List of municipalities in Alberta

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Map of Canada with Alberta highlighted in red
Location of Alberta in Canada
Locations of Alberta's specialized and rural municipalities
Distribution of Alberta's 6 specialized municipalities (red) and 73 rural municipalities, which include municipal districts (orange), improvement districts (dark green) and special areas (light green)

Alberta is the fourth-most populous province in Canada with 4,067,175 residents as of 2016 Census of Population and is the fourth-largest in land area at 640,330 km2 (247,230 sq mi).[1] Alberta's 344 municipalities cover 98.1% of the province's land mass and are home to 98.6% of its population.[2][3][a] These municipalities provide local government services, including roads, water, sewer and garbage collection among others, and a variety of programs to their residents.[4][5]

According to the Municipal Government Act (MGA), which was enacted in 2000, a municipality in Alberta is "a city, town, village, summer village, municipal district or specialized municipality, a town under the Parks Towns Act, or a municipality formed by special Act".[6] The MGA also recognizes improvement districts and special areas as municipal authorities while Metis settlements are recognized as municipalities by the Government of Alberta's Ministry of Municipal Affairs.[6][7] Cities, towns, villages, summer villages, municipal districts, specialized municipalities and improvement districts are formed under the provincial authority of the MGA.[6] Special areas and Metis settlements are formed under the provincial authority of the Special Areas Act (SAA) and the Metis Settlements Act (MSA) respectively, of which both were enacted in 2000.[8][9] As provincial law, the MGA, the SAA and the MSA were passed by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta with royal assent granted by the Lieutenant Governor.[10]

Of Alberta's 344 municipalities, 257 of them are urban municipalities (19 cities, 106 towns, 81 villages and 51 summer villages), 6 are specialized municipalities, 73 are rural municipalities (63 municipal districts, 7 improvement districts and 3 special areas) and 8 are Metis settlements.[2] The MGA, the SAA and the MSA stipulate governance of these municipalities.[6][8][9] Alberta's Ministry of Municipal Affairs is responsible for providing provincial services to municipalities.[11]

Over half of Alberta's population resides in its two largest cities. Calgary, the largest city, is home to 30.5% of the province's population (1,239,220 residents), while Edmonton, Alberta's capital city, is home to 22.9% (932,546 residents).[3] Improvement District No. 13 (Elk Island) and Improvement District No. 25 (Willmore Wilderness) are Alberta's smallest municipalities by population; both are unpopulated according to the 2016 Census of Population.[3][b] The largest municipality by land area is Mackenzie County at 80,458.19 km2 (31,065.08 sq mi), while the smallest by land area is the Summer Village of Castle Island at 0.05 km2 (0.019 sq mi).[3]

Urban municipalities[]

Locations of Alberta's urban municipalities
Distribution of Alberta's 260 urban municipalities including 19 cities (black), 106 towns (dark purple), 81 villages (light purple) and 51 summer villages (pink) (2011)

Alberta's Municipal Government Act (MGA), enacted in 2000, defines urban municipality as a "city, town, village or summer village."[6] For federal census purposes, Statistics Canada recognizes all four urban municipality types as census subdivisions.[13]

Combined, Alberta has 257 urban municipalities comprising 19 cities, 106 towns, 81 villages and 51 summer villages.[2] The 257 urban municipalities have a total population of 3,337,538, a total land area of 3,948.85 km2 (1,524.66 sq mi). These totals represent 82% of Alberta's population yet only 0.6% of its land area.

Cities[]

Main article: List of cities in Alberta

The MGA stipulates that an area may incorporate as a city if it has a population of 10,000 people or more and the majority of its buildings are on parcels of land smaller than 1,850 m2 (19,900 sq ft).[6] Alberta has 19 cities that had a cumulative population of 2,820,115 in the 2016 Census of Population.[2][3] These 19 cities include Lloydminster, of which a portion is located within the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan.[14] Alberta's largest city by population and land area is Calgary with 1,239,220 and 825.56 km2 (318.75 sq mi), while Wetaskiwin is its smallest city by population with 12,655 and land area at 18.31 km2 (7.07 sq mi).[3] Beaumont is Alberta's newest city; it became Alberta's 19th city on January 1, 2019.[15]

Towns[]

Main article: List of towns in Alberta

The MGA stipulates that an area may incorporate as a town if it has a population of 1,000 people or more and the majority of its buildings are on parcels of land smaller than 1,850 m2 (19,900 sq ft).[6] Alberta has 106 towns that had a cumulative population of 475,148 in the 2016 Census of Population.[2][3][16] The province's largest and smallest towns by population are Okotoks and Stavely with 28,881 and 541 respectively, while its largest and smallest by land area are Drumheller and Eckville with 108.03 km2 (41.71 sq mi) and 1.60 km2 (0.62 sq mi) respectively.[3] Nobleford is Alberta's newest town, which changed from a village to a town on February 28, 2021.[17]

Villages[]

Main article: List of villages in Alberta

The MGA stipulates that an area may incorporate as a village if it has a population of 300 people or more and the majority of its buildings are on parcels of land smaller than 1,850 m2 (19,900 sq ft).[6] Alberta has 81 villages that had a cumulative population of 37,099 in the 2016 Census of Population.[2][3] The province's largest and smallest villages by population are Duchess and Milo with 1,085 and 91 respectively, while its largest and smallest by land area are Chipman and Edberg with 9.61 km2 (3.71 sq mi) and 0.35 km2 (0.14 sq mi) respectively.[3] The last communities to incorporate as villages were Alberta Beach and Spring Lake, which both changed from summer villages to villages on January 1, 1999.[18]

Summer villages[]

Main article: List of summer villages in Alberta

Under previous legislation, a community could incorporate as a summer village if it had "a minimum of 50 separate buildings occupied as dwellings at any time during a six-month period".[19] A community can no longer incorporate as a summer village under the MGA.[6][20]

Alberta has 51 summer villages that had a cumulative population of 5,176 in the 2016 Census of Population.[2][3] The province's largest summer village by population is Sandy Beach with 278, while Castle Island, Kapasiwin, and Point Alison are Alberta's smallest summer villages with a population of 10 each.[3] The province's largest and smallest summer villages by land area are Silver Sands and Castle Island with 2.41 km2 (0.93 sq mi) and 0.05 km2 (0.019 sq mi) respectively.[3] Gull Lake and Kapasiwin were the last communities in Alberta to incorporate as summer villages. Both were incorporated on September 1, 1993.[21] Since then, two summer villages have incorporated as villages (Alberta Beach and Edmonton Beach, now named Spring Lake) and one has dissolved (White Gull).[18][22]

List of urban municipalities[]

  • Skyline of Calgary

    Calgary, Alberta's largest city

  • Skyline of Edmonton

    Edmonton, Alberta's capital and second largest city

  • Aerial view of Red Deer

    Red Deer, Alberta's third largest city, is located at the midpoint between Calgary and Edmonton.

  • Skyline of Lethbridge

    Lethbridge is Alberta's fourth largest city.

  • Downtown St. Albert

    St. Albert, Alberta's fifth largest city, is located adjacent to Edmonton.

