The Okotoks Business Park will be welcoming a new neighbour by the end of 2017.

FortisAlberta last year purchased the land along 32nd Street that formerly served as a snow storage lot for the Town of Okotoks.

Alana Antonelli, manager of corporate communications for FortisAlberta, says the final product will include three drive-through bays and office space for 12 people.  She says the site is currently being prepared for a foundation.

"We are going to be constructing a district office in the Okotoks area to help serve our customers in the area, with the significant growth that's happened over the past number of years," Antonelli explains. "We are constructing an office to have a better presence right in the community with regard to supporting electricity distribution service."

She says that, for now, the plan is to staff the new Okotoks location with some of the employees currently working out of the existing Fortis location in High River.

FortisAlberta is an electricity distribution provider that serves a large portion of the province.

"We own and operate the poles and wires that bring electricity to our customers homes and businesses and farms," she explains. "We serve more than 60 per cent of Alberta, mostly outside of major centres, so Okotoks is a great example of that."

Town of Okotoks Economic Development Specialist Alexandra Ross says the town is excited to have Fortis here.

"Fortis has been known as a company that provides great support to communities so we have been hoping for quite some time to welcome Fortis into our community," Ross says. "We are excited to have them operating here in Okotoks starting this year."

Send us your news tips, story ideas and comments at news@highriveronline.com