Arts Incubator Feasibility Study - Arts Council Wood Buffalo

Arts Incubator Feasibility Study March 2021 Prepared by: akronengineering.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................................... II Executive Summary, Continued......................................................................................................................................... III SWOT Analysis for Repurposing the Cinema Building into an Arts Incubator Space.......................................................IV Engagement Survey........ ...................................................................................................................................................V Engagement Survey Feedback........................................................................................................................................ VI Engagement Survey Findings.......................................................................................................................................... VII Engagement Survey Findings, Continued ......................................................................................................................VIII Case Studies...................................................................................................................................................................... IX Why is an Arts Incubator Needed?..................................................................................................................................... X Arts Council Wood Buffalo Strategic Priorities................................................................................................................... XI 1.0 BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 TRIGGER ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 ARTS IN ALBERTA ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 PURPOSE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 GUIDING PRINCIPLES................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.0 METHODOLOGY........................................................................................................................................................ 5 3.0 ARTS COUNCIL WOOD BUFFALO (ACWB) ........................................................................................................... 7 3.1 LOCATION .................................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 EXISTING FUNCTIONALITY ........................................................................................................................................ 7 3.3 EXISTING GOVERNANCE ........................................................................................................................................... 8 3.4 BOARD OF DIRECTORS.............................................................................................................................................. 9 3.5 ACWB STAFF ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 4.0 SITE REVIEW ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 4.1 LOCATION ................................................................................................................................................................. 11 4.2 HISTORY.................................................................................................................................................................... 13 4.3 ACCESSIBILITY AND VISIBILITY.............................................................................................................................. 13 4.4 TRANSPORTATION .................................................................................................................................................. 14 4.5 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................................ 14 5.0 AREA REVIEW ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 5.1 ALBERTA ................................................................................................................................................................... 15 5.2 FORT MCMURRAY WOOD BUFFALO...................................................................................................................... 17 5.3 FORT MCMURRAY...................................................................................................................... ............................ .20 5.4 FORT MCMURRAY'S CLIMATE........ ....................................................................................................................... .20 5.5 TRANSPORTATION.............................................................................................................................................. ... 21 5.6 HOUSING................................................................................................................................................ .................. 23 5.7 EDUCATION.............................................................................................................................................................. 23 5.8 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................................ 26 6.0 CASE STUDIES........................................................................................................................................................ 27 6.1 CASE STUDY #1.........................................................................................................................................................28 6.2 CASE STUDY #2.........................................................................................................................................................37 6.3 CASE STUDY #3................................................................................................................................................45 6.4 CASE STUDY #4................................................................................................................................................51 6.5 CASE STUDY #5............................................................................................................................................. 57 6.6 ADDITIONAL CASE STUDY..................................................................................................................................61 6.7 ART GALLERY #1.....................................................................................................................................................68 6.8 ART GALLERY #2......................................................................................................................................................73 Create Enhance Sustain 1

7.0 MARKET DEMAND AND TOURISM ....................................................................................................................... 78 7.1 TOURISM IN CANADA................................................................................................................................................ 78 7.2 TOURISM IN ALBERTA .............................................................................................................................................. 79 7.3 TOURISM IN NORTHERN ALBERTA......................................................................................................................... 86 7.4 TOURISM IN FORT MCMURRAY............................................................................................................................... 87 7.5 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................................. 89 8.0 PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................... 90 8.1 AVAILABLE MARKET FOR REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF WOOD BUFFALO ....................................................... 90 8.2 VISITOR PROJECTION FOR THE PROPOSED ARTS INCUBATOR........................................................................ 90 8.3 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................................. 91 9.0 PROPOSED CONCEPT ........................................................................................................................................... 92 9.1 REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................................................... 92 9.2 DESCRIPTION............................................................................................................................................................ 93 9.3 FLOOR SPACE REQUIREMENTS............................................................................................................................. 96 9.4 ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION COST.................................................................................................................... 96 9.5 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................................ 97 10.0 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................................................ 98 10.1 STAFFING................................................................................................................................................................. 98 10.2 TENTANTS ............................................................................................................................................................... 98 10.3 BOARD & STAFF ...................................................................................................................................................... 98 10.4 TRAINING ................................................................................................................................................................. 99 10.5 GENERAL OPERATIONS......................................................................................................................................... 99 10.6 MARKETING ............................................................................................................................................................. 99 10.7 FUNDING ................................................................................................................................................................ 100 10.8 PRE-OPENING COST ............................................................................................................................................ 100 10.9 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................................ 101 11.0 PROJECTED STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENSE.................................................................................. 102 11.1 DETAIL INFORMATION ON REVENUE AND EXPENSES .................................................................................... 102 11.2 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................................ 105 12.0 COMMUNITY SURVEY ANALYSIS………………………………………………………………………………………106 13.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS................................................................................................. 113 Create Enhance Sustain 2

Feasibility Study: Arts Incubator Space Completed for Arts Council Wood Buffalo Executive Summary March 2021 Prepared by: akronengineering.com

Executive Summary Our region urgently needs affordable studio spaces with 24-hours access, and artisan markets where rural, emerging, and established local artists can display and sell their art. A Culinary Arts kitchen is also required for community groups to rent and appropriate rehearsal spaces for performing artists to use in preparing for, or performing their special concerts. Arts Council Wood Buffalo (ACWB) retained Akron Engineering Consultant’s Group Ltd. (Akron) to conduct a feasibility study to verify and evaluate the potential of re-purposing the existing Landmark Cinema Building space, located in downtown Fort McMurray, Alberta, as an arts incubator, in addition to housing ACWB’s offices and key partner core tenants. The Landmark Cinema Building was visually inspected and evaluated by Akron’s team of professional engineers who concluded that it would be a good candidate for repurposing into an arts incubator. Two options were explored, based on Akron’s estimates and construction history: 1) Renovating the building, with an affordable investment of approximately $14.7 million. This investment includes the costs of purchasing the subject building and land at the current asking price, achieving the desired internal and external building detailed design to make it fit-for-purpose, construction, and pre- opening costs. 2) Demolishing the existing building and constructing a new building would be in excess of $25 million. Repurposing the existing building’s option, when compared to the demolishing and rebuilding option, would result in over $10 million of savings. The following are a few reasons, which are clearly supported in more detail through this study, for which Landmark Cinema Building space is a good choice for an arts incubator: • Great location; in the heart of Fort McMurray’s downtown and with wonderful accessibility and parking spaces • Ideal building size; as it matches the region’s needs of an arts incubator, in compliance with Akron’s conceptual design • Robust building components; as Akron’s professional engineers performed a general visual assessment of the existing building’s structural, mechanical, and electrical integrities and found them to be reliable for the proposed repurposing • Significant history; as most of Fort McMurray residents have previously visited the building to watch a movie • Alignment; with community and municipality’s initiatives of downtown revitalization to enhance the downtown business sector • Enticing more traffic; and thus increasing business opportunities to the downtown area As part of this study, an engagement survey, managed by Akron, was conducted in October 2020 to substantiate public’s interest in creating an arts incubator space that can support arts, culture, and the community at large. We received feedback from 410 community members representing both artists (comprising of 43.4% of the total) and non-artists (comprising of 45.9% of the total) , with almost 84% of participants agreeing that an arts incubator would be beneficial in the region. As per relevant stats, it has been proven in other communities in Canada and around the world that such local art spaces create huge economical, social benefits to the residents, and accordingly contributes to sustainable growth. The art incubator space complements the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo strategic goals and priorities for economic development and downtown revitalization, enhances artistic and cultural outlets, while providing more local options for education and entertainment that residents had been desiring for a long time. II | Page

