Municipal districts of Alberta
LocationProvince of Alberta
Number63
Populations92 (Ranchland) – 39,407 (Rocky View)
Areas683.6 km2 (Spirit River) – 32,984.24 km2 (Greenview)
Government
Subdivisions

A municipal district (MD) is the most common form of all rural municipality statuses used in the Canadian province of Alberta. Alberta's municipal districts, most of which are branded as a county (e.g. Yellowhead County, County of Newell, etc.), are predominantly rural areas that may include either farmland, Crown land or a combination of both depending on their geographic location. They may also include country residential subdivisions and unincorporated communities, some of which are recognized as hamlets by Alberta Municipal Affairs.[1]

Municipal districts are created when predominantly rural areas with populations of at least 1,000 people, where a majority of their residential buildings are on parcels of land greater than 1,850 m2, apply to Alberta Municipal Affairs for municipal district status under the authority of the Municipal Government Act.[2] Applications for municipal district status are approved via orders in council made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council under recommendation from the Minister of Municipal Affairs.[2]

As of the 2011 Census, Alberta's then 64 municipal districts (Lac La Biche County has since then converted to a specialized municipality)[3] had a cumulative population of 451,979 and an average population of 7,062.[4] Alberta's most populous and least populated municipal districts are Rocky View County and the MD of Ranchland No. 66 with populations of 36,461 and 79 respectively.[4]

437 elected officials (eight mayors, 56 reeves and 373 councillors) provide municipal district governance throughout the province.[5]

Branding

An order in council to incorporate any municipality must give the municipality an official name.[2] Of Alberta's 63 municipal districts, 16 still have municipal district in their official names, while 47 of them have branded themselves as a county in their official names. Twenty-five of Alberta's municipal district's retain a numerical designation (e.g. "No. 8") in their official names.

The use of the county term in the official names of 47 municipal districts (and three specialized municipalities) has partially led to a common belief that a county is its own separate municipal status type, which is not the case. The other major contributor to this common belief is that a county was once a former municipal status type in Alberta prior to the County Act being repealed in the mid-1990s. Those municipalities that were once officially incorporated as counties were continued under the Municipal Government Act (MGA) as municipal districts and were permitted to retain the term county in their official names.[6]

Municipal office locations

More than half of the 63 municipal districts have their main administration offices, including council chambers, in a separate municipality such as a city, town, or village. This municipality (like all other cities, towns, and villages) is not part of the municipal district's jurisdiction. Nine municipal districts have their offices in a hamlet, which is part of the district's jurisdiction. They are Acadia (Acadia Valley), Bighorn (Exshaw), Birch Hills (Wanham), Clear Hills (Worsley), Cypress (Dunmore), Grande Prairie (Clairmont), Lac Ste. Anne (Sangudo), Opportunity (Wabasca), and Thorhild (Thorhild). One municipal district, Ranchland, has its offices in a provincial park, Chain Lakes Provincial Park. Thirteen municipal districts have their offices in their jurisdiction, outside the boundaries of a city, town, or village. They are Brazeau (Drayton Valley), Lacombe (between Gull Lake and Lacombe), Mountain View (Didsbury), Newell (Brooks), Northern Sunrise (Peace River), Paintearth (Castor), Parkland (Stony Plain), Peace (Berwyn), Red Deer (Red Deer), Saddle Hills (Spirit River), Wheatland (Strathmore), Willow Creek (Claresholm), and Woodlands (Whitecourt).

List

The below table is a list of only those rural municipalities in Alberta that are incorporated as municipal districts.

Despite their names, Lac La Biche County, Mackenzie County, and Strathcona County are not listed because they are in fact incorporated as specialized municipalities, not municipal districts. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is likewise a specialized municipality and is thus not listed here. For more information on specialized municipalities, see List of specialized municipalities in Alberta.

Alberta's eight improvement districts and three special areas are also not listed because they are their own separate type of rural municipality and not subset types of the municipal district status. For more information on special areas, see Special Areas Board.

