Who We Are

Alberta's Industrial Heartland is one of the world's most attractive locations for chemical, petrochemical, oil, and gas investment. It is also Canada's largest hydrocarbon processing region. The region's 40+ companies (click for Industry and Organization Guide), several being world scale, provide fuels, fertilizers, power, petrochemicals and more to provincial and global consumers.

Municipal Members

Alberta's Industrial Heartland is guided by a non profit association of municipalities dedicated toward sustainable eco-industrial development. Alberta's Industrial Heartland Association (AIHA) was created in 1998 by the municipalities who each had land within the geographic area of Alberta's Industrial Heartland.

A leading principal of AIHA is promoting responsible development within the region. This includes ensuring the region is ready for development in its infrastructure, services, and land use zoning principles. AIHA recognizes that activities in the area can have a major impact on neighboring communities and affect their service delivery as well. Together, the municipalities take a proactive and cooperative approach to planning and industrial development.

The five municipal partners have land within the geographic boundaries of the Heartland and each have one vote within the Association:

• City of Fort Saskatchewan

• Lamont County

• Strathcona County

• Sturgeon County

• City of Edmonton (became the fifth official municipal partner in 2010) 

Associate Membership in AIHA was added in 2011. Associate Members are municipalities invited to participate on committees, task forces, and attend Board meetings. While Associate Members do not have voting rights, their views contribute to the actions taken by the Association.  

The three Associate Members include:

• Town of Bruderheim
• Town of Gibbons
• Town of Redwater

Board of Directors

As a not-for-profit association, AIHA is governed by a Board of Directors, comprised of one representative of each of the five municipal partners. The Board of Directors provides general direction and strategic priorities for AIHA Executive Director (Neil Shelly) and staff members. Ensuring responsible, productive, and environmentally sound development, the Board and AIHA staff work closely with numerous stakeholders, including government, private industry, and area residents.  
 

 
Alberta's Industrial Heartland Association strives to:

• provide a single approach to promote and facilitate industrial development
• proactively and efficiently collaborate on facilitating services and infrastructure
• plan for the area's use while maximizing attractiveness and efficient industrial development
• minimize conflicts on land use and the environment, and coordinate environmental quality and sustainability standards
• promote open communication and harmony of participating municipalities and interested parties, and provide opportunities for industrial and non-industrial landowners to take part in planning and development
• promote and support a coordinated approach to achieving and maintaining appropriate standards of emergency preparedness, public safety, and health