St. Albert is a city in
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 ...
on the
Sturgeon River northwest of the City of
Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
. It was originally settled as a
Métis community, and is now the second-largest city in the
Edmonton Metropolitan Region
The Edmonton Metropolitan Region (EMR), also commonly referred to as Greater Edmonton or Metro Edmonton, is a conglomeration of municipalities centred on Alberta's provincial capital of Edmonton.
The EMR's commonly known boundaries are coincide ...
. St. Albert first received its town status in 1904 and was reached by the
Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) was a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its 1923 merger into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.
Man ...
in 1906.
Originally separated from Edmonton by several miles of farmland, the 1980s expansion of Edmonton's city limits placed St. Albert immediately adjacent to the larger city on St. Albert's south and east sides.
History
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/St._Albert_Parish%2C_St._Albert%2C_Alberta.jpg)
St. Albert was founded in 1861 as a Métis settlement by Father
Albert Lacombe
Albert Lacombe (28 February 1827 – 12 December 1916), commonly known in Alberta simply as Father Lacombe, was a French-Canadian Roman Catholic missionary who travelled among and evangelized the Cree and also visited the Blackfoot First Nation ...
,
OMI, who built a small chapel: the Father Lacombe Chapel in the Sturgeon River valley. This chapel still stands to this day on Mission Hill in St. Albert. The original settlement was named Saint Albert by Bishop
Alexandre-Antonin Taché
Alexandre-Antonin Taché, O.M.I., (23 July 1823 – 22 June 1894) was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest, missionary of the Oblate order, author, and the first Archbishop of Saint Boniface in Manitoba, Canada.
Early life
Alexandre-Antonin ...
, OMI after Lacombe's name saint; Saint
Albert of Louvain
Albert of Louvain (1166 – 24 November 1192) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church and the Prince-Bishop of Liège. He was canonized as a saint on 9 August 1613 and his feast falls on the date of his death.
Biography
Albert de Louvain was born ...
. Although Lacombe had originally intended to found the mission at
Lac Ste. Anne, the soil proved infertile and he moved the settlement to what would become St. Albert. The location offered several advantages, notably its easy access to supplies of wood and water, its excellent soil, it being a regular stopping point for
First Nations
First Nations or first peoples may refer to:
* Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area.
Indigenous groups
*First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including:
**First Natio ...
peoples on their travels, and its proximity to
Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton (also named Edmonton House) was the name of a series of trading posts of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) from 1795 to 1914, all of which were located on the north banks of the North Saskatchewan River in what is now central Alberta, ...
, where the priests could purchase necessary supplies and minister to Catholic workers. A few years later, a group of
Grey Nuns would follow Lacombe from Lac Ste. Anne. More Métis from Lac Ste. Anne arrived in 1863 and by December 1864, the population was roughly 300. In 1870, smallpox had spread north to St. Albert, killing 320 of 900 residents.
St. Albert was previously the site of two residential schools as part of the
Canadian Residential School System
In Canada, the Indian residential school system was a network of boarding schools for Indigenous peoples. The network was funded by the Canadian government's Department of Indian Affairs and administered by Christian churches. The school ...
. The St. Albert Indian Residential School ("Youville"), was located on Mission Hill within St. Albert city limits, and was operated by the Roman Catholic Church from October 22, 1873 to June 30, 1948, after being moved from the
Lac Ste. Anne Mission where it was originally founded. The Edmonton Indian Residential School ("Poundmaker") was located approximately 6 km east of St. Albert's current downtown, and was operated by the Methodist Church from March 1, 1924 to June 30, 1968, later becoming the home of the Poundmaker Lodge rehabilitation centre. Between the two schools, 53 students are known to have died while present. A healing garden, Kâkesimokamik, was opened on September 15, 2017 as part of the truth and reconciliation process between the city of St. Albert and survivors of the residential school system.
In 1885, a scrip policy was implemented as a means of extinguishing the Aboriginal title of the Métis. The scrip awarded a certificate redeemable for land or money, either 160 acres, 240 acres or cash.