Former municipal districts

Changed status

Name[10]
Earlier name(s)		 Incorporation date
(municipal district)[10]		 Status change date[10] Subsequent municipal status[10]
Lac La Biche CountyAugust 1, 2007January 1, 2018Specialized municipality
Mackenzie County
MD of Mackenzie No. 23		January 1, 1995June 23, 1999Specialized municipality
Strathcona County
County of Strathcona No. 20
MD of Strathcona No. 83
MD of Strathcona No. 517		March 1, 1943January 1, 1996Specialized municipality

Dissolved

Name[5][11][12]
Earlier name(s)		 Incorporation date
(municipal district)[5][11]		 Dissolution date[5][11] Subsequent municipality(ies)[5][11]
Argyle No. 26
Argyle No. 100		January 1, 1954Vulcan County (1951)
Municipal District of Willow Creek No. 26 (1954)
Argyle No. 99December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944Argyle No. 100
Arthur No. 340January 1, 1944Red Deer County
Ashmont No. 605May 1, 1919[14]Smoky Lake County
County of St. Paul No. 19
Asquith No. 394December 14, 1914[15]January 1, 1944Flagstaff County
Badlands No. 7[16]January 1, 1991[17]January 1, 1998[16]Drumheller (town)[16]
Barons No. 25January 1, 1954Lethbridge County (1954)
Vulcan County (1951)
Municipal District of Willow Creek No. 26 (1954)
Battle River No. 423December 9, 1912[13]January 30, 1942Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61
Bear Lake No. 740December 9, 1912[13]December 21, 1943County of Grande Prairie No. 1
Beaver Dam No. 281January 1, 1944Mountain View County
Beaver Lake No. 486February 1, 1943Beaver County
Beddington No. 250December 9, 1912[13]February 1, 1943Beddington (Conrich) No. 220
Berry Creek No. 214December 9, 1912[13]
Bertawan No. 271December 9, 1912[13]
Bigstone No. 459February 1, 1943County of Wetaskiwin No. 10
Birch Lake No. 484January 30, 1942County of Minburn No. 27
Blackfoot No. 218Bow Valley No. 40
Blackie No. 30January 1, 1951Vulcan County
Blackmud No. 488January 1, 1944Leduc County
Blindman No. 430January 1, 1944Ponoka County
Bonnyville No. 87
Bonnyville No. 572
Boucher No. 572		December 14, 1914[15]January 1, 1955Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87
Bow Island No. 13
Bow Island No. 94		December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1950Bow Island No. 13 (enlarged)[18]
Bow Island No. 13 (enlarged)[18]January 1, 1950January 1, 1954County of Forty Mile No. 8
Bow Valley No. 40
Bow Valley No. 218		December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1955County of Newell (1953)
Wheatland County (1955)
Bright No. 16
Bright No. 69		January 1, 1954Lethbridge County
Municipal District of Willow Creek No. 26
Britannia No. 183December 10, 1917[19]
Buffalo Coulee No. 453January 30, 1942County of Minburn No. 27
Bulyea No. 215December 14, 1914[15]
Burlington No. 2
Burlington No. 34		December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1950Burlington No. 2 (enlarged)[18]
Burlington No. 2 (enlarged)[18]January 1, 1950January 1, 1954County of Forty Mile No. 8
County of Warner No. 5
Canmer No. 301December 9, 1912[13]
Carbon No. 278December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944Kneehill County
Cartier No. 103
Cartier No. 637		December 14, 1914[15]January 1, 1947Athabasca County
Castle River No. 40January 1, 1944Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9
Cereal No. 242December 9, 1912[13]
Champlain No. 544January 30, 1942County of St. Paul No. 19
Chip Lake No. 553December 14, 1914[15]
Clear Lake No. 129January 1, 1944Argyle No. 100
Clifton No. 127December 14, 1914[15]
Clover Bar No. 517March 1, 1943Strathcona County
Cochrane No. 6
Cochrane No. 10		December 14, 1914[15]January 1, 1954Cardston County
Cochrane No. 7January 1, 1946Cochrane No. 6
Collholme No. 243December 9, 1912[13]
Columbia No. 460Improvement District No. 76
Conrich No. 44
Conrich No. 220
Beddington No. 220		January 1, 1955Rocky View County
Cornhill No. 487December 9, 1912[13]February 1, 1943Beaver County
Coronation No. 334
Whiteside No. 334		December 8, 1913[15]January 1, 1944County of Paintearth No. 18
Crown No. 399January 1, 1944Lacombe County
Dinton No. 189December 9, 1912[13]Blackie No. 30
Dowling Lake No. 305December 9, 1912[13]
Dublin No. 366March 1, 1943County of Stettler No. 6
Eagle No. 545January 1, 1944County of Two Hills No. 21
Edson No. 555December 9, 1912[13]
Ethelwyn No. 512January 1, 1944County of Vermilion River
