List of municipalities in Alberta

Alberta is the fourth-most populous province in Canada with 4,262,635 residents as of 2021 Census of Population and is the fourth-largest in land area at 634,658 km² (245,043 sq mi).[1] Alberta's 344 municipalities cover 99.7% of the province's land mass and are home to 99% of its population.[2][lower-alpha 1] 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]

Location of Alberta in Canada

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)

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 30.7% of the province's population (1,306,784 residents), while Edmonton, Alberta's capital city, is home to 23.7% (1,010,899 residents).[3] Improvement District No. 13 (Elk Island). Improvement District No. 12 (Jasper National Park) and Improvement District No. 25 (Willmore Wilderness) are Alberta's smallest municipalities by population; they are unpopulated according to the 2021 Census of Population.[3][lower-alpha 2] The largest municipality by land area is Mackenzie County at 79,629.26 km² (30,745.03 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

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 3,533,377, a total land area of 4,052.34 km² (1,564.62 sq mi). These totals represent 83% of Alberta's population yet only 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).[6] Alberta has 19 cities that had a cumulative population of 3,023,641 in the 2021 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 1,306,784 and 820.62 km² (316.84 sq mi), while Wetaskiwin is its smallest city by population with 12,594 and land area at 18.75 km² (7.24 sq mi).[3] Beaumont is Alberta's newest city; it became Alberta's 19th city on January 1, 2019.[15]

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).[6] Alberta has 106 towns that had a cumulative population of 471,028 in the 2021 Census of Population.[2][3][16] The province's largest and smallest towns by population are Cochrane and Rainbow Lake with 32,199 and 495 respectively, while its largest and smallest by land area are Drumheller and Eckville with 107.56 km² (41.53 sq mi) and 1.61 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

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 32,753 in the 2021 Census of Population.[2][3] The province's largest and smallest villages by population are Stirling and Halkirk with 1,164 and 92 respectively, while its largest and smallest by land area are Chipman and Edberg with 9.60 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

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 5,955 in the 2021 Census of Population.[2][3] The province's largest summer village by population is Norglenwold with 306, while Castle Island is Alberta's smallest summer village with a population of 15.[3] The province's largest and smallest summer villages by land area are Silver Sands and Castle Island with 2.51 km² (0.97 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