During the late 20th and early 21st centuries it was mistakenly assumed that the community had been named after
St. Albert the Great. This was due to incorrect information in the 1985 history of St. Albert; ''
The Black Robe's Vision'', published by the amateur historians of the St. Albert Historical Society. This led to the City of St. Albert erroneously promoting St. Albert the Great as the community's patron saint and even erecting a statue of the wrong saint in the downtown area (which is still there). This misconception was not corrected until 2008. The original chapel has since become an historic site staffed with historical interpreters and is open to the public in the summer season.
Also in St. Albert is the
St. Albert Grain Elevator Park. There are two historic
grain elevators there; one constructed in 1906 by the
Brackman-Ker Milling Company, the other was built later in 1929 by The
Alberta Wheat Pool company. The original grain elevator constructed in 1906 was originally red in colour, but has faded over time to a metallic silver. There is also a reproduction of the original 1909 railway station housed at the Grain Elevators Park, the reproduction was constructed in 2005. On Madonna Drive stands the Little White School House which is open to the public. Arts and Heritage - St. Albert maintain this site as well as the Grain Elevators and other heritage buildings and sites under restoration in the city. In June 2009, the City Council approved a multi-staged plan for the heritage sites. The plan features the restoration of the grain elevators and the opening of both a Métis and French Canadian farm on adjacent lots by the River.
Economy
St. Albert has an active and skilled labour force with a low unemployment rate of 4.3%. In 2011, 67.5% of the 40,560 adults aged 25 years and over in St. Albert had completed some form of postsecondary education, compared with 59.6% at the national level.
Of the population aged 25 years and over in St. Albert, 31.7% had a university certificate or degree. An additional 24.3% had a college diploma and 11.6% had a trades certificate.
The share of the adult population that had completed a high school diploma as their highest level of educational attainment was 23.7%, and 8.8% had completed neither high school nor any postsecondary certificates, diplomas or degrees.
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, the City of St. Albert had a population of 68,232 living in 25,938 of its 27,019 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 65,589. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
In the
2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of St. Albert had a population of 65,589 living in 23,954 of its 24,446 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 61,466. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016.
The population of the City of St. Albert according to its
2018 municipal census is 66,082,
a change of from its
2016 municipal census population of 64,645.
Arts and culture
Located in the heart of downtown, St. Albert Place is the focal point of many community events and activities. Designed by world-renowned Canadian architect
Douglas Cardinal
Douglas Joseph Cardinal (born 7 March 1934) is a Canadian architect based in Ottawa, Ontario. His flowing architecture marked with smooth curvilinear forms is influenced by his Indigenous heritage as well as European Expressionist architecture.< ...
, its sculptural symmetry mimics the curves of the Sturgeon River that runs behind it. There are no corners; only curves. Built in 1984, St. Albert Place was designed as a "people place", housing a unique combination of civic government and cultural activity. Currently it houses the
St. Albert Public Library, Musée Héritage Museum, Visual Arts Studio and Arden Theatre, as well as City Hall and associated city government services. The Musée Héritage Museum celebrates and explores the story of St. Albert through a variety of programs which seek to preserve the community's history for the future. The museum houses both permanent and temporary exhibits and also contains a Children's Discovery Room and gift shop. The archives at the museum consist of over 6,500 artifacts, 1,100 programming objects, 70 linear metres of textual record, around 3,000 pre-1948 photographs and thousands of post-1948 photographs. The museum is operated by Arts and Heritage St. Albert.
St. Albert has a rich arts scene. St. Albert is home to a writers' guild and painters' guild and renowned bands like
Social Code and
Tupelo Honey
''Tupelo Honey'' is the fifth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in October 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. Morrison had written all of the songs on the album in Woodstock, New York, before his move ...
hail from St. Albert. The Arden Theatre is a popular venue for many plays and musical performances.
The St. Albert public art gallery, Art Gallery of St. Albert is a focal point of St. Albert's downtown. The gallery is housed in the historical Banque d'Hochelaga building in the heart of downtown St. Albert. The gallery features monthly exhibitions, a variety of public programs and also runs an annual art auction in St Albert. The Art Gallery of St. Albert is one of the stops on the St. Albert ArtWalk. The gallery is operated by Arts and Heritage St. Albert.