List of urban municipalities in Alberta
Name Status[2] Incorporation date
(current status)
[23][24][18][21] 		2016 Census of Population[3]
Population
(2016) 		Population
(2011) 		Change
(%) 		Land
area
(km2) 		Population
density
(per km2)
Acme Village July 7, 1910 653 653 0.0% 2.48 263.3/km2
Airdrie City January 1, 1985 61,581 43,271 +42.3% 84.57 728.2/km2
Alberta Beach Village January 1, 1999 1,018 865 +17.7% 2.01 506.5/km2
Alix Village June 3, 1907 734 830 −11.6% 3.13 234.5/km2
Alliance Village August 26, 1918 154 174 −11.5% 0.51 302.0/km2
Amisk Village January 1, 1956 204 207 −1.4% 0.76 268.4/km2
Andrew Village June 24, 1930 425 379 +12.1% 1.17 363.2/km2
Argentia Beach Summer village January 1, 1967 27 15 +80.0% 0.73 37.0/km2
Arrowwood Village May 13, 1926 207 188 +10.1% 0.75 276.0/km2
Athabasca[c] Town September 19, 1911 2,965 2,990 −0.8% 17.65 168.0/km2
Banff Town January 1, 1990 7,851 7,584 +3.5% 4.77 1,645.9/km2
Barnwell Village January 1, 1980 947 771 +22.8% 1.51 627.2/km2
Barons Village May 6, 1910 341 315 +8.3% 0.81 421.0/km2
Barrhead Town November 26, 1946 4,579 4,432 +3.3% 8.17 560.5/km2
Bashaw Town May 1, 1964 830 873 −4.9% 2.99 277.6/km2
Bassano Town January 16, 1911 1,206 1,282 −5.9% 5.22 231.0/km2
Bawlf Village October 12, 1906 422 403 +4.7% 0.89 474.2/km2
Beaumont City January 1, 2019 17,396 13,284 +31.0% 10.47 1,661.5/km2
Beaverlodge Town January 24, 1956 2,465 2,365 +4.2% 5.73 430.2/km2
Beiseker Village February 23, 1921 819 785 +4.3% 2.85 287.4/km2
Bentley Town January 1, 2001 1,078 1,073 +0.5% 2.24 481.3/km2
Berwyn Village November 28, 1936 538 526 +2.3% 1.58 340.5/km2
Betula Beach Summer village January 1, 1960 16 10 +60.0% 0.25 64.0/km2
Big Valley Village March 9, 1942 346 364 −4.9% 1.86 186.0/km2
Birch Cove Summer village December 31, 1988 45 45 0.0% 0.3 150.0/km2
Birchcliff Summer village January 1, 1972 117 112 +4.5% 1.03 113.6/km2
Bittern Lake[d] Village November 2, 1904 220 224 −1.8% 6.57 33.5/km2
Black Diamond Town January 1, 1956 2,700 2,373 +13.8% 3.84 703.1/km2
Blackfalds Town April 1, 1980 9,328 6,300 +48.1% 16.44 567.4/km2
Bon Accord Town November 20, 1979 1,529 1,488 +2.8% 2.13 717.8/km2
Bondiss Summer village January 1, 1983 110 106 +3.8% 1.23 89.4/km2
Bonnyville Town February 3, 1948 5,975[26] 6,216 −3.9% 14.18 421.4/km2
Bonnyville Beach Summer village January 1, 1958 84 95 −11.6% 0.17 494.1/km2
Bow Island Town February 1, 1912 1,983 2,025 −2.1% 5.81 341.3/km2
Bowden Town September 1, 1981 1,240 1,241 −0.1% 2.8 442.9/km2
Boyle Village December 31, 1953 845 916 −7.8% 7.13 118.5/km2
Breton Village January 1, 1957 574 496 +15.7% 1.72 333.7/km2
Brooks City September 1, 2005 14,451 13,676 +5.7% 18.59 777.4/km2
Bruderheim Town September 17, 1980 1,308 1,155 +13.2% 7.12 183.7/km2
Burnstick Lake Summer village December 31, 1991 15[26] 16 −6.2% 0.18 83.3/km2
Calgary City January 1, 1894 1,239,220 1,096,833 +13.0% 825.56 1,501.1/km2
Calmar Town January 19, 1954 2,228 1,970 +13.1% 4.68 476.1/km2
Camrose City January 1, 1955 18,742 17,286 +8.4% 42.62 439.7/km2
Canmore Town June 1, 1966 13,992 12,288 +13.9% 69.43 201.5/km2
Carbon Village November 18, 1912 454 592 −23.3% 1.99 228.1/km2
Cardston Town July 2, 1901 3,585 3,580 +0.1% 8.59 417.3/km2
Carmangay Village March 4, 1936 242 367 −34.1% 1.86 130.1/km2
Caroline Village December 31, 1951 512 501 +2.2% 2.04 251.0/km2
Carstairs Town September 1, 1966 4,077 3,442 +18.4% 11.92 342.0/km2
Castle Island Summer village January 1, 1955 10 19 −47.4% 0.05 200.0/km2
Castor Town June 27, 1910 929 932 −0.3% 2.63 353.2/km2
Champion Village May 27, 1911 317 378 −16.1% 0.89 356.2/km2
Chauvin Village December 30, 1912 335 334 +0.3% 2.24 149.6/km2
Chestermere[e] City January 1, 2015[27] 19,887 14,824 +34.2% 32.94 603.7/km2
Chipman Village October 21, 1913 274 284 −3.5% 9.61 28.5/km2
Claresholm Town August 31, 1905 3,780 3,758 +0.6% 8.11 466.1/km2
Clive Village January 9, 1912 715 675 +5.9% 2.17 329.5/km2
Clyde Village January 28, 1914 430 503 −14.5% 1.31 328.2/km2
Coaldale Town January 7, 1952 8,215 7,493 +9.6% 7.99 1,028.2/km2
Coalhurst Town June 1, 1995 2,668 1,978 +34.9% 3.11 857.9/km2
Cochrane Town February 15, 1971 25,853 17,580 +47.1% 29.83 866.7/km2
Cold Lake City October 1, 2000 14,961 13,839 +8.1% 59.92 249.7/km2
Consort Village September 23, 1912 729 689 +5.8% 3.05 239.0/km2
Coronation Town April 29, 1912 940 947 −0.7% 3.62 259.7/km2
Coutts Village January 1, 1960 245 277 −11.6% 1.24 197.6/km2
Cowley Village August 16, 1906 209 236 −11.4% 1.37 152.6/km2
Cremona Village January 1, 1955 444 457 −2.8% 1.94 228.9/km2
Crossfield Town August 1, 1980 2,983 2,853 +4.6% 11.96 249.4/km2
Crystal Springs Summer village January 1, 1957 51 90 −43.3% 0.57 89.5/km2
Czar Village November 12, 1917 202 167 +21.0% 1.12 180.4/km2
Daysland Town April 2, 1907 824 807 +2.1% 1.75 470.9/km2
Delburne Village January 17, 1913 892 830 +7.5% 3.98 224.1/km2
Delia[f] Village July 20, 1914 216 186 +16.1% 1.33 162.4/km2
Devon Town February 24, 1950 6,578 6,515 +1.0% 14.3 460.0/km2
Didsbury Town September 27, 1906 5,268 4,957 +6.3% 16.37 321.8/km2
Donalda Village December 30, 1912 219 259 −15.4% 0.99 221.2/km2
Donnelly Village January 1, 1956 342 305 +12.1% 1.31 261.1/km2
Drayton Valley Town February 1, 1957 7,235 7,118 +1.6% 30.72 235.5/km2
Drumheller[g] Town March 2, 1916
January 1, 1998		 7,982 8,029 −0.6% 108.03 73.9/km2
Duchess Village May 12, 1921 1,085 992 +9.4% 1.96 553.6/km2
Eckville Town July 1, 1966 1,125 1,125 0.0% 1.6 703.1/km2
Edberg Village February 4, 1930 151 168 −10.1% 0.35 431.4/km2
Edgerton Village September 11, 1917 384 317 +21.1% 2.04 188.2/km2
Edmonton City October 8, 1904 932,546 812,201 +14.8% 685.25 1,360.9/km2
Edson Town September 21, 1911 8,414 8,475 −0.7% 29.72 283.1/km2
Elk Point Town January 1, 1962 1,452 1,412 +2.8% 4.91 295.7/km2
