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List of municipal districts in Alberta

(Redirected from Municipal District of Conrich No. 44)

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 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

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)
MD of Acadia No. 34 December 9, 191345494493+0.2%1,070.920.5
Athabasca County January 1, 19471396,9597,869−11.6%6,111.301.1
County of Barrhead No. 11 January 1, 19551375,8776,288−6.5%2,385.282.5
Beaver County February 1, 19431055,8685,905−0.6%3,219.741.8
Big Lakes County January 1, 19951793,664[8]4,103[9]−10.7%11,897.750.3
MD of Bighorn No. 8 January 1, 19881551,5981,324+20.7%2,678.800.6
Birch Hills County January 1, 19951971,5161,553−2.4%2,848.750.5
MD of Bonnyville No. 87 January 1, 195512711,864[8]11,661[9]+1.7%5,410.212.2
Brazeau County July 1, 19881177,1797,771−7.6%3,000.142.4
Camrose County January 1, 19441078,5048,660−1.8%3,291.752.6
Cardston County January 1, 1954374,8564,481+8.4%3,358.391.4
Clear Hills County January 1, 19951773,0063,018−0.4%15,025.540.2
Clearwater County January 1, 19859711,86511,947−0.7%18,605.710.6
Cypress County January 1, 1985197,5247,662−1.8%12,977.990.6
MD of Fairview No. 136 December 9, 19141951,5801,604−1.5%1,373.661.2
Flagstaff County January 1, 1944773,6943,728−0.9%3,959.780.9
Foothills County January 1, 1954 6723,19922,616+2.6%3,604.766.4
County of Forty Mile No. 8 January 1, 1954173,4713,581−3.1%7,163.610.5
County of Grande Prairie No. 1 December 21, 194319923,76922,502+5.6%5,790.594.1
MD of Greenview No. 16 January 1, 19941888,5849,154−6.2%32,925.530.3
Kneehill County January 1, 1944574,9925,001−0.2%3,373.401.5
Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 194413710,83210,899−0.6%2,845.843.8
Lacombe County January 1, 19448710,28310,343−0.6%2,759.123.7
Lamont County January 1, 19441053,7543,884−3.3%2,385.581.6
Leduc County January 1, 194411714,41613,177+9.4%2,502.595.8
MD of Lesser Slave River No. 124 January 1, 19951772,8612,803+2.1%10,041.790.3
Lethbridge County January 1, 19542710,12010,237−1.1%2,815.663.6
County of Minburn No. 27 January 30, 19421073,0143,188−5.5%2,850.371.1
Mountain View County January 1, 19446712,98113,074−0.7%3,763.423.4
County of Newell January 1, 19532107,4657,524−0.8%5,810.151.3
County of Northern Lights January 1, 19951773,601[8]3,656[9]−1.5%18,900.570.2
Northern Sunrise County April 1, 19941761,7111,921−10.9%20,914.350.1
MD of Opportunity No. 17 August 1, 199517113,3823,253+4.0%28,857.880.1
County of Paintearth No. 18 January 1, 1944771,9902,102−5.3%3,239.580.6
Parkland County January 1, 196911732,20532,737−1.6%2,375.6713.6
MD of Peace No. 135 December 11, 19161951,5811,752−9.8%847.221.9
MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 January 1, 1944353,2402,965+9.3%3,455.750.9
Ponoka County January 1, 1952859,9989,806+2.0%2,807.993.6
MD of Provost No. 52 March 1, 1943772,0712,205−6.1%3,571.120.6
MD of Ranchland No. 66 January 1, 199515311092+19.6%2,636.750.0
Red Deer County January 1, 19448719,93319,531+2.1%3,919.255.1
Rocky View County January 1, 19556941,02839,407+4.1%3,828.8510.7
Saddle Hills County January 1, 19951972,3382,225+5.1%5,827.700.4
Smoky Lake County March 1, 19431252,517[8]2,461[9]+2.3%2,619.691.0
MD of Smoky River No. 130 January 1, 19521961,6842,006−16.1%2,834.180.6
MD of Spirit River No. 133 December 11, 1916194649700−7.3%679.861.0
County of St. Paul No. 19 January 30, 19421276,3066,036+4.5%3,280.401.9
Starland County February 1, 1943551,8212,066−11.9%2,540.850.7
County of Stettler No. 6 March 1, 1943775,6665,566+1.8%3,969.651.4
Sturgeon County January 1, 195511720,06120,495−2.1%2,084.249.6
MD of Taber January 1, 1954277,4477,098+4.9%4,160.471.8
Thorhild County January 1, 19551353,0423,254−6.5%1,997.171.5
County of Two Hills No. 21 January 1, 19441053,4123,641−6.3%2,600.151.3
County of Vermilion River January 1, 19441077,9948,453−5.4%5,420.131.5
Vulcan County January 1, 1951574,2373,984+6.4%5,356.650.8
MD of Wainwright No. 61 January 30, 1942774,2764,464−4.2%4,095.291.0
County of Warner No. 5 January 1, 1954274,2903,942+8.8%4,462.201.0
Westlock County February 1, 19431377,1867,220−0.5%3,169.662.3
County of Wetaskiwin No. 10 February 1, 194311711,21211,176+0.3%3,121.983.6
Wheatland County January 1, 1955578,7388,788−0.6%4,505.051.9
MD of Willow Creek No. 26 January 1, 1954376,0815,575+9.1%4,485.051.4
Woodlands County January 1, 19941374,5584,744−3.9%7,599.520.6
Yellowhead County January 1, 199414910,42610,995−5.2%22,238.560.5
Total municipal districts — — 437 470,580470,3660.0% 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 CountyAugust 1, 2007January 1, 2018Specialized municipality
Mackenzie County
MD of Mackenzie No. 23		January 1, 1995June 23, 1999Specialized municipality
Strathcona County
County of Strathcona No. 20
MD of Strathcona No. 83
MD of Strathcona No. 517		March 1, 1943January 1, 1996Specialized 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. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 "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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "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. 1 2 3 4 "2023 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. February 12, 2024. ISBN 978-1-4601-5954-5. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "2017 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. ISBN 978-1-4601-3652-2. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Municipal Profiles (Specialized Municipalities)" (PDF) (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. September 20, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 8. Government of Alberta. 1912.
  14. ↑ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 15. Government of Alberta. 1919.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 10. Government of Alberta. 1914.
  16. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 3 4 "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. 1 2 "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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 9. Government of Alberta. 1913.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 "Changing Numbers of All Municipal Districts Throughout the Province" (PDF) (PDF). The Alberta Gazette. April 14, 1945. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  24. 1 2 3 Alberta Gazette. Vol. 11. Government of Alberta. 1915.
  25. ↑ Alberta Gazette. Vol. 12. Government of Alberta. 1916.
  26. 1 2 "Municipal Boundary Document Search (Warner No. 5, County of)". Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
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