Calgary, Alberta's largest city
Edmonton, Alberta's capital and second largest city
Red Deer, Alberta's third largest city, is located at the midpoint between Calgary and Edmonton.
Lethbridge is Alberta's fourth largest city.
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]	2021 Census of Population[3]
Name	Status[2]	Incorporation date (current status) [23][24][18][21]	Population (2021)	Population (2016)	Change (%)	Land area (km²)	Population density (per km²)
Acme	Village	July 7, 1910	606	653	−7.2%	2.49	243.4/km²
Airdrie	City	January 1, 1985	74,100	61,581	+20.3%	84.39	878.1/km²
Alberta Beach	Village	January 1, 1999	864	1,018	−15.1%	2.02	427.7/km²
Alix	Village	June 3, 1907	774	734	+5.4%	3.11	248.9/km²
Alliance	Village	August 26, 1918	166	159	+4.4%	0.62	267.7/km²
Amisk	Village	January 1, 1956	219	204	+7.4%	0.76	288.2/km²
Andrew	Village	June 24, 1930	366	425	−13.9%	1.18	310.2/km²
Argentia Beach	Summer village	January 1, 1967	39	27	+44.4%	0.62	62.9/km²
Arrowwood	Village	May 13, 1926	188	207	−9.2%	0.75	250.7/km²
Athabasca	Town	September 19, 1911	2,759	2,965	−6.9%	17.79	155.1/km²
Banff	Town	January 1, 1990	8,305	7,851	+5.8%	4.08	2,035.5/km²
Barnwell	Village	January 1, 1980	978	947	+3.3%	1.50	652.0/km²
Barons	Village	May 6, 1910	313	341	−8.2%	0.81	386.4/km²
Barrhead	Town	November 26, 1946	4,320	4,579	−5.7%	8.20	526.8/km²
Bashaw	Town	May 1, 1964	848	830	+2.2%	2.72	311.8/km²
Bassano	Town	January 16, 1911	1,216	1,206	+0.8%	5.23	232.5/km²
Bawlf	Village	October 12, 1906	412	422	−2.4%	0.89	462.9/km²
Beaumont	City	January 1, 2019	20,888	17,457	+19.7%	24.70	845.7/km²
Beaverlodge	Town	January 24, 1956	2,271	2,465	−7.9%	5.38	422.1/km²
Beiseker	Village	February 23, 1921	754	819	−7.9%	2.85	264.6/km²
Bentley	Town	January 1, 2001	1,042	1,078	−3.3%	2.24	465.2/km²
Berwyn	Village	November 28, 1936	577	538	+7.2%	1.57	367.5/km²
Betula Beach	Summer village	January 1, 1960	27	16	+68.8%	0.23	117.4/km²
Big Valley	Village	March 9, 1942	331	346	−4.3%	1.86	178.0/km²
Birch Cove	Summer village	December 31, 1988	67	45	+48.9%	0.29	231.0/km²
Birchcliff	Summer village	January 1, 1972	211	117	+80.3%	0.97	217.5/km²
Bittern Lake	Village	November 2, 1904	216	220	−1.8%	6.57	32.9/km²
Black Diamond	Town	January 1, 1956	2,730	2,705	+0.9%	6.82	400.3/km²
Blackfalds	Town	April 1, 1980	10,470	9,328	+12.2%	16.58	631.5/km²
Bon Accord	Town	November 20, 1979	1,461	1,529	−4.4%	3.99	366.2/km²
Bondiss	Summer village	January 1, 1983	124	110	+12.7%	1.18	105.1/km²
Bonnyville	Town	February 3, 1948	6,404	5,975	+7.2%	14.17	451.9/km²
Bonnyville Beach	Summer village	January 1, 1958	70	84	−16.7%	0.23	304.3/km²
Bow Island	Town	February 1, 1912	2,036	1,983	+2.7%	5.68	358.5/km²
Bowden	Town	September 1, 1981	1,280	1,240	+3.2%	3.46	369.9/km²
Boyle	Village	December 31, 1953	825	845	−2.4%	7.12	115.9/km²
Breton	Village	January 1, 1957	567	574	−1.2%	1.72	329.7/km²
Brooks	City	September 1, 2005	14,924	14,451	+3.3%	18.21	819.5/km²
Bruderheim	Town	September 17, 1980	1,329	1,323	+0.5%	9.28	143.2/km²
Burnstick Lake	Summer village	December 31, 1991	21	15	+40.0%	0.18	116.7/km²
Calgary	City	January 1, 1894	1,306,784	1,239,220	+5.5%	820.62	1,592.4/km²
Calmar	Town	January 19, 1954	2,183	2,228	−2.0%	4.67	467.5/km²
Camrose	City	January 1, 1955	18,772	18,742	+0.2%	41.67	450.5/km²
Canmore	Town	June 1, 1966	15,990	13,992	+14.3%	68.47	233.5/km²
Carbon	Village	November 18, 1912	492	454	+8.4%	1.99	247.2/km²
Cardston	Town	July 2, 1901	3,724	3,585	+3.9%	8.58	434.0/km²
Carmangay	Village	March 4, 1936	269	242	+11.2%	1.80	149.4/km²
Caroline	Village	December 31, 1951	470	512	−8.2%	2.04	230.4/km²
Carstairs	Town	September 1, 1966	4,898	4,077	+20.1%	11.77	416.1/km²
Castle Island	Summer village	January 1, 1955	15	10	+50.0%	0.05	300.0/km²
Castor	Town	June 27, 1910	803	929	−13.6%	2.61	307.7/km²
Champion	Village	May 27, 1911	351	317	+10.7%	0.88	398.9/km²
Chauvin	Village	December 30, 1912	304	335	−9.3%	2.22	136.9/km²
Chestermere	City	January 1, 2015	22,163	19,887	+11.4%	32.83	675.1/km²
Chipman	Village	October 21, 1913	246	274	−10.2%	9.60	25.6/km²
Claresholm	Town	August 31, 1905	3,804	3,790	+0.4%	10.51	361.9/km²
Clive	Village	January 9, 1912	775	715	+8.4%	2.17	357.1/km²
Clyde	Village	January 28, 1914	415	430	−3.5%	1.28	324.2/km²
Coaldale	Town	January 7, 1952	8,771	8,331	+5.3%	13.58	645.9/km²
Coalhurst	Town	June 1, 1995	2,869	2,668	+7.5%	3.08	931.5/km²
Cochrane	Town	February 15, 1971	32,199	25,853	+24.5%	31.58	1,019.6/km²
Cold Lake	City	October 1, 2000	15,661	14,976	+4.6%	66.61	235.1/km²
Consort	Village	September 23, 1912	644	729	−11.7%	3.02	213.2/km²
Coronation	Town	April 29, 1912	868	940	−7.7%	3.57	243.1/km²
Coutts	Village	January 1, 1960	224	245	−8.6%	1.18	189.8/km²
Cowley	Village	August 16, 1906	216	209	+3.3%	1.36	158.8/km²
Cremona	Village	January 1, 1955	437	444	−1.6%	1.93	226.4/km²
Crossfield	Town	August 1, 1980	3,599	2,983	+20.7%	11.89	302.7/km²
Crystal Springs	Summer village	January 1, 1957	74	51	+45.1%	0.45	164.4/km²
Czar	Village	November 12, 1917	248	202	+22.8%	1.12	221.4/km²
Daysland	Town	April 2, 1907	789	824	−4.2%	1.77	445.8/km²
Delburne	Village	January 17, 1913	919	892	+3.0%	3.79	242.5/km²
Delia	Village	July 20, 1914	152	216	−29.6%	1.33	114.3/km²
Devon	Town	February 24, 1950	6,545	6,578	−0.5%	14.26	459.0/km²
Didsbury	Town	September 27, 1906	5,070	5,268	−3.8%	16.12	314.5/km²
Donalda	Village	December 30, 1912	226	219	+3.2%	0.97	233.0/km²
Donnelly	Village	January 1, 1956	338	359	−5.8%	1.26	268.3/km²
Drayton Valley	Town	February 1, 1957	7,291	7,235	+0.8%	30.90	236.0/km²
Drumheller	Town	January 1, 1998	7,909	7,982	−0.9%	107.56	73.5/km²
Duchess	Village	May 12, 1921	1,053	1,085	−2.9%	1.93	545.6/km²
Eckville	Town	July 1, 1966	1,014	1,125	−9.9%	1.61	629.8/km²
Edberg	Village	February 4, 1930	126	151	−16.6%	0.35	360.0/km²
Edgerton	Village	September 11, 1917	385	384	+0.3%	2.01	191.5/km²
Edmonton	City	October 8, 1904	1,010,899	933,088	+8.3%	765.61	1,320.4/km²
