Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Fort Saskatchewan is a city in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located 25 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of downtown Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta's capital city, along the North Saskatchewan River
North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. It is one of two major rivers that join to make up the Saskatchewan River....
. Fort Saskatchewan is part of the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area and is one of 24 municipalities on the Capital Region Board (CRB). According to the City of Fort Saskatchewan's 2010 municipal census, the city's population has grown to 18,653.
Fort Saskatchewan is bordered by Strathcona County
Strathcona County, Alberta
Strathcona County is a specialized municipality in central Alberta, Canada between Edmonton and Elk Island National Park.It is located in Division No. 11 and is also part of the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area. More than half of the population lives in Sherwood Park, a large community east of...
to the south and east, Sturgeon County
Sturgeon County, Alberta
Sturgeon County is a municipal district in Alberta's Edmonton Capital Region, Canada.It begins at the north end of Edmonton, with 97th street turning into Highway 28. It extends east to Fort Saskatchewan and west to Calahoo. It is located in Division No. 11....
to the north and west, and the City of Edmonton to the southwest. Sturgeon County and Edmonton are both located across the North Saskatchewan River.
The city is most well known for its proximity to petrochemical facilities, including Dow Chemical, Sherritt International
Sherritt International
Sherritt International is a Canadian energy company, based in Toronto, Ontario. It is involved in nickel and cobalt mining, thermal coal production, oil and gas exploration and production, and electricity generation...
, Agrium
Agrium
Agrium Inc. is a major retail supplier of agricultural products and services in North and South America, a leading global wholesale producer and marketer of all three major agricultural nutrients and the premier supplier of specialty fertilizers in North America through its Advanced Technologies...
and Shell Canada
Shell Canada
Shell Canada Limited is the subsidiary of Dutch-based Royal Dutch Shell and one of Canada's largest integrated oil companies. Exploration and production of oil, natural gas and sulphur is a major part of its business, as well as the marketing of gasoline and related products through the company's...
. It is also known for its flock of 50 sheep that roam its downtown park throughout the summer months eating the grass. The city mascot is a sheep named Auggie.
History
In 1875, under the command of InspectorInspector
Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
W.D. Jarvis, the North West Mounted Police established Fort Saskatchewan as a fort
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
on the North Saskatchewan River. The fort was later incorporated as a village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in 1899, a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in 1904, and a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in 1985.
The Canadian Northern Railway
Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...
reached Fort Saskatchewan in 1905, placing the town on a transcontinental rail line. The first bridge across the river was also built at this time, with the rail company paying for it in exchange for free land for its station in Fort Saskatchewan. Prior to the bridge, the only method to cross the river at Fort Saskatchewan was via ferry. In the decade after the railway arrived, the town's population nearly doubled to 993.
A new $200,000 provincial jail opened in 1915 at the end of what is now 100th Avenue to replace the 34-cell guard house that had been in used to hold prisoners since the NWMP fort was constructed in 1875. The jail would see various additions throughout the next 70 years, including the construction of more cell blocks and a stand-alone power plant. By 1973, the jail employed 220 residents and housed both male and female offenders. The jail was replaced in 1988 when a new provincial correctional centre was built south of Highway 15 on 101st Street. The original jail cell blocks was subsequently demolished in 1994. Only one building from the complex as well as the Warden's House still stand today.
In 1952, Sherritt Gordon Mines started construction on a $25-million nickel refinery in Fort Saskatchewan, which started production in 1954. Following Sherritt Gordon's locating in Fort Saskatchewan, more industries constructed plants in the town. Between 1951 and 1956, the town's population doubled from 1,076 to 2,582.
Dow Chemical acquired 700 acres in Fort Saskatchewan in 1959, opening its plant in 1961 and further expanding it in 1967. After Dow started operations, the population again saw a significant increase to 4,152 in 1966, up from 2,972 five years earlier.
Since Fort Saskatchewan was incorporated as a town in 1904, it has had 29 residents serve as its mayor.
