Yellowknife council green lights Phase 2 of Engle business district

There's been a mini land rush in Yellowknife's newest industrial zone this year.

The City of Yellowknife has sold 11 of the Engle Business District's 36 lots this year alone, prompting a push to develop another 30 or so extra lots in the district west of the Yellowknife airport. Lots in the district, opened up by an extension of Deh Cho Boulevard to Highway 3,first went on salein 2009.

Jeffrey Humble, the city's director of planning and development, credits the $2.9 million in Engle sales in 2016 to more "aggressive" marketing of the lots, including rebates and the new option for purchasers to buy land under an instalment plan.

"In some respects the incentive program has been more successful than we expected," said Humble.

"Eleven in one year is huge."

And the city is facing still more demand. On Monday city councillors received a short presentation from Jamie Nielsen, a vice-president with Calgary-based Enerchem International Inc. Enerchem makes jet, helicopter and home heating fuel at a facility in Slave Lake, Alta.

"We've made the decision to come into Yellowknife," said Niesen.

"What we really need to enable that is a storage facility. Back in June we came up to purchase some property from the city and found out we were a bit too late."

On Monday, councillors gave their blessing to a plan from the city to proceed with the design and engineering of Phase 2 of the district. That plan could see road construction begin next summer.

Councillors approved a lease with Enerchem for the first lot in Phase 2, with Enerchem agreeing to purchase the lot once marketing of the Phase 2 lots begins.

The city uses money from land sales in areas such as the Engle Business District to develop yet more land and to revitalize areas of the city such asits downtown core.