Elnora Village July 22, 1929 298 313 −4.8% 1.47 202.7/km2
Empress Village February 5, 1914 135 188 −28.2% 1.58 85.4/km2
Fairview Town April 25, 1949 2,998 3,162 −5.2% 11.36 263.9/km2
Falher Town January 1, 1955 1,047 1,075 −2.6% 2.78 376.6/km2
Foremost Village December 31, 1950 541 526 +2.9% 2.16 250.5/km2
Forestburg Village August 21, 1919 875 831 +5.3% 2.73 320.5/km2
Fort Macleod[h] Town March 29, 1912 2,967 3,117 −4.8% 23.41 126.7/km2
Fort Saskatchewan City July 1, 1985 24,149 19,051 +26.8% 48.18 501.2/km2
Fox Creek Town September 1, 1983 1,971 1,969 +0.1% 12.36 159.5/km2
Ghost Lake Summer village December 31, 1953 82 81 +1.2% 0.67 122.4/km2
Gibbons Town April 1, 1977 3,159 3,030 +4.3% 7.5 421.2/km2
Girouxville Village December 31, 1951 219 266 −17.7% 0.67 326.9/km2
Glendon Village January 1, 1956 493 486 +1.4% 1.99 247.7/km2
Glenwood Village January 1, 1961 316 287 +10.1% 1.37 230.7/km2
Golden Days Summer village January 1, 1965 160 141 +13.5% 2.28 70.2/km2
Grande Prairie City January 1, 1958 63,166 55,655 +13.5% 132.73 475.9/km2
Grandview Summer village January 1, 1967 114 108 +5.6% 0.79 144.3/km2
Grimshaw Town February 2, 1953 2,718 2,515 +8.1% 7.09 383.4/km2
Gull Lake Summer village September 1, 1993 176 122 +44.3% 0.7 251.4/km2
Half Moon Bay Summer village January 1, 1978 42 38 +10.5% 0.11 381.8/km2
Halkirk Village February 10, 1912 112 121 −7.4% 0.61 183.6/km2
Hanna Town April 14, 1914 2,559 2,673 −4.3% 8.81 290.5/km2
Hardisty Town November 9, 1910 554 639 −13.3% 5.13 108.0/km2
Hay Lakes[i] Village April 17, 1928 495 425 +16.5% 0.59 839.0/km2
Heisler Village January 1, 1961 160 151 +6.0% 0.64 250.0/km2
High Level Town September 1, 1983 3,159 3,641 −13.2% 29.2 108.2/km2
High Prairie Town January 10, 1950 2,564 2,600 −1.4% 7.22 355.1/km2
High River Town February 12, 1906 13,584 12,930 +5.1% 21.39 635.1/km2
Hill Spring Village January 1, 1961 162 186 −12.9% 0.96 168.8/km2
Hines Creek Village December 31, 1951 346 380 −8.9% 5.33 64.9/km2
Hinton Town December 29, 1958 9,882 9,640 +2.5% 33.52 294.8/km2
Holden Village April 14, 1909 350 381 −8.1% 1.74 201.1/km2
Horseshoe Bay Summer village January 1, 1985 49 37 +32.4% 1.14 43.0/km2
Hughenden Village December 27, 1917 243 230 +5.7% 0.78 311.5/km2
Hussar Village April 20, 1928 190 176 +8.0% 0.75 253.3/km2
Hythe Village August 31, 1929 827 820 +0.9% 4.1 201.7/km2
Innisfail Town November 20, 1903 7,847 7,876 −0.4% 19.4 404.5/km2
Innisfree Village March 11, 1911 193 220 −12.3% 1.01 191.1/km2
Irma Village May 30, 1912 521 457 +14.0% 1.34 388.8/km2
Irricana Town June 9, 2005 1,216 1,162 +4.6% 3.23 376.5/km2
Island Lake South Summer village January 1, 1983 228 243 −6.2% 1.85 123.2/km2
Island Lake Summer village January 1, 1958 61 72 −15.3% 0.67 91.0/km2
Itaska Beach Summer village June 30, 1953 23 20 +15.0% 0.29 79.3/km2
Jarvis Bay Summer village January 1, 1986 213 203 +4.9% 0.53 401.9/km2
Kapasiwin Summer village September 1, 1993 10 10 0.0% 0.3 33.3/km2
Killam Town May 1, 1965 989 981 +0.8% 6.75 146.5/km2
Kitscoty Village March 22, 1911 925 846 +9.3% 1.51 612.6/km2
Lacombe City September 5, 2010 13,057 11,707 +11.5% 20.81 627.4/km2
Lakeview Summer village October 25, 1913 30 26 +15.4% 0.35 85.7/km2
Lamont Town May 31, 1968 1,774 1,753 +1.2% 9.2 192.8/km2
Larkspur Summer village January 1, 1985 44 38 +15.8% 0.26 169.2/km2
Leduc City September 1, 1983 29,993 24,304 +23.4% 42.44 706.7/km2
Legal Town January 1, 1998 1,345 1,225 +9.8% 3.18 423.0/km2
Lethbridge City May 9, 1906 92,729 83,517 +11.0% 122.09 759.5/km2
Linden Village January 1, 1964 828 725 +14.2% 2.58 320.9/km2
Lloydminster (part)[j] City January 1, 1958 19,645 18,032 +8.9% 24.04 817.2/km2
Lomond Village February 16, 1916 166 173 −4.0% 1.21 137.2/km2
Longview Village January 1, 1964 307 307 0.0% 1.1 279.1/km2
Lougheed Village November 7, 1911 256 233 +9.9% 2.1 121.9/km2
Magrath Town July 24, 1907 2,374 2,217 +7.1% 5.99 396.3/km2
Ma-Me-O Beach Summer village December 31, 1948 110 113 −2.7% 0.52 211.5/km2
Manning Town January 1, 1957 1,183 1,164 +1.6% 4.05 292.1/km2
Mannville Village December 29, 1906 828 803 +3.1% 1.64 504.9/km2
Marwayne Village December 31, 1952 564 612 −7.8% 1.6 352.5/km2
Mayerthorpe Town March 20, 1961 1,320 1,398 −5.6% 4.37 302.1/km2
McLennan Town February 11, 1948 701 809 −13.3% 3.71 188.9/km2
Medicine Hat City May 9, 1906 63,260 60,005 +5.4% 112.04 564.6/km2
Mewatha Beach Summer village January 1, 1978 90 79 +13.9% 0.8 112.5/km2
Milk River Town February 7, 1956 827 811 +2.0% 2.33 354.9/km2
Millet Town September 1, 1983 1,945 2,092 −7.0% 3.72 522.8/km2
Milo Village May 7, 1931 91 122 −25.4% 0.98 92.9/km2
Morinville Town April 21, 1911 9,848 8,569 +14.9% 11.15 883.2/km2
Morrin Village April 16, 1920 240 245 −2.0% 0.67 358.2/km2
Mundare Town January 4, 1951 852 855 −0.4% 4.21 202.4/km2
Munson Village May 5, 1911 192 204 −5.9% 2.53 75.9/km2
Myrnam Village August 22, 1930 339 370 −8.4% 2.79 121.5/km2
Nampa Village January 1, 1958 364 362 +0.6% 1.71 212.9/km2
Nakamun Park Summer village January 1, 1966 96 36 +166.7% 0.45 213.3/km2
Nanton Town August 9, 1907 2,181[26] 2,132 +2.3% 4.87 447.8/km2
Nobleford Town February 28, 1918 1,278 1,000 +27.8% 1.59 803.8/km2
Norglenwold Summer village January 1, 1965 273 232 +17.7% 0.62 440.3/km2
Norris Beach Summer village December 31, 1988 38 46 −17.4% 0.2 190.0/km2
Okotoks Town June 1, 1904 28,881 24,511 +17.8% 19.63 1,471.3/km2
Olds Town July 1, 1905 9,184 8,235 +11.5% 14.93 615.1/km2
Onoway Town September 1, 2005 1,029 1,039 −1.0% 3.32 309.9/km2
Oyen Town September 1, 1965 1,001 973 +2.9% 5.28 189.6/km2
Paradise Valley Village January 1, 1964 179 174 +2.9% 0.63 284.1/km2
Parkland Beach Summer village January 1, 1984 153 124 +23.4% 0.95 161.1/km2
Peace River[k] Town December 1, 1919 6,842 6,729 +1.7% 26.26 260.5/km2