Executive Summary, Continued This report focuses on five selected case studies that are reflecting on three of the most important key success factors in relevance to our project: 1) A social enterprise to generate revenues while funding social causes within an arts incubator 2) A facility that reflect the diverse demographic and geography of our region 3) A facility that has a strong artist in residency program Our region, which is comprised of a culturally diverse population with both urban and rural residents, spread over a vast geographical area, which therefore faces physical and technology issues around access. Thus, the selected case studies have other similarities to our region: they faced challenges of a spiralling downward economic trend, employment uncertainty, a one industry community, poor determinants of health, apathy and negativity. As with any operation, there will always be few uncontrolled factors constantly influencing communities; however, the one thing that does not rely on natural resources, major infrastructure investment or political will, is creativity. Creative minds can turn any challenge into an opportunity, and change any negative into a positive. The selected case studies have helped in identifying strengths and opportunities that can be leveraged into our project, as well as learning from their weaknesses in order to overcome them and how to avoid or minimize risks or threats to ensure best possible outcomes are achieved. One of the most significant strengths discovered through Akron’s SWOT analysis pinpointed to the Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design which had two important strengths. The first consisted of having a strong artist in residency program that reached into their remote communities, and the second comprised of their ability to pull together their diverse demographic and geography challenges to build a successful arts program. Incorporating these two strengths in our Arts Incubator would allow the arts in our region to thrive in the same manner as the Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design did in Nova Scotia. Akron studied other assets in Fort McMurray, including Keyano Theatre and Arts Centre, McMurray Metis Local 1935 Culture Centre, and Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts, and determined that the services they provide are not overlapping our region’s need for an arts incubator as they do not meet all the needs of emerging and established local artists. Communities that have embraced art incubators have achieved impressive transformations by embracing their creative forces. These communities are driving new business, spurring innovation, attracting talent and investment, and in the process, accelerating community development and improving the overall quality of life. Edmonton Vital Signs is an annual check-up conducted by Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF), in partnership with Edmonton Social Planning Council (ESPC), to measure how their community is doing. Their latest report from 2019 stated why Arts are important: “Research shows that: Where the arts thrive, there is also likely to be a vibrant, thriving economy. Neighbourhoods are livelier, communities are revitalized, tourists and residents are attracted to the area. There is a correlation between engagement in the arts and people who vote! Adults who attend art galleries, live performances, or read literature are more likely to engage in civic activities like voting and volunteering.” III | Page

SWOT Analysis for Repurposing the Landmark Cinema Building into an Arts Incubator Space The SWOT analysis is an assessment of the related strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.1 Throughout the SWOT analysis, we want to note that strengths and weaknesses are internal factors, and threats and opportunities are generally external. The process of developing the SWOT included a review of numerous plans and studies that have already been completed; case studies of five relevant venues, a public engagement survey to solicit feedback, and meetings with ACWB to discuss the results. T Threats • In the past five years, Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo has experienced adverse events such as the downturn in the energy industry, 2016 Wildfire, 2020 Fort McMurray Downtown Flood, and the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in continuous risk of declining population and business closures • Reputation of the region as being an industrial community with likely modest interest in arts • Limited internet access in some rural communities W Weaknesses • Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is a very large region with communities located far apart, we can apply the lessons learned from the Cape Breton Centre For Craft & Design to further increase indigenous community engagement with the arts, and increase outreach programming throughout the region • Risk of collecting sufficient funds during current difficult times • Limited road access communities throughout the year, as Fort Chipewyan and Fort Fitzgerald are only accessibly by road during winter months • The Landmark Cinema Building repurposed into an arts incubator addresses the long- standing need for accessible (economically and physically) space that supports and O• nurtures the growth of arts and culture in our region Opportunities This project will bring into play Social Sustainability, Downtown Revitalization, the • municipally adopted Culture Master Plan (such as the Regional Economic Development and Support Arts and Culture) and moves forward a number of the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo's strategic objectives All case studies have verified that art incubators spawn new businesses, increases innovation, attracts and retains talent and investment, helps accelerates community development and improves the overall quality of life for impacted residents S Strengths • Public engagement demonstrated strong community support for an arts incubator • ACWB have a solid and talented team who clearly understand the needs to ensure the sustainability of this project • ACWB is developing strong relationships between rural and urban communities to bridge the gaps between artists and related community organizations • Arts are the greatest renewable resource in the region that needs to be harnessed through an arts incubator to provide space for artists to gather and work, and continue to enhance the artist in residence programs as demonstrated by the case studies • Using the social enterprise model will ensure the sustainability of the proposed arts incubator as it has for Calgary’s cSPACE and ARTSCAPE Toronto 1For this analysis, the SWOT is done in an alternative order: threats, weaknesses, opportunities, and strengths (TWOS) IV | Page

Engagement Survey • The purpose of the survey was to understand residents current perception on creating an arts incubator space that can support arts, culture, and the community at large • The survey was open for public’s input from September 16 to October 14, 2020 • More survey related details can be found at https://artscouncilwb.ca/acwb_blog/arts- incubator-survey/ 96.1% 410 83.9% individuals of those who responded responded to the of those who responded live in Fort McMurray survey agree that an arts incubator would be beneficial for the Wood Buffalo region 67.7% 87.5% 45.9% of those who responded of those who responded were of those who responded identified as female between the ages of 25 – 64 years self-identify as an artist 1390 57.2% the number of written 84.1% responses from residents of those who responded knew that an arts completing the survey of those who responded incubator facility would complement the agree that the social strategic goals and priorities of the Wood 10.0% enterprise model would Buffalo Social Sustainability Plan, Wood be beneficial for the Buffalo Culture Plan, and RMWB 2018- of those who responded Wood Buffalo region 2021 Strategic Plan including Downtown identified as indigenous Revitalization, as well as support findings of The Arts and Individual Well-Being in Canada from Canada Council for the Arts V | Page

Engagement Survey Feedback Art Participation Community Vitality The level of community’s involvement with art correlates directly with their vitality, quality of life and economic condition. The following quotes are only a few examples of the approximately 1400 comments which were received from the 410 residents who responded to the survey: “An arts incubator would create an opportunity “Arts and culture make up the fabric and richness for arts education, tourism, and increased of a community. Exposing kids, pre-teens, adults, regional competitiveness. It could tie into the and seniors to art has immense benefit throughout urban fabric of downtown and create a the different stages of life and is often under destination for events and activities. It could make recognized or valued. Our region needs a central the region more attractive for investment and for location where expression of art is the norm and artists looking for studio space.” the go to place. Somewhere that is both physical and financially accessible. Somewhere where all “This incubator would be an excellent addition to people feel welcome vs intimidated. Deep down the downtown revitalization plan and a great way we are all artists. We are human and its is our for local artists to showcase their art and teach nature to be expressive.” lessons.” “Everyone needs a place to do their thing. “Incubators enhance creativity and allow ideas to Swimmers have public pools, hockey players have collide. Creating a space for incubation is an multiple expensive publicly funded arenas, tennis excellent idea and can draw out a great deal of players have community courts, runners have talent. New businesses and opportunities can be municipally supported trail systems, etc. Artists formed.” are most often left on their own, and survive only through tenacity and by applying their inherent “Social enterprise is a great way to sustain creativity to the problem of where they can something like this.” practice their art. This needs to change.” Operating as a social enterprise would allow the “It would be a win/win for both the artists and space to support the arts community without Arts Council Wood Buffalo. Revenue reinvested.” relying as much on municipal funding and grants.” VI | Page

Engagement Survey Findings VII | Page

Engagement Survey Findings, Continued VIII | Page

Case Studies This study focuses on five relevant venues which we selected based on their obvious reflection on the most important two key success factors to likely influence the proposed project: 1) Facilities with social enterprise model, as they constantly maintain their self-sustained operation while fulfilling desired obligations towards social causes in relevance to arts incubator’s objectives 2) Facilities that reflect a diverse demographic and geography that are similar to our region. #1: cSPACE King Edward, Calgary, AB • cSPACE’s social enterprise model is dedicated to supporting communities of artists, non-profits and entrepreneurs • Retrofit historic building, located in an inner city, walkable neighbourhood with public transit routes and post-secondary institutes • Provides Calgary with the most unique venue rental opportunities • cSPACE changes lives and culture #2: CASA Community Arts Centre, Lethbridge, AB • CASA is a new unique facility that far surpasses the original vision for expansion, and sets a new standard for interdisciplinary arts centres. It is about experimentation, incubation, learning and growing • Casa was built to serve a multi-generational community that has a diverse demographic and geography in southern Alberta, with varying art skill sets and interests in all disciplines of the arts #3: Cape Breton Centre for Arts, Culture and Innovation, Sydney, NS • Cape Breton Centre for Arts, Culture and Innovation is operated by New Dawn Enterprises, the oldest Community Development Corporation in Canada, operating for the last 43 years. It is a private, volunteer-directed, social enterprise dedicated to community building • It’s mission is to engage the community to create a culture of self-reliance • Cultural industries in Nova Scotia create more then 13,500 jobs and contribute almost $1 billion to their economy each year #4: Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design, Sydney, NS • Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design have established a successful rural development strategy that reflects the diverse demographic and geography of Nova Scotia. • Incorporates production studios and workshops in less populated parts of Nova Scotia which has greatly benefitted rural economies • Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design has an excellent artist in residency program with funding for 5 permanent seats #5: nvrlnd., Calgary, AB • Nvrlnd., provides smaller community gathering places to host any number of events, such as facilitating workshops, photo shoots, gallery shows, musical performances and more • The artist residency program at nvrlnd. provides the opportunity for artists to work outside of the usual environments and is founded on the pillars of artist partnership, idea generation, and knowledge sharing all with the goal of nurturing art and creativity in Calgary. IX | Page

