OLDS — The town rebounded after COVID to record the highest number of business licences in the past five years, according to statistics provided by chief administrative officer Brent Williams.
Those stats show that in 2023, 758 business licences were issued. Back in 2019, 728 business licences were issued, but after that, figures dropped to 712 in 2020, 696 in 2021 and 680 in 2022.
“At the end of 2023, we had a very positive year in terms of business licensing after certainly a lull during COVID,” Williams told council. “Following the pandemic, we have our highest total of business licences to date.”
Williams said that growth is underlined by the way commercial spaces are being filled up.
“You think of places like Mountain View Plaza and the various strip malls around town,” he said. “You can see certainly with the infill development in vacant commercial, those results are palpable.”