Pelican Narrows Summer village July 1, 1979 151 162 −6.8% 0.72 209.7/km2
Penhold Town September 1, 1980 3,277 2,375 +38.0% 5.29 619.5/km2
Picture Butte Town January 1, 1960 1,810 1,650 +9.7% 2.85 635.1/km2
Pincher Creek Town May 12, 1906 3,642 3,685 −1.2% 10.09 361.0/km2
Point Alison Summer village December 31, 1950 10 15 −33.3% 0.16 62.5/km2
Ponoka Town October 15, 1904 7,229 6,778 +6.7% 17.33 417.1/km2
Poplar Bay Summer village January 1, 1967 103 80 +28.8% 0.67 153.7/km2
Provost Town December 29, 1952 1,998 2,041 −2.1% 4.72 423.3/km2
Rainbow Lake Town September 1, 1995 795 870 −8.6% 10.76 73.9/km2
Raymond Town July 1, 1903 3,708 3,743 −0.9% 6.66 556.8/km2
Red Deer City March 25, 1913 100,418 90,564 +10.9% 104.73 958.8/km2
Redcliff Town August 5, 1912 5,600 5,588 +0.2% 16.25 344.6/km2
Redwater Town December 31, 1950 2,053 1,915 +7.2% 20.03 102.5/km2
Rimbey Town December 13, 1948 2,567 2,378 +7.9% 11.4 225.2/km2
Rochon Sands Summer village May 17, 1929 86 65 +32.3% 2.16 39.8/km2
Rocky Mountain House Town August 31, 1939 6,635 6,933 −4.3% 12.71 522.0/km2
Rockyford Village March 28, 1919 316 325 −2.8% 1.08 292.6/km2
Rosalind Village January 1, 1966 188 190 −1.1% 0.62 303.2/km2
Rosemary Village December 31, 1951 396 342 +15.8% 0.59 671.2/km2
Ross Haven Summer village January 1, 1962 160 137 +16.8% 0.71 225.4/km2
Rycroft Village March 15, 1944 612 628 −2.5% 1.92 318.8/km2
Ryley[l] Village April 2, 1910 483 497 −2.8% 2.61 185.1/km2
Sandy Beach Summer village January 1, 1956 278 223 +24.7% 2.4 115.8/km2
Seba Beach Summer village August 20, 1920 169 143 +18.2% 0.86 196.5/km2
Sedgewick Town May 1, 1966 811 857 −5.4% 2.72 298.2/km2
Sexsmith Town October 15, 1979 2,620 2,418 +8.4% 13.24 197.9/km2
Silver Beach Summer village December 31, 1953 65 52 +25.0% 0.64 101.6/km2
Silver Sands Summer village January 1, 1969 160 85 +88.2% 2.41 66.4/km2
Slave Lake Town August 2, 1965 6,651 6,782 −1.9% 14.44 460.6/km2
Smoky Lake Town February 1, 1962 964 1,022 −5.7% 4.26 226.3/km2
South Baptiste Summer village January 1, 1983 66 52 +26.9% 0.93 71.0/km2
South View Summer village January 1, 1970 67 35 +91.4% 0.41 163.4/km2
Spirit River Town September 18, 1951 995 1,025 −2.9% 3.14 316.9/km2
Spring Lake[m] Village January 1, 1999 699 533 +31.1% 2.33 300.0/km2
Spruce Grove City March 1, 1986 34,066 26,171 +30.2% 32.2 1,058.0/km2
St. Albert City January 1, 1977 65,589 61,466 +6.7% 48.45 1,353.7/km2
St. Paul[n] Town December 15, 1936 5,827 5,405 +7.8% 8.64 674.4/km2
Standard Village April 29, 1922 353 379 −6.9% 2.35 150.2/km2
Stavely Town May 25, 1912 541 505 +7.1% 1.83 295.6/km2
Stettler Town November 23, 1906 5,952 5,748 +3.5% 13.14 453.0/km2
Stirling Village September 3, 1901 978 1,090 −10.3% 2.71 360.9/km2
Stony Plain Town December 10, 1908 17,189 15,051 +14.2% 35.72 481.2/km2
Strathmore Town July 6, 1911 13,756 12,305 +11.8% 27.4 502.0/km2
Sunbreaker Cove Summer village December 31, 1990 81 69 +17.4% 0.5 162.0/km2
Sundance Beach Summer village January 1, 1970 73 82 −11.0% 0.44 165.9/km2
Sundre Town January 1, 1956 2,729 2,610 +4.6% 11.11 245.6/km2
Sunrise Beach Summer village December 31, 1988 135 149 −9.4% 1.66 81.3/km2
Sunset Beach Summer village May 1, 1977 49 44 +11.4% 0.74 66.2/km2
Sunset Point Summer village January 1, 1959 169 221 −23.5% 1.15 147.0/km2
Swan Hills Town January 1, 1967 1,301 1,465 −11.2% 26.12 49.8/km2
Sylvan Lake Town May 20, 1946 14,816 12,362 +19.9% 23.36 634.2/km2
Taber Town July 1, 1907 8,428 8,104 +4.0% 15.67 537.8/km2
Thorsby Town January 1, 2017 985 951 +3.6% 3.85 255.8/km2
Three Hills Town January 1, 1929 3,212 3,198 +0.4% 6.75 475.9/km2
Tofield Town September 10, 1909 2,081 2,182 −4.6% 8.21 253.5/km2
Trochu Town August 1, 1962 1,058 1,072 −1.3% 2.78 380.6/km2
Turner Valley Town September 1, 1977 2,559 2,167 +18.1% 5.79 442.0/km2
Two Hills Town January 1, 1955 1,352 1,379 −2.0% 3.38 400.0/km2
Val Quentin Summer village January 1, 1966 252 157 +60.5% 0.31 812.9/km2
Valleyview Town February 5, 1957 1,863 1,761 +5.8% 9.32 199.9/km2
Vauxhall Town January 1, 1961 1,222 1,288 −5.1% 2.72 449.3/km2
Vegreville Town August 15, 1906 5,708 5,717 −0.2% 14.08 405.4/km2
Vermilion Town August 27, 1906 4,084 3,930 +3.9% 12.93 315.9/km2
Veteran Village June 30, 1914 207 249 −16.9% 0.84 246.4/km2
Viking Town November 10, 1952 1,083 1,041 +4.0% 3.7 292.7/km2
Vilna Village June 23, 1923 290 249 +16.5% 0.96 302.1/km2
Vulcan Town June 15, 1921 1,917 1,836 +4.4% 6.34 302.4/km2
Wainwright Town July 14, 1910 6,270 5,925 +5.8% 9.1 689.0/km2
Waiparous Summer village January 1, 1986 49 42 +16.7% 0.41 119.5/km2
Warburg Village December 31, 1953 766 789 −2.9% 2.68 285.8/km2
Warner Village November 12, 1908 373 331 +12.7% 1.16 321.6/km2
Waskatenau Village May 19, 1932 186 255 −27.1% 0.6 310.0/km2
Wembley Town August 1, 1980 1,516 1,383 +9.6% 4.75 319.2/km2
West Baptiste Summer village January 1, 1983 38 52 −26.9% 0.65 58.5/km2
West Cove Summer village January 1, 1963 149 121 +23.1% 1.33 112.0/km2
Westlock Town January 7, 1947 5,101 4,823 +5.8% 13.37 381.5/km2
Wetaskiwin City May 9, 1906 12,655 12,525 +1.0% 18.31 691.2/km2
Whispering Hills Summer village January 1, 1983 142 108 +31.5% 1.68 84.5/km2
White Sands Summer village January 1, 1980 120 91 +31.9% 1.58 75.9/km2
Whitecourt Town December 20, 1971 10,204 9,605 +6.2% 26.44 385.9/km2
Yellowstone Summer village January 1, 1965 137 124 +10.5% 0.28 489.3/km2
Youngstown Village December 31, 1936 154 178 ��13.5% 1.11 138.7/km2
Total cities — — 2,837,511 2,488,211 +14.0% 2,465.94 1,150.7/km2
Total towns — — 453,775 420,051 +8.0% 1,246.10 364.2/km2
Total villages — — 35,878 35,268 +1.7% 152.54 235.2/km2
Total summer villages — — 5,176 4,586 +12.9% 40.79 126.9/km2
Total urban municipalities — — 3,332,340 2,948,566 +13.0% 3,905.37 853.3/km2
Province of Alberta — — 4,067,175 3,645,257 +11.6% 640,330.46 6.4/km2

