Country Canada Census division 16 Established August 7, 1979 Elevation 490 m Area code Area code 780 | Region Northern Alberta Specialized municipality RM of Wood Buffalo Postal code T0P 1J0 Province Alberta Mayor Melissa Blake | |
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Anzac is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo. It is located on Highway 881 along the east shore of Gregoire Lake, approximately 36 kilometres (22 mi) southeast of Fort McMurray.
Contents
Map of Anzac, AB, Canada
History
Anzac was named for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who surveyed the area during World War I for construction of the rail line to Waterways.
Originally named after Willow Lake, the previous name of Gregoire Lake, the community were mostly non-status or non-treaty Cree Indians whose forefathers had migrated to the Athabasca Basin area from what was to become northern Manitoba; mostly displacing the original Beaver and Chipewyan occupants of the area.
During World War II a road was built from the rail siding to service and construct an American army base on Stoney Mountain.
The area has seen significant growth corresponding to that of Fort McMurray and the oil industry.
The hamlet was ordered to be evacuated on May 5, 2016 due to the spread of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire.
Demographics
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Anzac recorded a population of 548 living in 197 of its 286 total private dwellings, a change of 2999370000000000000♠−6.3% from its 2011 population of 585. With a land area of 8.56 km2 (3.31 sq mi), it had a population density of 64.0/km2 (165.8/sq mi) in 2016.
The permanent population of Anzac in 2015 was 606, with a shadow population of 157, for a total of 763, according to a municipal census conducted by the RM of Wood Buffalo.
As a designated place in the 2011 Census, Anzac had a population of 585 living in 202 of its 272 total dwellings, a -2.7% change from its 2006 population of 601. With a land area of 8.15 km2 (3.15 sq mi), it had a population density of 71.78/km2 (185.91/sq mi) in 2011.