Why is an Arts Incubator Needed? Arts incubators typically provide for numerous art related events, including: community galleries, artisans’ markets, black box theatres, and cultural activity spaces, which will then create an exciting destination that will encourage other businesses to populate the downtown core. This arts incubator will be a centerpiece of Fort McMurray’s downtown revitalization and the anchor for future rural incubators. The arts incubator will truly reflect the vibrant and diverse community of Fort McMurray and offer broad opportunities for engagement with arts and culture. The following statistics from Environics Research, Arts and Heritage access and Availability Survey 2016-2017, confirm that art strengthens communities by bringing people together. ▪ 95% of Canadians believe that arts experiences are a valuable way of bringing together people from different languages and cultural traditions. ▪ 95% of Canadians believe that arts are an important way of helping people think and work creatively. ▪ 94% of Canadians believe that arts and culture make a community a better place to live. ▪ 92% of Canadians believe that exposure to arts and culture is important to individual well-being. ▪ 89% of Canadians believe that the arts and culture help us express and define what it means to be Canadian. ▪ 86% of Canadians believe that the arts and cultural activities are important to a community’s economic well-being. Arts and culture play an important role in promoting desired economic goals through local regeneration, developing talent, creating jobs, spurring innovation and attracting tourists. Statistics Canada estimates that cultural industries (including broadcasting, film and video, interactive media, design, journalism and crafts) contributed an estimated $53.1 billion in Canada in 2017 and more than 666,500 jobs. Arts incubators provide tremendous benefits to a community, as testified in the case studies presented in this report and by the majority of our current residents who have firsthand experience of such incubators in the communities they lived in before moving into our region. The proposed arts incubator space will fill the gaps between the arts and culture community as identified in the Post-Wildfire Recovery in the Arts Strategic Plan and the RMWB’s Culture Master Plan, while acting as a showcase for downtown revitalization. This project will provide sustainability for Arts Council Wood Buffalo as a social enterprise, and generate ongoing employment opportunities and growth of the arts community. “A ‘social enterprise’, though non-profit, still provides gainful employment opportunities. It is also a reasonable and responsible model for sustaining a fanciful like an arts centre. If the incubator’s business plan we’re based on sourcing grant money and public funds to cover operating expenses, it wouldn’t last into its second year. A solid sustainable business plan is absolutely necessary to ensure the viability of this venture.” - Feedback from one of the 410 residents who completed the survey. X | Page

Arts Council Wood Buffalo Strategic Priorities 1. The arts community is connected and has the resources needed to thrive 2. The arts are To conclude, based on Akron’s recognized as essential comprehensive research, which in creating a balanced is summarized in the Feasibility community Study Report, we confirm that the former downtown 3. Arts Council Wood Landmark Cinema Building is an Buffalo is an influential excellent choice to be voice for the arts repurposed to an arts incubator for Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo. When completed, this great initiative will be a value- added asset for the community and the fruition of Arts Council Wood Buffalo’s Strategic Priorities. XI | Page

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1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 TRIGGER In 2018, two years after the disastrous 2016 Wildfire that ripped through our community, Arts Council Wood Buffalo (ACWB) published the, “Post Wildfire Recovery in the Arts Strategic Plan” (Arts Recovery Plan). This plan illustrated the importance of how the arts would recover after this devastating event and the need for better arts facilities within the community of Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo. Since the publishing date of this plan, the region has also experienced the global pandemic of Covid-19, the 100-year downtown flooding of April 2020, and the continuing petroleum challenges all within the span of a single year. Truly, the last five years have been a time of hardships in the community. It is in times such as this that people look towards the Arts for a feeling of community and belonging when, sometimes, it can feel like all is lost. Professional artists are not immune to these challenges. On the contrary, they are some of the most affected. Artists work independently so when work decreases their income also drops off dramatically. Another example can be seen when the quarantine was announced due to Covid-19, the theatre scene became non- existent, as a result stages were shut down, tech crews, set designers, lighting professionals, and many others in supporting roles were lost. The hardships and frustrations faced by both the Artists and those who are interested in the arts in our community have gone unnoticed in the public’s eye for a considerable amount of time. This has led to the erosion of the Arts within the region, with many artists or aspiring artists leaving the community to pursue their career or passion elsewhere. It was in 2016, after ACWB published, “Arts Culture Within/Without”, a report/survey illustrating the current state of the Arts in the RMWB that people had a better understanding of the short comings faced by artists in the community. Currently, Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo’s Arts facilities have been reported as lacking and is a point of frustration for many artists working and living in the region. ACWB has outlined two major steps in their goal for post wildfire recovery in the Arts sector. These steps are: 1. Support healing of the artists and Arts sector through building community around the Arts. 2. Provide an Arts and Culture Incubator Centre from which they can grow, organize, and work. ACWB has retained Akron Engineering Consultant’s Group Ltd. (Akron) in completing and presenting a Feasibility Study for a proposed Arts and Culture Incubator Centre as described in the steps listed above. 1.2 ARTS IN ALBERTA The Community Foundation of Canada releases annual data reports under the municipal community foundations, such as the Edmonton Community Foundation, called Vital Signs. These reports explore and measure their communities’ vitality in relation to items deemed critical to quality of life. These vital signs can include greenspaces, senior care, racial diversity, environmental impacts, and most crucial to this study, arts and culture. After analyzing reports prepared by several Alberta communities, it is apparent there is a strong desire for the arts in Alberta, both to create and enjoy arts in all forms. According to the Calgary and Edmonton 2019 Vital Signs reports, 76.3% of Albertans attended an arts event in 2018, or over 90% of all total event turnout. Just in Calgary alone, there were almost 3 million attendees at art events, with the Edmonton region reportedly holding 11,727 days of art in 2016, nearly 30 arts event per day. The economic impacts seen are just as impressive, with the Calgary and Edmonton art sectors contributing over $200 Million to their local economies, with art organizations hiring over 10,000 artists and generating $59 Million dollars in income in Edmonton alone. 1.3 PURPOSE Since 2016, ACWB has been looking at how to bolster the Arts facilities in the region. This Feasibility Study is to assist in evaluating the viability of an Arts and Culture Incubator for the local Arts sector and the community at large. This study will verify and elaborate on the demand within Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo for the proposed facility, as well as the expected and associated costs and revenues. Create Enhance Sustain 3

Furthermore, this Feasibility Study will address and cover the following: • Site and Area Review. • The location of the Arts and Culture Incubator, which is to be evaluated based on several different criteria including accessibility to the site. • Market Demand, considering the presence of Artists in the community and the need for a facility that offers Professional Artists a place to practice and create their art within the community of Fort McMurray. • Aspects of an Arts and Culture Incubator Centre, including: o Public Art Gallery / Retail Space o Studio space for painters, print makers, film makers, visual and performing artists that require rentals, both short and long term, specialized spaces with ventilation, sound proofing, special equipment, and locks/storage. o Artisan Market, particularly to showcase rural artists’ work. o Culinary Arts Kitchen. o Meeting and creative collaborative spaces. o Theatre / Dance / All Performing Arts rehearsal space. o Office spaces for the Arts Council in addition to one or two more core tenants. • Retention and promotion of arts and culture through events. • Making arts and culture accessible to the community members at large. As part of the final recommendation, the following items will be considered in evaluating the viability of a new permanent Arts Incubator for the Arts sector and for the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region at large: • Scale of the development: if it is sustainable. • Complementary developments at this location: how can it complement other attractions. • Location and accessibility: what is the best location, • Interactive element: how can people be actively engaged, hands-on, • Marketing and promotional details: what factors will govern its promotion, • Linkages to other attractions: how can the incubator collaborate with other sites, • Role in downtown redevelopment: how can the incubator support revitalization of downtown Fort McMurray; and, • Direct competition for the center and its “parts:” how can each part be sustained. 1.4 GUIDING PRINCIPLES Established in 2012, ACWB’s mission is to support the growth and success of the arts. Achieving this goal requires providing a variety of programs, services, and events – all working towards the vision of the arts being recognized as integral to a remarkable quality of life. Guiding Principles of ACWB • ACWB is a supporter of all artistic disciplines. • ACWB is the voice that advocates for our region’s arts, municipally, provincially, and federally. • ACWB sets the standard for how the arts are valued in our region. • ACWB empowers individuals and organizations to produce arts in our region. The following outcomes capture the external impact Arts Council Wood Buffalo is aiming to achieve in the next three years: • The arts community is connected and has the resources needed to thrive, • The arts are recognized as essential in creating a balanced community; and, • Arts Council Wood Buffalo is an influential voice for the arts. Create Enhance Sustain 4