Specialized municipalities[]

Locations of Alberta's specialized municipalities
Distribution of Alberta's six specialized municipalities and three urban service areas (2020)
Residential area in Sherwood Park
Sherwood Park is an urban service area within Strathcona County.
Aerial view of Fort McMurray
Fort McMurray is an urban service area within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Main article: List of specialized municipalities in Alberta

Specialized municipalities in Alberta are unique local governments.[33] Alberta's Municipal Government Act (MGA), enacted in 2000, provides the authority to form a specialized municipality under the following scenarios:[6]

  • where the Minister of Municipal Affairs is satisfied that the other incorporated statuses under the MGA do not meet the needs of the proposed municipality's residents;
  • to form a local government that, in the opinion of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, will provide for the orderly development of the municipality in a similar fashion to the other incorporated statuses within the MGA, including other previously incorporated specialized municipalities; or
  • for any other circumstances that are deemed appropriate by the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

Alberta has six specialized municipalities, which are recognized as census subdivisions by Statistics Canada.[2][13] In the 2016 Census of Population, they had a cumulative population of 199,313, a total land area of 157,285.11 km2 (60,728.12 sq mi).[3] These totals represent 5% of Alberta's population yet 24.6% of its land area.

The province's largest and smallest specialized municipalities by population are Strathcona County and the Municipality of Jasper with 98,044 and 4,590 respectively, while its largest and smallest by land area are Mackenzie County and the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass with 80,458.19 km2 (31,065.08 sq mi) and 371.44 km2 (143.41 sq mi) respectively.[3] Lac La Biche County is Alberta's newest specialized municipality, which was formed on January 1, 2018.[34] Alberta's first specialized municipality was the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which formed on April 1, 1995.[35]

Strathcona County and the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo are home to the unincorporated hamlets of Sherwood Park and Fort McMurray respectively.[36] These communities are designated urban service areas, which are deemed equivalents of cities.[37][38] Excluding Sherwood Park and Fort McMurray, 18 other unincorporated communities, also recognized as hamlets by Alberta Municipal Affairs, are distributed among Mackenzie County, Strathcona County and the RM of Wood Buffalo.[36]

List of specialized municipalities[]

List of specialized municipalities in Alberta
Specialized municipality Incorporation date
(specialized
municipality)[35] 		Population
(2016)[39] 		Population
(2011)[39] 		Change
(%)[39] 		Land
area
(km²)[39] 		Population
density
(per km²)[39]
Crowsnest Pass, Municipality of January 16, 2008 5,589 5,565 +0.4% 371.44 15.0/km2
Jasper, Municipality of July 20, 2001 4,590 4,432 +3.6% 924.06 5.0/km2
Lac La Biche County[o] January 1, 2018[34] 8,330 8,397 −0.8% 12,570.99 0.7/km2
Mackenzie County June 23, 1999 11,171 10,927 +2.2% 80,458.19 0.1/km2
Strathcona County January 1, 1996 98,044 92,490 +6.0% 1,182.78 82.9/km2
Wood Buffalo, Regional Municipality of April 1, 1995 71,589 65,565 +9.2% 61,777.65 1.2/km2
Total specialized municipalities — 199,313 187,376 +6.4% 157,285.11 1.3/km2
Province of Alberta — 4,067,175 3,645,257 +11.6% 640,330.46 6.4/km2

Rural municipalities[]

Locations of Alberta's rural municipalities
Distribution of Alberta's 73 rural municipalities as of May 2021 including 63 municipal districts (orange), 7 improvement districts (green) and 3 special areas (brown)

Rural municipalities in Alberta include municipal districts, improvement districts and special areas.[41] For federal census purposes, Statistics Canada recognizes all three rural municipality types as census subdivisions.[13] However, Statistics Canada embeds Alberta's eight Metis settlements, a separate type of municipality, into the census subdivisions for six municipal districts.[40]

Combined, Alberta has 73 rural municipalities comprising 63 municipal districts, 7 improvement districts and 3 special areas.[2] The 73 rural municipalities have a total population of 471,911, a total land area of 467,243.41 km2 (180,403.69 sq mi).[3][p] These totals represent 12% of Alberta's population yet 73% of its land area.