Edson	Town	September 21, 1911	8,374	8,414	−0.5%	29.43	284.5/km²
Elk Point	Town	January 1, 1962	1,399	1,452	−3.7%	4.91	284.9/km²
Elnora	Village	July 22, 1929	288	298	−3.4%	1.50	192.0/km²
Empress	Village	February 5, 1914	148	135	+9.6%	1.58	93.7/km²
Fairview	Town	April 25, 1949	2,817	2,998	−6.0%	10.67	264.0/km²
Falher	Town	January 1, 1955	1,001	1,047	−4.4%	2.83	353.7/km²
Foremost	Village	December 31, 1950	630	541	+16.5%	2.13	295.8/km²
Forestburg	Village	August 21, 1919	807	880	−8.3%	4.04	199.8/km²
Fort Macleod	Town	March 29, 1912	3,297	2,967	+11.1%	22.54	146.3/km²
Fort Saskatchewan	City	July 1, 1985	27,088	24,169	+12.1%	56.50	479.4/km²
Fox Creek	Town	September 1, 1983	1,639	1,971	−16.8%	12.26	133.7/km²
Ghost Lake	Summer village	December 31, 1953	82	82	0.0%	0.62	132.3/km²
Gibbons	Town	April 1, 1977	3,218	3,159	+1.9%	9.46	340.2/km²
Girouxville	Village	December 31, 1951	278	219	+26.9%	0.66	421.2/km²
Glendon	Village	January 1, 1956	338	493	−31.4%	1.99	169.8/km²
Glenwood	Village	January 1, 1961	272	316	−13.9%	1.37	198.5/km²
Golden Days	Summer village	January 1, 1965	248	160	+55.0%	2.13	116.4/km²
Grande Prairie	City	January 1, 1958	64,141	63,166	+1.5%	132.71	483.3/km²
Grandview	Summer village	January 1, 1967	143	109	+31.2%	0.45	317.8/km²
Grimshaw	Town	February 2, 1953	2,601	2,718	−4.3%	7.08	367.4/km²
Gull Lake	Summer village	September 1, 1993	226	176	+28.4%	0.70	322.9/km²
Half Moon Bay	Summer village	January 1, 1978	65	42	+54.8%	0.12	541.7/km²
Halkirk	Village	February 10, 1912	92	112	−17.9%	0.61	150.8/km²
Hanna	Town	April 14, 1914	2,394	2,559	−6.4%	8.40	285.0/km²
Hardisty	Town	November 9, 1910	548	554	−1.1%	4.50	121.8/km²
Hay Lakes	Village	April 17, 1928	456	495	−7.9%	0.59	772.9/km²
Heisler	Village	January 1, 1961	135	160	−15.6%	0.63	214.3/km²
High Level	Town	September 1, 1983	3,922	3,159	+24.2%	28.70	136.7/km²
High Prairie	Town	January 10, 1950	2,380	2,564	−7.2%	7.01	339.5/km²
High River	Town	February 12, 1906	14,324	13,594	+5.4%	22.19	645.5/km²
Hill Spring	Village	January 1, 1961	168	162	+3.7%	0.96	175.0/km²
Hines Creek	Village	December 31, 1951	335	346	−3.2%	4.88	68.6/km²
Hinton	Town	December 29, 1958	9,817	9,882	−0.7%	33.32	294.6/km²
Holden	Village	April 14, 1909	338	350	−3.4%	1.55	218.1/km²
Horseshoe Bay	Summer village	January 1, 1985	81	49	+65.3%	0.98	82.7/km²
Hughenden	Village	December 27, 1917	213	243	−12.3%	0.78	273.1/km²
Hussar	Village	April 20, 1928	164	190	−13.7%	0.70	234.3/km²
Innisfail	Town	November 20, 1903	7,985	7,847	+1.8%	19.39	411.8/km²
Innisfree	Village	March 11, 1911	187	193	−3.1%	1.00	187.0/km²
Irma	Village	May 30, 1912	477	521	−8.4%	1.32	361.4/km²
Irricana	Town	June 9, 2005	1,179	1,216	−3.0%	3.23	365.0/km²
Island Lake South	Summer village	January 1, 1958	174	228	−23.7%	1.55	112.3/km²
Island Lake South	Summer village	January 1, 1983	81	61	+32.8%	0.48	168.8/km²
Itaska Beach	Summer village	June 30, 1953	30	23	+30.4%	0.26	115.4/km²
Jarvis Bay	Summer village	January 1, 1986	213	213	0.0%	0.55	387.3/km²
Kapasiwin	Summer village	September 1, 1993	24	10	+140.0%	0.33	72.7/km²
Killam	Town	May 1, 1965	918	989	−7.2%	6.40	143.4/km²
Kitscoty	Village	March 22, 1911	852	925	−7.9%	1.51	564.2/km²
Lacombe	City	September 5, 2010	13,396	13,057	+2.6%	20.59	650.6/km²
Lakeview	Summer village	October 25, 1913	29	30	−3.3%	0.32	90.6/km²
Lamont	Town	May 31, 1968	1,744	1,774	−1.7%	9.14	190.8/km²
Larkspur	Summer village	January 1, 1985	53	44	+20.5%	0.26	203.8/km²
Leduc	City	September 1, 1983	34,094	29,993	+13.7%	42.25	807.0/km²
Legal	Town	January 1, 1998	1,232	1,345	−8.4%	3.18	387.4/km²
Lethbridge	City	May 9, 1906	98,406	92,729	+6.1%	121.12	812.5/km²
Linden	Village	January 1, 1964	704	828	−15.0%	2.55	276.1/km²
Lloydminster (part)	City	January 1, 1958	19,739	19,645	+0.5%	23.98	823.1/km²
Lomond	Village	February 16, 1916	178	166	+7.2%	1.19	149.6/km²
Longview	Village	January 1, 1964	297	307	−3.3%	1.10	270.0/km²
Lougheed	Village	November 7, 1911	225	256	−12.1%	2.00	112.5/km²
Magrath	Town	July 24, 1907	2,481	2,374	+4.5%	5.88	421.9/km²
Ma-Me-O Beach	Summer village	December 31, 1948	162	110	+47.3%	0.56	289.3/km²
Manning	Town	January 1, 1957	1,126	1,183	−4.8%	3.71	303.5/km²
Mannville	Village	December 29, 1906	765	828	−7.6%	1.64	466.5/km²
Marwayne	Village	December 31, 1952	543	564	−3.7%	1.60	339.4/km²
Mayerthorpe	Town	March 20, 1961	1,259	1,320	−4.6%	4.39	286.8/km²
McLennan	Town	February 11, 1948	695	701	−0.9%	3.58	194.1/km²
Medicine Hat	City	May 9, 1906	63,271	63,260	0.0%	111.97	565.1/km²
Mewatha Beach	Summer village	January 1, 1978	103	90	+14.4%	0.79	130.4/km²
Milk River	Town	February 7, 1956	824	827	−0.4%	2.42	340.5/km²
Millet	Town	September 1, 1983	1,890	1,955	−3.3%	6.62	285.5/km²
Milo	Village	May 7, 1931	136	91	+49.5%	0.96	141.7/km²
Morinville	Town	April 21, 1911	10,385	9,848	+5.5%	11.15	931.4/km²
Morrin	Village	April 16, 1920	205	240	−14.6%	0.67	306.0/km²
Mundare	Town	January 4, 1951	689	852	−19.1%	4.12	167.2/km²
Munson	Village	May 5, 1911	170	192	−11.5%	2.56	66.4/km²
Myrnam	Village	August 22, 1930	257	339	−24.2%	2.75	93.5/km²
Nakamun Park	Summer village	January 1, 1966	78	96	−18.7%	0.43	181.4/km²
Nampa	Village	January 1, 1958	367	364	+0.8%	1.69	217.2/km²
Nanton	Town	August 9, 1907	2,167	2,181	−0.6%	5.11	424.1/km²
Nobleford	Town	February 28, 2018	1,438	1,278	+12.5%	1.69	850.9/km²
Norglenwold	Summer village	January 1, 1965	306	273	+12.1%	0.62	493.5/km²
Norris Beach	Summer village	December 31, 1988	71	38	+86.8%	0.19	373.7/km²
Okotoks	Town	June 1, 1904	30,405	29,016	+4.8%	38.55	788.7/km²
Olds	Town	July 1, 1905	9,209	9,184	+0.3%	14.92	617.2/km²
Onoway	Town	September 1, 2005	966	1,029	−6.1%	3.31	291.8/km²
Oyen	Town	September 1, 1965	917	1,001	−8.4%	5.15	178.1/km²
Paradise Valley	Village	January 1, 1964	153	179	−14.5%	0.63	242.9/km²
Parkland Beach	Summer village	January 1, 1984	168	153	+9.8%	0.94	178.7/km²
Peace River	Town	December 1, 1919	6,619	6,842	−3.3%	25.34	261.2/km²
