List of summer villages in Alberta

A summer village is a type of urban municipality in the Canadian province of Alberta that has a permanent population generally less than 300 permanent inhabitants, as well as seasonal (non-permanent) inhabitants.

Alberta has a total of 51 summer villages, which had a cumulative population of 5,921 and an average population of 116 in Canada's 2021 Census of Population.[1] Alberta's largest summer village is Norglenwold with a population of 306 while Castle Island, is the smallest with a population of 15.[1]

History

A summer village is a type of municipal status used in Alberta, Canada, that was founded in 1913. It was used in resort areas that were mainly active in the summer and where most residents were seasonal. Cottage owners did not want to pay for unnecessary municipal services but wished to have a voice in local government of the resort area.[2]

Changes were made to the provincial laws to allow elections to be held in July and to allow seasonal residents to run for office and vote in the summer village without losing these same rights in their place of permanent residence.

In 1995, provincial legislation was changed to prevent the formation of new summer villages.[2] The 54 summer villages that existed at the time[3] were permitted to continue to operate as before.[2]

List

List of summer villages in Alberta
Name Rural municipality[4] Incorporation date
(summer village)[5] 		2021 Census of Population[1]
Population
(2021) 		Population
(2016) 		Change
(%) 		Land
area
(km2) 		Population
density
(per km2)
Argentia Beach Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of January 1, 1967 39 27 +44.4% 0.62 62.9/km2
Betula Beach Parkland County January 1, 1960 27 16 +68.8% 0.23 117.4/km2
Birch Cove Lac Ste. Anne County December 31, 1988 67 45 +48.9% 0.29 231.0/km2
Birchcliff Lacombe County January 1, 1972 211 117 +80.3% 0.97 217.5/km2
Bondiss Athabasca County January 1, 1983 124 110 +12.7% 1.18 105.1/km2
Bonnyville Beach Bonnyville No. 87, M.D. of January 1, 1958 70 84 −16.7% 0.23 304.3/km2
Burnstick Lake Clearwater County December 31, 1991 21 15 +40.0% 0.18 116.7/km2
Castle Island Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1955 15 10 +50.0% 0.05 300.0/km2
Crystal Springs Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of January 1, 1957 74 51 +45.1% 0.45 164.4/km2
Ghost Lake Bighorn No. 8, M.D. of December 31, 1953 82 82 0.0% 0.62 132.3/km2
Golden Days Leduc County January 1, 1965 248 160 +55.0% 2.13 116.4/km2
Grandview Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of January 1, 1967 143 109 +31.2% 0.45 317.8/km2
Gull Lake Lacombe County September 1, 1993 226 176 +28.4% 0.7 322.9/km2
Half Moon Bay Lacombe County January 1, 1978 65 42 +54.8% 0.12 541.7/km2
Horseshoe Bay St. Paul No. 19, County of January 1, 1985 81 49 +65.3% 0.98 82.7/km2
Island Lake Athabasca County January 1, 1958 174 228 −23.7% 1.55 112.3/km2
Island Lake South Athabasca County January 1, 1983 81 61 +32.8% 0.48 168.8/km2
Itaska Beach Leduc County June 30, 1953 30 23 +30.4% 0.26 115.4/km2
Jarvis Bay Red Deer County January 1, 1986 213 213 0.0% 0.55 387.3/km2
Kapasiwin Parkland County September 1, 1993 24 10 +140.0% 0.33 72.7/km2
Lakeview Parkland County October 25, 1913 29 30 −3.3% 0.32 90.6/km2
Larkspur Westlock County January 1, 1985 53 44 +20.5% 0.26 203.8/km2
Ma-Me-O Beach Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of December 31, 1948 128[a] 110 +16.4% 0.56 228.6/km2
Mewatha Beach Athabasca County January 1, 1978 103 90 +14.4% 0.79 130.4/km2
Nakamun Park Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1966 78 96 −18.7% 0.43 181.4/km2
Norglenwold Red Deer County January 1, 1965 306 273 +12.1% 0.62 493.5/km2
Norris Beach Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of December 31, 1988 71 38 +86.8% 0.19 373.7/km2
Parkland Beach Ponoka County January 1, 1984 168 153 +9.8% 0.94 178.7/km2
Pelican Narrows Bonnyville No. 87, M.D. of July 1, 1979 158 151 +4.6% 0.74 213.5/km2
Point Alison Parkland County December 31, 1950 18 10 +80.0% 0.19 94.7/km2
Poplar Bay Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of January 1, 1967 113 103 +9.7% 0.71 159.2/km2
Rochon Sands Stettler No. 6, County of May 17, 1929 97 86 +12.8% 2.03 47.8/km2
Ross Haven Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1962 126 160 −21.3% 0.7 180.0/km2
Sandy Beach Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1956 278 278 0.0% 2.41 115.4/km2
Seba Beach Parkland County August 20, 1920 229 169 +35.5% 0.53 432.1/km2
Silver Beach Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of December 31, 1953 55 65 −15.4% 0.61 90.2/km2
Silver Sands Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1969 214 160 +33.7% 2.51 85.3/km2
South Baptiste Athabasca County January 1, 1983 70 66 +6.1% 0.91 76.9/km2
South View Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1970 72 67 +7.5% 0.44 163.6/km2
Sunbreaker Cove Lacombe County December 31, 1990 131 81 +61.7% 0.47 278.7/km2
Sundance Beach Leduc County January 1, 1970 42 73 −42.5% 0.43 97.7/km2
Sunrise Beach Lac Ste. Anne County December 31, 1988 153 135 +13.3% 1.66 92.2/km2
Sunset Beach Athabasca County May 1, 1977 55 49 +12.2% 0.87 63.2/km2
Sunset Point Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1959 257 169 +52.1% 1.17 219.7/km2
Val Quentin Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1966 158 252 −37.3% 0.29 544.8/km2
Waiparous Bighorn No. 8, M.D. of January 1, 1986 57 49 +16.3% 0.41 139.0/km2
West Baptiste Athabasca County January 1, 1983 46 38 +21.1% 0.54 85.2/km2
West Cove Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1963 222 149 +49.0% 1.3 170.8/km2
Whispering Hills Athabasca County January 1, 1983 128 142 −9.9% 1.64 78.0/km2
White Sands Stettler No. 6, County of January 1, 1980 174 120 +45.0% 1.61 108.1/km2
Yellowstone Lac Ste. Anne County January 1, 1965 117 137 −14.6% 0.28 417.9/km2
Total summer villages — — 5,921 5,171 +14.5% 38.93 152.1/km2