2.0 METHODOLOGY Beginning in early February 2020, key staff members, Liana Wheeldon and Sharon Heading of ACWB, were engaged by Akron to gather key information in relation to preparation of this study. Akron generated approximately 10 requests for information to ACWB, which were answered by Liana, Sharon, and other staff members of ACWB, through communications such as emails, meetings, and data sharing. Information provided by ACWB regarding Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo and the provincial region, including relevant demographic and economic statistics, were extrapolated from various reliable sources, mainly prepared by provincial and federal government agencies and other non-governmental and municipal organizations. All information included in this feasibility study report was extrapolated from the following articles, excerpts and reports as listed below: • ACWB Logic Model for Municipal CMP / SSP / Strategic Plan 2018-21 Alignment • Calgary Space Market Analysis, • ACWB 2020 Business Plan & Funding Proposal, • ACWB Post Recovery in the Arts Strategic Plan, • Wood Buffalo Artists: Key Survey Findings, • Wood Buffalo’s Arts Community Viewed from Within and Without, • ACWB 2020-2023 Business Plan • Creative Resilience in Wood Buffalo • Wood Buffalo Culture Plan • Wood Buffalo Culture Plan Proposed - Action Plan • Wood Buffalo Social Sustainability Plan • 2018 – 2021 Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Strategic Plan • 2018 WBEAA in Review • CSO Completed Arts Activities 2014 • CSO Completed Arts Activities 2016 • CSO Completed Arts Activities 2017 • CSO Completed Arts Activities 2018 • CSO Completed Arts Activities 2019 • ACWB Financial Statements 2014 • ACWB Financial Statements 2015 • ACWB Financial Statements 2016 • ACWB Financial Statements 2017 • ACWB Financial Statements 2018 • ACWB Financial Statements 2019 • ACWB Annual Report 2015 • ACWB Annual Report 2016 • ACWB Annual Report 2017 • ACWB Annual Report 2018 • ACWB Annual Report 2019 • cSpace King Edward 2016-2018 Business Plan • RMWB Municipal Census Report • RMWB Consolidated Version of Land Use BylawNo.99/059 • Alberta Visitor Profiles 2017 • Alberta Visitor Profiles 2018 • Alberta Visitor Profiles 2019 • Alberta Visitor Profiles 2020 • Tourist to Canada from Abroad, Annual 2019 • Tourism expenditures and visitation in Alberta by Market • Characteristics for Overnight Visitors to Alberta • Expenditure by category and origin in Alberta • Alberta Visitor Profiles 2019 Create Enhance Sustain 5

• Alberta Visitor Profiles 2020 • Tourist to Canada from Abroad, Annual 2019 • Tourism expenditures and visitation in Alberta by Market • Characteristics for Overnight Visitors to Alberta • Expenditure by category and origin in Alberta • Person-visits by Tourism Region and Length of Stay in Alberta • Edmonton Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 • Calgary Foundation Vital Signs 2019 • Consolidated Version of Land Use Bylaw, RMWB, September 2016, • Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Transit Schedules • Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design Go Forward Strategy Cape Breton Craft Sector 2003 • Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation Cape Breton Craft Sector Study 2012 Create Enhance Sustain 6

3.0 ARTS COUNCIL WOOD BUFFALO (ACWB) 3.1 LOCATION The ACWB main offices are currently located at Keyano College at AC100-8115 Franklin Avenue, Fort McMurray, Alberta. ACWB is in a 5-year term lease with Keyano College expiring in October 2021. The ACWB office space acts as the face of the arts community and is mainly used as a meeting space for Arts groups to collaborate and discuss ideas and events. Given the small space, these meetings are relatively small with little room for privacy. Currently, ACWB does not have any facility acting as an Arts and Culture Incubator Space in the region. Instead, ACWB rents space in various facilities in Wood Buffalo as needed to host events and programs. This reduces the types of programs available as there are limited purpose-built spaces in the region. 3.2 EXISTING FUNCTIONALITY As a non-profit society and charitable organization, ACWB acts as the overarching body for the Arts in the region with the goal of raising the profile of the arts and supporting all facets of the Arts community. From their main office location, ACWB offers a diverse number of services and events in order to create a community that local artists can compete and thrive within, enable collaborations between artists, art organizations, non-profits, and industries, and advocate for the Arts on a municipal, provincial, and federal level. Currently, ACWB has over 200 registered members with a board of directors and main staff all experienced in a vast array of artistic disciplines. Create Enhance Sustain 7

3.3 EXISTING GOVERNANCE Board of Directors Executive Director Programs Partnerships Communication Manager Manager Manager Programs Rural Arts Coordinator Support Liaisons Communications Engagement Coordinator Coordinator Create Enhance Sustain 8

3.4 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dave Boutilier Mike Jones Jes Croucher Cathy Steeves Chair, Director - Theatre Vice Chair, Director - Music Treasurer, Director – First Secretary, Director - Community Nations Kevin Thornton James Hine Mitchel Bowers Scott Meller Director – Literary Arts Director – Business Director - Metis Director – Business Matt Salem Sarah Louitt Alex Durocher Director – Director – Visual Arts Director - Dance Video/Filmmaking/Photograph y Create Enhance Sustain 9

3.5 ACWB STAFF Liana Wheeldon Luay Eljamal Sharon Heading Christina Rolufs Executive Director Programs Manager Partnerships Manager Communications Manager Will Collins Hanna Fridhed Donna Aubichon Jules Nokohoo Communications Coordinator Engagement Coordinator Rural Arts Support Liaison - Rural Arts Support - South North Create Enhance Sustain 10

4.0 SITE REVIEW 4.1 LOCATION The proposed arts incubator site is a decommissioned theatre building owned by Landmark Cinemas located at 10015 Manning Ave in Fort McMurray, Alberta, in lots 3 to 9, Plan Number 616AO, Block 10. The existing building and parking lots cover an area of approximately 47,361 sq. ft of which the building itself covers an area of approximately 13,520 sq. ft Figure 4.1: Existing Building’s Floor Plan The existing Landmark Cinema Building is composed of the following main areas: • Six movie theatres, Theatre “D” and “E” accommodates 214 people, Theatre “A” and “B” accommodates 148 people, and Theatre “C” and “F” accommodates 108 people; • A main lobby, • A concession area, • A small office space, • A men’s and women’s washroom, • A large janitor room; and, • A small second floor, where projectors are housed and serviced. The site also contains two large, asphalt paved parking lots with enough space for approximately 90 passenger vehicles. The proposed site is located to the North-East by Manning avenue, to the North West and the South West by residential units, and to the South West by commercial office spaces and businesses. Jubilee Plaza, the main office for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and regional offices of the Provincial Government of Alberta, is approximately 525 feet to the south of the proposed site (Figure 4-2). MacDonald Island Park, the largest recreational facility in Fort McMurray, and Keyano College’s main campus are accessible through Franklin Avenue to the North West and South East. 11 Create Enhance Sustain

Highway 63, approximately 1,300 feet south from the proposed site, connects downtown with the southern neighbourhoods such as Beacon Hill and Prairie Creek, and the northern communities, such as Timberlea and Thickwood. Highway 63 is also the connection to the rest of Alberta and is the only land connection to Fort Mckay. Following the highway to the south; is the Oil Sands Discovery Centre, one of the vital tourism assets of Fort McMurray. The Landmark Cinema Building falls within the Alberta North Tourism Destination Region, where it is municipally zoned in the Central Business District (CBD1), in which the following land uses are permitted [1]: • Food and Beverage Commercial, • Institutional and Civic, • Neighbourhood Commercial, • Office Commercial, • Park, • Parking Structure, • Recreation Commercial, • Residential, • Retail Commercial (<5,000 Sq. m. GFA), • Tourism Commercial, • Home Occupation; and, • Accessory Building or Use. The Landmark Cinema Building falls within the permitted land uses in CBD1 as it is considered a tourism commercial. Thus, no re-zoning is required. Figure 4-1: Proposed site, showing parking lots and structure [3]. 12 Create Enhance Sustain

