Mackenzie County is a

specialized municipality 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 ru ...

northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17, along the Mackenzie Highway. The municipal office is located in the hamlet of

Fort Vermilion Fort Vermilion is a Hamlet (place), hamlet on the Peace River in northern Alberta, Canada, within Mackenzie County. Established in 1788, Fort Vermilion shares the title of oldest European settlement in Alberta with Fort Chipewyan. Fort Vermilio ...

History

Originally ''Improvement District No. 23'', the ''Municipal District of Mackenzie No. 23'' incorporated as a municipal district on January 1, 1995. It subsequently changed its status to specialized municipality on June 23, 1999 "to address concerns about municipal government and management in a municipality that serves a number of unique communities within a very large territory." The ''Municipal District of Mackenzie No. 23'' changed its name to ''Mackenzie County'' on March 8, 2007.

Geography

Mackenzie County is in the northwest corner of the province of Alberta. It borders the province of British Columbia to the west; the

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

to the north;

Improvement District No. 24 Improvement District No. 24, or Improvement District No. 24 (Wood Buffalo), is an improvement district in Alberta, Canada. Coextensive with the portion of Wood Buffalo National Park in northeast Alberta, the improvement district provides loca ...

( Wood Buffalo National Park) and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo to the east; and Northern Sunrise County, the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement, and the County of Northern Lights to the south. The

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 ...

meanders eastward through the southeast portion of Mackenzie County. Some of its water bodies include

Bistcho Lake Bistcho Lake is a large lake in northwestern Alberta, Canada. Bistcho Lake has a total area of (with islands area and water surface), and lies at an elevation of . It is the third largest lake in Alberta. Bistcho Lake is located in the hyd ...

Eva Lake Eva Lake is a lake in Alberta, Canada. Eva Lake was named after Eva Wallace, the wife of a surveyor. See also *List of lakes of Alberta This is a list of lakes in Alberta, Canada. Most of Alberta's lakes were formed during ...

, Margaret Lake, Wadlin Lake,

Wentzel Lake Wentzel and Wentzell are surnames, and may refer to: Wentzel * Emil Wentzel (c. 1817–1892), timber merchant and politician in South Australia * Gregor Wentzel (1898–1978), German physicist * Stan Wentzel (1917–1991), Major League Baseball p ...

, and Zama Lake. Land formations include Bootis Hill in the northwest, the Caribou Mountains in the northeast, Buffalo Head Hills in the south, Cameron Hills in the north, and Mount Watt northwest of the Town of High Level.

Communities and localities

The following

urban municipalities Municipalities ( sq, or ) are the second-level administrative divisions of Albania, below counties and above administrative units or communes. Since the most recent administrative reforms in 2014, Albania has 61 municipalities. History Mu ...

are surrounded by Mackenzie County. ; Cities *none ;

Towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

High Level High Level is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located at the intersection of the Mackenzie Highway (Highway 35) and Highway 58, approximately north of Edmonton and south of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. High Level is located w ...

* Rainbow Lake ; Villages *none ; Summer villages *none The following hamlets are within Mackenzie County. ; Hamlets *

* La Crete * Zama City The following localities are within Mackenzie County. ;Localities *

Adams Landing Adams Landing is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Alberta within the John D'Or Prairie 215 Indian reserve. It is located south of Alberta Highway 58, Highway 58 and the community of John D'Or Prairie on the northern bank of the ...

Assumption Assumption, in Christianity, refers to the Assumption of Mary, a belief in the taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Assumption may also refer to: Places * Assumption, Alberta, Canada * Assumption, Illinois, United States ** Assumption Town ...

*Blumenort *Boyer *Boyer River Settlement *Boyer Settlement * Buffalo Head Prairie *Carcajou Settlement *

Chateh Chateh is an unincorporated community in northern Alberta in Hay Lake I.R. 209, located north of Highway 58, northwest of High Level High Level is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located at the intersection of the Mackenzie Highwa ...

Footner Lake Footner Lake is a settlement in northern Alberta, Canada within Mackenzie County. The nearby lake of the same name has the name of Hulbert Footner, a Canadian novelist. It is located on the Mackenzie Highway approximately north of High Leve ...

*Fort Vermilion Settlement * Habay *Hutch Lake *

Indian Cabins Indian Cabins is an unincorporated community in northern Alberta in Mackenzie County, located on Alberta Highway 35, Highway 35 and the Hay River (Canada), Hay River, north of High Level, and south of the Northwest Territories-Alberta border. I ...

*Little Red River *Lutose * Meander River *Meander River Station *Metis *North Vermilion *North Vermilion Settlement *Slavey Creek *

Steen River The Dutch word Steen means "stone", and is used for "castle" or "fortress", as in the Gravensteen in Ghent, Belgium. It is also an alternative spelling of the Swedish and Danish word ''sten'' with the same meaning. It may refer to: *Steen (given ...