Eureka No. 14
Eureka No. 65		December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1954Municipal District of Taber
Evergreen No. 427Camrose County
Excelsior No. 92December 9, 1912[13]
Fertile Valley No. 429January 1, 1944Ponoka County
Flagstaff No. 364
Flagstaff No. 394		December 9, 1912January 1, 1944Flagstaff County
Flowerdale No. 244December 8, 1913[15]
Flowery Plain No. 33December 9, 1912[13]Burlington No. 2
Forty Mile No. 12
Forty Mile No. 64		December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1950Bow Island No. 13
Burlington No. 2
Gariepy No. 574December 14, 1914[15]
Ghost Pine No. 308
Roach No. 308		December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944Kneehill County
Gilt Edge No. 422January 30, 1942Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61
Glendon No. 88January 1, 1955Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87
Golden Centre No. 272December 9, 1912[13]
Golden West No. 371January 1, 1944Red Deer County
Grande Prairie No. 739
Grande Prairie No. 709		December 9, 1912[13]December 21, 1943County of Grande Prairie No. 1
Grasswold No. 248December 9, 1914[15]Serviceberry No. 43
Grizzly Bear No. 452December 8, 1913[15]January 1, 1944County of Vermilion River (1944)
Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61 (1942)
Grosmont No. 106
Grosmont No. 668		December 14, 1914[15]January 1, 1947Athabasca County
Haig No. 396Camrose County
Hand Hills No. 275December 9, 1912[13]
Harmony No. 128Vulcan No. 29
Hays No. 338December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944Red Deer County
Hazelwood No. 579February 1, 1943Westlock County
Highwood No. 31
Highwood No. 159		January 1, 1944January 1, 1954Municipal District of Foothills No. 31
Municipal District of Willow Creek No. 26
Hillcrest No. 362December 9, 1912[13]March 1, 1943Municipal District of Provost No. 52
Hiram No. 304
Misqueta Valley No. 304		December 9, 1912[13]
Huamha No. 393December 9, 1912[13]Municipal District of Provost No. 52
Inga No. 520March 1, 1918January 30, 1942Stony Plain No. 84
Iron Creek No. 455February 1, 1943Beaver County
Keoma No. 249December 9, 1912[13]Serviceberry No. 43
Kerr No. 39January 1, 1944Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9
King No. 153December 9, 1912[13]
Kinsella No. 424January 1, 1944Flagstaff County
Kitchener No. 582December 14, 1914[15]January 1, 1944Lac Ste. Anne County
Lac Ste. Anne No. 93January 1, 1955Sturgeon County
Lakeland County[20]July 1, 1998[20]August 1, 2007[21]Lac La Biche County
Lakeside No. 397Camrose County
Lakeview No. 454December 8, 1913[22]January 30, 1942County of Minburn No. 27
Lambton No. 306December 9, 1912[13]February 1, 1943Starland County
Lamerton No. 398January 1, 1944Lacombe County
Last West No. 67[23]
Last West No. 431
Laurier No. 543December 14, 1914[15]January 30, 1942County of St. Paul No. 19
Leslie No. 547January 1, 1944Lamont County
Liberty No. 489January 1, 1944Leduc County
Lincoln No. 542December 14, 1914[15]January 30, 1942County of St. Paul No. 19
Little Bow No. 98December 8, 1913[22]Barons No. 25
Livingstone No. 70January 1, 1944Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9
Lloyd George No. 457Camrose County
Lochearn No. 401Improvement District No. 65
Lockerbie No. 580February 1, 1943Westlock County
Lonebutte No. 245December 9, 1912[13]
Lorne No. 400January 1, 1944Lacombe County
Marquis No. 157December 9, 1912[13]Blackie No. 30
Vulcan No. 29
Bow West Area
McLean No. 96December 9, 1912[13]
Melberta No. 483January 30, 1942County of Minburn No. 27
Melrose No. 426Camrose County
Merton No. 451December 14, 1914[15]January 1, 1944County of Vermilion River (1944)
Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61 (1942)
Michichi No. 277February 1, 1943Starland County
Montgomery No. 458December 13, 1915[24]February 1, 1943County of Wetaskiwin No. 10
Morinville No. 91January 1, 1955Sturgeon County
Morthen No. 551January 1, 1944Lac Ste. Anne County
Mountain View No. 310December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944Mountain View County
Nelson No. 105
Nelson No. 638		December 14, 1914[15]January 1, 1947Athabasca County
Newell No. 28February 10, 1948January 1, 1953County of Newell
Norma No. 515January 1, 1944County of Two Hills No. 21
Norquay No. 279January 1, 1944Kneehill County
Opal No. 578February 1, 1943Bon Accord (Sturgeon) No. 548
