2017 was a good year for development in High River.

Mayor Craig Snodgrass says we're seeing growth in parts of town where there hasn't been any in quite some time.

"You look at the development in the Montrose area, that's huge. A lot of commercial that's going up in there. You're seeing action in the Hampton's, they're selling lots in Phase III now and that's very positive because that's been a long grind after the flood and getting certain things taken care of, and working with the developer to make it happen, and we're getting there."

Snodgrass says it hasn't always been smooth as some feel the Town needs to do more, particularly when it comes to helping businesses or even determining what businesses should go where.

Snodgrass says Council can only set up the conditions to make High River attractive to businesses, the rest is left up to those business owners.

"Everybody has their thing as to what High River "should be" in this little identity thing of what we are. I don't know that that's something that Council can just dictate and say we're going to be "X." This is something that grows organically. At some point in time you just have to look at what the writing is on the wall and move forward from there."

Snodgrass expects future growth to be aimed at both agriculture and the health care and tech sectors.

He says getting a fibre optic network for super high speed Internet is a big focus and something that will go far to attract new businesses and residents.