St. Albert is also notable for its
Aboriginal heritage. The city is home to the Michif Institute founded by former Senator
Thelma Chalifoux, dedicated to preserving and spreading knowledge of the city's
Métis background. The Musée Héritage Museum contains many Métis artifacts. Many of the street signs in the city's downtown core are also
trilingual
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...
, written in
French and
Cree in addition to English, as a tribute to the city's multiracial and multilinguistic origins. A current city project is to replace English-only signs with trilingual versions as the English-only versions wear out.
In 2008, NBC decided to film portions of its new horror/suspense anthology series ''
Fear Itself'' in St. Albert's downtown and river valley.
St. Albert also has a St. Albert Children's Theatre group putting on two large musicals a year with many summer camps to participate in.
St. Albert is home to the St. Albert Community Band, whose motto is "Music is for Life!"
Festivals and events
![St Albert Place St Albert Alberta Canada 05A](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/St_Albert_Place_St_Albert_Alberta_Canada_05A.jpg)
The Kinsmen Rainmaker Rodeo starts with a parade that winds its way through the heart of St. Albert. After the parade, the rodeo begins, with exciting rodeo events, midway, and musical performances.
The Outdoor Farmers' Market, held in downtown St. Albert, is Western Canada's largest outdoor farmers' market, attracting 10,000 to 15,000 people every Saturday from June to October. You can find locally grown fresh produce, handmade products and crafts and listen to the music of the buskers.
As many as 6,000 participants come to St. Albert to enjoy Rock'n August, a five-day festival held to celebrate the rumbles of chrome pipes and the rim shots of classic Rock and Roll music.
Other annual events include the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival, and Mambos & Mocktails, a 3-hour jazz concert played every December at Bellerose Composite High School by the jazz band and choir.
St. Albert also host an annual Harvest Festival at the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park.
The Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Festival, held at the Arden Theatre is one of the largest dance festivals of its kind in North America. It is hosted annually by the
Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company and generally takes place during the second weekend in May.
Library services
The St. Albert Public Library (SAPL) is located in St. Albert Place in the heart of downtown. The Library provides a wide range of services for St. Albert residents and visitors, including lending materials such as books, CDs and DVDs, providing digital resources such as downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks, databases and streaming products, providing services such as public computing and WiFi access and presenting learning opportunities such as children's storytimes, adult programs and educational sessions including technology training.
Sports and recreation
![Alberta Wheat Pool Grain Elevators](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Alberta_Wheat_Pool_Grain_Elevators.jpg)
; Parks
The city has over 100 parks and playgrounds
The Red Willow park trail system winds its way all through St. Albert and connects many parks, schools, and residential areas, including Lacombe Lake Park.
; Facilities
In September 2006, a $42.77-million multi-purpose leisure centre,
Servus Credit Union Place
Servus Credit Union Place (or Servus Place for short) is a $43-million multipurpose leisure centre that opened on September 30, 2006 in St. Albert, Alberta. At , Servus Place includes three NHL-sized arenas, an aquatic centre, fitness centre, indo ...
, was built. It features a recreational aquatic centre, a kid's play area, the
Troy Murray,
Mark Messier and Go Auto Arenas, two indoor soccer/lacrosse fields, three basketball courts, a large exercise room, and a running track among other amenities. Construction of the facility, touted as an eventual break-even operation, was approved via plebiscite during the 2004 municipal election.
Servus Credit Union Place served as an expansion of the original Campbell Twin Arenas, which housed the Mark Messier and Troy Murray hockey rinks built in 1992, named for those two local
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) players. There was some controversy in 2006 when the city announced that they would rename the two existing rinks, and were going to offer those naming rights for sale. Following coverage of the controversy surfacing in
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twi ...
, then mayor
Paul Chalifoux
Paul Chalifoux is a politician and the former mayor of St. Albert, Alberta. He served two terms as mayor, first one having taken place from 1998 to 2001 and the second from 2004 to 2007.
