There likely aren't many ó if any ó places in Alberta, not to mention the whole country, that have not been impacted to some extent by the prolonged downturn in the price of oil.
Throughout the province, thousands of jobs have been cut as companies try to mitigate the effects of the lowest price of oil in about a decade on their bottom lines.
Sundre is no exception.
However, as big a part as the oil and gas industry plays in Sundre, it is not the sole source of economic activity upon which the municipality depends.
As Jason Nixon, the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre MLA, said during a candidates' forum before being elected last spring, "We shouldn't forget that Sundre was built on agriculture first, and I hope it will still be here long after oil and gas is gone."
The oil and gas industry has undoubtedly contributed a lot to this area, but Sundre's success can also be attributed to forestry, agriculture, outdoor recreation and increasingly, tourism.
"Our backyard is one of the most beautiful places in the world. We're going to see more and more tourists and our urban friends coming to enjoy our backyard. All those people coming out provides a great opportunity for Sundre to be the gateway to our West Country," said Nixon.
No economy can thrive if it is driven by only one volatile industry with a history of booms and busts. Diversity is absolutely crucial for long-term sustainability.
"Sundre will still be a hub for oil and gas activity in 20 years, but I do think that we can have tremendous opportunity to do other things," said Nixon.
As the saying goes, when one door closes, another is opened.
If there's one thing Albertans have exemplified over the years, it's their resiliency, tenacity and willingness to adapt to changing times. And times are changing, so there's no sense in trying to stay in the past.
The future of renewable energy, and any industry including forestry and agriculture, will depend just as much on engineers, skilled technicians and labourers as does the oil and gas industry. The energy sector, regardless of which form it takes, will always need workers ó in an uncertain world, that much at least is certain.
Where that future takes us depends largely on local efforts. Sundre's vision for the future should, after all, be homegrown.
And with everything this community nestled in the foothills has going for it, that future could be very bright.
