The Lloydminster Advantage

The Lloydminster region is truly unique. It encompasses municipalities in two provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan, thus receiving many of the benefits, programs and services of both provinces. The economy of the region is based on natural resources with agriculture, heavy oil and gas reserves being the primary industries in the region. The success of these primary industries impacts directly on the service, retail, construction, transportation and manufacturing sectors in the region. Lloydminster is located midway between Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Edmonton, Alberta, directly on the Yellowhead Highway. This strategic physical location creates many transportation, warehousing and distribution opportunities for the Lloydminster region. A recent Bank of Montreal study lists Lloydminster as a leader in small business: “Of the 108 Census Agglomerations (CA’s) with populations of at least 10,000, Lloydminster is ranked 4th in all of Canada for the highest number of payroll based enterprises at 46.8%.”

On June 16th, 1997, the City of Lloydminster enacted bylaw #14-97, stating “Businesses that are carried on and occupy premises within the City of Lloydminster are not to be assessed.” In contrast to other communities, Lloydminster does not levy municipal taxes on business thus creating the Lloydminster Advantage.

Alberta Advantage

Albertans enjoy a very high quality of life. They enjoy the lowest overall taxes in Canada with among the highest level of services. They have the highest disposable incomes in Canada and the lowest unemployment rate in Canada. Alberta also has:

a strong and vibrant economy
a young, skilled and productive workforce
affordable living costs
a strong commitment to innovation and knowledge-based progress
a highly entrepreneurial and competitive business community
a business-friendly province committed to responsible regulation
a modern and efficient infrastructure
an abundance of natural resources
a beautiful natural environment

Albertans have a big, beautiful backyard to play in. Alberta's provincial parks and protected areas provide access to some of the most spectacular natural landscapes in North America, including more dinosaur fossils than any other single spot on the planet; the world's only boreal forest songbird observatories; the largest collection of aboriginal rock art on the North American Plains; a glacier; majestic mountains and so much more.

Tax Advantage

Alberta has by far the lowest combined provincial and municipal tax burden among the provinces, at 53% of the national average.
The lowest top marginal personal income tax rate among the provinces at 39%-29% federal and 10% provincial.
No provincial sales tax.
At 9.0 cents per litre, Alberta has the lowest gasoline tax rate among the provinces, 2.5 cents per litre below Manitoba, the second lowest province
the second lowest general corporate income tax rate in Canada at 11.5%.
Businesses also benefit because Alberta has no general sales tax, capital tax or payroll tax.
Alberta's small business corporate income tax rate of 3% is the second lowest in Canada.

Alberta: the first debt-free province in Canada

Debt elimination in Alberta:

At its peak in 1994, Alberta's debt was $22.7 billion, working out to about $8,400 for every man, woman and child in Alberta.
The government began paying down the debt in 1995.
The net debt (the difference between the government's liabilities and its financial assets) was eliminated in 1999.
In the spring of 1999, the Fiscal Responsibility Act legislated a plan to pay off the remaining accumulated debt.
On July 12, 2004, the government announced the final installment on the debt. Funds in the Debt Retirement Account are to be locked in.
Alberta has reduced the annual debt servicing costs by almost $1.4 billion from 1994 by aggressively paying down the debt. These savings have been re-invested in priority areas important to Albertans, such as health, education, infrastructure and tax cuts.

The Saskatchewan Advantage

Saskatchewan is committed to creating and nurturing an environment that allows businesses of all sizes to grow and prosper. Saskatchewan’s positive business environment includes:

The Saskatchewan corporate income tax rate on manufacturing and processing profits may be as low as 10%, a reduction of seven percent from the general corporate tax rate.
Manufacturers and processors that establish facilities in Saskatchewan are eligible for a 6% investment tax credit on capital purchases.
For Canadian-controlled private corporations, the provincial corporate tax rate on the first $300,000 of active business income is 6%.
Direct agents used in the manufacturing process are exempt from the provincial sales tax.
Toll-free telephone services are exempt from the provincial sales tax.
Saskatchewan has a 15% tax credit for scientific research and development expenditures.
There is a 35% - 40% employment tax credit in Saskatchewan to encourage film developers to operate in the province.
Saskatchewan can provide new employers with employee training grants to a maximum of $5,000 per employee to a maximum of $150,000 per company.
The provincial government has an established Crown Corporation that can provide a wide variety of financing or equity options to projects developed within the province.
Utility rates are amongst the most competitive in North America.

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