Career
Chalifoux's first attempt at winning elected off ...
decided to repeal the decision. The twin arenas were upgraded concurrent with the construction of Servus Credit Union Place.
A smaller pair of ice hockey arenas, the Kinex and Akinsdale arenas, were opened side by side in 1982 in the Akinsdale neighbourhood. The Akinsdale Arena served as the city's main arena until the opening of the Campbell Twin Arenas. In August 2019, a ceremony was held renaming Akinsdale Arena after retired NHL star
Jarome Iginla
Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He played over 1500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Br ...
, who played his minor hockey in St. Albert until leaving to the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
as a 16-year-old.
There is also Fountain Park pool and Grosvenor pool, both offering a variety of pools, tennis courts, racketball courts and child play areas.
; Hockey
St. Albert was twice formerly home to an
Alberta Junior Hockey League
The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) is an Alberta-based Junior A ice hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The re ...
(AJHL) franchise. Between 1977 and 2004, it was home to the
St. Albert Saints, which produced players such as
Mark Messier and
Mike Comrie
Michael William Comrie (born September 11, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his 13-year National Hockey League (NHL) career he played with the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Ottawa Senators ...
. The team moved to
Spruce Grove
Spruce Grove is a city that is west of Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. The city is adjacent to the Town of Stony Plain and is surrounded by Parkland County.
With a 2021 population of 37,645, Spruce Grove is the ninth-largest city in Alberta. ...
in 2004, becoming the
Spruce Grove Saints
The Spruce Grove Saints are a junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). They play in Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada, with home games at Grant Fuhr Arena.
History
The Saints' franchise is the only franchise remaining fro ...
. In 2007, the AJHL returned to St. Albert when the
Fort Saskatchewan Traders
The Fort Saskatchewan Traders were an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They played in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, at the Jubilee Recreation Centre, capacity 2000.
:Founded: 1976–77
:Division titles won: 1983–84
:R ...
relocated to the city, becoming the
St. Albert Steel
The St. Albert Steel were an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). They played in St. Albert, Alberta, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada at Servus Place with a seating capacity of 2,044. The team relocated to Whitecourt in the 201 ...
. Playing out of
Servus Credit Union Place
Servus Credit Union Place (or Servus Place for short) is a $43-million multipurpose leisure centre that opened on September 30, 2006 in St. Albert, Alberta. At , Servus Place includes three NHL-sized arenas, an aquatic centre, fitness centre, indo ...
, the team lasted five seasons before moving to
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 ...
in 2012, becoming the
Whitecourt Wolverines.
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
ice hockey player
Jarome Iginla
Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He played over 1500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Br ...
is from St. Albert. He played his entire minor hockey career in the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association, which included stints with the Bantam AAA Sabres and the Midget AAA Raiders. It was during the 1992–93 season with the Raiders that Iginla, then an under-age midget player, scored 87 points to lead the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey league in scoring. Following this season Iginla joined the Kamloops Blazers as a 16-year-old.
Other hockey players that have played in St. Albert are
Rob Brown,
Geoff Sanderson
Geoffrey M. Sanderson (born February 1, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger, most notably for the Hartford Whalers and Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Drafted by the Hartford W ...
,
Fernando Pisani
Fernando Antonio Pisani (born December 27, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played professionally in the National Hockey League for his hometown Edmonton Oilers for seven NHL seasons, and one for the Chicago Bla ...
,
Paul Comrie
Paul Gordon Comrie (born February 7, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Edmonton Oilers during the 1999–00 season.
Hockey player
Before his short professional care ...
, Troy Murray,
Stu Barnes
Stuart Douglas Barnes (born December 25, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played 16 seasons at centre in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Dallas Stars. He cur ...
,
Brian Benning
Brian Anthony Benning (born June 10, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, and ...
,
Matt Benning,
Steven Goertzen,
René Bourque
Rene Gary Wayne Bourque (born December 10, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). An undrafted player, Bourque was signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as a free agent in 200 ...
,
Jamie Lundmark
Jamie Lundmark (born January 16, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. A first-round draft pick of the New York Rangers, Lundmark played 295 games in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
As a youth, Lundmark pl ...