Demographics
| Census History |
|
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1901 | 306 |
| 1911 | 782 |
| 1921 | 982 |
| 1931 | 1,001 |
| 1941 | 903 |
| 1951 | 1,076 |
| 1961 | 2,972 |
| 1971 | 5,726 |
| 1981 | 12,169 |
| 1991 | 12,078 |
| 2001 | 13,121 |
| 2006 | 14,957 |
| 2010 | 18,653 |
The population of the City of Fort Saskatchewan according to its 2010 municipal census is 18,653, a 6.8% increase over its 2009 municipal census population of 17,469.
In 2006, Fort Saskatchewan had a population of 14,957 living in 5,825 dwellings
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, a 14.0% increase from 2001. The median income for private households in 2005 was $89,699 but the median earnings for individuals over the age of 15 was $33,947.
The city has a land area of 48.12 km² (18.6 sq mi) and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 310.8 /km2.
Residents work mostly in trades (2,130), retail (1,840) or business/finance (1,575).
According to the 2006 census, the largest visible minorities in the community were Chinese with 95 residents followed by Filipino with 55 residents.
English is the first language of 91.7% of the population. French (2.2%) is the second most common first language.
Government
Fort Saskatchewan is directly governed by a city council consisting of one mayor and six councillors.Municipal elections occur every three years on the third Monday in October. The last election was October 18, 2010
Alberta municipal elections, 2010
Municipal elections were held in Alberta, Canada on Monday, October 18, 2010. Since 1968, provincial legislation has required every municipality to hold triennial elections...
. The next election is scheduled for October 21, 2013. The mayor is elected separately from the councillors, who are elected at-large (as opposed to the ward system).
Currently the city council consists of:
- Mayor Gale KatchurGale KatchurGale Katchur is a Canadian politician and current mayor of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.-Biography:Katchur was born Gale Lewchuk in Fort St. John, British Columbia, but raised on a farm near Spirit River, Alberta, Alberta....
(first term as mayor) - Coun. Don Westman (fifth term)
- Coun. Tom Hutchison (fourth term)
- Coun. Stew Hennig (second term)
- Coun. Ed van Delden (second term)
- Coun. Frank Garritsen (first term)
- Coun. John Mather (first term)
On the provincial level of government, Fort Saskatchewan is part of the riding called Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville
Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville
Fort Saskatchewan—Vegreville is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
. It is represented by Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
Ed Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
(Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta
The Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta is a provincial centre-right party in the Canadian province of Alberta...
).
On the federal level, Fort Saskatchewan is part of the Edmonton—Sherwood Park
Edmonton—Sherwood Park
Edmonton—Sherwood Park is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004...
riding and is represented by Tim Uppal
Tim Uppal
Tim Uppal, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Member of Parliament for Edmonton—Sherwood Park in the 2008 federal election...
(Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
).
Economy
Fort Saskatchewan's main industries are commercial and heavy industry. Fort Saskatchewan is part of Alberta's Industrial HeartlandAlberta's Industrial Heartland
Alberta's Industrial Heartland, also known as Upgrader Alley or the Heartland, is a joint land use planning and development initiative between five municipalities in the Edmonton Capital Region to attract investment in the chemical, petrochemical, oil, and gas industries to the region.Alberta's...
, the largest Canadian industrial area west of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Companies with operations in the area include Dow Chemical, Sherritt International, Agrium and Shell Canada. These plants are major employers for residents of Fort Saskatchewan and the surrounding area.
With the city's growth in recent years, the commercial service sector has also grown. Multi-national corporations with stores in Fort Saskatchewan include Wal-Mart and The Home Depot
The Home Depot
The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain...
, with Canadian Tire
Canadian Tire
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited is one of Canada's 60 largest publicly traded companies. The firm operates an inter-related network of businesses engaged in retailing hardgoods, apparel and petroleum as well as financial and automotive services, employing more than 58,000 people across Canada...
, Safeway
Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
and Sobeys
Sobeys
Sobeys is the second largest food retailer in Canada, with over 1,300 supermarkets operating under a variety of banners. Headquartered in Stellarton, Nova Scotia, it operates stores in all ten provinces and accumulated sales of more than $14 billion CAD in 2009...
acting as some of the other major employers.
