Thinking of Relocating to Okotoks?
Everyone who moves to the Town of Okotoks loves the place. It’s a short drive south of Calgary or north from High River and is a vibrant community where people look out for each other and are eager to make it safe and welcoming for all.
About Okotoks
Okotoks is a wonderful town for families and there are lots of them. The average age of residents in Okotoks is 34. Community celebrations and activities are geared to bring families together to have fun, enjoy recreation and participate in events that instill pride of place and community spirit.
Two years ago, in 2015, the Town of Okotoks made the Top 10 list of the most Entrepreneurial places in Canada. At # 6 on this list, awards such as this attracts people to Okotoks. The town has an active retail sector and the community supports it by shopping locally.
The municipality has enthusiastically embraced sustainability initiatives such as recycling, green energy and conservation. The Okotoks community of Drake Landing is the first solar neighbourhood in Canada and residents are enjoying reduced energy bills as a result.
Recently, residents were asked to start using green carts for organic recycling to reduce household and garden waste entering the landfill. Blue carts for hard recyclables were also introduced in a three-month pilot project and residents were allowed to opt out this month, if they chose. Town officials report that as of this publication date, only 1% of blue carts have been returned by residents not willing to participate in the program.
Okotoks Amenities
There are more than 50 km of trails in Okotoks for walking or biking. You can fish in the Sheep River, take your dog to the off-leash park or jump on the highway and head out to Kananaskis and the mountains beyond.
Okotoks residents enjoy first-rate restaurants, golfing at several nearby courses and fantastic recreational facilities. Hockey rinks, indoor pools, a field house, curling rink, BMX track, skate park and in the summer an outdoor spray park.
Culture is important in the town which has provided financial support for venues such as the Rotary Performing Arts Centre, the Okotoks Art Gallery and the Museum and Archives.
Okotoks Schools
In this small town, there are 13 pre-schools for 3 to 5-year-olds. There are 5 elementary schools, two junior highs and two high schools that bring students in from the surrounding region. There are even several private schools.
Health and Wellness
There are many medical, dental, physiotherapy and chiropractic clinics in Okotoks, including urgent care and full-service hospitals nearby in Black Diamond and High River. The South Health Campus also has a 24-hour emergency room located on the south end of Calgary, just 15 minutes away.
Bring your Business to Okotoks
The Town has 210-acres of reserves at hand in anticipation of future development plus more on the horizon through annexation. In the next 20 years, the town should grow to 80,000 residents which bodes well for business growth and job creation. There is no business tax currently assessed by the Town – another plus for those considering relocating not only their home and family but their business.
Some of the sectors currently operating in the Okotoks region are agriculture, oil and gas, retail, hospitality, logistics, construction and transportation. Some of the biggest name in Canadian retailers have opened locations in Okotoks.
In terms of real estate, the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN), in offering predictions for the years 2012-2018, named Okotoks as one of the province’s Top 10 locations in which to invest. This nomination came when the town administration decided to remove the population cap which was set at 30,000. That plus proximity to Calgary, environmental stewardship and simple demand have reinforced REIN’s nomination. Stability, a good tax base and lower prices relative to surrounding areas are some of Okotoks strengths.
If moving to Okotoks has been on your mind for a while, there’s no better place to start than by contacting a professional real estate agent in Okotoks. REALTORS have the pulse of a community. Their job is, of course, to find you a home and to help negotiate the best possible price but there is so much more to it. They will share their knowledge of specific neighbourhoods, available recreation in that area, nearby shopping, great restaurants, where to bank or purchase a new car and how to access good health care.