Parkland No. 456December 11, 1916[25]February 1, 1943Beaver County
Patricia No. 486February 1, 1943Beaver County
Paxson No. 667December 14, 1914[15]
Pembina No. 94[23]
Pembina No. 552
Pershing No. 581January 1, 1944Lac Ste. Anne County
Pibroch No. 609December 9, 1912[13]February 1, 1943Westlock County
Pine Lake No. 339January 1, 1944Red Deer County
The Pines No. 516January 1, 1944Lamont County
Pioneer No. 490December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944Leduc County
Poplar Grove No. 341January 1, 1944Red Deer County
Prairie Creek No. 343
Progress No. 365January 1, 1944County of Paintearth No. 18
Raven No. 57[23]
Raven No. 342
Ray No. 549Morinville No. 91
Ribstone No. 421December 8, 1913[22]January 30, 1942Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61
Richdale No. 274December 9, 1912[13]
Riley No. 159January 1, 1944Highwood No. 31
Rocky Rapids No. 522December 13, 1915[24]April 1, 1937Improvement District No. 522
Rosebud No. 280December 8, 1913[22]January 1, 1944Mountain View County
Rosenheim No. 361December 9, 1912[13]
Royal No. 158Vulcan No. 29
Serviceberry No. 43January 1, 1955Rocky View County
Wheatland County
Sheep Creek No. 190January 1, 1944Highwood No. 31
Shepard No. 220February 1, 1943Beddington (Conrich) No. 220
Shoal Creek No. 610February 1, 1943Westlock County
Sifton No. 391December 9, 1912[13]March 1, 1943Municipal District of Provost No. 52
Smoky Lake No. 576March 1, 1943Smoky Lake County
Sobor No. 514January 1, 1944County of Two Hills No. 21
Sounding Creek No. 273December 9, 1912[13]
Springbank No. 45
Springbank No. 221		January 1, 1955Municipal District of Foothills No. 31 (1954)
Rocky View County (1955)
Spruce Grove No. 519December 13, 1915[24]January 30, 1942Stony Plain No. 84
St. Lina No. 574County of St. Paul No. 19
St. Vincent No. 88[23]
St. Vincent No. 573
Starland No. 307December 9, 1912[13]February 1, 1943Starland County
Stauffer No. 309January 1, 1944Kneehill County
Stewart No. 302December 9, 1912[13]
Stirling No. 425December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944Flagstaff County
Stockland No. 191Turner Valley No. 32
Stocks No. 363January 1, 1944County of Paintearth No. 18
Stony Plain No. 84
Stony Plain No. 520		January 1, 1969Parkland County
Strathcona No. 518March 1, 1943Strathcona County
Streamstown No. 511December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944County of Vermilion River
Sturgeon No. 548February 1, 1943Bon Accord (Sturgeon) No. 548
Sturgeon River No. 90
Sturgeon No. 548
Bon Accord No. 548		January 1, 1955Sturgeon County
Success No. 336December 9, 1912[13]March 1, 1943County of Stettler No. 6
Sugar City No. 5
Sugar City No. 37		January 1, 1954Cardston County
Lethbridge County
County of Warner No. 5
Sullivan Lake No. 335December 9, 1912[13]
Sunny South No. 123December 9, 1912[13]
Tawatinaw No. 608December 14, 1914[15]February 1, 1943Westlock County
Tomahawk No. 521December 9, 1912[13]January 30, 1942Stony Plain No. 84
Turner Valley No. 32January 1, 1954Municipal District of Foothills No. 31
Municipal District of Willow Creek No. 26
Ukraina No. 513January 1, 1944County of Two Hills No. 21
Unity No. 577March 1, 1943Smoky Lake County
Vale No. 392December 8, 1913[22]January 30, 1942Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61
Vermilion Valley No. 482December 8, 1913[22]January 1, 1944County of Vermilion River
Vilna No. 575
Wasel No. 575		March 1, 1943Smoky Lake County
Vimy No. 337March 1, 1943County of Stettler No. 6
Vulcan No. 29
Vulcan No. 128		January 1, 1951Vulcan County
Warner No. 4
Warner No. 36		December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1950Warner No. 4 (enlarged)[26]
Warner No. 4 (enlarged)[26]January 1, 1950January 1, 1954County of Forty Mile No. 8
Lethbridge County
County of Warner No. 5
Water Glen No. 428January 1, 1944Ponoka County
Waterloo No. 56[23]
Waterloo No. 312		December 8, 1913[22]
Waverly No. 367March 1, 1943County of Stettler No. 6
Wellington No. 481December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944County of Vermilion River
Westerdale No. 311December 8, 1913[22]January 1, 1944Mountain View County
Wheatland No. 395December 9, 1912[13]January 1, 1944Flagstaff County
Wiste No. 303December 9, 1912[13]
Woodford No. 550January 1, 1944Lac Ste. Anne County
Wostok No. 546January 1, 1944Lamont County