Former summer villages

Four other communities in Alberta have previously held summer village status – Alberta Beach,[7] Chestermere Lake (now Chestermere),[8] Edmonton Beach (now Spring Lake),[9] and White Gull.[10]

Community Incorporation date
(summer village) 		Status change
date 		Subsequent
status
Alberta Beach August 23, 1920 January 1, 1999 Village
Chestermere Lake April 1, 1977 March 1, 1993 Town
Edmonton Beach January 1, 1959 January 1, 1999 Village
White Gull January 1, 1983 January 1, 2003 Unincorporated

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Originally published as 162, Ma-Me-O Beach's 2021 population was amended to 128 by Statistics Canada.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Alberta". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "The History of Summer Villages". Association of Summer Villages of Alberta. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  3. ^ "1995 Official Population" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  4. ^ "Communities Within Specialized and Rural Municipalities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. April 9, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  5. ^ "Municipal Profiles: Summary Reports (summer Villages)" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  6. ^ "Population and dwelling count amendments, 2021 Census". Statistics Canada. November 30, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  7. ^ "Location and History Profile: Alberta Beach". Alberta Municipal Affairs. February 3, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  8. ^ "Location and History Profile: Town of Chestermere". Alberta Municipal Affairs. February 3, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  9. ^ "Location and History Profile: Village of Spring Lake". Alberta Municipal Affairs. February 3, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  10. ^ "Order in Council (O.C.) 461/2002". Government of Alberta. October 8, 2002. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
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