North Figure 4-2: Image 4.2: Proposed site, bounding streets and Jubilee Plaza[3]. 4.2 HISTORY The Landmark Cinema Building was constructed in 1996 as a purpose-built cinema theatre. Since its construction, the theatre operated until its closure in 2018 for 22 years of operations, where it was the only cinema theatre in Fort McMurray for 12 years due to Fort Theater’s, the Landmark Cinema’s sole local competition, closure in 2006. During operations, the Landmark Cinema Building was a hub of activity and a major downtown attraction point that drew people from around Fort McMurry and nearby communities to watch movies and patronize the nearby restaurants. For many Fort McMurray residents who lived and grew up between 1996 and 2018, the Landmark Cinema Building harkens back fond memories of their time spent at the local theatre. From birthday parties to Friday nights with best friends, to that special first date, the Landmark Cinema Building was there. 4.3 ACCESSIBILITY AND VISIBILITY Located near the downtown core, the Landmark Cinema Building is approximately 10 minutes walking distance from 7 major hotels, Fort McMurray’s largest mall: Peter Pond Mall, and many restaurants. Furthermore, several of Downtown’s residential communities are located within 2km from the building. The Landmark Cinema Building’s location is accessible through the primary access on Manning Avenue, and two secondary alleyway accesses through Morrison Street and Main Street. Additionally, the site has ample parking space on both sides of the building, which ACWB could utilize as revenue-generating operations as paid parking or festival space. Borealis Park, which connects to the downtown river trails, is located approximately 4 minutes walking distance from the building. 13 Create Enhance Sustain

4.4 TRANSPORTATION Fort McMurray’s local transportation network, Wood Buffalo Transit, provides excellent accessibility to the proposed site as their main terminal is located in Jubilee Plaza, 4 minutes walking distance from the proposed site. The following routes connect Jubilee Plaza to other communities in Fort McMurray follows [2]: • Route 7: service to Abasand • Route 8: service to Beacon Hill • Route 10: service to Gregoire (one of Fort McMurray’s industrial sectors) • Route 11: service to Airport) • Route 15: service to Timberlea • Route 16: service to Thickwood • Route 18: service to Taiga Nova • Route 91: service to Downtown East • Route 92: service to Downtown West • Route 99: service to MacDonald Island Additionally, given the small area size of Fort McMurray, travel times around the city are considerably short. Table 4-1: Travel times by car from different locations to the proposed site. Location Timberlea Thickwood TaigaNova Abasand Beacon Gregoire McKenzie Airport Heights Hill 9 Industrial 18 Park Approx. travel 12 10 9 16 11 time 11 (Minutes) In terms of advertisements or road markings, the proposed site in its current form lacks visibility as it is located behind several buildings when viewed from Franklin Avenue, as well as no indicators as to what the building is, which could in turn lead to potential visitors passing the building unaware of what is inside. However, this issue could be resolved by adding signage on the approaches including directions and remodeling and enhancing the building exterior for visitors to easily identify and understand what the building is. It is recommended the arts incubation space exterior be remodeled with a striking but inviting design that draws visitors and curious passersby inside. 4.5 CONCLUSION The Landmark Cinema Building is well suited for an arts incubator as it lies in downtown Fort McMurray in an accessible location as illustrated in Figures 4-1, 4-2 and the car travel times in Table 4-1; furthermore, many bus routes serve the location as illustrated in Section 4.3. Current land usage designation for this area allows for the proposed use as shown in this Section. The building is well known in Fort McMurray and surrounding communities as; the Landmark Cinema Building due to its operation as the only cinema theatre in the city for 12 years, making it a real landmark for residents. Additionally, the theatre was a major attraction for the downtown area, especially after large commercial developments in the communities of Timberlea and Thickwood. Also, repurposing an unused existing building is more efficient and cost-effective, in general, than constructing a new structure, and it preserves a sense of continuity and tradition in the community. Creating additional attractions in the downtown area would be consistent with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s 2018 – 2021 Strategic Plan, which calls for more development in the Downtown area, overall economic growth in the region and support of the arts [5]. Many of Fort McMurray residents have patronized the Landmark Cinema Building during its operations, due to it being the sole theatre in the city for 12 years. For many residents, they have grown up with fond memories of the building as it was a gathering place for children, young adults, and families. 14 Create Enhance Sustain

5.0 AREA REVIEW 5.1 ALBERTA Alberta's population was 4,067,175 as per the 2016 census; as of April 2020, the population is estimated to be 4,428,247, assuming a growth of 1.78%. Age distribution among Alberta's population shows a significant percentage of young Albertans under the age of 20, at 25%, while working-age Albertans, aged 20 to 59, represent 57% of the population, as shown in Figure 5-1. Alberta's Population by Age Group (Percentage) 8% 19% 10% 0 to 14 years 14% 6% 15 to 19 years 13% 14% 20 to 29 years 16% 30 to 39 years 40 to 49 years 50 to 59 years 60 to 69 years 70 years and over Figure 5-1: Percentage distribution of Alberta's Population by Age Group Alberta's aboriginal population accounts for approximately 7% of the overall population; First Nation, Métis or Inuit [3]. The First Nations and Métis communities accounted for 53% and 44% respectively of the general Aboriginal population in 2018. They are shown in Figures 5-2 and 5-3. 15 Create Enhance Sustain

Aboriginal Population in Alberta (Percentage) 6% Aboriginal Identity Non-Aboriginal Identity 94% Figure 5-2: Percentage distribution of Alberta's Population by aboriginal heritage Alberta's Aboriginal Population Identity First Nation (Percentage) Métis Inuk 1% 1% 1% Multiple Aboriginal identities Other Aboriginal identities 44% 53% Figure 5-3: Percentage distribution of Alberta's indigenous Population by identity Alberta has a slightly higher visible minority percentage of its population, at 23% in Alberta and 22% in Canada. Visible minority breakdown in Alberta is shown in Figure 5-4. 16 Create Enhance Sustain

Visible Minority Population Breakdown in Alberta (Percentage) 16% 24% South Asian 6% Chinese 6% 17% Black 14% Filipino 17% Latin American Arab Other Figure 5-4: Visible Minority Population Breakdown in Alberta 5.2 FORT MCMURRAY WOOD BUFFALO The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (The Region) is in the North East Corner of Alberta, along the borders with Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories to the East and West, respectively. The Region is home to most of Alberta's oil production, where it has seen an economic boom from 2010 to 2014, resulting in the high oil prices, hovering around US$107 per barrel. With increased investment in the oil sands industry, the Region's population proliferated; due to the tremendous economic opportunity that such development offered, workers from across Canada migrated to the region at a rate outpacing the rest of Alberta. Boom times and robust population growth ended abruptly in the fourth quarter of 2014 when oil prices plummeted to US$26 per barrel, undermined by a slowing world economy and an overabundance of new production. After the 2016 Wildfire, the population dropped, as shown in the 2018 census, recording a decrease of 10.67% from the 2015 census. The region is home to a sizable shadow population, mainly working in the Oil & Gas industry, representing around 29.4% of the total population. Table 5-1 below shows the Region's population distribution, as recorded by the censuses conducted in 2015 and 2018.[1] Table 5-1: Population distribution in the region as recorded in the 2015 and 2018 federal census, illustrating the percent change. Community 2015 2018 Percent Change Fort McMurray 80428 73974 -8% Anzac 763 659 -14% Conklin 376 229 -39% Draper 215 187 -13% Fort Chipewyan 1014 918 -10% Fort Fitzgerald 9 8 -11% Fort McKay 51 59 16% Gregoire Lake Estates 232 204 -12% Janvier 155 141 -9% Saprae Creek Estates 977 715 -27% Non-Residential Shadow 40812 34593 -15% Population Total 125032 111687 -11% 17 Create Enhance Sustain

