MD Acadia & Special Areas Irrigation

The MD of Acadia & Special Areas Irrigation Project will support the transition of approximately 108,000 acres in east-central Alberta from dryland farming to irrigated farming. It will develop modern irrigation infrastructure on previously cultivated lands with the right agro-climatic conditions and access to water for irrigation.

It will also create new reservoirs to support effective management of water needed for irrigation while providing new recreational opportunities and creating new fish and waterfowl habitats.

In all, the project promises to revitalize our region’s economy by providing new opportunities for employment and economic activity while mitigating the impacts of climate change felt across our communities.

A 2021 economic impact study [Economic Value of Alberta’s Irrigation Districts – Alberta Irrigation Districts Association] found that Alberta’s irrigation districts support approximately 46,000 jobs and contribute $5.4 billion in GDP to the provincial economy.

The MD of Acadia & Special Areas Irrigation Project is expected to contribute more than $3.9 billion in GDP over its lifetime and generate 5,650 person-year jobs during construction alone. Once constructed, additional jobs in operations and maintenance, incremental crop production, and new agri-food developments will be created.

The project could also help to mitigate depopulation trends in the region and help create a future for one of the few regions in the province that is forecasted to decline in population in the future (15.5% decline for the region vs. 42.2% growth for the province).

As part of the study conducted to assess the project’s feasibility, water availability was investigated to understand the potential impacts to the Red Deer River basin. It was determined that there is sufficient water available in the Red Deer River Basin to support an irrigation project of this scope and scale.

More information on water allocations and impacts to the Red Deer River basin is expected to be made available as further design work on the project is conducted.

We are committed to transparency and meaningful engagement with all stakeholders impacted by the MD of Acadia & Special Areas Irrigation Project, and we have been hard at work engaging with First Nations, local producers, and other impacted groups though the project’s feasibility work.

We have been and will continue to use the robust processes set out by the both the federal and provincial governments on projects like these.

Both the Special Areas Board and the MD of Acadia are committed to finding opportunities to help stabilize the region and support economic growth. Feasibility work associated with the MD of Acadia & Special Areas Irrigation Project was intended to look at the region as a whole, not just the MD of Acadia or Special Areas.

Both municipalities see the value in working together to see what could be possible for our region, as the benefits of a project like this are seen well beyond the individual producer. Other industries, like the service, processing, and agri-foods sectors all stand to benefit from bringing large-scale irrigation to the region.

Stakeholders are encouraged to register their emails if they would like to be added to the local municipal update mailing list.

You can register by emailing: public.input@specialareas.ab.ca. There will also be opportunities to participate in a variety of stakeholder engagement activities as the project develops.