Fort Mall
The Fort Mall is located on a 12-acre parcel on the east side of downtown, containing 170000 square feet (15,793.5 m²) of retail space. In February 2003, a new purchaser promised renovations, but the opening of nearby larger Cornerstone Mall that year only worsened the mall's situation. The planned renovations were never completed, and a new owner came in and in 2007 proposed to demolish part of the mall to construct apartments or condominiums. Foreclosure proceedings began in 2008, and the mall was listed for judicial sale. The initial asking price was $8 million, and a $4 million bid from the city in the fall of 2009 was rejected. In February 2010, the mall was relisted for sale at $5 million dollars, and a $4.35 million offer accepted by the court in April.Recreation and culture
The centrepiece of Fort Saskatchewan's recreation and culture is the Dow Centennial CentreDow Centennial Centre
The Dow Centennial Centre in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, is a multi-purpose facility built to commemorate the Alberta Centennial.The DCC has facilities that are used by the City of Fort Saskatchewan and neighboring communities...
(DCC), a multi-use facility that includes an ice arena, gymnasium, fieldhouse, indoor track and fitness centre. The facility, which opened in September 2004, also features a 550-seat performing arts theatre, a permanent art gallery with monthly shows, a banquet hall and the local Pottery Guild.
The city also has two other indoor ice arenas—the Jubilee Recreation Centre and the Sportsplex—that are used during the winter months by hockey, ringette and figure skating associations. In the summer months, the lacrosse association uses them.
Fort Saskatchewan also has Harbour Pool, which is an indoor swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
that includes a hot tub, sauna and slide.
Over 30 km of paved trails meander through the city's dozen parks, including Legacy Park, which is the city's main gathering place and hosts festivals in the summer.
There is one nine-hole golf course located within the city's boundaries with three others within a 10-minute drive.
The Fort Saskatchewan Museum (c. 1909) is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. The museum, which sits adjacent to Legacy Park along 101 Street, features a red brick courthouse, a historic school, church and house that were relocated to the site from their respective locations around the region.
Fort Saskatchewan is served by the Fort Saskatchewan Public Library located on 102 Street next to City Hall.
The city's west end features a boat launch into the North Saskatchewan River, called Red Coat Landing, and a provincially preserved natural area, called the Fort Saskatchewan Prairie.
Elk Island National Park
Elk Island National Park
Elk Island National Park , is one of 43 national parks and park reserves administered by the Parks Canada Agency. This “island of conservation” is located 35 km east of Edmonton, Alberta along the Yellowhead Highway, which nearly bisects the park...
is located immediately southeast of the city.
Education
Fort Saskatchewan currently has no post-secondary schools. Most residents commute or move into Edmonton to attend post-secondary classes at the University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, Grant MacEwan University, or Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and provides technical training and applied education designed to meet the demands of Alberta's industries...
.
Fort Saskatchewan's schools are governed by two different school boards -- Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) and Elk Island Catholic Schools (EICS). Both school boards have their head offices located in Sherwood Park.
Fort Saskatchewan's elected trustees on the EIPS board are Pat McLauchlan and Glen Buchan. Gerald Mykytiuk is the lone Fort Saskatchewan trustee on the EICS board.
The following schools are located in Fort Saskatchewan:
Elementary Schools
- Fort Saskatchewan Elementary School (Grades K-6)
- James Mowat Elementary School (Grades K-6)
- École Rudolph Hennig (French Immersion K-9)
- Win Ferguson Community School (Grades K-6)
- Fort Saskatchewan Christian School (Grades K-9)
- Pope John XXIII Catholic School (Grades K-4)
- Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School (Grades 5-8)
Junior High Schools
- Fort Saskatchewan Junior High (Grades 7-9)
- École Rudolph Hennig School (Grades K-9, in either English or French)
- Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School (Grades 5-8)
- Fort Saskatchewan Christian School (Grades K-9)
High Schools
- Fort Saskatchewan High SchoolFort Saskatchewan Senior High SchoolFort Saskatchewan Senior High School is a public high school located in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada. It serves approximately 500 students in Grades 10 through 12.-Services:* Food Services* Library Services...
(Grades 10-12) - John Paul II High School (Grades 9-12)
- Next Step Senior High School (Grades 10-12; Alternative)
Climate
Health care
Fort Saskatchewan has one hospital—the 32-bed Fort Saskatchewan Health CentreFort Saskatchewan Health Centre
The Fort Saskatchewan Health Centre is a hospital located in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. It is an acute-care hospital with 32 beds. The hospital has become increasingly crowded over the years prompting Capital Health to start construction on the new 38-bed Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital on...
