa dehydrating plant at Seven Persons has resulted in a significant increase in the total acreage of alfalfa grown in the irrigated areas. There has also been a steady expansion in the number of greenhouses in the District capitalizing on the District's favourable climate and low utility rates.

Livestock numbers have continued to increase but hogs, instead of cattle, have shown the greatest growth. Such diversification is good for the local economy. The total farming area is nearly 2.5 million acres and over 70,000 of those are irrigated (Source: Census of Canada, 2006).  

Major Businesses Products/Services

• Wedding Star
• Bice & Sons Drywall
• Lawrence Meier Trucking
• Cypress County
• Gas City Truck Metals
• Sterling Trailer Sales
• Harley Davidson of Medicine Hat
• Huber Farms
• Prairie Rose School Division No. 8
• Desert Blume Golf Course
• Ronco Trucking
• D&D Oilfield Services
• R&S Resources
• Trail Blazer Drilling Corp.
• Iron Horse Energy Services
• Co-op Gas Station Dunmore
• Redneck Automotive
• Premium Sausage
• JMT Oilfield Hauling
• Eagles Nest Ranch
• Redcliff Stake and Lath
• Cypress Stake and Lath
• BP Canada Energy Co.
• Petro Canada
• Cantool Industries Corp.
• Terroco Oilfield Services
• Trail Side Cafe & General Store
• Forty Mile Gas Co-op
• AltaGas
• Walsh Shell

Financial Institutions

Financial institutions are located in nearby Redcliff and Medicine Hat.

Utilities

Electrical Power

City of Medicine Hat [fringe area only]
Tel: 403-529-8115

Fortis
Customer Service
Tel: 310-WIRE (310-9473)

Natural Gas

City of Medicine Hat
Tel: 403-529-8115

Forty Mile Gas Co-op
Tel: 403-526-7718

AltaGas Utilities Inc.
Tel: 1-866-222-2067

Telephone

Telus 
Residential Service: 403-310-2255
Business Service: 403-310-3100

Water Supply & Sewage Disposal 

The County provides treated water to all hamlets and some country residential sub-divisions.  Water co-ops are also a source of water in the County. 

All hamlets, except Dunmore and Walsh have sanitary sewer systems operated by the County.  Dunmore & Walsh rely on septic tanks and septic tile fields for sewage disposal.

Solid Waste Management

Cypress County is a member of the Redcliff Cypress Regional Landfill Authority. The landfill site is located west of Redcliff.  There are a number of transfer sites located throughout the District.  Irvine and Desert Blume are the only hamlets with door to door garbage pick up.

Taxation

2009	Residential/Farmland	Non-Residential
Municipal Tax Rate	2.9064	2.9064
Education - Alberta School Foundation Fund Tax Rate & Education Opt Out Tax Rate	2.3731	3.6428
Seniors Lodge Accommodation Tax Rate	0.0963	0.0963

Mill Rates (2009)

• Residential – 5.3758
• Non-Residential – 6.6455
• Linear – 6.6455
• Machinery and Equipment – 3.0027

Transportation

Air Services

The area is well served by transportation facilities. There are direct scheduled connections to Calgary and Lethbridge from Medicine Hat Airport.

Rail Services

The Canadian Pacific Railway, mainline and Crowsnest line parallel Highways 1 and 3 providing regular rail service east-west.

Highways

The District is served by three primary highways. The District is traversed from east to west by Highways 1 (TransCanada Highway) and 3 while Highway 41 provides good access to the north and south parts of the region. Secondary highways feed into this primary system giving good access to most areas of the District.

Trucking Firms

Trucking firms provide the region, including Medicine Hat, with local pickup/delivery.

Bus Services

There is daily Greyhound bus service from Medicine Hat to Calgary, Regina, Lethbridge and other parts of Canada.

Couriers and Taxis

There are many courier services based in Medicine Hat.

Community Lifestyle

Recreation

The District offers an extensive range of recreation facilities, and tourism is a growing component of the local economy. The District has a Recreation Board and is a part of the Canadian Badlands initiative. Each hamlet, except Desert Blume, has a Community Association which operates local facilities. The District pays a share of the operating costs for the local facilities, including the ice arena and curling rink at the Irvine Recreation Complex.

Recreation facilities in the District include playgrounds, golf clubs, community halls, arenas, curling rinks and rodeo grounds. Several recreation areas provide sites for camping, fishing, boating, water skiing and swimming. Three main parks in Cypress County include: Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (Elkwater), Cavan Lake Municipal Recreation Area and Sandy Point Municipal Recreation Area. To view more click on: Cypress County’s Tourist Attractions.