Pelican Narrows	Summer village	July 1, 1979	158	151	+4.6%	0.74	213.5/km²
Penhold	Town	September 1, 1980	3,484	3,287	+6.0%	11.20	311.1/km²
Picture Butte	Town	January 1, 1960	1,930	1,810	+6.6%	3.02	639.1/km²
Pincher Creek	Town	May 12, 1906	3,622	3,642	−0.5%	9.87	367.0/km²
Point Alison	Summer village	December 31, 1950	18	10	+80.0%	0.19	94.7/km²
Ponoka	Town	October 15, 1904	7,331	7,229	+1.4%	17.22	425.7/km²
Poplar Bay	Summer village	January 1, 1967	113	103	+9.7%	0.71	159.2/km²
Provost	Town	December 29, 1952	1,900	1,998	−4.9%	4.75	400.0/km²
Rainbow Lake	Town	September 1, 1995	495	795	−37.7%	10.76	46.0/km²
Raymond	Town	July 1, 1903	4,199	3,713	+13.1%	7.63	550.3/km²
Red Deer	City	March 25, 1913	100,844	100,418	+0.4%	104.34	966.5/km²
Redcliff	Town	August 5, 1912	5,581	5,600	−0.3%	16.15	345.6/km²
Redwater	Town	December 31, 1950	2,115	2,053	+3.0%	19.93	106.1/km²
Rimbey	Town	December 13, 1948	2,470	2,567	−3.8%	11.38	217.0/km²
Rochon Sands	Summer village	May 17, 1929	97	86	+12.8%	2.03	47.8/km²
Rocky Mountain House	Town	August 31, 1939	6,765	6,635	+2.0%	13.05	518.4/km²
Rockyford	Village	March 28, 1919	395	316	+25.0%	1.04	379.8/km²
Rosalind	Village	January 1, 1966	162	188	−13.8%	0.62	261.3/km²
Rosemary	Village	December 31, 1951	370	396	−6.6%	0.59	627.1/km²
Ross Haven	Summer village	January 1, 1962	126	160	−21.3%	0.70	180.0/km²
Rycroft	Village	March 15, 1944	550	612	−10.1%	1.85	297.3/km²
Ryley	Village	April 2, 1910	484	483	+0.2%	2.53	191.3/km²
Sandy Beach	Summer village	January 1, 1956	278	278	0.0%	2.41	115.4/km²
Seba Beach	Summer village	August 20, 1920	229	169	+35.5%	0.53	432.1/km²
Sedgewick	Town	May 1, 1966	761	811	−6.2%	2.71	280.8/km²
Sexsmith	Town	October 15, 1979	2,427	2,620	−7.4%	13.01	186.5/km²
Silver Beach	Summer village	December 31, 1953	55	65	−15.4%	0.61	90.2/km²
Silver Sands	Summer village	January 1, 1969	214	160	+33.7%	2.51	85.3/km²
Slave Lake	Town	August 2, 1965	6,836	6,651	+2.8%	14.31	477.7/km²
Smoky Lake	Town	February 1, 1962	1,127	964	+16.9%	4.26	264.6/km²
South Baptiste	Summer village	January 1, 1983	70	66	+6.1%	0.91	76.9/km²
South View	Summer village	January 1, 1970	72	67	+7.5%	0.44	163.6/km²
Spirit River	Town	September 18, 1951	849	995	−14.7%	3.11	273.0/km²
Spring Lake	Village	January 1, 1999	711	699	+1.7%	2.28	311.8/km²
Spruce Grove	City	March 1, 1986	37,645	34,108	+10.4%	37.52	1,003.3/km²
St. Albert	City	January 1, 1977	68,232	65,589	+4.0%	47.84	1,426.3/km²
St. Paul	Town	December 15, 1936	5,863	5,827	+0.6%	8.64	678.6/km²
Standard	Village	April 29, 1922	353	353	0.0%	2.34	150.9/km²
Stavely	Town	May 25, 1912	544	541	+0.6%	1.78	305.6/km²
Stettler	Town	November 23, 1906	5,695	5,952	−4.3%	13.19	431.8/km²
Stirling	Village	September 3, 1901	1,164	978	+19.0%	2.70	431.1/km²
Stony Plain	Town	December 10, 1908	17,993	17,189	+4.7%	35.45	507.6/km²
Strathmore	Town	July 6, 1911	14,339	13,756	+4.2%	26.98	531.5/km²
Sunbreaker Cove	Summer village	December 31, 1990	131	81	+61.7%	0.47	278.7/km²
Sundance Beach	Summer village	January 1, 1970	42	73	−42.5%	0.43	97.7/km²
Sundre	Town	January 1, 1956	2,672	2,729	−2.1%	10.84	246.5/km²
Sunrise Beach	Summer village	December 31, 1988	153	135	+13.3%	1.66	92.2/km²
Sunset Beach	Summer village	May 1, 1977	55	49	+12.2%	0.87	63.2/km²
Sunset Point	Summer village	January 1, 1959	257	169	+52.1%	1.17	219.7/km²
Swan Hills	Town	January 1, 1967	1,201	1,301	−7.7%	25.87	46.4/km²
Sylvan Lake	Town	May 20, 1946	15,995	14,816	+8.0%	23.09	692.7/km²
Taber	Town	July 1, 1907	8,862	8,428	+5.1%	19.32	458.7/km²
Thorsby	Town	January 1, 2017	967	985	−1.8%	3.80	254.5/km²
Three Hills	Town	January 1, 1929	3,042	3,212	−5.3%	6.74	451.3/km²
Tofield	Town	September 10, 1909	2,045	2,081	−1.7%	8.21	249.1/km²
Trochu	Town	August 1, 1962	998	1,058	−5.7%	2.78	359.0/km²
Turner Valley	Town	September 1, 1977	2,611	2,559	+2.0%	5.75	454.1/km²
Two Hills	Town	January 1, 1955	1,416	1,352	+4.7%	3.11	455.3/km²
Val Quentin	Summer village	January 1, 1966	158	252	−37.3%	0.29	544.8/km²
Valleyview	Town	February 5, 1957	1,673	1,863	−10.2%	9.17	182.4/km²
Vauxhall	Town	January 1, 1961	1,286	1,222	+5.2%	2.71	474.5/km²
Vegreville	Town	August 15, 1906	5,689	5,708	−0.3%	14.08	404.0/km²
Vermilion	Town	August 27, 1906	3,948	4,084	−3.3%	12.72	310.4/km²
Veteran	Village	June 30, 1914	214	207	+3.4%	0.84	254.8/km²
Viking	Town	November 10, 1952	986	1,083	−9.0%	3.45	285.8/km²
Vilna	Village	June 23, 1923	268	290	−7.6%	0.96	279.2/km²
Vulcan	Town	June 15, 1921	1,769	1,917	−7.7%	6.28	281.7/km²
Wainwright	Town	July 14, 1910	6,606	6,285	+5.1%	12.17	542.8/km²
Waiparous	Summer village	January 1, 1986	57	49	+16.3%	0.41	139.0/km²
Warburg	Village	December 31, 1953	676	766	−11.7%	2.56	264.1/km²
Warner	Village	November 12, 1908	364	373	−2.4%	1.16	313.8/km²
Waskatenau	Village	May 19, 1932	247	186	+32.8%	0.59	418.6/km²
Wembley	Town	August 1, 1980	1,432	1,516	−5.5%	4.74	302.1/km²
West Baptiste	Summer village	January 1, 1983	46	38	+21.1%	0.54	85.2/km²
West Cove	Summer village	January 1, 1963	222	149	+49.0%	1.30	170.8/km²
Westlock	Town	January 7, 1947	4,921	5,101	−3.5%	13.37	368.1/km²
Wetaskiwin	City	May 9, 1906	12,594	12,655	−0.5%	18.75	671.7/km²
Whispering Hills	Summer village	January 1, 1983	128	142	−9.9%	1.64	78.0/km²
White Sands	Summer village	January 1, 1980	174	120	+45.0%	1.61	108.1/km²
Whitecourt	Town	December 20, 1971	9,927	10,209	−2.8%	29.51	336.4/km²
Yellowstone	Summer village	January 1, 1965	117	137	−14.6%	0.28	417.9/km²
Youngstown	Village	December 31, 1936	171	154	+11.0%	1.11	154.1/km²
Sub-total cities			3,023,641	2,838,191	+6.5%	2,572.21	1,175.5/km²
Sub-total towns			471,028	455,389	+3.4%	1,294.84	363.8/km²
Sub-total villages			32,753	33,800	−3.1%	146.36	223.8/km²
Sub-total summer villages			5,955	5,171	+15.2%	38.93	153.0/km²
Total urban municipalities			3,533,377	3,332,551	+6.0%	4,052.34	871.9/km²
Province of Alberta			4,262,635	4,067,175	+4.8%	634,658.27	6.7/km²

