Clearwater County
Clearwater County is a rural Alberta municipal government serving 5,200+ households across 18,691 km², delivering fire, emergency, public works, planning, agricultural, and community services alongside a 360 km Open Access fiber broadband network and digital service platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersRocky Mountain House, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Clearwater County does
Clearwater County is a rural municipal government in west-central Alberta, Canada, operating under the province's Municipal Government Act across 18,691 km² that includes the Town of Rocky Mountain House, the Village of Caroline, the Summer Village of Burnstick Lake, and hamlets such as Nordegg, Leslieville, Condor, Alhambra, and Withrow. It delivers the full suite of statutory municipal services to roughly 5,200+ rural households and surrounding agricultural and small-business ratepayers, organized into Agriculture & Environmental Services, Emergency Services (including the multi-jurisdictional Clearwater Regional Fire Rescue Services), Public Works, Planning & Development, Community Services, and Corporate Services. Approximately 85% of the county sits within the Rocky Mountain House Forest Protection Area, making wildfire response, pest management (Mountain Pine Beetle populations are down 98% since 2019), and forest stewardship material operational priorities.
The county operates a digital service platform consisting of a public website, iOS and Android mobile apps, an e-service request portal, a real-time Road Ban Status System, a Fire Rating information page, the County Highlights quarterly newsletter distributed to 5,200+ households, and the "Doing Business in Clearwater County" podcast. Its principal infrastructure asset is the Open Access Network — a 360-kilometer fiber-optic backbone with wireless towers, three of six construction phases complete, operated by Rigstar to deliver high-speed internet across rural Alberta. Sub-brands include the Open Access Network, Clearwater Regional Fire Rescue Services, and the Clearwater Trails Initiative.
Revenue is generated primarily through property taxation on residential, agricultural, and non-residential properties (with a Small Business Property Assessment Sub-Class offering up to 25% tax savings for qualifying businesses under 50 employees), supplemented by user fees such as $20 tax certificates, $5 conifer seedling bundles (minimum five bundles), $800 per section of roadside cleaned, bulk water and septage station charges, and provincial grants. Distribution is direct: in-person at the Rocky Mountain County office, online via self-serve portals, and through transfer stations, libraries, and recreation facilities. The entity has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no funding rounds, and is governed by an elected Council with day-to-day operations led by Chief Administrative Officer Rick Emmons.
Clearwater County firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clearwater County
- Legal name
- Clearwater County
- Website
- https://clearwatercounty.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Clearwater County is a rural Alberta municipal government serving 5,200+ households across 18,691 km², delivering fire, emergency, public works, planning, agricultural, and community services alongside a 360 km Open Access fiber broadband network and digital service platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clearwater County industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Government / Municipal Services
- NAICS
- Utilities (221), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)
- SIC
- Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Roadway Drainage & Stormwater Works (Culverts, Ditches, Catch Basins) (IMAFAEAG), Stormwater Collection & Conveyance (Inlets, Catch Basins, Pipes, Channels) (EUANAEAA), Wetland, Riparian & Buffer Services (within forest landscapes) (AFAMAMAI), Lot Clearing, Land Clearing & Brush Removal (HSAIADAH)
Keywords
Where Clearwater County is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rocky Mountain House
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Clearwater County business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Property Tax Revenue: Primary revenue source for the municipality, collected from residential, agricultural, and non-residential properties within Clearwater County boundaries. Property tax rates include a reduced rate for qualifying small business properties under the Small Business Property Assessment Sub-Class program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tax Certificate Request - $20.00 per certificate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Conifer Tree Seedling Program - $5.00 per bundle |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Roadside Cleanup - $800 per section cleaned |
| Other | Annual | Small Business Property Tax Sub-Class - Up to 25% tax savings |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Clearwater County product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clearwater County is a rural municipal government providing local government services to residents, businesses, and visitors across an 18,691 km² area in west-central Alberta. It delivers emergency services (fire rescue, 911 dispatch, emergency management), public works (roads, bridges, utilities, waste management), planning and development, agricultural services through the Agricultural Service Board, family and community social services, recreation programs, and a Rural Broadband Project that includes a 360-kilometre open-access fiber-optic backbone.
Product overview
Clearwater County operates a unified municipal government services portal offering residents access to county services, programs, and information. The primary products include the County Services Portal (providing access to agriculture, emergency, community, corporate, public works, and planning services), the Broadband/Open Access Network (fiber-optic infrastructure initiative), the County Highlights Newsletter (quarterly publication to 5,200+ households), Clearwater County Podcasts (audio content series), a Mobile App (iOS/Android), an E-Service Request System for online form submissions, a Road Ban Status System, and Fire Rating information. The county also maintains official social media channels for communications and emergency alerts. All services are provided to residents of Clearwater County, Alberta, Canada.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Clearwater County Open Access Network: Broadband fiber-optic network project providing high-speed internet to rural Alberta communities.
- Clearwater Regional Fire Rescue Services
- Clearwater Trails Initiative
- Doing Business in Clearwater County
- County Highlights Newsletter
Products and services
- Rural Broadband / Open Access Network Project
Quantifiable outcome
- Clearwater County's Open Access Network broadband project has completed three out of six phases, delivering high-speed internet across the county's 360-kilometer fiber-optic core backbone.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Clearwater County
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Clearwater County technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Clearwater County partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- West FraserminorWest Fraser partners with Clearwater County's Tree Seedling Program, providing white spruce or lodgepole pine seedlings at subsidized rates for county landowners to establish shelterbelts or rejuvenate wooded areas.