Community Organizations

Available throughout Cypress County.  Some examples are:

• Saddle and Spurs 4-H Light Horse Club serving Bindloss, Dunmore, Medicine Hat and Seven Persons.
• Clearwater Community Association
• Dunmore Community Association
• Elkwater Community Association
• Schuler Community Association
• Seven Persons Community Association
• Walsh Community Association
• Heritage Association of Cypress Hills
• Elkwater Roping Association
• Hilda Town and Country Ladies Club
• 20 Mile Post Historical Society
• Irvine & District Lions Club
• Irvine and District Agricultural Society
• Irvine District Curling Club
• Cactus County 4-H District Council
• Suffield Community Recreation Association
• CFB Suffield Military Family Resource Centre
• Schuler Community Curling Club
• Borderline 4-H Multi Club
• Seven Persons Sewing and Craft Club
• Seven Persons Community Ladies Club
• Seven Persons 4-H Beef Club

Religious Services

Seven Persons Community Church - 45  1st Avenue, Seven Persons
Hilda Baptist Church - 229 Railway Avenue, Hilda
Hilda Bethlehem Lutheran Church - 221  2nd Avenue, Hilda
Irvine United Church - Irvine

Special Annual Events/Attractions

There are a large number and wide range of community organizations, sports clubs, and recreational groups that operate in Cypress County.

Some major events include:

• Elkwater Rodeo
• 40 Mile Post Days in Irvine
• Box Springs Rodeo

Hospitality & Accommodations

There are numerous restaurants and accommodations available throughout the district.

Education

Cypress County is served by the Prairie Rose School Division No. 8, headquartered in Dunmore (Tel: 403-527-5516).  The Medicine Hat Public School District No. 76 (Tel: 403-528-6729) and the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education (Tel: 403-527-2292), also serve the district, primarily in the area immediately surrounding the City of Medicine Hat.

Daycare/Nursery

Daycare facilities are available throughout Cypress County.

Public/Separate

The Prairie Rose School Division operates five schools in the Cypress County: Seven Persons School (1-9), Schuler Elementary School (1-9), Ralston School (1-9), Irvine School (1-8) and Eagle Butte High School (9-12).

High school students from the District typically attend Eagle Butte High School, but some choose to attend Medicine Hat high schools.

Seven Persons School
24-3rd Avenue
Seven Persons, Alberta  T0K 1Z0
Ph: 403-832-3732
www.sevenpersons.com

Schuler Elementary School
20-1st Avenue West
Schuler, Alberta  T0J 3B0
Ph: 403-839-3732
www.schulerschool.ca

Ralston School
17 Dugway Road
Ralston, Alberta  T0J 2N0
Ph: 403-544-3535
www.ralstonschool.ca

Irvine School
89 Brock Street
Irvine, Alberta  T0J 1V0
Ph: 403-834-3783
www.irvineschool.ca

Eagle Butte School
1150 Eagle Butte Road
Dumore, Alberta  T1B 0J3
Ph: 403-528-1996
www.eaglebutte.ca

Separate

Separate school education is available in Medicine Hat and the surrounding area.

Post Secondary

Post-secondary education needs are met by Medicine Hat College, an active community centre. The College offers a wide variety of university transfer, diploma, certificate, trades, academic upgrading, life skills and English as a Second Language programs. Specific courses for business and industry, general interest courses and the conservatory of Music and Dance attracts a large number of participants. Many community organizations and conference participants also make good use of the College's facilities, residences and grounds.

Health Care

Health care for Cypress County is provided by Alberta Health Services. The Medicine Hat Regional Hospital is the regional health centre providing a full range of services to south-eastern Alberta. There are currently 93 doctors practising medicine in the area.

The care of seniors is handled by the Cypress View Lodge Foundation. It provides a full range of housing for seniors extending from self contained units to full nursing home care. There is also a wide range of private and semi-private seniors care facilities located within the City of Medicine Hat.

Emergency Services

Fire Protection

Cypress County provides fire protection services to the entire County.  Fire halls are located in the hamlets of Hilda, Irvine, One Four, Schuler, Seven Persons and Walsh.  In addition, the County also has fire trucks located in CFB Suffield, Cypress Hills Provincial Park Elkwater, the City of Medicine Hat, the Town of Redcliff and Jenner.

Police Services & Bylaw Enforcement

Police services are provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).  The County has also contracted an officer through the RCMP for enhanced services.  This "County Mountie" has duties more specifically related to county issues, such as overweight vehicles on banned roads.

A Community Peace Officer is also actively enforcing bylaws in the County, such as the Dog Control, Unsightly Premises and Noise bylaws.  Assistance to RCMP and local fire departments is also included in the day to day duties.