The region is the second-largest municipality level subdivision in Alberta, at 63,342 km2, after Mackenzie County, at 80,484 km2 making it one of the largest municipality-level subdivisions in Canada. The sheer size of the region presents many transportation difficulties, considering a single main highway [4]. 2018, the region had a large working population, between the ages of 20 and 44, representing approximately 47% of the total population; however, this meant a slight decrease from the 2015 Census, which showed the same age group at 51% of the population [1]. Population projections predicted average annual population growth of 1.4% in Alberta over the period leading to 2046, to a total of about 6 million inhabitants by that time. The young population (0-14 years old) is projected to shrink in the Region and the senior population (60+ years old) to increase. The region currently has one of the highest percentages of Alberta's working-age population, at around 68% and is expected to maintain a robust working population for the foreseeable future [3]. Data are illustrated in Figure 5-5, while the aboriginal population distribution is shown in Figures 5-6 and 5-7 [5]. The Region's Population by Age Group (Percentage) 5% 2% 20% 0 to 14 years 12% 15 to 19 years 20 to 29 years 5% 30 to 39 years 17% 40 to 49 years 50 to 59 years 15% 60 to 69 years 70 years and over 24% Figure 5-5: Percentage distribution of the Region 's Population by Age Group 18 Create Enhance Sustain

The Region's Population Aboriginal (Percentage) 7% 93% Aboriginal identity Non-Aboriginal Population Figure 5-6: Percentage distribution of the Region Population by aboriginal heritage The Region's Aboriginal Population Identity (Percentage) <1% 37% First Nation 63% Métis Inuk Figure 5-7: Percentage distribution of Alberta's indigenous Population by identity 19 Create Enhance Sustain

The Region has a higher percentage of visible minorities at 26.68% versus 23.46% in Alberta as a whole, broken down, down, as shown in Figures 5-6. Having a larger minority indicates more cultural diversity, which is expected from a region focused on various industries. Furthermore, the Oil & Gas industry's abundance of opportunities encouraged newcomers to settle in the Region [4]. Visible Minority Population Breakdown in The Region (Percentage) 8% 9% 26% South Asian 5% 5% Chinese Black 25% 22% Filipino Latin American Arab Other Figure 5-8: Visible Minority Population Breakdown in The Region 5.3 FORT MCMURRAY Fort McMurray has been the Urban Service Area of the Region since its amalgamation with Improvement District 143 to form the Region in 1995. Most of the Region's government and financial/commercial services have been in Fort McMurray. With a permanent population of 73,974, Fort McMurray is by far the largest settlement in the Region. A water treatment plant and a wastewater treatment plant service Fort McMurray's residence, in addition to the residents of the nearby communities of Draper and Saprae Creek. 5.4 FORT MCMURRAY’S CLIMATE The climate in Fort McMurray is characterized by long winters and short summers, with the average temperatures shown in Table 5 – 2 below. Table 5-2: Average daily temperatures and precipitation in Fort McMurray. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Temp -20.7 -14.8 -8.2 3.2 10.6 15.1 17.2 15.5 9.5 3.5 -7.6 -17.5 18.8 2.4 1.1 (Celsius) 13.1 29 25.9 Rain 0.5 0.8 1.6 9.3 34.2 74.8 81.3 72.6 45 (mm) Snow 27 20.6 20.4 14.5 2.9 0 0 0 2.4 (cm) 20 Create Enhance Sustain

5.5 TRANSPORTATION Primarily, residents and travellers drive or fly to Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo. Highway 63 is the main corridor serving the community running south to Anzac, via Highway 881, South to Edmonton and North to the oil sands sites and Fort MacKay. The Region is also served by Highway 69 that runs from Fort McMurray to the Fort McMurray International Airport and Saprae Creek Estates; the secondary Highway 881 runs from Anzac to Lac La Biche, through the hamlets of Janvier and Conklin. Additionally, Highway 956, winter road, branches off Highway 881 approximately 66 Km south of Fort McMurray, where it continues east towards the village of La Loche in northern Saskatchewan. Towards the north of Fort McMurray, a 220 Km winter road to Fort Chipewyan and Fitzgerald's community is open from December to March, depending on weather conditions. Fitzgerald is connected to its nearest urban centre in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, by a 25 Km route (Highway 5). The twinning of the 240-kilometre (150 mi) stretch of Highway 63 from Grassland to Fort McMurray was completed in 2016. The twinning of Highway 63 has improved the road network to accommodate better the volume and size of loads being transported to the Region, especially from the safety and road congestion perspective. It is important to note that the falling oil prices and the current COVID19 pandemic led to a significant drop in traffic coming to the Fort McMurray Region. The daily average traffic count history starting from 2010 ending in 2019 is shown below in Figure 5-9 [2]. Figure 5-9: Average vehicle count on the regions main highways Also, Alberta has long-term plans to create a divided highway for the entire length of the Edmonton–Fort McMurray corridor by similarly upgrading the southernmost 110 kilometres of Highway 63. Three bus operators service Fort Mc Murray from Edmonton, which acts as a hub; these operators are EBus Canada, Red Arrow and Cold Shot, with a frequency of two to three trips daily. Fort McMurray is served by one airport, the Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM), which has seen a steady increase in annual passenger count until 2014. Continued economic growth led to the construction of a new terminal in 2011, which was opened in 2014 at the cost of $258 million and service capacity of 1.5 million passengers per year. The new airport has two terminals with a large main terminal located on the south side of the runway and is used for commercial passenger service. The original terminal, which opened in 1986, is located on the north side of the runway and was renovated and re-opened in 2014 to exclusively serve workforce charters, corporate flyers, and cargo jets. 21 Create Enhance Sustain

Before the economic downfall in 2014, the total volume of air traffic was steadily increasing. However, after 2014 the number of passengers has decreased yearly, as shown in Figure 5-10 below. Figure 5-10: Number of passengers passing through Fort McMurray International Airport, along with the percent change from previous year. Airlines with scheduled services to YMM are Air Canada Jazz, West Jet, McMurray Aviation and Northwestern Air, where the latter two also offer charter services. Three companies provide tourism services: the YMM Aurora Helicopters Ltd, McMurray Aviation and Phoenix Heli-Flight. Seven taxi companies and six rental car companies serve the Fort McMurray area, and shuttle services provide transportation to the mining and oil industry sites. In addition to the shuttle services, these companies have two airstrips used to transport workers. Travel times between the Region's central city of Fort McMurray and Alberta's main population centers of Edmonton and Calgary are long, as shown in Table 5-3 below. Between Alberta's population centers, the average travel time is 5.9 hours, under the average travel time of 7 hours between Fort McMurray and the other population centers in Alberta. The average travel times highlight the remoteness of the Region, especially considering that some communities in the Region are, like Fort Chipewyan and Fitzgerald, are further isolated due to the lack of roads to the rest of the Region. Table 5-3: Travel Times between Fort McMurray and Other Population Centers in Alberta (Hours) City Fort McMurray Edmonton Calgary Grande Prairie Lethbridge Fort McMurray 5 5 78 9 Edmonton 7 35 5 Calgary 8 2 Grande Prairie 9 37 9 Lethbridge 57 5 29 22 Create Enhance Sustain

5.6 HOUSING The 2018 Municipal Census found that 63.3 percent of residents own their dwelling, and 36.7 percent of the population are renters, representing an increase in homeownership rates to the 2015 Municipal Census, 61.2 percent [1]. House ownership rates in the Region are lower than that of Alberta as a whole, at about 72.38%; this could be attributed to high property prices and dropping income. 5.7 EDUCATION The Region has a higher percentage of persons with trades' certifications than the rest of Alberta as a whole and a lower percentage of persons with university credentials [5]. This finding is consistent with the Region's oil sands industry- related jobs, which require technical and highly trained, skilled workers. The local post-secondary institution, Keyano College, offers many of these skills and works closely with industry through partnerships to provide skills upgrading for oil sands and other industry workers as technology and processes advance. The population's educational background is provided below for both the Region and Alberta. Data illustrated in Figures 5-11 to 5-14 below, which include data from Alberta as a whole for comparison. Alberta's Highest Certificate, Diploma or Degree (Percentage) 17% No certificate Secondary diploma or equivalency certificate 55% Postsecondary certificate; diploma or degree 28% Figure 5-11: Breakdown of Alberta’s population by highest achieved level of education. 23 Create Enhance Sustain

The Region's Highest Certificate, Diploma or Degree (Percentage) 12% No certificate Secondary diploma or equivalency certificate 29% Postsecondary certificate; diploma or degree 59% Figure 5-12: Breakdown of the REGION ’s population by highest achieved level of education. Alberta's Post Secondary Education Breackdown (Percentage) 18% Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma 42% College; other non-university certificate or diploma University certificate below bachelor University degree at bachelor level or above 35% 5% Figure 5-13: Figure 5 11: Breakdown of Alberta’s post-secondary educated population. 24 Create Enhance Sustain

