A municipal district (MD) is the most common form of all
rural municipality
A rural municipality is a classification of municipality, a type of local government, found in several countries.
These include:
* Rural municipalities in Canada, a type of municipal status in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, ...
statuses used in the
Canadian province of
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
. Alberta's municipal districts, most of which are branded as a county (e.g.
Yellowhead County
Yellowhead County is a municipal district in west central Alberta, Canada. It is the only municipal district within Alberta census division No. 14.
History
*1994: Established as a ''Municipal District of Yellowhead No. 94'' on January 1. ...
,
County of Newell
The County of Newell is a municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada. Located in Census Division No. 2, its municipal office is located south of the City of Brooks.
History
It was incorporated as the ''County of Newell No. 4'' on Janu ...
, 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
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
, some of which are recognized as
hamlets
A hamlet is a human settlement that is smaller than a town or village. Its size relative to a parish can depend on the administration and region. A hamlet may be considered to be a smaller settlement or subdivision or satellite entity to a lar ...
by
Alberta Municipal Affairs.
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 m
2, apply to Alberta Municipal Affairs for municipal district status under the authority of the ''Municipal Government Act''.
[ 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.][
As of the 2011 Census, Alberta's then 64 municipal districts (]Lac La Biche County
Lac La Biche County is a List of specialized municipalities in Alberta, specialized municipality within Division No. 12, Alberta, Division No. 12 in northern Alberta, Canada. It was established through the amalgamation of the Lac La Biche, Alberta ...
has since then converted to a specialized municipality) had a cumulative population of 451,979 and an average population of 7,062. Alberta's most populous and least populated municipal districts are Rocky View County
Rocky View County is a municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada that is named for its views of the nearby Rocky Mountains to the west. It surrounds most of Calgary, forming the city's northern boundary and most of the city's western and e ...
and the MD of Ranchland No. 66 with populations of 36,461 and 79 respectively.[
437 elected officials (eight ]mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
s, 56 reeves
Reeves may refer to:
People
* Reeves (surname)
* B. Reeves Eason (1886–1956), American director, actor and screenwriter
* Reeves Nelson (born 1991), American basketball player
Places
;Ireland
* Reeves, County Kildare, townland in County K ...
and 373 councillor
A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries.
Canada
Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...
s) provide municipal district governance throughout the province.[
__TOC__
]
Branding
An order in council to incorporate any municipality must give the municipality an official name. 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.
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 (french: link=no, Acadie) was a colony of New France in northeastern North America which included parts of what are now the The Maritimes, Maritime provinces, the Gaspé Peninsula and Maine to the Kennebec River. During much of the 17t ...
( Acadia Valley), Bighorn
The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns might weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspec ...
(Exshaw
Exshaw is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Municipal District (MD) of Bighorn No. 8. Located approximately west of downtown Calgary and east of Canmore, Exshaw is situated within the Bow River valley north of the Bow River.
The hamlet was ...
), Birch Hills ( Wanham), Clear Hills
Clear Hills County is a municipal district in north western Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17.
In 1950, the massive Chinchaga fire burned through much of the region.
On January 1, 2006, the name was changed from ''Municip ...
(Worsley
Worsley () is a village in the City of Salford, Greater Manchester, England, which in 2014 had a population of 10,090. It lies along Worsley Brook, west of Manchester.
Within the boundaries of the Historic counties of England, historic county ...
), Cypress (Dunmore Dunmore from the ga, Dún Mór, link=no or gd, Dùn Mòr, link=no, meaning "great fort", may refer to:
People
* Dunmore (surname)
* Earl of Dunmore, a title in the Peerage of Scotland, includes a list of earls
* Countess of Dunmore (disambiguat ...
), Grande Prairie
Grande Prairie is a city in northwest Alberta, Canada within the southern portion of an area known as Peace River Country. It is located at the intersection of Highway 43 (part of the CANAMEX Corridor) and Highway 40 (the Bighorn Highway), a ...
( Clairmont), Lac Ste. Anne ( Sangudo), Opportunity
Opportunity may refer to:
Places
* Opportunity, Montana, an unincorporated community, United States
* Opportunity, Nebraska, an unincorporated community, United States
* Opportunity, Washington, a former census-designated place, United States
* ...
( Wabasca), and Thorhild ( Thorhild). One municipal district, Ranchland
A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most often ...
, 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
Drayton Valley is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located on Highway 22 (Cowboy Trail), approximately southwest of Edmonton. It is surrounded by Brazeau County, known for its vast oil fields. The town is located between the North Sas ...
), Lacombe Lacombe may refer to:
Places
* Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
* Lacombe County, Alberta, Canada
* Lacombe, Louisiana, United States
* Lacombe, Aude, France
People
* Albert Lacombe (1827–1916), oblate missionary to the Cree and Blackfoot
* Bernard Lac ...
(between Gull Lake and Lacombe Lacombe may refer to:
Places
* Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
* Lacombe County, Alberta, Canada
* Lacombe, Louisiana, United States
* Lacombe, Aude, France
People
* Albert Lacombe (1827–1916), oblate missionary to the Cree and Blackfoot
* Bernard Lac ...
