Rural Life

Easements may require you to allow the construction and maintenance of roads, power lines, water lines, sewer lines, etc. across your land. There may be easements that are not on record. Check these issues carefully.

The properties surrounding your location likely not remain as they are indefinitely. You can check with the County's Planning and Development Department to find out how the properties are designated and to see what future developments may be in the planning stages. The view from your property may change.

Permits are required for various activities in the County including, but not limited to

• building
• subdividing land
• lighting fireworks
• and in some areas, fire permits from the province are required to light burn barrels and brush piles. 

Being prepared for emergencies is extremely important in rural locations. In the event of an emergency - extreme weather (wind, rain, and snow), flooding, wildfires, etc. - some services may be delayed, like snow plowing or ambulance for example. 

Always be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours. All residents are encouraged to have a basic emergency kit. In the event of an evacuation order, you must be physically able to quickly gather your emergency kit, pets, valuables, etc. and drive to the evacuee centre indicated in the evacuation order and await placement for lodgings.

Roads in the County have different levels of service, as outlined in the Level of Road Service Policy. Therefore, it's important to determine which classification of road service the road to your desired property has. A development or subdivision permit application may be denied if the level of road service is not suitable for the intended use; i.e. residence.

You will also need to consider the following;

• Many large construction vehicles cannot navigate small, narrow roads. If you plan to build, it is a good idea to check out construction access.

• The County will repair and maintain county roads; however, internal private roads and driveways are the responsibility of the landowners who use those roads. Determine if you will be responsible for your road before purchasing a property.

Depending on your desired location and distance from emergency services, response times will vary greatly. Ambulance services are located in the support communities that neighbour the County; Towns of Grimshaw, Manning and Peace River, and are not located in the County.

Fire department services are volunteer-operated and are also located in these communities. Additionally, the County has 2 volunteer fire departments; one in the hamlet of Dixonville and one Weberville. 

When looking at potential properties, consider the distance that emergency services would need to travel to reach you throughout all the seasons; summer and winter. Winter conditions can also add delays in response times. 

Due to our rural location, door-to-door mail and parcel service is not available in the County and as such, delivery times may also be longer than anticipated. Post offices are located in the Towns of Grimshaw, Manning and Peace River. Additionally, Canada Post also offers Community post boxes in some areas of the County. 

Please contact the closest Canada Post office to have them explain the system and options for your area. You will likely need to provide them with the full legal address of your property.

To access medical services, like hospitals, medical clinics, diagnostic imaging, dentistry, acupuncture, and chiropractic services, residents would need to travel to a neighbouring municipality.

Additionally, not all communities offer the same, or all, medical services. For example; County residents may have to travel to Grimshaw or Peace River for dental, chiropractic services, or to deliver a baby. 

Specialist appointments often lead to travelling longer distances to the City of Grande Prairie or even Edmonton or Calgary. 

County students are served by two school divisions; Peace River School Division (PRSD) and Holy Family Catholic Regional Division (HFCRD).

There is one public school located in the County in the hamlet of Dixonville, with additional schools located in the support communities in the Towns of Grimshaw, Manning and Peace River.

If you have children, or are planning on having children in the future, the location of your property in proximity to school facilities needs to be considered.

For example; residents who are a fair distance from a school facility could experience bus pick up times as early as 7:30 am. Or if a resident is located in the most northern part of the County, such as Ward 7, there is no school facility.

If your desired location requires hooking into a natural gas line, this involves permit.

Before purchasing and building, we encourage potential residents to reach out directly to a natural gas distributor to determine the availability and potential costs of installing natural gas. 

Cellphones may not work in all areas of the County and you may wish to install a landline. This will come with an additional cost, or a provider may deny your request based on the location of your property. 

The County does not have access to fibre optic or high-speed internet. Most residents access the internet via their mobile device using a hot-spot, a hub, or satellite internet. 

Electrical service is generally available to most areas of the County, but it is important to determine the proximity of electrical power. There are costs associated with extending power lines to remote areas.

• It may be necessary to cross property owned by others to extend electric service to your property. It is important to make sure that the proper easements are in place to allow lines to be built on your property.

• Electric power may not be available in all configurations. If you have special power requirements, it is important to know what level of service can be provided to your property.

• If you are purchasing land with the plan to build at a future date, there is a possibility that electric lines (and other utilities) may not be large enough to accommodate you if others connect during the time you wait to build. Make sure you inquire as to the potential future of the area with this in mind.