,
Erik Christensen
Erik Christensen (born December 17, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who last played for HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
Playing career
Christensen was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round (69t ...
,
Steve Reinprecht,
Todd Ewen
Todd Gordon Ewen (March 22, 1966 – September 19, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). A right wing, Ewen was primarily known as an enforcer. He played for the ...
,
Dion Phaneuf
Dion Phaneuf (born 10 April 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted ninth overal ...
,
Drew Stafford
Drew Stafford (born October 30, 1985) is a former American professional ice hockey right winger. Stafford was drafted in the first round, 13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, and has played for the Sabres, Winnipeg Jets, ...
,
Nick Holden
Nick Holden (born May 15, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Holden began his hockey career in the St. Albert, Alberta area, playing alongside Ryan Stanton wit ...
,
Emanuel Viveiros
Emanuel "Manny" Viveiros (born January 8, 1966) is a Canadian-Austrian professional ice hockey coach and former player. Vivieros is currently the head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League. He is former head coach of ...
,
Colton Parayko,
Tyson Jost
Tyson Jost (born March 14, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward, currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Born in St. Albert, Alberta to a single mother, Jost moved to British Columbia to ...
, and
Josh Mahura.
; Football
St. Albert recently added an artificial turf field in Riel Park as the home of every minor team in the city.
;Cross Country Skiing
St Albert has cross country skiing along the Sturgeon River and at River Lot 56 Natural Area – Stanski. River Lot 56 is across from the NE corner of Sir Winston Churchhill Ave and Poundmaker Rd and has professionally groomed multiple loop trails with interpretive signs and maps.
; Soccer
SASA Impact FC operated by the St. Albert Soccer Association has a pro-am women's team in the US-based
United Women's Soccer
United Women's Soccer (UWS, also commonly abbreviated UWS) is a second-division pro-am women's soccer league in the United States. The league was founded in 2015 as a response to the dual problems of disorganization in the WPSL and of the fold ...
.
Government
St. Albert has traditionally elected members of the
Conservative Party of Canada to the federal legislature. After the rise of the
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada (french: Parti réformiste du Canada) was a right-wing populist and conservative federal political party in Canada that existed under that name from 1987 to 2000. Reform was founded as a Western Canada-based protest ...
and its subsequent change to the
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance (french: Alliance canadienne), formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance (french: Alliance réformiste-conservatrice canadienne), was a centre-right to right-wing federal political party in Canada that existed ...
,
John G. Williams was elected and served five terms as the city's Member of Parliament, becoming a Conservative MP after the Alliance's 2003 merger with the Progressive Conservative Party, before stepping down in 2008.
Michael Cooper
Michael Jerome Cooper (born April 15, 1956) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the boys varsity coach at Culver City High School. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning ...
, of the Conservative Party of Canada, is the current Member of Parliament for St. Albert.
Provincially, most of St. Albert is currently represented by a
Alberta New Democratic Party
The Alberta New Democratic Party (french: Nouveau Parti démocratique de l'Alberta), commonly shortened to Alberta's NDP, is a social-democratic political party in Alberta, Canada. It is the provincial Alberta affiliate of the federal New Demo ...
MLA (
Marie Renaud) in the legislature, as well a
United Conservative Party
The United Conservative Party of Alberta (UCP) is a conservative political party in the province of Alberta, Canada. It was established in July 2017 as a merger between the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta and the Wildrose Party ...
MLA representing the Northern part of the city and Morinville. In previous elections, it has alternated between
Liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
and
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
representatives.
St. Albert's governing body is composed of a mayor (currently Cathy Heron) and
six city councillors. Municipal elections are held every four years. The last was
October 16, 2017, and the next will be October 18, 2021.
Flag
St. Albert's flag is a red, white and blue design, with a stylized coat of arms located on the upper hoist. It was chosen by St. Albert's citizens in a citywide ballot, and was approved by the City Council in 1980. The blue and white, colours shared with
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, represents the Francophones and Métis peoples who first settled St. Albert. The red, white, and blue symbolizes Great Britain and the Anglophones that further shaped St. Albert.