Specialized municipalities

Distribution of Alberta's six specialized municipalities and three urban service areas (2020)

Sherwood Park is an urban service area within Strathcona County.

Fort McMurray is an urban service area within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

Specialized municipalities in Alberta are unique local governments.[25] 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 2021 Census of Population, they had a cumulative population of 202,461, a total land area of 155,463.32 km² (60,024.72 sq mi).[3] These totals represent 5% of Alberta's population yet 24.5% of its land area.

The province's largest and smallest specialized municipalities by population are Strathcona County and the Municipality of Jasper with 99,225 and 4,738 respectively, while its largest and smallest by land area are Mackenzie County and the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass with 79,629.26 km² (30,745.03 sq mi) and 370.15 km² (142.92 sq mi) respectively.[3] Lac La Biche County is Alberta's newest specialized municipality, which was formed on January 1, 2018.[26] Alberta's first specialized municipality was the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which formed on April 1, 1995.[26]

Strathcona County and the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo are home to the unincorporated hamlets of Sherwood Park and Fort McMurray respectively.[27] These communities are designated urban service areas, which are deemed equivalents of cities.[28][29] 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.[27]

Province of Alberta		4,262,635	4,067,175	+4.8%	634,658.27	6.7/km²

List of specialized municipalities in Alberta
Name	Region	Incorporation date (specialized municipality)[26]	Council size[26]	Municipal census population (year)[30]	2021 Census of Population[31]
Name	Region	Incorporation date (specialized municipality)[26]	Council size[26]	Municipal census population (year)[30]	Population (2021)	Population (2016)	Change (%)	Land area (km²)	Population density (per km²)
Crowsnest Pass, Municipality of	Southern Alberta	January 16, 2008	7		5,695	5,589	+1.9%	370.15	15.4/km²
Jasper, Municipality of	Alberta's Rockies	July 20, 2001	7	4,584[lower-alpha 3] (2011)	4,738	4,590	+3.2%	921.90	5.1/km²
Lac La Biche County[lower-alpha 4]	Northern Alberta	January 1, 2018	9	8,544 (2016)	7,673	8,330	−7.9%	12,527.48	0.6/km²
Mackenzie County	Northern Alberta	June 23, 1999	10	11,750 (2015)	12,804	11,171	+14.6%	79,629.26	0.2/km²
Strathcona County	Edmonton Metro	January 1, 1996	9	95,597 (2015)	99,225	98,044	+1.2%	1,170.65	84.8/km²
Wood Buffalo, Regional Municipality of	Northern Alberta	April 1, 1995	11	81,948[lower-alpha 5] (2015)	72,326	71,589	+1.0%	60,843.88	1.2/km²
Total specialized municipalities		—	53	—	202,461	199,298	+1.6%	155,463.32	1.3/km²

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.[32] 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.[33]

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 481,120, a total land area of 468,246.83 km² (180,791.11 sq mi).[3][lower-alpha 6] These totals represent 11% of Alberta's population yet 73.8% of its land area.

Municipal districts

In Alberta, a municipal district, typically branded as a county, is a type of rural municipality.[32] 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 470,620 in the 2021 Census of Population.[2][3] The province's largest and smallest municipal districts by population are Rocky View County and the Municipal District (MD) of Ranchland No. 66 with 41,028 and 110 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 32,925.53 km² (12,712.62 sq mi) and 679.86 km² (262.50 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.[27]

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][32] Improvement districts are administered by the Province of Alberta through its Ministry of Municipal Affairs.[32]

Alberta had eight improvement districts that had a cumulative population of 2,024 in the 2021 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.[34] Five of Alberta's improvement districts are within national parks while two are within provincial parks.[32] Alberta's largest improvement district by population is ID No. 9, located within Banff National Park, with 1,004, while its largest by land area is ID No. 24, located within Wood Buffalo National Park, at 33,053.78 km² (12,762.14 sq mi).[3][32] ID No. 13 (Elk Island), ID No. 12 (Jasper National Park) and ID No. 25 (Willmore Wilderness) are unpopulated,[lower-alpha 2] while its smallest by land area is ID No. 13 (Elk Island) at 165.00 km² (63.71 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).[27]

