Whitecourt, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Whitecourt is a town 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...
within Woodlands County
Woodlands County, Alberta
Woodlands County is a municipal district in north-central Alberta, Canada.It is located in Census Division 13. The municipal seat is in the Town of Whitecourt, while a regional administrative office is also located in the Hamlet of Fort Assiniboine....
. It is located 177 kilometres (110 mi) northwest 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...
and 279 kilometres (173.4 mi) southeast of Grande Prairie at the junction of Highway 43 and Highway 32 and has an elevation of 690 m (2,263.8 ft).
Whitecourt is also located at the confluence of four waterways – the Athabasca River
Athabasca River
The Athabasca River originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada...
, McLeod River
McLeod River
Mcleod River is a significant river in west-central Alberta, Canada. It forms in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, and is a major tributary of the Athabasca River.-Course:...
, Sakwatamau River and Beaver Creek. A Canadian National
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
rail line runs through the town.
The Town has branded itself as the Snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
Capital of Alberta and its motto is Let's Go....
History
The community was formed in the place known by the CreeCree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
as Sagitawah (the place where the rivers meet). While the first Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
was established in 1897, the first permanent resident on the present day town site was John Goodwin, who settled here in 1905. In 1910, with the expansion of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was a historical Canadian railway.A wholly owned subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway , the GTPR was constructed by GTR using loans provided by the Government of Canada. The company was formed in 1903 with a mandate to build west from Winnipeg, Manitoba to the...
, immigrants were encouraged by Premier Arthur Lewis Sifton
Arthur Lewis Sifton
Arthur Lewis Watkins Sifton, PC, KC was a Canadian politician who served as the second Premier of Alberta from 1910 until 1917 and as a minister in the Government of Canada thereafter. Born in Ontario, he grew up there and in Winnipeg, where he became a lawyer...
to settle in the vast scarcely inhabited area between 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...
and the Peace River Country
Peace River Country
The Peace River Country is an aspen parkland region around the Peace River in Canada. It spans from northwestern Alberta to the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia, where the region is also referred to as the Peace River Block.- Geography :The Peace River Country includes the...
. The name "Whitecourt" was chosen in 1910 by the postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of the newly established community.
Geography
Whitecourt has three identifiable geographic components:- the Valley that includes the town centre, the Athabasca Flats residential area, Millar Western’s sawmill and pulp mill, and three manufactured home parks;
- the Hilltop that includes the Hilltop and Southlands Estates residential areas, the Hilltop industrial area, a 2.5 km highway commercial strip along Highway 43 and two manufactured home parks; and
- West Whitecourt, between the McLeod and Athabasca Rivers, includes an industrial area, a 1.0 km highway commercial strip along Highway 43, and a manufactured home park.
Economy
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, oil and gas industry
Petroleum production in Canada
Petroleum production in Canada is a major industry which is important to the economy of North America. Canada is the sixth largest oil producing country in the world. In 2008 it produced an average of of crude oil, crude bitumen and natural gas condensate. Of that amount, 45% was conventional...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. With some farm land to the south and east of Whitecourt, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
plays a minor role in the town's economy.
Whitecourt is the site of three forestry-related mills:
- Blue Ridge Lumber Sawmill / Ranger Board MDF (owned by West Fraser)
- Millar Western Sawmill / Pulp Mill (owned by Millar Western Forest Products)
- Alberta Newsprint Company Pulp & Paper Mill.
Whitecourt is also home to many service companies in the oil and gas industry.
Demographics
The population of the Town of Whitecourt according to its 2008 municipal census is 9,202.In the 2006 federal census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
, Whitecourt had a population of 8,971 living in 3,448 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 7.6% increase from its 2001 population of 8,334. The town has a land area of 26.14 km² (10.1 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 343.1 /km2.
In the 2001 federal census
Canada 2001 Census
The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15, 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In...
, Whitecourt was among the 25 youngest municipalities in Canada with a population of 5,000 or more with a median age of 29.3 years. It also was among the top 25 with the highest men-to-women ratios at 110.2 men per 100 women. By the 2006 census, the median age and men-to-women ratios increased to 30.1 years and 112.3 men to 100 women respectively.
Also in 2001 census, the town had a median family income of $68,960, and an average value of dwelling of $126,600.
Air
The full air-service Whitecourt AirportWhitecourt Airport
Whitecourt Airport, , is located west of Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada.The Whitecourt Airport was opened in 1978. It is serviced by three non-precision IFR approaches. The approach lighting consists of PAPI3 and medium intensity runway lighting....
is located west of Whitecourt on the north side of Highway 32, approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Highway 43. It is Alberta's ninth busiest airport with up to 32,000 aircraft using the airport annually. The airstrip is 5800 ft (1,767.8 m) in length and 100 ft (30.5 m) wide and can accommodate 747 jets. Numerous carriers offer scheduled charter flights out of the airport.
Bus
Greyhound Canada provides regular bus passenger services to Whitecourt on a daily basis. The bus stop is located at a gas station at the intersection of 52 Avenue and Dahl Drive.Rail
A Canadian National rail line, known as the Sangudo Subdivision, provides rail service through Whitecourt from Edmonton to numerous gas plants south of Fox CreekFox Creek, Alberta
Fox Creek is a town in northwest Alberta, Canada. It is located on Highway 43, approximately northwest of Edmonton and southeast of Grande Prairie, and has an elevation of ....
. A spur within the town serves the Millar Western Sawmill / Pulp Mill. A spur just west of town serves the Alberta Newsprint Company Pulp & Paper Mill.
