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List of municipal districts in Alberta

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Municipal districts of Alberta


Distribution of Alberta's 63 municipal districts
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

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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 districts 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 formerly a 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

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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

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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 seven 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.


List of municipal districts in Alberta
Municipal district (MD) Incorporation
date[5]
Census
division
Council
size[5]
2021 Census of Population[7]
Population
(2021)
Population
(2016)
Change Land
area
(km²)
Population
density
(/km²)
AcadiaMD of Acadia No. 34 December 9, 1913 4 5 494 493 +0.2% 1,070.92 0.5
Athabasca County January 1, 1947 13 9 6,959 7,869 −11.6% 6,111.30 1.1
Barrhead County of Barrhead No. 11 January 1, 1955 13 7 5,877 6,288 −6.5% 2,385.28 2.5
Beaver County February 1, 1943 10 5 5,868 5,905 −0.6% 3,219.74 1.8
Big Lakes Big Lakes County January 1, 1995 17 9 3,664[8] 4,103[9] −10.7% 11,897.75 0.3
Bighorn MD of Bighorn No. 8 January 1, 1988 15 5 1,598 1,324 +20.7% 2,678.80 0.6
Birch Hills County January 1, 1995 19 7 1,516 1,553 −2.4% 2,848.75 0.5
Bonnyville MD of Bonnyville No. 87 January 1, 1955 12 7 11,864[8] 11,661[9] +1.7% 5,410.21 2.2
Brazeau County July 1, 1988 11 7 7,179 7,771 −7.6% 3,000.14 2.4
Camrose County January 1, 1944 10 7 8,504 8,660 −1.8% 3,291.75 2.6
Cardston County January 1, 1954 3 7 4,856 4,481 +8.4% 3,358.39 1.4
Clear Hills County January 1, 1995 17 7 3,006 3,018 −0.4% 15,025.54 0.2
Clearwater County January 1, 1985 9 7 11,865 11,947 −0.7% 18,605.71 0.6
Cypress County January 1, 1985 1 9 7,524 7,662 −1.8% 12,977.99 0.6
Fairview MD of Fairview No. 136 December 9, 1914 19 5 1,580 1,604 −1.5% 1,373.66 1.2
Flagstaff County January 1, 1944 7 7 3,694 3,728 −0.9% 3,959.78 0.9
Foothills County January 1, 1954 6 7 23,199 22,616 +2.6% 3,604.76 6.4
Forty Mile County of Forty Mile No. 8 January 1, 1954 1 7 3,471 3,581 −3.1% 7,163.61 0.5
Grande Prairie County of Grande Prairie No. 1 December 21, 1943 19 9 23,769 22,502 +5.6% 5,790.59 4.1
Greenview MD of Greenview No. 16 January 1, 1994 18 8 8,584 9,154 −6.2% 32,925.53 0.3
Kneehill County January 1, 1944 5 7 4,992 5,001 −0.2% 3,373.40 1.5
Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1944 13 7 10,832 10,899 −0.6% 2,845.84 3.8
Lacombe County January 1, 1944 8 7 10,283 10,343 −0.6% 2,759.12 3.7
Lamont County January 1, 1944 10 5 3,754 3,884 −3.3% 2,385.58 1.6
Leduc County January 1, 1944 11 7 14,416 13,177 +9.4% 2,502.59 5.8
Lesser Slave River MD of Lesser Slave River No. 124 January 1, 1995 17 7 2,861 2,803 +2.1% 10,041.79 0.3
Lethbridge County January 1, 1954 2 7 10,120 10,237 −1.1% 2,815.66 3.6
Minburn County of Minburn No. 27 January 30, 1942 10 7 3,014 3,188 −5.5% 2,850.37 1.1
Mountain View County January 1, 1944 6 7 12,981 13,074 −0.7% 3,763.42 3.4
Newell County of Newell January 1, 1953 2 10 7,465 7,524 −0.8% 5,810.15 1.3
Northern Lights County of Northern Lights January 1, 1995 17 7 3,601[8] 3,656[9] −1.5% 18,900.57 0.2
Northern Sunrise County April 1, 1994 17 6 1,711 1,921 −10.9% 20,914.35 0.1
Opportunity MD of Opportunity No. 17 August 1, 1995 17 11 3,382 3,253 +4.0% 28,857.88 0.1
Paintearth County of Paintearth No. 18 January 1, 1944 7 7 1,990 2,102 −5.3% 3,239.58 0.6
Parkland County January 1, 1969 11 7 32,205 32,737 −1.6% 2,375.67 13.6
Peace MD of Peace No. 135 December 11, 1916 19 5 1,581 1,752 −9.8% 847.22 1.9
Pincher Creek MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 January 1, 1944 3 5 3,240 2,965 +9.3% 3,455.75 0.9
Ponoka County January 1, 1952 8 5 9,998 9,806 +2.0% 2,807.99 3.6
Provost MD of Provost No. 52 March 1, 1943 7 7 2,071 2,205 −6.1% 3,571.12 0.6
Ranchland MD of Ranchland No. 66 January 1, 1995 15 3 110 92 +19.6% 2,636.75 0.0
Red Deer County January 1, 1944 8 7 19,933 19,531 +2.1% 3,919.25 5.1
Rocky View County January 1, 1955 6 9 41,028 39,407 +4.1% 3,828.85 10.7
Saddle Hills County January 1, 1995 19 7 2,338 2,225 +5.1% 5,827.70 0.4
Smoky Lake County March 1, 1943 12 5 2,517[8] 2,461[9] +2.3% 2,619.69 1.0
Smoky River MD of Smoky River No. 130 January 1, 1952 19 6 1,684 2,006 −16.1% 2,834.18 0.6
Spirit River MD of Spirit River No. 133 December 11, 1916 19 4 649 700 −7.3% 679.86 1.0
St. Paul County of St. Paul No. 19 January 30, 1942 12 7 6,306 6,036 +4.5% 3,280.40 1.9
Starland County February 1, 1943 5 5 1,821 2,066 −11.9% 2,540.85 0.7
Stettler County of Stettler No. 6 March 1, 1943 7 7 5,666 5,566 +1.8% 3,969.65 1.4
Sturgeon County January 1, 1955 11 7 20,061 20,495 −2.1% 2,084.24 9.6
Taber MD of Taber January 1, 1954 2 7 7,447 7,098 +4.9% 4,160.47 1.8
Thorhild County January 1, 1955 13 5 3,042 3,254 −6.5% 1,997.17 1.5
Two Hills County of Two Hills No. 21 January 1, 1944 10 5 3,412 3,641 −6.3% 2,600.15 1.3
Vermilion River County of Vermilion River January 1, 1944 10 7 7,994 8,453 −5.4% 5,420.13 1.5
Vulcan County January 1, 1951 5 7 4,237 3,984 +6.4% 5,356.65 0.8
Wainwright MD of Wainwright No. 61 January 30, 1942 7 7 4,276 4,464 −4.2% 4,095.29 1.0
Warner County of Warner No. 5 January 1, 1954 2 7 4,290 3,942 +8.8% 4,462.20 1.0
Westlock County February 1, 1943 13 7 7,186 7,220 −0.5% 3,169.66 2.3
Wetaskiwin County of Wetaskiwin No. 10 February 1, 1943 11 7 11,212 11,176 +0.3% 3,121.98 3.6
Wheatland County January 1, 1955 5 7 8,738 8,788 −0.6% 4,505.05 1.9
Willow Creek MD of Willow Creek No. 26 January 1, 1954 3 7 6,081 5,575 +9.1% 4,485.05 1.4
Woodlands County January 1, 1994 13 7 4,558 4,744 −3.9% 7,599.52 0.6
Yellowhead County January 1, 1994 14 9 10,426 10,995 −5.2% 22,238.56 0.5
Total municipal districts 437 470,580 470,366 0.0% 378,251.55 1.2