The Region's Post Secondary Education Breackdown (Percentage) 24% 32% Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma College; other non-university certificate or diploma University certificate below bachelor University degree at bachelor level or above 5% 39% Figure 5-14: Breakdown of the REGION ’s post-secondary educated population. The Fort McMurray Public School District (FMPSD) reports a total of 4,990 students enrolled through 16 schools during the 2016-2017 academic year between the several Elementary, Secondary schools and Alternative / Special Program Schools in Fort McMurray. Below is a list of schools operating under the FMPSD: • Elementary Schools o Beacon Hill School o Christina Gordon Public School o Dave McNeilly Public School o Doctor K. A. Clark School o École Dickinsfield School (English and French immersion) o Greely Road School o Thickwood Heights School o Timberlea School o Walter & Gladys Hill o Westview School • Secondary o École McTavish Junior High Public School (7-9, English and French immersion.) o Composite High School (7-12) o Westwood Community High School (10-12, English and French immersion.) • Alternative and Special Programs o Fort McMurray Islamic School (ECDP-6 at Greely Road & FMIS High School at Composite High School) o Fort McMurray Christian School o Frank Spragins High School (formerly Second Chance School) (9-12, Alternative module- based program.) 25 Create Enhance Sustain

The Fort McMurray Catholic Board of Education supports approximately 6,800 students enrolled through 12 schools in Fort McMurray. These include nine primary schools (kindergarten to grade eight) and two high schools featuring a Science and Technology Centre located at Father Patrick Mercredi Community High School and a Performing Arts Theatre located at Holy Trinity Catholic High School. • Elementary schools o St. Martha School o Father J.A. Turcotte School o Good Shepherd School o Father Beauregard School o École St. Paul School o St. Gabriel School o Sister Mary Phillips School o St. Anne School o St. Kateri School o Elsie Yanik School • Secondary schools o Father Patrick Mercredi Catholic High School o Holy Trinity Catholic High School Furthermore, Keyano College offers certificate, diploma, and university-level programs for university accreditation relating to the oil sands industry, business and computer technology, health, human services, emergency medical training, and personal interest. Since 1965, the College has grown to meet the community's demands and partners with oil companies resulting in expansion, including two campuses in Fort McMurray, as well as learning centres in Fort MacKay, Gregoire Lake, Conklin and Janvier. These facilities serve more than 3,000 full and part-time students. 5.8 CONCLUSION With a population of 4,428,247 as of April 2020, Alberta represents approximately 11.6% of Canada's population, while the region represents 1.89% of Alberta's population. The region contains a large percentage of the working- age population, between the ages of 20 and 44, at about 74%. Fort McMurray is the region's largest settlement and urban center, accounting for most of the region's commercial activities. People from across the region travel to Fort McMurray for shopping, medical appointments and social gatherings. The region is also home to a large transient population, most of whom reside in the work camps north of Fort McMurray, whoever there is a sizable transient population in Fort McMurray itself. The region is connected to the rest of Alberta through two major highways, Highway 63 and Highway 881, with Highway 63 accounting for the vast majority of the traffic to and from Fort McMurray, as seen in Figure 5-7. Air travel in the region is facilitated through the Fort McMurray International Airport, which has scheduled flights to regional, domestic, and international destinations; figures for air travel are available in Figure 5-8. While the region is connected through two highways with the rest of Alberta, the average travelling time to other population centers in the province is longer than that average of overall transportation time. The increase in travel time from other population centers contributed to the region's remoteness, creating a sense of isolation among the inhabitants. The size of the region has contributed significantly to the remoteness of its outlying communities. Communities like Fort Chipewyan and Fort Fitzgerald are not connected to Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo by a permanent road, rather; by a winter road. The large diversity in the region is due to indigenous communities' prevalence and the influx of immigrants from other provinces in Canada and the world. There is a grounding focus on celebrating diversity in the region by both the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo and the region's community. The region's education profile is more diverse than that of Alberta, with a higher percentage of those with apprenticeship/trades certificates at 24%. In comparison, Alberta has 17% of those who possess post-secondary education. 26 Create Enhance Sustain

6.0 CASE STUDIES There has been a steady growth of arts incubator space for the sector in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and more recently Canada, over the past decade. One of the areas they have in common is to maximize resources through affordable rentals to encourage the development of emerging artists through access to studio space or specific development programs. This allows artists not only the ability to gather and work, but to collaborate on the arts. Art incubators also provide a venue for workshops, galleries, performances, festivals, a gathering space for the community, and to host special events. The first five case studies below were selected for comparison purposes that highlight exhibition space, galleries, studio space, a place for experimentation, incubation, learning and growing to serve a multi-generational, diverse community. An additional case study (ARTSCAPE Toronto) is also included in this study as it provides another example of a mature social enterprise model. • Case Study #1: cSPACE King Edward, Calgary, AB • Case Study #2: CASA Community Arts Centre, Lethbridge, AB • Case Study #3: Cape Breton Centre for Arts, Culture and Innovation, Sydney, NS • Case Study #4: Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, Sydney, NS • Case Study #5: nvrlnd., Calgary, AB • Additional Case Study: ARTSCAPE, Toronto, ON Below are two art galleries that were selected for building inspiration and design, in addition to studio workshops, theatre, gallery design and programs offered to the community: • Art Gallery #1: Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA), Edmonton, AB • Art Gallery #2: Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK 27 Create Enhance Sustain

Case Study #1: cSPACE King Edward, Calgary, AB Office: 1721 29 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 6T7 cspacekingedward.com cSPACE King Edward King Edward Black Box King Edward Theater BACKGROUND Across North America, cSPACE is one of only a few specialist non-profit companies that have been established to own, build and operate a portfolio of large-scale, multi-tenant creative spaces. These new generations of multi-tenant facilities are challenging to develop successfully, requiring much more sophisticated capabilities in real estate development, financing, property management, specialized mentorship and community engagement. The underlying business model of cSPACE King Edward is a hybrid multi-tenant center, combining the vibrancy, affordability and flexibility of an arts hub with the added-value services of a co-working incubator. King Edward employs leading practices from peers supporting the cultural and creative sector for over 25 years in the U.S. and Canada. Blending community stewardship with entrepreneurial agility, cSPACE’s two integrated businesses are social purpose property development and community hub management. cSPACE envisions Calgary as a city where creative enterprise thrives in vibrant communities. Empowered to take risks, cSPACE believes that entrepreneurial communities of artists, designers, musicians and makers can shape their city for the future. At a time when Calgary is redefining itself, cSPACE is amplifying their potential to be powerful forces in the life of Calgary’s communities and economy. cSPACE is a social enterprise dedicated to supporting communities of artists, non-profits and entrepreneurs working at the creative edge of change. To achieve this mission, their purpose is: • To develop inspiring shared spaces that transform the way creative people collaborate • To build vibrant communities where art, culture and creativity are expressed powerfully through place • To cultivate successful creative enterprise by magnifying the impact of their ideas 28 Create Enhance Sustain

SPACE cSPACE King Edward cSPACE King Edward is an adaptable historic building, located in an inner city, walkable neighbourhood with close proximity to mixed-income housing, arts-friendly commercial districts, public transit routes and post-secondary institutions. The renovation of the 1912 building provides approximately 41,200 sq. ft. of creation, production, exhibition and performance spaces for long-term leasing. Providing much-needed stability and flexible tenures to non-profits and artists, various configurations are available from 250 sq. ft. to 2,000 sq. ft. A contemporary new addition was built where an original wing was removed in the 1970s, which added another 6,300 sq. ft. of flexible space for short-term rental and shared community space. The west wing supports both residential tenants as well as a dynamic mix of outside members, community organizations and corporate uses through three, highly adaptable spaces. cSPACE King Edward levels with areas and facilities; LEVEL 1 - 13,154 sq. ft. (• 123 seat flexible studio theatre (two-story) • Black-box rehearsal space • Artist studios • Meeting room • Storage) 29 Create Enhance Sustain

LEVEL 2 - 10,479 sq. ft. (• Artist studios • Hallway gallery • Non-profit office & program space • Café) 30 Create Enhance Sustain