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.[8][32] 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.[32]

Alberta has three special areas that had a cumulative population of 4,238 in the 2021 Census of Populations.[2][3] The province's largest by population and land area is Special Area (SA) No. 2 with 1,860 and 9,195.06 km² (3,550.23 sq mi) respectively. Alberta's smallest by population is SA No. 3 with 1,142, while its smallest by land area is SA No. 4 with 4,299.80 km² (1,660.16 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.[35] 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.[32][35]

List of rural municipalities

List of rural municipalities in Alberta
Name	Status[2]	Incorporation date (current status) [35][36][37]	2021 Census of Population[3]
Name	Status[2]	Incorporation date (current status) [35][36][37]	Population (2021)	Population (2016)	Change (%)	Land area (km²)	Population density (per km²)
AcadiaMD of Acadia No. 34	Municipal district	December 9, 1913	494	493	+0.2%	1,070.92	0.5/km²
Athabasca County	Municipal district	January 1, 1947	6,959	7,869	−11.6%	6,111.30	1.1/km²
BarrheadCounty of Barrhead No. 11	Municipal district	January 1, 1955	5,877	6,288	−6.5%	2,385.28	2.5/km²
Beaver County, Alberta	Municipal district	February 1, 1943	5,868	5,905	−0.6%	3,219.74	1.8/km²
Big Lakes County[lower-alpha 7]	Municipal district	January 1, 1995	3,664	3,780	−3.1%	12,259.29	0.3/km²
BighornMD of Bighorn No. 8	Municipal district	January 1, 1988	1,598	1,324	+20.7%	2,678.80	0.6/km²
Birch Hills County	Municipal district	January 1, 1995	1,516	1,553	−2.4%	2,848.75	0.5/km²
BonnyvilleMD of Bonnyville No. 87[lower-alpha 8][lower-alpha 9]	Municipal district	January 1, 1955	12,912	12,745	+1.3%	11,631.87	1.1/km²
Brazeau County	Municipal district	July 1, 1988	7,179	7,771	−7.6%	3,000.14	2.4/km²
Camrose County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	8,504	8,660	−1.8%	3,291.75	2.6/km²
Cardston County	Municipal district	January 1, 1954	4,856	4,481	+8.4%	3,358.39	1.4/km²
Clear Hills County	Municipal district	January 1, 1995	3,006	3,018	−0.4%	15,025.54	0.2/km²
Clearwater County, Alberta	Municipal district	January 1, 1985	11,865	11,947	−0.7%	18,605.71	0.6/km²
Cypress County	Municipal district	January 1, 1985	7,524	7,662	−1.8%	12,977.99	0.6/km²
FairviewMD of Fairview No. 136	Municipal district	December 9, 1914	1,580	1,604	−1.5%	1,373.66	1.2/km²
Flagstaff County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	3,694	3,728	−0.9%	3,959.78	0.9/km²
Foothills County	Municipal district	January 1, 1954	23,199	22,616	+2.6%	3,604.76	6.4/km²
Forty MileCounty of Forty Mile No. 8	Municipal district	January 1, 1954	3,471	3,581	−3.1%	7,163.61	0.5/km²
Grande PrairieCounty of Grande Prairie No. 1	Municipal district	December 21, 1943	23,769	22,502	+5.6%	5,790.59	4.1/km²
GreenviewMD of Greenview No. 16	Municipal district	January 1, 1994	8,584	9,154	−6.2%	32,925.53	0.3/km²
ID04Improvement District No. 4	Improvement district	January 1, 1944	158	105	+50.5%	482.54	0.3/km²
ID09Improvement District No. 9	Improvement district	April 1, 1945	1,004	1,028	−2.3%	6,751.09	0.1/km²
ID12Improvement District No. 12	Improvement district	April 1, 1945	0	53	−100.0%	10,118.55	0.0/km²
ID13Improvement District No. 13	Improvement district	April 1, 1958	0	0	NA	165.00	0.0/km²
ID24Improvement District No. 24	Improvement district	January 1, 1967	706	648	+9.0%	33,053.78	0.0/km²
ID25Improvement District No. 25	Improvement district	January 2, 1994	0	0	NA	4,601.52	0.0/km²
Kananaskis Improvement District	Improvement district	January 1, 1983	156	221	−29.4%	4,203.24	0.0/km²
Kneehill County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	4,992	5,001	−0.2%	3,373.40	1.5/km²
Lac Ste. Anne County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	10,832	10,899	−0.6%	2,845.84	3.8/km²
Lacombe County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	10,283	10,343	−0.6%	2,759.12	3.7/km²
Lamont County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	3,754	3,884	−3.3%	2,385.58	1.6/km²
Leduc County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	14,416	13,177	+9.4%	2,502.59	5.8/km²
Lesser Slave RiverMD of Lesser Slave River No. 124	Municipal district	January 1, 1995	2,861	2,803	+2.1%	10,041.79	0.3/km²
Lethbridge County	Municipal district	January 1, 1954	10,120	10,237	−1.1%	2,815.66	3.6/km²
MinburnCounty of Minburn No. 27	Municipal district	January 30, 1942	3,014	3,188	−5.5%	2,850.37	1.1/km²
Mountain View County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	12,981	13,074	−0.7%	3,763.42	3.4/km²
NewellCounty of Newell	Municipal district	January 1, 1953	7,465	7,524	−0.8%	5,810.15	1.3/km²
Northern LightsCounty of Northern Lights[lower-alpha 10]	Municipal district	January 1, 1995	3,601	3,656	−1.5%	18,900.57	0.2/km²
Northern Sunrise County[lower-alpha 11]	Municipal district	April 1, 1994	1,711	1,921	−10.9%	20,914.35	0.1/km²
OpportunityMD of Opportunity No. 17	Municipal district	August 1, 1995	3,382	3,253	+4.0%	28,857.88	0.1/km²
PaintearthCounty of Paintearth No. 18	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	1,990	2,102	−5.3%	3,239.58	0.6/km²
Parkland County	Municipal district	January 1, 1969	32,205	32,737	−1.6%	2,375.67	13.6/km²
PeaceMD of Peace No. 135	Municipal district	December 11, 1916	1,581	1,752	−9.8%	847.22	1.9/km²
Pincher CreekMD of Pincher Creek No. 9	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	3,240	2,965	+9.3%	3,455.75	0.9/km²
Ponoka County	Municipal district	January 1, 1952	9,998	9,806	+2.0%	2,807.99	3.6/km²
ProvostMD of Provost No. 52	Municipal district	March 1, 1943	2,071	2,205	−6.1%	3,571.12	0.6/km²
RanchlandMD of Ranchland No. 66	Municipal district	January 1, 1995	110	92	+19.6%	2,636.75	0.0/km²
Red Deer County	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	19,933	19,531	+2.1%	3,919.25	5.1/km²
Rocky View County	Municipal district	January 1, 1955	41,028	39,407	+4.1%	3,828.85	10.7/km²
Saddle Hills County	Municipal district	January 1, 1995	2,338	2,225	+5.1%	5,827.70	0.4/km²
Smoky Lake County[lower-alpha 12]	Municipal district	March 1, 1943	2,939	3,145	−6.6%	2,265.41	1.3/km²
Smoky RiverMD of Smoky River No. 130	Municipal district	January 1, 1952	1,684	2,006	−16.1%	2,834.18	0.6/km²
Special Area No. 2	Special area	April 7, 1959	1,860	1,905	−2.4%	9,195.06	0.2/km²
Special Area No. 3	Special area	April 7, 1959	1,142	1,153	−1.0%	6,469.33	0.2/km²
Special Area No. 4	Special area	January 1, 1969	1,236	1,237	−0.1%	4,299.80	0.3/km²
Spirit RiverMD of Spirit River No. 133	Municipal district	December 11, 1916	649	700	−7.3%	679.86	1.0/km²
St. PaulCounty of St. Paul No. 19	Municipal district	January 30, 1942	6,306	6,036	+4.5%	3,280.40	1.9/km²
Starland County	Municipal district	February 1, 1943	1,821	2,066	−11.9%	2,540.85	0.7/km²
StettlerCounty of Stettler No. 6	Municipal district	March 1, 1943	5,666	5,566	+1.8%	3,969.65	1.4/km²
Sturgeon County	Municipal district	January 1, 1955	20,061	20,495	−2.1%	2,084.24	9.6/km²
TaberMD of Taber	Municipal district	January 1, 1954	7,447	7,098	+4.9%	4,160.47	1.8/km²
Thorhild County	Municipal district	January 1, 1955	3,042	3,254	−6.5%	1,997.17	1.5/km²
Two HillsCounty of Two Hills No. 21	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	3,412	3,641	−6.3%	2,600.15	1.3/km²
Vermilion RiverCounty of Vermilion River	Municipal district	January 1, 1944	7,994	8,453	−5.4%	5,420.13	1.5/km²
Vulcan County	Municipal district	January 1, 1951	4,237	3,984	+6.4%	5,356.65	0.8/km²
WainwrightMD of Wainwright No. 61	Municipal district	January 30, 1942	4,276	4,464	−4.2%	4,095.29	1.0/km²
WarnerCounty of Warner No. 5	Municipal district	January 1, 1954	4,290	3,942	+8.8%	4,462.20	1.0/km²
Westlock County	Municipal district	February 1, 1943	7,186	7,220	−0.5%	3,169.66	2.3/km²
WetaskiwinCounty of Wetaskiwin No. 10	Municipal district	February 1, 1943	11,212	11,176	+0.3%	3,121.98	3.6/km²
Wheatland County, Alberta	Municipal district	January 1, 1955	8,738	8,788	−0.6%	4,505.05	1.9/km²
Willow CreekMD of Willow Creek No. 26	Municipal district	January 1, 1954	6,081	5,575	+9.1%	4,485.05	1.4/km²
Woodlands County	Municipal district	January 1, 1994	4,558	4,744	−3.9%	7,599.52	0.6/km²
Yellowhead County	Municipal district	January 1, 1994	10,426	10,995	−5.2%	22,238.56	0.5/km²
Sub-total municipal districts			470,620	470,304	+0.1%	383,878.12	1.2/km²
Sub-total improvement districts			2,024	2,055	−1.5%	59,375.72	0.0/km²
Sub-total special areas			4,238	4,295	−1.3%	19,964.19	0.2/km²
Total rural municipalities			481,120	481,512	−0.1%	468,246.83	1.0/km²
Province of Alberta			4,262,635	4,067,175	+4.8%	634,658.27	6.7/km²