Former municipal districts

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Territorial evolution of Alberta's municipalities from 1955 to 2024

Changed status

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

Dissolved

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2026 Municipal Codes" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. January 8, 2026. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c d e f g "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. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Alberta". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  8. ^ a b c d "2023 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. February 12, 2024. ISBN 978-1-4601-5954-5. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  9. ^ a b c d "2017 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. ISBN 978-1-4601-3652-2. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  10. ^ a b c d "Municipal Profiles (Specialized Municipalities)" (PDF) (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. September 20, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  11. ^ a b c d "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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb Alberta Gazette. Vol. 8. Government of Alberta. 1912.
  14. ^ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 15. Government of Alberta. 1919.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Alberta Gazette. Vol. 10. Government of Alberta. 1914.
  16. ^ a b c "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. ^ a b c d "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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c d e f g h Alberta Gazette. Vol. 9. Government of Alberta. 1913.
  23. ^ a b c d e "Changing Numbers of All Municipal Districts Throughout the Province" (PDF) (PDF). The Alberta Gazette. April 14, 1945. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  24. ^ a b c Alberta Gazette. Vol. 11. Government of Alberta. 1915.
  25. ^ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 12. Government of Alberta. 1916.
  26. ^ a b "Municipal Boundary Document Search (Warner No. 5, County of)". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
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