Education
K-12 education
School districts
*
St. Albert Public Schools: Serving over 6000 students taught in a non-denominational setting. In St. Albert, St. Albert Public Schools' high school students attend
Bellerose Composite High School
Bellerose Composite High School is a high school located in northwest St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. It is a member of St. Albert Public School District No. 5565, St. Albert Public Schools and was the second Protestant high school in St. Albert. Bel ...
or
Paul Kane High School
*
École Secondaire Paul Kane High School (PKHS) is a dual track high school in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada and is a part of St. Albert Public Schools. Opened in 1963, Paul Kane was the first Protestant high school in St. Albert. The school w ...
. ''
Constitution Act, 1867
The ''Constitution Act, 1867'' (french: Loi constitutionnelle de 1867),''The Constitution Act, 1867'', 30 & 31 Victoria (U.K.), c. 3, http://canlii.ca/t/ldsw retrieved on 2019-03-14. originally enacted as the ''British North America Act, 186 ...
''; ''
Alberta Act, 1905''.
*
Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools
Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools or Greater St. Albert Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 734 is a separate school board serving St. Albert, Morinville, and Legal, Alberta, Canada.
History
Quick facts
* Greater St. Albert Catho ...
: This separate school division operates 17 schools and serves approximately 7600 students. In St. Albert, GSACRD's high school students attend ESSMY or
St. Albert Catholic High School
St. Albert Catholic High School (SACHS) is a high school in St. Albert, Alberta, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada and is part of Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division No. 29. The school colours are yellow and blue.http://www.stalbertgazette.com/ ...
.
St. Albert is also home to two schools from the
North Central Francophone School Board. Their schools are "École La Mission" (K-6) located in the Heritage Lakes subdivision and "École Alexandre-Taché" (7-12), located in the Erin Ridge subdivision. This school jurisdiction has minority language rights assured by the ''
Constitution Act, 1982
The ''Constitution Act, 1982'' (french: link=no, Loi constitutionnelle de 1982) is a part of the Constitution of Canada.Formally enacted as Schedule B of the ''Canada Act 1982'', enacted by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Section 60 of t ...
'' (section 23).
Continuing education
St. Albert Further Education, known as "Further Ed", provides learning opportunities to the residents of St. Albert.
The STAR Literacy Program matches volunteer tutors with adults who wish to improve their reading and writing skills.
Media
Print
There are currently two periodicals published in St. Albert: the biweekly newspaper ''
St. Albert Gazette
The ''St. Albert Gazette'' is a weekly newspaper distributed throughout St. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert is a city in Alberta on the Sturgeon River northwest of the City of Edmonton. It was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now t ...
'', and the monthly magazine ''
T8N''.
The first publication in St. Albert was a French newspaper called ''Le Progrès,'' which began publishing in 1909. The bilingual ''St. Albert Star'', or ''Étoile de St. Albert,'' was started in 1912, and offered issues in both English and French. The two versions of the paper would often carry unique stories that the other did not. In 1914, ''The Star'' ceased printing, and ''Le Progrès'' relocated to Edmonton.
It wasn't until 1949 that the next newspaper began publishing, which saw the first issue by the ''St. Albert Gazette''. That version of the newspaper merged with the ''Morinville Journal'' in 1953. In 1961 a new newspaper with the same name was started. That version has undergone a number of name changes through the years, but is the one that exists today.
In 1998, the ''
Saint City News
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Ortho ...
'' was founded, operating as the ''Gazette's'' major competitor for 13 years until it closed in 2011.
Also in 2011, the ''St. Albert Leader'' was started. It was distributed for a short time, but stopped printing in 2015.
The long form monthly magazine ''T8N'' began distribution in 2014, and covers topics about the city and its people.
Radio
![CFMG-FM2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/CFMG-FM2010.jpg)
The first radio station in St. Albert came in 1978. The oldies station
CKST Radio broadcast on frequency 1070 AM until it changed its callsign to CFMG in 1988. It was at this point that it began broadcasting on the 1200 AM frequency. The station would make another change in 1995, branding itself with the name EZ Rock. The change also saw the station move from AM radio to FM, broadcasting on 104.9 FM. The station was sold to
Astral Media in 2007.