Metis settlements

Distribution of Alberta's 8 Metis settlements among its 63 municipal districts (2020)

Metis settlements are unique local governments dedicated to Alberta's Metis people.[38][lower-alpha 13] 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.[38] 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.[33]

Alberta's eight Metis settlements had a cumulative population of 4,238 in the 2021 Census of Population.[31][39] The province's largest and smallest Metis settlements by population are Kikino and East Prairie with 978 and 310 respectively, while the largest and smallest by land area are Paddle Prairie and Elizabeth at 1,726.45 km² (666.59 sq mi) and 246.45 km² (95.15 sq mi) respectively.[31]

List of Metis settlements in Alberta
Name	Municipal district or specialized municipality[27]	2021 Census of Population[31]
Name	Municipal district or specialized municipality[27]	Population (2021)	Population (2016)	Change (%)	Land area (km²)	Population density (per km²)
Buffalo Lake	Smoky Lake County	379	712	−46.8%	335.68	1.1/km²
East Prairie	Big Lakes County	310	304	+2.0%	328.42	0.9/km²
Elizabeth	BonnyvilleMD of Bonnyville No. 87	594	653	−9.0%	246.45	2.4/km²
Fishing Lake	BonnyvilleMD of Bonnyville No. 87	414	446	−7.2%	348.64	1.2/km²
Gift Lake[lower-alpha 14]	Big Lakes County Northern Sunrise County	625	658	−5.0%	803.29	0.8/km²
Kikino[lower-alpha 15]	Smoky Lake County Lac La Biche County	978	934	+4.7%	441.69	2.2/km²
Paddle Prairie	Northern LightsCounty of Northern Lights	551	544	+1.3%	1,726.45	0.3/km²
Peavine	Big Lakes County	387	607	−36.2%	798.95	0.5/km²
Total Metis settlements		4,238	4,858	−12.8%	5,029.57	0.8/km²
Province of Alberta		4,262,635	4,067,175	+4.8%	634,658.27	6.7/km²