Roads
The Town of Whitecourt is served by two highways. Highway 43, which is part of the CANAMEX CorridorCANAMEX Corridor
The CANAMEX corridor is a corridor linking Canada to Mexico through the United States. The corridor was established under the North American Free Trade Agreement.Currently the corridor is defined by a series of highways...
, is a twinned highway that provides connection to Edmonton to the southeast and Grande Prairie to the northwest.
Highway 32 provides Whitecourt with a a direct link to the Yellowhead Highway
Yellowhead Highway
The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Although part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, the highway should not be confused with the more southerly, originally-designated...
(Highway 16) to the south, which connects the town to Edson
Edson, Alberta
Edson is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Yellowhead County, west of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Highway and east of the intersection with Highway 47.- History :left|thumb|200px|Welcome Sign...
and Hinton
Hinton, Alberta
Hinton is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada.It is located in Yellowhead County, northeast of Jasper and about west of Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, at the intersection of Yellowhead and Bighorn Highway, in the Athabasca River valley.-History:...
to the southwest. Another segment of Highway 32 begins approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of the town, providing a link from Highway 43 to Swan Hills
Swan Hills, Alberta
Swan Hills is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located north of Whitecourt at the junction of Highway 32 and Grizzly Trail. Swan Hills is located in Municipal District of Big Lakes within census Division No...
and Slave Lake
Slave Lake, Alberta
Slave Lake is a town in northern Alberta, Canada, in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124. It is located on the southeast shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 88....
.
Numerous local roads provide connections from Whitecourt to surrounding rural areas within Woodlands County. Within the McLeod River valley, Govenlock Road feeds two rural roads – West Mountain Road (Range Road 122) and Tower Road (Range Road 121A) – that provide access to numerous country residential subdivisions and some agricultural operations to the south.
Within the Athabasca River valley, Flats Road (Township Road 600), which exits the town following its northern boundary, serves numerous agricultural operations to the east.
On the Hilltop, 41 Avenue (Township Road 594A), which was the original highway alignment into Whitecourt, exits the town eastbound for the Hamlet of Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge, Alberta
Blue Ridge is a hamlet in northwest Alberta, Canada within Woodlands County. It is located on Highway 658, north of Highway 43 and south of the Athabasca River...
. This road is commonly referred to as Blue Ridge Road.
Education
Northern Gateway Regional Division No. 10- Central Elementary School (K-5)
- Pat Hardy Elementary School (K-5)
- Percy Baxter Middle School (6-8)
- Hilltop Jr/Sr High School (9-12)
Living Waters Catholic Regional Division No. 42
- St. Mary's School (K-3)
- St. Joseph School (4-12)
Newspapers
Whitecourt is served by the weekly Whitecourt StarWhitecourt Star
The Whitecourt Star is a weekly newspaper serving the Whitecourt, Alberta area....
and the monthly Community Advisor.
Radio
Two FMFM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
radio stations broadcast from Whitecourt. The Rig (FM 96.7, CFXW-FM
CFXW-FM
CFXW-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts an active rock format at 96.7 FM in Whitecourt, Alberta. The station is branded as 96.7 The Rig and is currently owned by Newcap Broadcasting.-History:...
) and XM 105 (FM 105.3, CIXM-FM
CIXM-FM
CIXM-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a country music format at 105.3 FM in Whitecourt, Alberta. The station is branded as XM 105, and was founded and formerly owned by Edward & Remi Tardif...
) broadcast active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
and contemporary country formats respectively.
Television
CFRN-TV Edmonton operates a transmitter on local cable channel 12 (CFRN-TV-3), which provides separate commercials and short news bulletins for Alberta's northwest region including the Whitecourt area. It otherwise simulcasts the main signal from Edmonton.Associations
Whitecourt is a member of the Alberta/Japan Twinned Municipalities Association. Under the association's Japan-Alberta Twinning Program, Whitecourt has been twinned with YūbetsuYubetsu, Hokkaido
is a town located in Monbetsu District, Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 4,950 and a population density of 14.52 persons per km². The total area is 344.35 km²....
, Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, since 1998.
Sports
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitecourt Wolverines Whitecourt Wolverines The Whitecourt Wolverines are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the North West Junior Hockey League... |
North West Junior Hockey League The North West Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" Ice Hockey league operating in the Peace River region of Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of Northwest "B" playoffs earns the chance to compete for the Western Canadian Junior "B" Crown, the Keystone Cup... |
Ice Hockey Ice hockey Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take... |
Whitecourt Twin Arena | |
|
Notable residents
- Travis RocheTravis RocheTravis Roche is a Canadian hockey player currently playing for SC Bern of the National League A of Switzerland.- Playing career :...
– professional hockey player - George VanderBurgGeorge VanderBurgGeorge VanderBurg is a Canadian politician, who currently represents the electoral district of Whitecourt-Ste. Anne in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He is a member of the Progressive Conservative Party....
– MLAMember of the Legislative AssemblyA Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
for Whitecourt-Ste. AnneWhitecourt-Ste. AnneWhitecourt-Ste. Anne is an Alberta provincial electoral district, located in central Alberta. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting...
See also
- List of communities in Alberta
- List of towns in Alberta
- Whitecourt-Ste. AnneWhitecourt-Ste. AnneWhitecourt-Ste. Anne is an Alberta provincial electoral district, located in central Alberta. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting...
provincial electoral district - Whitecourt AirportWhitecourt AirportWhitecourt Airport, , is located west of Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada.The Whitecourt Airport was opened in 1978. It is serviced by three non-precision IFR approaches. The approach lighting consists of PAPI3 and medium intensity runway lighting....