Westlock County, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Westlock County is a municipal district in central 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...
north of 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...
. The county was formerly known as the Municipal District of Westlock No. 92, and was created in 1943 from the merger of five smaller municipal districts.
The county lies on the boundary of two of Canada's largest watershed basins. To the north is the Athabasca River
Athabasca River
The Athabasca River originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada...
, which drains into the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
via the Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
. To the south is the Sturgeon River
Sturgeon River (Alberta)
Sturgeon River is a 260 km long river located in central Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the North Saskatchewan River. The stream crosses Sturgeon County, which was named for this river....
which drains via the North Saskatchewan into Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
.
Communities
Towns- Town of WestlockWestlock, AlbertaWestlock is a town in central Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1913, the town is primarily an agricultural, business, and government administration centre serving communities and rural areas within surrounding Westlock County.- Geography :...
Villages
- Village of ClydeClyde, AlbertaClyde is a village in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located north of Edmonton and east of Westlock, near the junction of Highway 18 and Highway 2.It was incorporated in 1914 and named after the River and Firth of Clyde in Scotland.- Demographics :...
Summer villages
- Summer VillageSummer villageSummer villages in Alberta are incorporated communities that have permanent populations generally less than 300 permanent inhabitants, as well as seasonal inhabitants....
of Larkspur
Hamlets
Westlock County has nine communities recognized as hamlets.
- BusbyBusby, AlbertaBusby is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located on Highway 651, approximately northwest of Edmonton and west of Highway 2.- History :...
- DappDapp, AlbertaDapp is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located west of Highway 44, approximately northwest of St. Albert.- Notable residents :* Greg Polis, professional ice hockey player , 1970s- References :...
- FawcettFawcett, AlbertaFawcett is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located on Highway 44, approximately northwest of Edmonton.- Notable people :...
- JarvieJarvie, AlbertaJarvie is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located west of Highway 44, approximately northwest of Edmonton.- References :...
- NestowNestow, AlbertaNestow is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located on Highway 2, approximately north of Edmonton.- References :...
- PibrochPibroch, AlbertaPibroch is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located west of Highway 44, approximately northwest of Edmonton.- References :...
- PickardvillePickardville, AlbertaPickardville is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located west of Highway 44, approximately northwest of Edmonton.- References :...
- TawatinawTawatinaw, AlbertaTawatinaw is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located on Township Road 614, east of Highway 2 and approximately north of the City of Edmonton.- Amenities :...
- VimyVimy, AlbertaVimy is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Westlock County. It is located east of Highway 2, approximately north of Edmonton.- References :...
Other unincorporated communities
- RossingtonRossington, AlbertaRossington is an unincorporated community in central Alberta within Westlock County, located north of Highway 18, northwest of St. Albert....
Demographics
In 2006, Westlock County had a population of 6,910 living in 2,589 dwellingsHouse
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...
, an 0.7% increase from 2001. The municipal district has a land area of 3174.6 km² (1,225.7 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 2.2 /km2.
According to the Canada 2001 Census:
- Population: 6,859 (2001)
- % Change (1996-2001): −1.4
- Dwellings: 2,634
- Area (km2.): 3,168.21
- Density (persons per km2.): 2.2
The county consists of 3,167 square kilometres (1,200 mi2) with a population of 6,958. Approximately 1,300 farmers in the county grow crops and raise livestock on 2974 square kilometres (734,829 acres) with a combined investment of over C$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
500 million in land, buildings, equipment and livestock.
In 2001, 295 of the county's residents identified as Aboriginal
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
.
Council and administration
The municipal government consists of a reeve and six other elected councillors who work with a permanent staff of 32.External links
- Westlock County - Official site
- Statistics Canada. 2001. Westlock County profile
- Alberta First. Westlock County Statistics
- AAMDC. Westlock County