Notes

The remaining 1% of Alberta's population resides on Indian reserves or Indian settlements, which occupy the remaining 0.3% of the province's land mass.[3]
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]
Jasper's 2011 municipal census also counted a shadow (non-permanent resident) population of 652 for a combined population of 5,236.
Excludes the unpopulated land area of the portion of the Kikino Metis Settlement that is within Lac La Biche County.
Wood Buffalo's 2015 municipal census also counted a shadow population of 43,084 for a combined population of 125,032.
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.[33] The statistics presented for total municipal districts and total rural municipalities therefore exclude the statistics associated with the eight Metis settlements.
Excludes the populations and land areas of the East Prairie and Peavine Metis settlements and the portion of the Gift Lake Metis Settlement that are within Big Lakes County.
Includes the population and land area of the former Improvement District No. 349 that dissolved by way of annexation to the MD of Bonnyville No. 87 on May 1, 2021.[34]
Excludes the populations and land areas of the Elizabeth and Fishing Lake Metis settlements that are within the Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87.
Excludes the population and land area of the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement that is within the County of Northern Lights.
Excludes the unpopulated land area of the portion of the Gift Lake Metis Settlement that is within Northern Sunrise County.
Excludes the populations and land areas of the Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement and the portion of the Kikino Metis Settlement that are within Smoky Lake County.
The Metis are descendants of people of mixed First Nations and European heritage.
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 625 living on 802.46 km² (309.83 sq mi) in 2021, while the Northern Sunrise County portion (part "B") had a population of 0 living on 0.83 km² (0.32 sq mi).[31]
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 978 living on 440.92 km² (170.24 sq mi) in 2021, while the Lac La Biche County portion (part "B") had a population of 0 living on 0.77 km² (0.30 sq mi).[31]

References

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"2021 Municipal Codes" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. February 11, 2021. p. 1 of 13. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
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External links

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[4] The remaining 1% of Alberta's population resides on Indian reserves or Indian settlements, which occupy the remaining 0.3% of the province's land mass.[3]

[privacy-14] 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]

[34] Jasper's 2011 municipal census also counted a shadow (non-permanent resident) population of 652 for a combined population of 5,236.

[35] Excludes the unpopulated land area of the portion of the Kikino Metis Settlement that is within Lac La Biche County.

[36] Wood Buffalo's 2015 municipal census also counted a shadow population of 43,084 for a combined population of 125,032.

[MDreductions-39] 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.[33] The statistics presented for total municipal districts and total rural municipalities therefore exclude the statistics associated with the eight Metis settlements.

[44] Excludes the populations and land areas of the East Prairie and Peavine Metis settlements and the portion of the Gift Lake Metis Settlement that are within Big Lakes County.

[45] Includes the population and land area of the former Improvement District No. 349 that dissolved by way of annexation to the MD of Bonnyville No. 87 on May 1, 2021.[34]

[46] Excludes the populations and land areas of the Elizabeth and Fishing Lake Metis settlements that are within the Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87.

[47] Excludes the population and land area of the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement that is within the County of Northern Lights.

[48] Excludes the unpopulated land area of the portion of the Gift Lake Metis Settlement that is within Northern Sunrise County.

[49] Excludes the populations and land areas of the Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement and the portion of the Kikino Metis Settlement that are within Smoky Lake County.

[51] The Metis are descendants of people of mixed First Nations and European heritage.

[53] 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 625 living on 802.46 km² (309.83 sq mi) in 2021, while the Northern Sunrise County portion (part "B") had a population of 0 living on 0.83 km² (0.32 sq mi).[31]

[54] 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 978 living on 440.92 km² (170.24 sq mi) in 2021, while the Lac La Biche County portion (part "B") had a population of 0 living on 0.77 km² (0.30 sq mi).[31]

[2021province-1] "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, 2021 and 2016 censuses – 100% data". Statistics Canada. March 14, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022.

[municodes-2] "2021 Municipal Codes" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. February 11, 2021. p. 1 of 13. Retrieved April 10, 2021.

[2021census-3] "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Alberta". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.

[5] "What Are Municipalities?". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved October 28, 2013.

[6] "The Provisions of Programs and Services Through Municipalities". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2013.

[MGA-7] "Municipal Government Act, Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000, Chapter M–26 (Office Consolidation)" (PDF). Alberta Queen's Printer. June 17, 2013. pp. 30–31, 47, 64–66, 69, 306. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

[8] "Types Of Municipalities In Alberta". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved November 5, 2013.

[SAA-9] "Special Areas Act, Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000, Chapter S–16 (Office Consolidation)" (PDF). Alberta Queen's Printer. May 27, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

[MSA-10] "Metis Settlements Act, Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000, Chapter M–14 (Office Consolidation)" (PDF). Alberta Queen's Printer. June 17, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

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[AboutAMA-12] "About The Ministry of Municipal Affairs". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

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[StatCaninterim-15] "Interim List of Changes to Municipal Boundaries, Status, and Names: From January 2, 2012 to January 1, 2013" (PDF). Statistics Canada. pp. 6–7. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

[2012MAPL-16] "2012 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. November 22, 2012. pp. 1–2, 10. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

[citystatus-17] "Order in Council (O.C.) 395/2018". Government of Alberta. December 11, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2019.

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[urbantypes-22] "Types of Municipalities in Alberta: Urban Municipal Governments". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

[summervillageprofiles-23] "Municipal Profiles: Summary Reports (Summer Villages)" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

[WhiteGull-24] "Order in Council 461/2002". Government of Alberta. October 8, 2002. Retrieved October 31, 2013.

[cityprofiles-25] "Municipal Profiles: Summary Reports (Cities)" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

[townprofiles-26] "Municipal Profiles: Summary Reports (Towns)" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.

[spectypes-27] "Types Of Municipalities In Alberta: Specialized Municipalities". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved October 28, 2013.

[SMprofiles-28] "Municipal Profiles (Specialized Municipalities)" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.

[munilocations-29] "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF) (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. August 30, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.

[RMWB_OC-30] "Order in Council 817/94" (PDF). Province of Alberta. December 21, 1994. Retrieved October 29, 2013.

[SC_OC-31] "Order in Council 761/95" (PDF). Province of Alberta. December 6, 1995. Retrieved October 29, 2013.

[2015MAPL-32] "2015 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. ISBN 978-1-4601-2630-1. Retrieved February 21, 2016.

[2021censusDPL-33] "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.

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[2021censusCSDDPL-38] "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions, census subdivisions (municipalities) and designated places". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.

[ID349-40] "O.C. 121/2021". Government of Alberta. April 28, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.

[SABprofile-41] "Municipal Profiles: Summary Reports (Special Areas Board)" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 18, 2013. p. 1. Retrieved October 29, 2013.

[MDprofiles-42] "Municipal Profiles: Summary Reports (Municipal Districts)" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.

[IDprofiles-43] "Municipal Profiles: Summary Reports (Improvement Districts)" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 18, 2013. pp. PDF pages 1, 9, 17, 25, 33, 41, 48 and 56. Retrieved October 29, 2013.

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[2016censusABdpl-52] "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2017.