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A village is an urban municipality status type used in the Canadian province of Alberta. Alberta villages are created when communities with populations of at least 300 people, where a majority of their buildings are on parcels of land smaller than 1,850 m², apply to Alberta Municipal Affairs for village status under the authority of the Municipal Government Act. Applications for village status are approved via orders in council made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council under recommendation from the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
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As of 2017, Alberta had 89 villages that had a cumulative population of 37,272 and an average population of 419 in the 2011 Census. This amount was reduced from 89 on January 1, 2017 when Thorsby changed from village status to town status. Alberta's largest and smallest villages are Stirling and Gadsby with populations of 1,090 and 25 respectively.
When a village's population reaches or exceeds 1,000 people, the council may request a change to town status, but the change in incorporated status is not mandatory. Villages with populations less than 300, whether their populations have declined below 300 or they were incorporated as villages prior to the minimum 300 population requirement, are permitted to retain village status.
Village governance is delivered by 367 elected village officials (89 mayors and 277 councillors) throughout the province.
The highest frequencies of villages in Alberta are found along existing and former rail lines in the east central portion of the province.
Administration
Pursuant to Part 5, Division 1 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA), each municipality created under the authority of the MGA is governed by a council. As a requirement of the MGA, a village council consists of three councillors by default, one of which is the village's chief elected official (CEO) or mayor. A village council may consist of a higher odd number if council passes a bylaw altering its size. For the 2013-2017 term, 39 villages have a council of three, and 50 have a council of five.
Village councils are governed by a mayor and an even number of councillors that are elected by popular vote, resulting in a total odd number of councillors to avoid tie votes on council matters. All council members are elected under the provisions of the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA). Mayoral or councillor candidates are required to be residents of their municipality for a minimum of six consecutive months prior to nomination day. The last municipal election was October 21, 2013.
Alberta Municipal Affairs, a ministry of the Cabinet of Alberta, is charged with coordination of all levels of local government.
Administrative duties of villages include public safety, local transit, roads, water service, drainage and waste collection, as well as coordination of infrastructure with provincial and regional authorities (including road construction, education, and health).
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Village status eligibility
Numerous Alberta hamlets meet the minimum population requirement for village status eligibility.
Town status eligibility
The villages of Stirling and Nobleford are currently eligible for town status having populations of 1,090 and 1,000 respectively.