On January 1, 2019, Beaumont grew from a town to a city.
“Beaumont is right in that sweet spot where we have a small community feel with all of the amenities of a big city just down the road. We’re minutes away from the Edmonton International Airport and right off the province’s main transportation corridor,” says Mayor John Stewart. “Beaumont has a rich history and culture that extends past even the French settlers to the Indigenous peoples. Our city honours and pays respect to that heritage while we look to the future to provide jobs and prosperity in our community for a long time to come.”
The history and culture are a big part of the city’s identity.
“Beaumont’s heritage is reflected in many ways throughout the community – the names of neighbourhoods, bilingual street names – and it’s not uncommon to hear residents speaking French,” confirms Mike Berezowsky, manager, communications & marketing.
For Rob Mackin, director of economic development & communications, Beaumont’s history is exciting, but so is its future.
“Beaumont is defining what it can be. We are small enough to be nimble yet big enough to be relevant,” smiles Mackin. “We have all of the amenities of a large city but still retain the friendly small community atmosphere. You can get to downtown Edmonton in half an hour or less or the airport in 10-15 minutes. We really are a connected community.”
That connection extends to the business sector.
Mayor Stewart explains, “Council recognized that we needed to do things differently and that we had to take bold, fast action that made us stand out. In the last two years we drafted and implemented a forward-looking municipal strategic plan that builds on our community’s strengths and embraces innovation, collaboration and partnerships with business and our neighbours in the region. We’ve made it easier to start or expand a business in the city with a one-window, customer service oriented approach to the permit and approval process, and streamlined our land use bylaw from 37 different zoning districts to only seven, giving developers more certainty and flexibility to innovate.”
It’s not just businesses that enjoy the changing face of Beaumont. The city is a magnet for young families as well.
Mackin explains, “The average age in Beaumont is 33, as contrasted with Edmonton’s 37. We have more youth under the age of 14 than we have people over the age of 60, and more kids registered in hockey than registrations in Leduc! Every school offers French Immersion and families feel safe walking and playing outdoors in the evenings. Beaumont is an ideal place to raise a family.”
Businesses and families are eyeing Beaumont, and so are investors.
When Calgary-based Pacific Western Transportation was looking for a pilot site for the EasyMile EZ10, a leading electric autonomous vehicle active in more than 20 countries, they chose Beaumont.
“ELA, the electric autonomous shuttle, has been in western Canada for over a year. In Beaumont the ELA process was the first and longest pilot in Canada,” Mackin says with pride. Pacific Western Transportation saw Beaumont as being the ideal location to test in a community with interface from streetlights, crosswalks, and an active community. More than 5,500 people have ridden ELA during the project.
The new city couldn’t be prouder of its roots, its current success, and its exciting future. The plan going forward is continued smart, planned, long-term sustainable growth and investment for the current and future residents and businesses of Beaumont.
Learn more about this innovative city by visiting beaumont.ab.ca.