LEVEL 3 - 12,487 sq. ft. (• Non-profit office & program space • Hallway gallery • 30 co-working desks • 3 meeting rooms) LEVEL 4 - 11,421 sq. ft. (• Artist studios • Hallway gallery • Non-profit office & program space • Shared kitchen • Meeting rooms • Flexible event space • Outdoor deck • Solar panel array • Storage) 31 Create Enhance Sustain

In addition to the OUTDOOR SPACE - Art Park; King Edward Outdoor Landscape The creation of a new park and open spaces at the King Edward celebrated its history as a community gathering place, including a design inspired by King Edward VII’s family tartan and numerous public art installations. The contemporary pavilions that frame the park are envisioned as highly adaptable platforms for art, culture and creativity to be showcased within the public realm. Designed with moveable and programmable ‘art cubes’, the pavilions are provisioned with infrastructure to support diverse festivals, markets, play and event uses with year-round opportunities for multi-disciplinary artistic expression. cSPACE’s priority outcomes in this area are: • Restored and celebrated historic resource, anchoring the revitalization of a vacant city block • Greater efficiency of enterprise operations through shared resources • Reduced carbon footprint for members and tenants • More impactful public, private and non-profit partnerships • More vibrant and diverse communities King Edward Black Box Theatre 32 Create Enhance Sustain

LEVEL 1 - Studio Theatre Double-story, hybrid performance/rehearsal space has been designed on Level 1 that responds to a significant demand in Calgary for intimate and affordable, but technically sophisticated, space. The studio theatre provides a high degree of adaptability, functioning as a naturally lit rehearsal and event space as well as a black box for performance and multimedia requirements. The two-story space will accommodate various performance configurations based on 48 and 84 seats. Generally, the space has a 200-person occupancy with non-fixed seating and provide approximately 2,100 sq.ft. of versatile workspace that is adaptable and appropriately equipped to support the multi-disciplinary creation of new work. In addition to the adjacent green room, this space will support a wide array of experimental and traditional artist rehearsal needs while also serving the need for presentation space and other uses such as: • art exhibitions and installations; • film and media screenings; • theatre, dance, music, literary and other cross-disciplinary performances; and • gala, banquet, cabaret, wedding, and other event use LEVEL 3 - Co-work Space Responding to a growing interest in shared co-working spaces in Calgary, open-concept and dedicated desks for independent freelancers, small organizations or tenants requiring time-limited expansion (e.g. festival season) will be provided on Level 3. Daily, weekly and monthly packages will allow for a full spectrum of creative users (community, non- profit and commercial). LEVEL 4 - Incubator Space Provisioned with 2,000 sq. ft. of flexible collaboration and informal gathering spaces, the incubator space on the top floor will include a social kitchen, exterior deck and various configurations of meeting and event spaces. The space is designed to accommodate small event options FINANCIAL The financial catalyst for the project was triggered by the commitment of the Calgary Foundation for $3.027 million over 6 years. The funding contribution and bridge financing gave the City of Calgary confidence to invest a further $5.17 million towards the purchase of the land. With seed capital funding in place, the Province of Alberta supported cSPACE with $4.65 million. Significant funding from two levels of government gave confidence to the private land development sector, investing $9.5 million in residential development adjacent to the King Edward. Once the surplus land was under contract, individuals and corporations have been inspired to provide $3.3 million in gifts and in-kind contributions. 33 Create Enhance Sustain

SUMMARY ASSESSMENT cSPACE King Edward is a playground for creativity, community and collaboration. An arts hub, innovative venue and coworking space for Calgary to experiment, explore and spark change. cSPACE King Edward provides Calgary’s most unique venue rental opportunities. Located in a vibrant, arts-friendly neighbourhood near downtown, cSPACE King Edward merges century-old historic fabric, leading-edge technology and a vital community of creatives to offer Calgary’s most distinctive event, meeting and exhibition spaces. STUDIO THEATRE (MAX OCCUPANCY 200) Purpose-built to support multiple artistic disciplines and event uses, the studio theatre is contemporary, unusual and versatile – a highly adaptable, technically sophisticated and beautiful rehearsal, performance and event venue that converts from a double-story, light-filled hall to a fully-darkened, theatre space…and everything in between! With a maximum capacity of 200 (150 with liquor license), the 2,000 sq. ft, sprung-floor space is equipped with a complete sound and theatrical lighting system. Retractable seating for 60, an acoustic partition wall and additional support spaces provides immense flexibility at an intimate scale. Ideal for art exhibitions, film screenings, theatre, dance, music, gala, reception, banquet, market, and conference use. 34 Create Enhance Sustain

Hallway Galleries (Levels 1, 2, 3, 4) School hallways and secret hideaways have always been where the action happens in grade school! Where King Edward’s former students used to build friendships, talk freely and have fun, cSpace has reimagined these voluminous hallways as unique opportunities for showcasing art, both to creative peers and the public. These unique character spaces have 13’ high-ceilings, gorgeous historic architectural features, fiber connectivity, professional gallery hanging and programmable lighting. Woven together by an inspiring glass-enclosed staircase and fully accessible or rented individually, these alternative exhibition and event venues provide affordable options for artist shows, openings, art markets and receptions. RGO Treehouse (Max Occupancy 60) cSpace knew that inspiring spaces help ignite creativity and they have a gathering place like no other in Calgary. cSpace knew if mountain views, an expansive outdoor deck and a funky arts vibe works as a backdrop, the top- floor Treehouse delivers a unique playground for artists ideas. Fully open, the 1,160 sq ft has a maximum capacity of 60. Sliding glass doors easily convert the facility into two classroom/conference spaces on each side of a central flex area. Expansive natural light, stunning city views, raised floors, kitchen access and full AV equipment makes the RGO Treehouse ideal for board retreats, small conferences, team building, launch parties, fundraisers, and AGMs. Art Park + Art Yard Managed by cSPACE in partnership with the City of Calgary, the Art Park provides an outdoor space that is unique. In addition to having the restored heritage school as a backdrop, the park design includes amazing public art by local Calgary artists and is inspired by King Edward VII’s family tartan. Purpose-built with festival infrastructure, Art Park is ideal for small outdoor performances, public markets, film screenings and, paired with the Art Cubes, provides an unparalleled outdoor canvas for the imagination. Meeting + Event Space Capacities Largest Group: 200 Attendees Number of Meeting + Event Spaces: 10+ Spaces Meeting Space Occupancy: Theatre Style 138 | Classroom Style 60 | Standing Reception 200 | Seated Reception 90 | Outdoor/Rooftop Spaces 60 Source: cSpacekingedward.com 35 Create Enhance Sustain

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Case Study #2: CASA Community Arts Centre, Lethbridge, AB Office : 230 – 8th Street, South, Lethbridge, AB T1J 5H2 casalethbridge.ca BACKGROUND The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge (AAC) is a not-for-profit organization created to advance the arts by supporting artistic endeavours that enhance the quality of life for individuals, create a rich cultural environment and help to build a stronger community. AAC contributes to the economic diversification through the attraction and retention of creative and innovative people to the city, enriching Lethbridge by the presence of professional and community artists and arts organizations who are engaged in dance, literary arts, music, new media, theatre and visual arts. Casa is the realization of a 20-year dream, shared by many in the Lethbridge arts community, to expand or replace the Bowman Arts Centre. This unique new facility encompassing approximately 42,000 sq. feet of studio and presentation space that far surpasses the original vision for expansion and sets a new standard for interdisciplinary arts centres. It is about experimentation, incubation, learning and growing. Casa was built to serve a multi-generational community, with varying art skill sets and interests in all disciplines of the arts. The grand opening of the new facility was May, 14, 2013. The opening activities saw more than 3000 people visit CASA. The new home for arts in Lethbridge officially has a name. LethbridgeCity Council approved the recommendation ntheawt tdhoewntown community arts centre be named CASA, based on the Latin term for home. CASA is the new home not only for users of the Bowman Arts Centre but also for a diverse mix of other visual and performing artists throughout the community. It will be a place where all members of the arts community can call home, regardless of their age, skill level or arts discipline. The Gallery at Casa is committed to exhibiting works of lo|cal, regional and provincial artists with ties to southern Alberta. Art created in the community is diverse and multi-faceted. Gallery offerings are not limited to any particular style, medium or approach but are connected through a sense of place. Visitors to The Gallery can expect to see drawing, painting, fine craft, installation, sculpture, photography, ceramics, new media, video art or combinations of all the mediums. The Gallery at Casa is always free for visitors. 37 Create Enhance Sustain