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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). Alberta's 354 municipalities cover 7001981000000000000♠98.1% of the province's land mass and are home to 7001986000000000000♠98.6% of its population. These municipalities provide local government services, including roads, water, sewer and garbage collection among others, and a variety of programs to their residents.
Contents
- Urban municipalities
- Cities
- Towns
- Villages
- Summer villages
- Specialized municipalities
- Rural municipalities
- Municipal districts
- Improvement districts
- Special areas
- Metis settlements
- References
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". 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. Cities, towns, villages, summer villages, municipal districts, specialized municipalities and improvement districts are formed under the provincial authority of the MGA. 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. 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.
Of Alberta's 354 municipalities, 266 of them are urban municipalities (18 cities, 108 towns, 89 villages and 51 summer villages), 5 are specialized municipalities, 75 are rural municipalities (64 municipal districts, 8 improvement districts and 3 special areas) and 8 are Metis settlements. The MGA, the SAA and the MSA stipulate governance of these municipalities. Alberta's Ministry of Municipal Affairs is responsible for providing provincial services to municipalities.
Over half of Alberta's population resides in its two largest cities. Calgary, the largest city, is home to 7001305000000000000♠30.5% of the province's population (1,239,220 residents), while Edmonton, Alberta's capital city, is home to 7001305000000000000♠30.5% (932,546 residents). The Summer Village of Burnstick Lake, Improvement District No. 13 (Elk Island), Improvement District No. 25 (Willmore Wilderness) and Improvement District No. 349 are Alberta's smallest municipalities by population; all four are unpopulated according to the 2016 Census of Population. 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).
Urban municipalities
Alberta's Municipal Government Act (MGA), enacted in 2000, defines urban municipality as a "city, town, village or summer village." For federal census purposes, Statistics Canada recognizes all four urban municipality types as census subdivisions.
Combined, Alberta has 266 urban municipalities comprising 18 cities, 108 towns, 89 villages and 51 summer villages. The 266 urban municipalities have a total population of 3,337,437, a total land area of 3,950.87 km2 (1,525.44 sq mi). These totals represent 7001820000000000000♠82% of Alberta's population yet only 6999600000000000000♠0.6% of its land area.
Cities
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). Alberta has 18 cities that had a cumulative population of 2,820,115 in the 2016 Census of Population. These 18 cities include Lloydminster, of which a portion is located within the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan. 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). Chestermere is Alberta's newest city, which changed from a town to a city on January 1, 2015.
Of Alberta's 18 cities, Cold Lake has less than the current minimum density requirement of 400 residents per square kilometre. Cold Lake was incorporated as a town prior to the MGA being enacted in 2000.
Towns
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). Alberta has 108 towns that had a cumulative population of 474,539 in the 2016 Census of Population. The province's largest and smallest towns by population are Okotoks and Granum with 28,881 and 406 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. Thorsby is Alberta's newest town, which changed from a village to a town on January 1, 2017.
Villages
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). Alberta has 89 villages that had a cumulative population of 37,622 in the 2016 Census of Population. The province's largest and smallest villages by population are Nobleford and Gadsby with 1,278 and 40 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. 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.
Summer villages
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". A community can no longer incorporate as a summer village under the MGA.
Alberta has 51 summer villages that had a cumulative population of 5,161 in the 2016 Census of Population. The province's largest summer village by population is Sandy Beach with 278, while Betula Beach is Alberta's smallest summer village with a population of 0. 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. Gull Lake and Kapasiwin were the last communities in Alberta to incorporate as summer villages. Both were incorporated on September 1, 1993. Since then, two summer villages have incorporated as villages (Alberta Beach and Edmonton Beach, now named Spring Lake) and one has dissolved (White Gull).
Specialized municipalities
Specialized municipalities in Alberta are unique local governments. Alberta's Municipal Government Act (MGA), enacted in 2000, provides the authority to form a specialized municipality under the following scenarios:
Alberta has five specialized municipalities, which are recognized as census subdivisions by Statistics Canada. In the 2016 Census of Population, they had a cumulative population of 190,983, a total land area of 144,714.12 km2 (55,874.43 sq mi). These totals represent 7000500000000000000♠5% of Alberta's population yet 7001226000000000000♠22.6% 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. The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass is Alberta's newest specialized municipality, which was incorporated as a town prior to January 16, 2008. Alberta's first specialized municipality was the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which formed on April 1, 1995.
Strathcona County and the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo are home to the unincorporated hamlets of Sherwood Park and Fort McMurray respectively. These communities are designated urban service areas, which are deemed equivalents of cities. 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.
Rural municipalities
Rural municipalities in Alberta include municipal districts (counties), improvement districts and special areas. For federal census purposes, Statistics Canada recognizes all three rural municipality types as census subdivisions. However, Statistics Canada embeds Alberta's eight Metis settlements, a separate type of municipality, into the census subdivisions for six municipal districts.
Combined, Alberta has 75 rural municipalities comprising 64 municipal districts, 8 improvement districts and 3 special areas. The 75 rural municipalities have a total population of 480,757, a total land area of {{convert|479814.40|km2|mi2|abbr=on}. These totals represent 7001120000000000000♠12% of Alberta's population yet 7001749000000000000♠74.9% of its land area.
Municipal districts
In Alberta, a municipal district, also known as a county, is a type of rural municipality. 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).
Alberta has 64 municipal districts that had a cumulative population of 474518 in the 2016 Census of Population. 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. Lac La Biche County is Alberta's newest municipal district, which was formed on August 1, 2007 through the amalgamation of the former Town of Lac La Biche and the former Lakeland County. 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.
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. Improvement districts are administered by the Province of Alberta through its Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
Alberta has eight improvement districts that had a cumulative population of 2,055 in the 2016 Census of Population. Five of them are within national parks while two are within provincial parks. Alberta's largest improvement district by population is Improvement District (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). ID No. 13 (Elk Island), ID No. 25 (Willmore Wilderness) and ID No. 349 are Alberta's three unpopulated improvement districts, while its smallest by land area is ID No. 13 (Elk Island) at 165.05 km2 (63.73 sq mi). ID No. 349 is also Alberta's newest improvement district, which was formed on January 1, 2012 from portions of Lac La Biche County and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. 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).
Special areas
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. 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.
Alberta has three special areas that had a cumulative population of 4,184 in the 2016 Census of Populations. 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). 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. 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.
Metis settlements
Metis settlements are unique local governments dedicated to Alberta's Metis people. 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. Metis settlements are presently under the jurisdiction of the Metis Settlements Act, which was enacted in 2000.
Alberta has eight Metis settlements. Unlike the other types of municipalities, Metis settlements are not recognized as census subdivisions by Statistics Canada for federal census purposes. Rather, Statistics Canada recognizes them as designated places embedded within six municipal districts.
Alberta's eight Metis settlements had a cumulative population of 4,858 in the 2016 Census of Population. 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.