• Power outages can occur in outlying areas.  Please be prepared that repair times may be longer than anticipated. Be prepared to be without power.

Access to a municipal sewer service is likely not available to your property, and if so, it may be costly to hook into the system.

If sewer service is not available, you will need to use an approved septic system or other treatment process. The type of soil you have available for a leach field will be very important in determining the cost and function of your system. Check the Alberta Private Sewage Systems Standards of Practice for guidelines.

In addition to the guidelines, consider the proximity of the placement of septic tanks to your home and the cost of repairs and maintenance that come with it; emergency sump pump replacement or a routine emptying of the tank by a septic vacuum truck.

Curbside household waste removal is not available in the County. Instead, waste and recycling services are available at transfer stations owned and operated by Long Lake Regional Waste Management, as well as at a County-operated landfill in Keg River.

Residents transport their own waste and recyclables to their nearest transfer station. It's important to note that not all recyclable items are accepted at the transfer station. Residents will need to familiarize themselves with what is, and isn't, accepted at their closest transfer station.

County residents are required to present a red municipal ID card to access Long Lake transfer stations and landfills. These cards can be obtained at the County administration office in Manning.

Depending on your location, you may be able to rent a dumpster from a local waste management business to have at your location. 

Your desired location may or may not have access to the County's rural water lines. In the event you do not have access to the rural water system, you will have to locate an alternative supply. Alternative options include;

• Cistern system that will require delivering water from a County potable water truckfill station.
• A dugout where there is an additional process of permits and standards and the cost of excavating. Water quantity and quality can vary considerably from location to location and from season to season. It is advised that you look into this issue for your property very carefully, through Alberta Environment.
• Some areas of the County have access to community water wells, however, the water is not potable and is not suitable for consumption or household use. Again, water quantity can vary from location to location and from season to season. It is advised that you look into this issue for your property very carefully, through Alberta Environment.

The majority of County roads are unpaved and are unlikely to be paved in the future. Unpaved roads generate dust. The County takes the initiative to apply dust control measures when conducting their summer projects, and they may enforce other businesses to also apply dust control measures.

Residents and businesses in the County have the option to sign up for dust control for a fee. 

Extreme weather conditions can impact County roads. Heavy snow or rainfall can cause even maintained roads to be difficult to travel or even impassable. You may need a four-wheel drive vehicle to travel during these times and take an alternate/detoured route to your home or highway.

During times of heavy snowfall, anticipate that you will be responsible for the removal of snow in your driveway. The County does offer residential snow removal for a fee, however, there is a process to sign up for the program and signing up does not mean your driveway will be immediately cleared. 

Heavy rains can also impact not only County roads but your property as well. Overland flooding can occur and may impact not only access to your home but impact your home as well.

The County does not have a Dog Control bylaw nor does it have a bylaw enforcement officer. It is the responsibility of the pet owner to ensure that they are in control of their pets and that they are not a nuisance or a threat to neighbours and livestock.

Trees and foliage are beautiful, but they also pose a risk during peak wildfire season. Keeping fuels (like dry and dead trees) away from your property structures is incredibly important.  Keeping your property 'FireSmart' helps reduce the risk when wildfire season arrives.

Nature can also provide you with some pretty awesome neighbours, like deer and an array of birds. Rural life also comes with encounters with dangerous wildlife like bears, coyotes, wolves and cougars. It's important that you, and everyone in your household, know how to handle wildlife encounters; dangerous or not. 

In general, it is best to enjoy wildlife from a distance and know that if you do not handle your pets and trash properly, it could cause problems for you and the wildlife.

Emergencies and disasters can also affect agricultural communities across Alberta. If you are considering a farm operation, you will also need to assess wether you are able to create a Farm Emergency Preparedness Plan to help be prepared to protect your property and livestock to overcome unexpected situations as quickly as possible.

• Farmers work around the clock. Seeding, harvesting, and haying can occur at night. These operations may cause additional noise and light.

• Land preparations, like cultivating, may cause dust in dry and windy weather. 

• Farmers may or may not use chemicals in their crop-growing operations.

• Livestock operations can cause unpleasant odours.

• Dogs harassing livestock is detrimental to livestock health. You are responsible for keeping animals and pets on your property and under control. 

All County properties are zoned for specific uses. There are limits and restrictions to the number of farm animals that can be on certain properties. Check with the County's Planning and Development department to determine what is permitted in your desired location. 

Whether or not you operate a farming operation, you should know about noxious weeds that you are responsible for removing from your property. Be aware that some plants are poisonous.