), Mountain View ( Didsbury), Newell (Brooks
Brooks may refer to:
Places
;Antarctica
*Cape Brooks
;Canada
*Brooks, Alberta
;United States
* Brooks, Alabama
* Brooks, Arkansas
*Brooks, California
*Brooks, Georgia
* Brooks, Iowa
* Brooks, Kentucky
* Brooks, Maine
* Brooks Township, Michigan ...
), Northern Sunrise (Peace River
The Peace River (french: links=no, rivière de la Paix) is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River joins the Athabasca River in th ...
), Paintearth ( Castor), Parkland ( Stony Plain), Peace
Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...
( Berwyn), Red Deer
The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of wes ...
(Red Deer
The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of wes ...
), Saddle Hills ( Spirit River), Wheatland ( Strathmore), Willow Creek (Claresholm
Claresholm is a town located within southern Alberta, Canada. It is located on Highway 2, approximately northwest of the City of Lethbridge and south of the City of Calgary.
One of the Famous Five involved in the Persons Case, Louise McKinne ...
), and Woodlands Woodlands may back refer to:
* Woodland, a low-density forest
Geography
Australia
* Woodlands, New South Wales
* Woodlands, Ashgrove, Queensland, a heritage-listed house associated with John Henry Pepper
* Woodlands, Marburg, Queensland, a her ...
(Whitecourt
Whitecourt is a town in central Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by Woodlands County. It is approximately northwest of Edmonton and southeast of Grande Prairie at the junction of Highway 43 and Highway 32. It has an elevation of .
White ...
).
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
Lac La Biche County is a List of specialized municipalities in Alberta, specialized municipality within Division No. 12, Alberta, Division No. 12 in northern Alberta, Canada. It was established through the amalgamation of the Lac La Biche, Alberta ...
, Mackenzie County
Mackenzie County is a specialized municipality in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17, along the Mackenzie Highway. The municipal office is located in the hamlet of Fort Vermilion.
History
Originally ''Improvement D ...
, and Strathcona County
Strathcona County is a specialized municipality in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region within Alberta, Canada between Edmonton and Elk Island National Park. It forms part of Census Division No. 11.
Strathcona County is both urban and rural in ...
are not listed because they are in fact incorporated as '' specialized municipalities'', not ''municipal districts''. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (abbreviated RMWB) is a specialized municipality in northeast Alberta, Canada. It is the second largest municipality in Alberta by area and is home to oil sand deposits known as the Athabasca oil sand ...
is likewise a specialized municipality and is thus not listed here. For more information on ''specialized municipalities'', see List of specialized municipalities in Alberta
A specialized municipality is a unique type of municipal status in the Canadian province of Alberta. These unique local governments are formed without the creation of special legislation, and typically allow for the coexistence of urban and rur ...
.
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
The Special Areas Board is the governing body of Alberta's special areas. Special areas are designated rural municipalities similar to municipal districts; however, the elected advisory councils are overseen by four representatives appointed by ...
''.
Former municipal districts
Changed status
Dissolved
See also
*Administrative divisions of Canada
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...
*List of census divisions of Alberta
Statistics Canada divides the province of Alberta into nineteen census divisions. Unlike in some other provinces, census divisions do not reflect the organization of local government in Alberta. These areas exist solely for the purposes of sta ...
*List of communities in Alberta
The province of Alberta, Canada, is divided into ten types of local governments – urban municipalities (including cities, towns, villages and summer villages), specialized municipalities, rural municipalities (including municipal district ...
*List of designated places in Alberta
A designated place is a type of geographic unit used by Statistics Canada to disseminate census data. It is usually "a small community that does not meet the criteria used to define incorporated municipalities or Statistics Canada Population cen ...
*List of hamlets in Alberta
Hamlets in the province of Alberta, Canada, are unincorporated communities administered by, and within the boundaries of, specialized municipalities or rural municipalities ( municipal districts, improvement districts and special areas). The ...
*List of Indian reserves in Alberta
Indian reserves for First Nations in Alberta were established by a series of treaties — Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8.
According to the Government of Alberta reserves cover a total area of . However, according to Indigenous and Northern A ...
*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 . Alberta's 344 municipalities cover of the province's land mass and are home to of i ...
*List of rural municipalities in Manitoba
A rural municipality (RM) is a type of incorporated municipality in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Under the province's ''Municipal Act'' of 1997, an area must have a minimum population of 1,000 and a density of less than to incorporate ...
*List of rural municipalities in Saskatchewan
A rural municipality (RM) is a type of incorporated municipality in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. A rural municipality is created by the Minister of Municipal Relations by ministerial order via section 49 of ''The Municipalities Act ...
*List of specialized municipalities in Alberta
A specialized municipality is a unique type of municipal status in the Canadian province of Alberta. These unique local governments are formed without the creation of special legislation, and typically allow for the coexistence of urban and rur ...
*Special Areas Board
The Special Areas Board is the governing body of Alberta's special areas. Special areas are designated rural municipalities similar to municipal districts; however, the elected advisory councils are overseen by four representatives appointed by ...
References
External links
Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties
(AAMDC)
:
AAMDC - The Members
Alberta Municipal Affairs
{{Topics on Alberta
Municipal Districts