. A new 38-bed hospital is currently under construction.
The city also has a 58-bed, public-operated, supportive-living seniors lodge, called Dr. Turner Lodge. Southfort Bend, a privately operated facility, also has supportive living for seniors. The lone assisted-living facility in Fort Saskatchewan is the Rivercrest Care Centre.
Sports
The Fort Saskatchewan TradersFort 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....
, of the Alberta Junior Hockey League
Alberta Junior Hockey League
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
, were long a part of the city. After the 2006-07 season, the team relocated to St. Albert
St. Albert, Alberta
St. Albert is a suburban city in Alberta, located northwest of Edmonton, on the Sturgeon River. It was originally settled as a Métis community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St...
and was renamed the St. Albert Steel
St. Albert Steel
The St. Albert Steel are an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in St, Albert, Alberta, Canada at Servus Place, capacity 2044....
.
The Pyramid Corp. Hawks of the Capital Junior Hockey League and the McEwen Chiefs of the Chinook Hockey League are currently the only professional hockey teams in the city. Both use the Jubilee Recreation Centre as their home rink. The Edmonton Chimos female hockey team of the Western Women's Hockey League also played some home games at the JRC during the 2008-09 season.
Fort Saskatchewan is also home to the Fort Saskatchewan Athletics of the Sunburst Baseball League. Former college and professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
players make up the core of the baseball club.
Fort Saskatchewan has a youth sports association for hockey, soccer (indoor and outdoor), baseball, ringette, indoor lacrosse, figure skating, as well as sports associations for cross-country skiing and swimming.
Media
Fort Saskatchewan has three local newspapers. The Fort Saskatchewan RecordFort Saskatchewan Record
The Fort Saskatchewan Record is a once-weekly free newspaper in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada, a city on the northeast side of the Edmonton metropolitan area. It is the oldest paper in the city.- History :...
(The Fort Record) is a weekly home-delivered newspaper published on Thursdays. It took over the offices and plant of The Conservator, the previous weekly newspaper, and was first published on Wednesday, April 5, 1922. The Sturgeon Creek Post, established in 1997, is a weekly newspaper published on Wednesdays that is available at local businesses and newsstands. Over Easy, Please is a weekly newspaper published on Tuesdays that is available at local businesses and newsstands in Fort Saskatchewan. Other newspapers commonly read in Fort Saskatchewan are the Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.-History:The Journal was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as a rival to Alberta's first newspaper, the 23-year-old...
and the Edmonton Sun
Edmonton Sun
The Edmonton Sun is a daily newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.It began publishing in 1978 and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, its conservative editorial stance,...
.
Fort Saskatchewan has no television of its own due to its close proximity to the Edmonton broadcasting market. It has an internet radio station Fortradio.com which came online in November 2010. FortRadio.com has applied for a low-power FM license.
Notable residents
- Mike CommodoreMike CommodoreMichael Commodore is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, NHL player, Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Champion (2006) - Evangeline LillyEvangeline LillyEvangeline Lilly is a Canadian actress, best known for her role as Kate Austen in the ABC drama, Lost.-Early life:...
, actress, notably from the television series LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island... - Joffrey LupulJoffrey LupulJoffrey Douglas Sheldon Lupul is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, NHL player - Richard MatvichukRichard MatvichukRichard Matvichuk is a former NHL defenceman. He played 14 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars, and the New Jersey Devils.Although he was born in Edmonton, Richard was raised in the nearby city of Fort Saskatchewan...
, NHL player, Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Champion (1999) - Carl MokosakCarl MokosakCarl Mokosak is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in a total of 83 games in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins between 1981 and 1989.Mokosak played left wing and scored 11 goals while adding 15...
, retired NHL player - Allen PedersenAllen PedersenAllen Bentley Pedersen is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 428 games in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, and Hartford Whalers....
, retired NHL player - Ray WhitneyRay Whitney (hockey player)Ray Whitney is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently with the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, NHL player, Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Champion (2006)