Municipal districts[]

Main article: List of municipal districts in Alberta

In Alberta, a municipal district, typically branded as a county, is a type of rural municipality.[41] The MGA, enacted in 2000, stipulates that an area may incorporate as a municipal district if it has a population of 1,000 people or more and the majority of its buildings are on parcels of land larger than 1,850 m2 (19,900 sq ft).[6]

Alberta has 63 municipal districts that had a cumulative population of 465,672 in the 2016 Census of Population.[2][3][26] The province's largest and smallest municipal districts by population are Rocky View County and the Municipal District (MD) of Ranchland No. 66 with 39,407 and 92 respectively, while its largest and smallest by land area are the MD of Greenview No. 16 and the MD of Spirit River No. 133 with 32,984.24 km2 (12,735.29 sq mi) and 683.60 km2 (263.94 sq mi) respectively.[3] Unincorporated communities recognized as hamlets by Alberta Municipal Affairs are located within every municipal district with the exception of Mountain View County, the MD of Ranchland No. 66 and the MD of Spirit River No. 133.[36]

Improvement districts[]

In Alberta, an improvement district is a type of rural municipality that can be incorporated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council on the recommendation of Alberta's Minister of Municipal Affairs under the authority of the MGA.[6][41] Improvement districts are administered by the Province of Alberta through its Ministry of Municipal Affairs.[41]

Alberta had eight improvement districts that had a cumulative population of 2,055 in the 2016 Census of Population.[2][3] The number of improvement districts was reduced to seven on May 1, 2021 when Improvement District (ID) No. 349 dissolved by way of annexation to the MD of Bonnyville No. 87.[42] Five of Alberta's improvement districts are within national parks while two are within provincial parks.[41] Alberta's largest improvement district by population is ID No. 9, located within Banff National Park, with 1,028, while its largest by land area is ID No. 24, located within Wood Buffalo National Park, at 33,416.30 km2 (12,902.11 sq mi).[3][41] ID No. 13 (Elk Island) and ID No. 25 (Willmore Wilderness) are Alberta's are unpopulated,[b] while its smallest by land area is ID No. 13 (Elk Island) at 165.05 km2 (63.73 sq mi).[3] Alberta Municipal Affairs recognizes two unincorporated communities within improvement districts as hamlets – Lake Louise within ID No. 9 (Banff National Park) and Waterton Park within ID No. 4 (Waterton Lakes National Park).[36]

Special areas[]

Main article: Special Areas Board

In Alberta, a special area is a type of rural municipality that can be incorporated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council under the authority of the Special Areas Act, which was enacted in 2000.[8][41] They were originally created in 1938 as a result of hardship brought upon a particular area in southeastern Alberta during the drought of the 1930s.[41]

Alberta has three special areas that had a cumulative population of 4,184 in the 2016 Census of Populations.[2][3] The province's largest by population and land area is Special Area (SA) No. 2 with 1,905 and 9,347.57 km2 (3,609.12 sq mi) respectively. Alberta's smallest by population is SA No. 3 with 1,042, while its smallest by land area is SA No. 4 with 4,402.64 km2 (1,699.87 sq mi).[3] The last special area to form was SA No. 4, which incorporated on January 1, 1969 through the removal of certain lands from SA No. 3.[43] The three special areas are administered as a single unit by the Special Areas Board, and are home to 16 unincorporated communities recognized as hamlets by Alberta Municipal Affairs.[41][43]

List of rural municipalities[]