*Vermilion Chutes The following settlements are within Mackenzie County. ;Settlements *Boyer *Footner *Fort Vermilion *North Vermilion *North Zama *Steen River *Tugate First Nations have the following Indian reserves within Mackenzie County. ;Indian reserves *

Amber River 211 Amber River 211 is an Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County Mackenzie County is a specialized municipality in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17, along the Mackenzi ...

Beaver Ranch 163 Beaver Ranch 163 is an Indian reserve in Alberta. It is occupied by the Tallcree First Nation The Tallcree Tribal Government, also called the Tallcree First Nation, is a First Nations band government in northern Alberta. It controls seven India ...

Beaver Ranch 163A Beaver Ranch 163A is an Indian reserve of the Tallcree First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. It is 82 kilometres east of High Level High Level is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located at the intersection of t ...

Beaver Ranch 163B Beaver Ranch 163B is an Indian reserve of the Tallcree First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. It is 78 kilometres east of High Level High Level is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located at the intersection of t ...

Bistcho Lake 213 Bistcho Lake 213 is an Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County Mackenzie County is a specialized municipality in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17, along the Mackenz ...

Boyer 164 Boyer River 164 is an Indian reserve of the Beaver First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. It is 16 kilometers northwest of Fort Vermilion. In the 2016 Canadian Census The 2016 Canadian census was an enumeration of Canadian r ...

Bushe River 207 Bushe River 207 is an Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. To the west, it is adjacent to the town of High Level. In the 2016 Canadian Census The 2016 Canadian census was an enumeration of ...

Child Lake 164A Child Lake 164A is an Indian reserve of the Beaver First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. It is 32 kilometers northwest of Fort Vermilion. The reserve takes its name from a nearby lake where a child once drowned. Geography T ...

Fort Vermilion 173B Fort Vermilion 173B is an Indian reserve of the Tallcree First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. It is 1 kilometre southwest of Fort Vermilion. In the 2016 Canadian Census The 2016 Canadian census was an enumeration of Canadi ...

* Fox Lake 162 *

Hay Lake 209 Hay Lake 209 is an Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County Mackenzie County is a specialized municipality in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17, along the Mackenzie H ...

Jackfish Point 214 Jackfish Point 214 is an Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County Mackenzie County is a specialized municipality in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17, along the Macke ...

John D'or Prairie 215 John D'Or Prairie 215 ''(Jean D’Or in French)'' is an Indian reserve of the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located east of the Town of High Level on Highway 58 and is surrounded by Mackenzie County Mackenzi ...

Tallcree 173 Tallcree 173, also known as South Tallcree, is an Indian reserve of the Tallcree First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. In the 2016 Canadian Census, it recorded a population of 250 living in 51 of its 53 total private dwellings. ...

Tallcree 173A Tallcree 173A, also known as North Tallcree, is an Indian reserve of the Tallcree First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. It is southeast of Fort Vermilion Fort Vermilion is a hamlet on the Peace River in northern Alberta, C ...

Upper Hay River 212 Upper Hay River 212 is an Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. It is 80 kilometres northwest of High Level. In the 2016 Canadian Census The 2016 Canadian census was an enumeration of Canadian ...

Wadlin Lake 173C Wadlin Lake 173C is an Indian reserve of the Tallcree First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County Mackenzie County is a specialized municipality in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17, along the Mackenzi ...

Zama Lake 210 Zama Lake 210 is an Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation in Alberta, located within Mackenzie County. It is west of Zama Lake Zama Lake is a large lake in Mackenzie County, in north-western Alberta, Canada. Major Ernest Wilson Hubbell, ...

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

, Mackenzie County had a population of 12,804 living in 3,516 of its 3,756 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 11,171. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. The population of Mackenzie County according to its 2018 municipal census is 12,514, a change of from its 2015 municipal census population of 11,750. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Mackenzie County had a population of 11,171 living in 3,088 of its 3,567 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 10,927. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016.

Attractions

Mackenzie County is home to

Caribou Mountains Wildland Provincial Park Caribou Mountains Wildland Park is a large wilderness area in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in the Caribou Mountains, immediately west of Wood Buffalo National Park in a remote backcountry area. The closest community in Alberta is Fort ...

and

Hay-Zama Lakes Wildland Provincial Park Hay-Zama Lakes is a inland wetland and wildland park in northwestern Alberta, Canada. It was designated a List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance, Ramsar wetland of international importance on May 24, 1982, and is recognized as an Im ...

. It is also adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park to the east.

References

External links

* {{Alberta Regions Lower Peace 1995 establishments in Alberta Specialized municipalities in Alberta Populated places established in 1995