St. Albert lost the radio station after its most recent change in 2011, when it moved to Edmonton after changing formats from
adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
to
top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...
, becoming 104.9 Virgin Radio.
Due to the city's adjacency to Edmonton, all major
Edmonton media—newspapers, television, and radio—also serve St. Albert.
Transport
Air
The nearest airport providing passenger service is the
Edmonton International Airport
Edmonton International Airport, as of August 29, 2022, officially branded YEG Edmonton International Airport is the primary air passenger and air cargo facility in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of the Canadian province of Alberta. Designat ...
. Local air services are provided by the St. Albert Heliport to the northwest of the city
and
Villeneuve Airport to the west, while
Sturgeon Community Hospital has a helipad to receive and transfer patients.
Public transit
The city runs
St. Albert Transit (StAT) a public transport agency. It runs 21 local routes and 7 commuter routes to Edmonton.
Village Transit Station is located at Gate Avenue and Grange Drive. St. Albert Exchange is located at Rivercrest Crescent and St. Vital Avenue. The
Metro Line
The Metro Line is a light rail transit line on the Edmonton LRT system. The line operates from northwest Edmonton to south Edmonton, and was scheduled to have begun operation by spring 2014 but instead opened on September 6, 2015, at a reduced ...
in Edmonton could be extended to St. Albert with four stations within city limits.
Notable people
*
Hercules Ayala
Ruben Cruz (July 14, 1950 – January 22, 2020) was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Hercules Ayala. He competed in Canadian and international wrestling promotions including the eastern Canadian Grand Prix Wre ...
, Puerto Rican born professional wrestler
*
Rob Brown,
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
ice hockey player
*
Kirby Dach
Kirby Dach (born January 21, 2001) is a Canadians, Canadian professional Centre (ice hockey), ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Dach was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with th ...
, NHL ice hockey player
*
Don Iveson
Donald L. Iveson (born May 30, 1979) is a Canadian politician who served as mayor of Edmonton from 2013 to 2021. He was first elected as mayor in the 2013 municipal election with 62% of the vote, and was re-elected in 2017 with 73.6% of the vot ...
,
Mayor of Edmonton
This is a list of mayors of Edmonton, a city in Alberta, Canada.
Edmonton was incorporated as a town on January 9, 1892, with Matthew McCauley acclaimed as its first mayor during the town's first election, held February 10, 1892. On October 8 ...
*
Jarome Iginla
Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He played over 1500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Br ...
, NHL ice hockey player,
Olympic ice hockey medallist (x2)
*
Tyson Jost
Tyson Jost (born March 14, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward, currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Born in St. Albert, Alberta to a single mother, Jost moved to British Columbia to ...
, NHL ice hockey player
*
Marc Kennedy
Marc Kennedy (born February 5, 1982) is a Canadian curler, and Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic gold medallist from St. Albert, Alberta.
In 2019, Kennedy was named the greatest Canadian male second in history in a TSN poll of broadcasters, repo ...
,
curler,
Olympic curling
Curling was included in the program of the inaugural Winter Olympic Games in 1924 in Chamonix although the results of that competition were not considered official by the International Olympic Committee until 2006. Curling was a demonstration spo ...
medallist (x2)
*
Mark Messier, NHL ice hockey player,
Stanley Cup champion (x6)
*
Meaghan Mikkelson
Meaghan Mikkelson (born January 4, 1985) is a Canadian ice hockey player and a member of the Canadian national ice hockey team, currently affiliated with the Calgary chapter of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA). Mikke ...
,
PWHPA
The Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization dedicated to advocating for the promotion of professional women's ice hockey. It was founded in May 2019 following the dissolution of the Canadian W ...
ice hockey player, Olympic ice hockey medallist (x3)
*
Colton Parayko, NHL ice hockey player, Stanley Cup champion (x1)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1861 establishments in the British Empire
1899 establishments in the Northwest Territories
Cities in Alberta
Edmonton Metropolitan Region
Former new towns in Alberta