List of rural municipalities in Alberta
Name Status[2] Incorporation date
(current status)
[43][44][45] 		2016 Census of Population[3]
Population
(2016) 		Population
(2011) 		Change
(%) 		Land
area
(km2) 		Population
density
(per km2)
AcadiaMD of Acadia No. 34 Municipal district December 9, 1913 493 495 −0.4% 1,082.6 0.5/km2
Athabasca County Municipal district January 1, 1947 7,869 7,662 +2.7% 6,124.43 1.3/km2
Barrhead County of Barrhead No. 11 Municipal district January 1, 1955 6,288 6,096 +3.1% 2,406.25 2.6/km2
Beaver County Municipal district February 1, 1943 5,905 5,689 +3.8% 3,317.57 1.8/km2
Big Lakes County[p] Municipal district January 1, 1995 4,103[46] 4,194 −2.2% 11,979.93 0.3/km2
Bighorn MD of Bighorn No. 8 Municipal district January 1, 1988 1,334 1,341 −0.5% 2,761.18 0.5/km2
Birch Hills County Municipal district January 1, 1995 1,553 1,582 −1.8% 2,859.6 0.5/km2
Bonnyville MD of Bonnyville No. 87[p] Municipal district January 1, 1955 11,661[26][46] 10,101 +15.4% 11,096.41[q] 1.1/km2
Brazeau County Municipal district July 1, 1988 7,771 7,132 +9.0% 3,005.35 2.6/km2
Camrose County[r] Municipal district January 1, 1944 8,660 8,185 +5.8% 3,324.87 2.6/km2
Cardston County Municipal district January 1, 1954 4,481 4,167 +7.5% 3,429.82 1.3/km2
Clear Hills County Municipal district January 1, 1995 3,023 2,801 +7.9% 15,125.49 0.2/km2
Clearwater County Municipal district January 1, 1985 11,947 12,278 −2.7% 18,682.45 0.6/km2
Cypress County Municipal district January 1, 1985 7,662 7,214 +6.2% 13,173.25 0.6/km2
Fairview MD of Fairview No. 136 Municipal district December 9, 1914 1,604 1,673 −4.1% 1,387.58 1.2/km2
Flagstaff County Municipal district January 1, 1944 3,738 3,591 +4.1% 4,067.58 0.9/km2
Foothills MD of Foothills No. 31 Municipal district January 1, 1954 22,766 21,248 +7.1% 3,636.8 6.3/km2
Forty Mile County of Forty Mile No. 8 Municipal district January 1, 1954 3,581 3,336 +7.3% 7,249.31 0.5/km2
Grande Prairie County of Grande Prairie No. 1 Municipal district December 21, 1943 22,502[26] 19,724 +14.1% 5,802.21 3.9/km2
Greenview MD of Greenview No. 16 Municipal district January 1, 1994 5,583 5,299 +5.4% 32,984.24 0.2/km2
Imp004Improvement District No. 4 (Waterton) Improvement district January 1, 1944 105 88 +19.3% 485.66 0.2/km2
Imp009Improvement District No. 9 (Banff) Improvement district April 1, 1945 1,028 1,175 −12.5% 6,787.28 0.2/km2
Imp012Improvement District No. 12 (Jasper National Park) Improvement district April 1, 1945 53 34 +55.9% 10,185.75 0.0/km2
Imp013Improvement District No. 13 (Elk Island) Improvement district April 1, 1958 0 10 −100.0% 165.05 0.0/km2
Imp024Improvement District No. 24 (Wood Buffalo) Improvement district January 1, 1967 648 590 +9.8% 33,416.3 0.0/km2
Imp025Improvement District No. 25 (Willmore Wilderness) Improvement district January 2, 1994 0 0 NA 4,605.63 0.0/km2
Kananaskis Improvement District Improvement district January 1, 1983 221 249 −11.2% 4,213.95 0.1/km2
Kneehill County Municipal district January 1, 1944 5,001 4,921 +1.6% 3,381.02 1.5/km2
Lac Ste. Anne County Municipal district January 1, 1944 10,899 10,260 +6.2% 2,850.38 3.8/km2
Lacombe County Municipal district January 1, 1944 10,343 10,307 +0.3% 2,765.16 3.7/km2
Lamont County Municipal district January 1, 1944 3,899 3,872 +0.7% 2,385.09 1.6/km2
Leduc County Municipal district January 1, 1944 13,780 13,494 +2.1% 2,601.49 5.3/km2
Lesser Slave River MD of Lesser Slave River No. 124 Municipal district January 1, 1995 2,803 2,929 −4.3% 10,074.39 0.3/km2
Lethbridge County Municipal district January 1, 1954 10,353 10,046 +3.1% 2,836.64 3.6/km2
Minburn County of Minburn No. 27 Municipal district January 30, 1942 3,188 3,383 −5.8% 2,913.02 1.1/km2
Mountain View County Municipal district January 1, 1944 13,074 12,359 +5.8% 3,782.64 3.5/km2
Newell County of Newell Municipal district January 1, 1953 7,524 7,138 +5.4% 5,904.67 1.3/km2
Northern Lights County of Northern Lights[p] Municipal district January 1, 1995 3,656[46] 3,555 +2.8% 19,016.55 0.2/km2
Northern Sunrise County[p] Municipal district April 1, 1994 1,891 1,791 +5.6% 21,149.92 0.1/km2
Opportunity MD of Opportunity No. 17 Municipal district August 1, 1995 3,181 3,074 +3.5% 29,142.1 0.1/km2
Paintearth County of Paintearth No. 18 Municipal district January 1, 1944 2,102 2,029 +3.6% 3,283.36 0.6/km2
Parkland County[s] Municipal district January 1, 1969 32,779 31,229 +5.0% 2,393.81 13.7/km2
Peace MD of Peace No. 135 Municipal district December 11, 1916 1,747 1,446 +20.8% 847.47 2.1/km2
Pincher Creek MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 Municipal district January 1, 1944 2,965 3,158 −6.1% 3,482.05 0.9/km2
Ponoka County Municipal district January 1, 1952 9,806 8,856 +10.7% 2,814.26 3.5/km2
Provost MD of Provost No. 52 Municipal district March 1, 1943 2,205 2,288 −3.6% 3,628.39 0.6/km2
Ranchland MD of Ranchland No. 66 Municipal district January 1, 1995 92 79 +16.5% 2,638.7 0.0/km2
Red Deer County Municipal district January 1, 1944 19,541 18,316 +6.7% 3,961.85 4.9/km2
Rocky View County Municipal district January 1, 1955 39,407 35,754 +10.2% 3,836.33 10.3/km2
Saddle Hills County Municipal district January 1, 1995 2,225 2,288 −2.8% 5,838.15 0.4/km2
Smoky Lake County[p] Municipal district March 1, 1943 2,461[46] 2,459 +0.1% 2,633.68 0.9/km2
Smoky River MD of Smoky River No. 130 Municipal district January 1, 1952 2,023 2,126 −4.8% 2,840.14 0.7/km2
Special Area No. 2 Special area April 7, 1959 1,905 2,025 −5.9% 9,347.57 0.2/km2
Special Area No. 3[t] Special area April 7, 1959 1,153 1,256 −8.2% 6,626.37 0.2/km2
Special Area No. 4 Special area January 1, 1969 1,237 1,352 −8.5% 4,402.64 0.3/km2
Spirit River MD of Spirit River No. 133 Municipal district December 11, 1916 700 713 −1.8% 683.6 1.0/km2
St. Paul County of St. Paul No. 19 Municipal district January 30, 1942 6,036 5,826 +3.6% 3,309.44 1.8/km2
Starland County Municipal district February 1, 1943 2,066 2,057 +0.4% 2,559.95 0.8/km2
Stettler County of Stettler No. 6[u] Municipal district March 1, 1943 5,362 5,128 +4.6% 4,019.59 1.3/km2
Sturgeon County Municipal district January 1, 1955 20,495 19,578 +4.7% 2,090.13 9.8/km2
Taber MD of Taber Municipal district January 1, 1954 7,098 6,851 +3.6% 4,201.65 1.7/km2
Thorhild County Municipal district January 1, 1955 3,254 3,417 −4.8% 2,001.74 1.6/km2
Two Hills County of Two Hills No. 21 Municipal district January 1, 1944 3,322 3,160 +5.1% 2,637.18 1.3/km2
Vermilion River County of Vermilion River[v] Municipal district January 1, 1944 8,453 8,106 +4.3% 5,520.57 1.5/km2
Vulcan County Municipal district January 1, 1951 3,984 3,875 +2.8% 5,433.43 0.7/km2
Wainwright MD of Wainwright No. 61 Municipal district January 30, 1942 4,479 4,138 +8.2% 4,156.56 1.1/km2
Warner County of Warner No. 5 Municipal district January 1, 1954 3,947[26] 3,841 +2.8% 4,531.55 0.9/km2
Westlock County Municipal district February 1, 1943 7,220 7,644 −5.5% 3,171.83 2.3/km2
Wetaskiwin County of Wetaskiwin No. 10 Municipal district February 1, 1943 11,181 10,866 +2.9% 3,132.06 3.6/km2
Wheatland County Municipal district January 1, 1955 8,788 8,285 +6.1% 4,545.92 1.9/km2
Willow Creek MD of Willow Creek No. 26[w] Municipal district January 1, 1954 5,585 5,554 +0.6% 4,560.05 1.2/km2
Woodlands County Municipal district January 1, 1994 4,754 4,306 +10.4% 7,669.13 0.6/km2
Yellowhead County Municipal district January 1, 1994 10,995 10,469 +5.0% 22,293.16 0.5/km2
Total municipal districts — — 467,188 444,779 +5.0% 387,015.72 1.2/km2
Total improvement districts — — 2,055 2,146 −4.2% 59,859.62 0.0/km2
Total special areas — — 4,295 4,633 −7.3% 20,376.58 0.2/km2
Total rural municipalities — — 473,538 451,558 +4.9% 467,251.92 1.0/km2
Province of Alberta — — 4,067,175 3,645,257 +11.6% 640,330.46 6.4/km2

Metis settlements[]