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "2022 Municipal Codes" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Municipal Government Act". Alberta Queen's Printer. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  3. ↑ "O.C. 259/2017". Government of Alberta. September 14, 2017. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. August 9, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Municipal Profiles (Municipal Districts)" (PDF) (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Transitional Provisions, Consequential Amendments, Repeal and Commencement (Municipal Government Act)" (PDF) (PDF). Province of Alberta. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
  7. "2016 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. ISBN 978-1-4601-3127-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  8. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  9. "Rocky View's Total Population Results are In". Rocky View County. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Municipal Profiles (Specialized Municipalities)" (PDF) (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. September 20, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1926-1946 and Table 6a: Population by census divisions and subdivisions showing reorganization of rural areas, 1931-1946". Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1946. Vol. I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1949. pp. 401–431.
  12. ↑ "Population Data 1918" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 8. Government of Alberta. 1912.
  14. ↑ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 15. Government of Alberta. 1919.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 10. Government of Alberta. 1914.
  16. 1 2 3 "Location and History Profile: Town of Drumheller". Alberta Municipal Affairs. September 27, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  17. ↑ Jack K. Masson; Edward C. LeSage (1994). Alberta's Local Governments: Politics and Democracy. The University of Alberta Press. p. 108. ISBN 0-88864-251-2. Retrieved October 10, 2013. Badlands No. 7 January 1, 1991.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Municipal Boundary Document Search (Forty Mile No. 8, County of)". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  19. ↑ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 13. Government of Alberta. 1917.
  20. 1 2 "Order in Council (O.C.) 252/98" (PDF) (PDF). Province of Alberta. June 17, 1998. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Order in Council (O.C.) 332/2007" (PDF) (PDF). Province of Alberta. August 1, 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 9. Government of Alberta. 1913.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 "Changing Numbers of All Municipal Districts Throughout the Province" (PDF) (PDF). The Alberta Gazette. April 14, 1945. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  24. 1 2 3 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 11. Government of Alberta. 1915.
  25. ↑ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 12. Government of Alberta. 1916.
  26. 1 2 "Municipal Boundary Document Search (Warner No. 5, County of)". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
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