Ambulance Services

Ambulance services are administered by the Alberta Health Services.

Community Services

Municipal

Cypress County 
816 2nd Avenue
Dunmore, Alberta T1B 0K3
Tel: 403-526-2888
Fax: 403-526-8958

The Cypress County Council consists of 9 councillors representing 9 electoral divisions. The District has a Municipal Planning Commission, Recreation Board and an Agricultural Services Board. They provide their own planning and assessment services and are members of the Southeast Alberta Travel and Convention Association.

Provincial

Several provincial departments have offices in Medicine Hat, including Advanced Education and Technology, Alberta Agriculture, Alberta Finance and Enterprise, Alberta Opportunity Company, Child Welfare, Crown Prosecutor, Court of the Queen's Bench, Energy Resources Conservation Board, Family and Social Services, Fish and Wildlife, Medical Examiner-Coroner, Mental Health Clinic, Medicine Hat Remand Centre, Provincial Parks, Provincial Court, Public Lands, Transportation and Utilities, and Vehicle Inspection.

Federal

Several federal departments have offices in Medicine Hat, including: Environment Canada, Federal Business Development Bank, Canada Employment Centre, National Defence (CFB Suffield), Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, Revenue Canada, and Transport Canada.

Climate

Normal averages taken by The Meteorological Service of Canada from 1883 to 1990 show the following for the Medicine Hat observing station located at 50d 1' N, 110d 43' W, elevation: 717 metres.

Average Daily Temperatures:
Maximum - High: 27.3C
Low: -5.1C
Minimum - High: 12.2C
Low: -16.4C

Average Precipitation:
High: 56.4mm
Low: 10.3mm
Yearly Average: 322.6mm

Average Snowfall:
High: 20.9mm
Low: 0.0mm
Yearly Average: 108.2mm

Average Rainfall:
High: 56.4mm
Low: 0.2mm
Yearly Average: 230.0mm

Average Sunshine Hours
High: 351.3 hrs
Low: 86.1 hrs

Wind: Average speed 15 km/h and most frequently out of the southwest.

Key Contacts

Municipal

Cypress County
816 2nd Avenue
Dunmore, Alberta T1B 0K3
Tel: 403-526-2888
Fax: 403-526-8958
Email: cypress@cypress.ab.ca

Darcy Geigle 
Reeve
Email: cypress@cypress.ab.ca

Lutz Perschon
County Manager
E-mail: cao@cypress.ab.ca

Doug Henderson
Assistant Manager
E-Mail: douhen@cypress.ab.ca

Roxanne Risk
Treasurer
E-Mail: roxris@cypress.ab.ca

Jeffrey Dowling
Planner
E-Mail: jeffrey@cypress.ab.ca

Dennis Mann
Emergency Services Co-ordinator/Purchasing/Computer Technician
Email: dmann@cypress.ab.ca

Rick Bleau
Public Works Supervisor
E-Mail: rick@cypress.ab.ca

Entre-Corp Business Development Centre Ltd.
#202 – 556 4th Street SE
Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 0K8
Tel: 403-528-2824
Toll Free: 1-888-528-2428
Fax: 403-527-3596
Email: bizinfo@entre-corp.com

Provincial

Elvira Smid
Alberta Finance and Enterprise
109 Provincial Building
346 - 3 Street S.E.
Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 0G7
Tel: 403-529-3630
Fax: 403-529-3140
Email: elvira.smid@gov.ab.ca

Gloria Filgas, Information Officer
Email: gloria.filgas@gov.ab.ca 

Leonard Mitzel

Member of the Legislative Assembly [MLA]
Cypress-Medicine Hat 
503 Legislature Building
10800 - 97 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2B6
Tel: 780-415-9590
Fax: 780-427-3309
E-mail: cypress.medicinehat@assembly.ab.ca

Constituency Office

TransCanada Place
#5  1299, TransCanada Way
Medicine Hat, Alberta  T1B 1H9
Tel: 403-528-2191
Toll-Free: 1-866-339-2191
Fax: 403-528-2228

Federal 

LaVar Payne 
Member of Parliament [MP]
Medicine Hat Constituency
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Tel: 613-992-4516
Fax: 613-912-6181
E-mail: Payne.L@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office:
(Brooks)
6-403 2nd Avenue West, PO Box 640
Brooks, Alberta
T1R 1B6
Tel: 403-362-7677 Fax: 403-362-7055

(Medicine Hat)
112-1310 Kingsway Avenue SE (Main Office)
Medicine Hat, Alberta
T1A 2Y4
Tel: 403-528-4698 Fax: 403-528-4365