Locations of Alberta's Metis settlements
Distribution of Alberta's 8 Metis settlements among its 63 municipal districts (2020)
Main article: Metis in Alberta

Metis settlements are unique local governments dedicated to Alberta's Metis people.[53][x] The settlements were originally created in 1938 under the authority of the Metis Population Betterment Act with land and governance being transferred to the settlements in 1989.[53] Metis settlements are presently under the jurisdiction of the Metis Settlements Act, which was enacted in 2000.[9]

Alberta has eight Metis settlements.[2] Unlike the other types of municipalities, Metis settlements are not recognized as census subdivisions by Statistics Canada for federal census purposes.[13] Rather, Statistics Canada recognizes them as designated places embedded within six municipal districts.[40]

Alberta's eight Metis settlements had a cumulative population of 4,858 in the 2016 Census of Population.[54] The province's largest and smallest Metis settlements by population are Kikino and East Prairie with 934 and 304 respectively, while the largest and smallest by land area are Paddle Prairie and Elizabeth at 1,738.82 km2 (671.36 sq mi) and 252.44 km2 (97.47 sq mi) respectively.[55]

List of Metis settlements[]

List of Metis settlements in Alberta
Name Municipal district or
specialized municipality
[36][40] 		Population
(2016)[55] 		Population
(2011)[55] 		Change
(%)[55] 		Land
area
(km²)[55] 		Population
density
(per km2)[55]
Buffalo Lake Smoky Lake County 712 492 +44.7% 336.97 2.1/km2
East Prairie Big Lakes County 304 366 −16.9% 334.44 0.9/km2
Elizabeth BonnyvilleMD of Bonnyville No. 87 653 654 −0.2% 252.44 2.6/km2
Fishing Lake BonnyvilleMD of Bonnyville No. 87 446 436 +2.3% 355.51 1.3/km2
Gift Lake[y] Big Lakes County
Northern Sunrise County		 658 662 −0.6% 812.73 0.8/km2
Kikino[z] Smoky Lake County
Lac La Biche County		 934 964 −3.1% 443.57 2.1/km2
Paddle Prairie Northern LightsCounty of Northern Lights 544 562 −3.2% 1,738.82 0.3/km2
Peavine Big Lakes County 607 690 −12.0% 816.38 0.7/km2
Total Metis settlements — 4,858 4,826 +0.7% 5,090.86 1.0/km2
Province of Alberta — 4,067,175 3,645,257 +11.6% 640,330.46 6.4/km2

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ The remaining 1.3% of Alberta's population resides on Indian reserves or Indian settlements, which occupy the remaining 1.1% of the province's land mass.[3]
  2. ^ a b Actual population may not be 0 as Statistics Canada, to protect privacy, rounds population to the nearest 5 in the event a geographic area's actual population is less than 15.[12]
  3. ^ Athabasca was formerly known as Athabasca Landing prior to August 4, 1913.[24]
  4. ^ Bittern Lake was formerly known as Rosenroll prior to December 16, 1911.[25]
  5. ^ Chestermere was formerly known as Chestermere Lake prior to March 1, 1993.[24]
  6. ^ Delia was formerly known as Highland prior to December 9, 1915.[28]
  7. ^ Drumheller originally incorporated as a city on April 3, 1930 but reverted from city status as a result of its amalgamation with the M.D. of Badlands No. 7 in 1998.[24]
  8. ^ Fort Macleod was formerly known as Macleod prior to April 1, 1952.[24]
  9. ^ Hay Lakes was formerly known as Hay Lake prior to January 1, 1932.[18]
  10. ^ The balance of Lloydminster is located within Saskatchewan. The 2011 and 2006 populations presented here do not include 9,772 and 8,118 in the Saskatchewan portion of Lloydminster respectively, while the land area also does not include 17.34 km2 (6.70 sq mi) in the Saskatchewan portion. The city's total populations in 2011 and 2006 were 27,804 and 24,028 respectively, while its total land area was 41.53 km2 (16.03 sq mi).[29]
  11. ^ Peace River was formerly known as Peace River Crossing prior to May 22, 1916.[24]
  12. ^ Ryley was also known as Equity in 1909.[30]
  13. ^ Spring Lake was formerly known as Edmonton Beach prior to January 1, 1999.[31]
  14. ^ St. Paul was originally named St. Paul de Metis.[32]
  15. ^ Statistics presented for six municipal districts (the Big Lakes County, the MD of Bonnyville No. 87, Lac La Biche County, the County of Northern Lights, Northern Sunrise County and Smoky Lake County) differ from statistics for their corresponding census subdivisions published by Statistics Canada to recognize that Alberta's eight Metis settlements, which are designated places located within these six municipal districts, are separate municipalities.[40] The statistics presented for total municipal districts and total rural municipalities therefore exclude the statistics associated with the eight Metis settlements.
  16. ^ a b c d e f Statistics presented for six municipal districts (the Big Lakes County, the MD of Bonnyville No. 87, Lac La Biche County, the County of Northern Lights, Northern Sunrise County and Smoky Lake County) differ from statistics for their corresponding census subdivisions published by Statistics Canada to recognize that Alberta's eight Metis settlements, which are designated places located within these six municipal districts, are separate municipalities.[40] The statistics presented for total municipal districts and total rural municipalities therefore exclude the statistics associated with the eight Metis settlements.
  17. ^ Includes the land area of the unpopulated former Improvement District No. 349 that dissolved by way of annexation to the MD of Bonnyville No. 87 on March 1, 2021.[42]
  18. ^ Statistics include those of the former Village of Ferintosh that dissolved to become a hamlet under the jurisdiction of Camrose County on January 1, 2020.[47]
  19. ^ Statistics include those of the former Village of Wabamun that dissolved to become a hamlet under the jurisdiction of Parkland County on January 1, 2021.[48]
  20. ^ Statistics include those of the former Village of Cereal that dissolved to become a hamlet under the jurisdiction of Special Area No. 2 on January 1, 2021.[49]
  21. ^ Statistics include those of the former Village of Gadsby that dissolved to become a hamlet under the jurisdiction of the County of Stettler No. 6 on February 1, 2020.[50]
  22. ^ Statistics include those of the former Village of Dewberry that dissolved to become a hamlet under the jurisdiction of the County of Vermilion River on January 1, 2021.[51]
  23. ^ Statistics include those of the former Town of Granum that dissolved to become a hamlet under the jurisdiction of the MD of Willow Creek No. 26 on February 1, 2020.[52]
  24. ^ The Metis are descendants of people of mixed First Nations and European heritage.
  25. ^ Gift Lake comprises two parts. The majority is located within Big Lakes County, while the balance is located within Northern Sunrise County. The Big Lakes County portion (part "A") had a population of 658 living on 811.68 km2 (313.39 sq mi) in 2016, while the Northern Sunrise County portion (part "B") had a population of 0 living on 1.05 km2 (0.41 sq mi).[55]
  26. ^ Kikino comprises two parts. The majority is located within Smoky Lake County, while the balance is located within Lac La Biche County. The Smoky Lake County portion (part "A") had a population of 934 living on 442.27 km2 (170.76 sq mi) in 2016, while the Lac La Biche County portion (part "B") had a population of 0 living on 1.30 km2 (0.50 sq mi).[55]

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