- Alberta Animal ServicescoreRed Deer-based Alberta Animal Services is contracted to provide Dog Control services within Clearwater County borders, enforcing the county's Dog Control Bylaw through a progressive compliance approach.
- Parkland Regional Library SystemcoreClearwater County is served by Parkland Regional Library system, a cooperative network of 50 public and 48 school libraries serving 198,696 Central Alberta residents. County provides annual funding to support local library branches in Caroline, Rocky Mountain House, and Nordegg.
- RigstarcoreRigstar is the Network Operator for Clearwater County's Open Access Network (broadband optic fiber project). With three of six project phases completed, Rigstar manages the 360-kilometer fiber-optic cable backbone and wireless towers for high-speed internet delivery.
- Friends of the Eastern SlopesminorFriends of the Eastern Slopes is a non-profit organization that has taken over management of over a dozen Provincial Recreation Areas (PRAs) or campgrounds from Alberta Parks, most within Clearwater County, managing campgrounds in the David Thompson Country Tourism Region.
- Rocky Mountain House LibraryminorThe Rocky Mountain House Public Library hosts a showcase cinema program in partnership with Rocky Cinemas, running eight movies per year, and also houses a gallery space hosting a different Canadian artist each month.
- Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) - Town of Rocky Mountain HousecoreClearwater Regional FCSS is a partnership between Clearwater County and the Town of Rocky Mountain House, delivering social programs that are preventive in nature to promote well-being among individuals, families, and communities.
- Rocky Mountain House Search and Rescue (Rocky SAR)minorRocky Mountain House Search and Rescue is a volunteer organization that serves residents and visitors of Clearwater County as a Partner Agency under Emergency Services.
- RCMP and EMScoreRoyal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are listed as Partner Agencies under Clearwater County Emergency Services, working alongside Community Peace Officers and Fire Services.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clearwater County competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Red Deer County: Adjacent central Alberta rural county providing the full suite of municipal services to a mixed agricultural-residential population; closely comparable in service delivery model, though somewhat larger and more economically diversified than Clearwater County.
- Brazeau County: Central Alberta rural municipality of similar size and demographic profile, providing the same core municipal services (public works, planning, agriculture, fire, community services) to a small rural population across a large geographic area.
- Parkland County: Central Alberta rural municipality offering comparable services including roads, waste management, fire, and agriculture support; positioned near the Edmonton region with similar municipal governance structure to Clearwater County.
- Mountain View County: Rural Alberta county delivering municipal services to agricultural and rural residential populations in central Alberta; directly comparable in service mix, tax structure, and customer segments to Clearwater County.
- Wetaskiwin County No. 10: Rural Alberta county operating under the same Municipal Government Act, delivering public works, agricultural services, planning, and emergency services to a small rural population - directly comparable scale and service mix to Clearwater County.
- Yellowhead County: Adjacent rural Alberta county of comparable scale and service portfolio, providing municipal services including roads, utilities, agriculture support, and emergency services to a similarly dispersed rural population - the most directly comparable peer for Clearwater County.
- Lacombe County: Central Alberta rural municipality operating under the same Municipal Government Act framework as Clearwater County, offering public works, agricultural services, planning and development, and emergency services to a similar rural ratepayer base.
- Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8: Rural Alberta municipal district adjacent to the Rockies with significant forested area, providing comparable municipal services to a sparse population across mountainous terrain - structurally similar to Clearwater County's challenges.
Regional players
- Village of Caroline: Small village within Clearwater County that contracts fire services from Clearwater Regional Fire Rescue Services; comparable in governance structure and intermunicipal collaboration model, though smaller in operational scale.
- Town of Rocky Mountain House: Town located within Clearwater County that shares the Clearwater Regional Fire Rescue Services and FCSS partnerships; while a smaller urban entity, it is closely coupled to the county through shared service delivery and intermunicipal collaboration.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clearwater County social profiles
Digital presenceClearwater County financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clearwater County leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Clearwater County funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clearwater County M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clearwater County
What does Clearwater County do?
Clearwater County is a rural municipal government providing local government services to residents, businesses, and visitors across an 18,691 km² area in west-central Alberta. It delivers emergency services (fire rescue, 911 dispatch, emergency management), public works (roads, bridges, utilities, waste management), planning and development, agricultural services through the Agricultural Service Board, family and community social services, recreation programs, and a Rural Broadband Project that includes a 360-kilometre open-access fiber-optic backbone.
Is Clearwater County a public or private company?
Clearwater County is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Clearwater County founded?
Clearwater County was founded in -1. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Clearwater County based?
Clearwater County is headquartered in Rocky Mountain House, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Clearwater County make money?
One revenue line is on record: property Tax Revenue.
Who are Clearwater County's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Red Deer County, Brazeau County, Parkland County, Mountain View County, Wetaskiwin County No. 10, Yellowhead County, Lacombe County and Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8. Regional players are Village of Caroline and Town of Rocky Mountain House.
Does Clearwater County have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clearwater County.
What industry is Clearwater County in?
Clearwater County's product category is Local Government / Municipal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAF, Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities), with a secondary code of IMAFAEAG, Roadway Drainage & Stormwater Works (Culverts, Ditches, Catch Basins). Its NAICS code is 221 and its SIC code is 4900.