Alma, New Brunswick Explained

Official Name:Alma
Other Name:Salmon River Settlement
Pushpin Map:New Brunswick
Coordinates:45.6019°N -64.9433°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Canada
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:New Brunswick
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Albert
Subdivision Type3:Parish
Subdivision Name3:Alma
Subdivision Type4:Municipality
Subdivision Name4:Fundy Albert
Established Title:Incorporated
Established Date:1966
Established Title2:Amalgamated
Established Date2:2023
Demographics Type1:Electoral districts
Demographics1 Title1:Federal
Demographics1 Info1:Fundy Royal
Demographics1 Title2:Provincial
Demographics1 Info2:Albert
Area Total Km2:47.64
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:282
Population As Of:2021
Population Density Km2:5.9
Population Blank1 Title:Change 
Population Blank1:32.4%
Timezone:EST
Utc Offset:-4
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-3
Area Code Type:Area codes
Area Codes:506 and 428

Alma is a disincorporated Village in Fundy Albert, New Brunswick, Canada. It resides in the territorial divisions of parish of Alma, Albert County. Alma is centered on the small delta of the Upper Salmon River and Cleveland Brook, where they empty into Salisbury Bay.

The headquarters of Fundy National Park is in Alma West, making tourism a major part of the local economy. Fishing, of lobster and scallops, is another primary economic activity.

History

See also: History of New Brunswick and List of historic places in Albert County, New Brunswick. The settlement, known as Salmon River Settlement, began in earnest as the lumbering trade took root with the exchange of land-grant title, and construction of a sawmill on the Upper Salmon River by its new owners. Prior to this, Loyalist John Coffin, who held the land grant, caused frustration for would-be settlers because of his absence. Thus began the most vibrant period in the community's history.

The Parish of Alma was created surrounding the community in 1856, commemorating the then-recent Battle of Alma during the Crimean war.[2] The Village municipality incorporated in 1966 following sweeping changes that disbanded county councils. 18 years earlier, the federal government had expropriated land in the village and parish west of the Upper Salmon River for the creation of Fundy National Park. Many homes were relocated east of the river as lumber barons gave way to the new land managers, the Parks Canada Agency. In addition to tourism related to the park, lobster and scallop fishing are an important industry based out of Alma's tidal harbour.

On 1 January 2023, Alma was amalgamated with the villages of Hillsborough and Riverside-Albert and parts of nine local service districts[3] to form the municipal area called Fundy Albert.[4] [5] "Alma" continues to be the name of the former Village of Alma community.[6]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Alma had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 47.64km2, it had a population density of in 2021.[7] Revised census figures based on the 2023 local governance reforms have not been released.

Notable people

See main article: List of people from Albert County, New Brunswick.

Alma was the birthplace of Molly Kool, who in 1939 became Master Mariner for offshore sailing, a captain, a first in the Western World,[8] sailing a commercial Bay of Fundy scow sloop between ports. A monument on the Alma waterfront marks her accomplishment.

Climate

Alma has a relatively cool, wet and snowy humid continental climate with significant seasonal differences in spite of its near-ocean location. Summers are warm but relatively short, whereas winters are relatively cold but milder than inland areas.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Census Profile for Alma . Statistics Canada . 11 January 2023 . 6 December 2022.
  2. Book: Hamilton, William Baillie . Place Names of Atlantic Canada . . 0-8020-7570-3 . 1996 . 43.
  3. NB Deptartment of Environment and local government. Local Governments (LG).kml, January 1, 2023 regulation 2022-50 under the Local Governance Act. [accessed Feb. 9, 2024 via Geonb data catalogue http://www.snb.ca/geonb1/e/dc/LG.asp]
  4. Web site: Local Governments Establishment Regulation – Local Governance Act . Government of New Brunswick . 20 January 2023 . 12 October 2022.
  5. Web site: RSC 7 Southeast Regional Service Commission . Government of New Brunswick . 31 January 2022 . 20 January 2023.
  6. Proposed entity names reflect strong ties to nature and history . Irishtown, New Brunswick . Government of New Brunswick . 25 May 2022 . 20 January 2023.
  7. Web site: Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), New Brunswick . . February 9, 2022 . February 21, 2022.
  8. Book: Baird, Donal M.. Women at Sea in the Age of Sail . registration. Nimbus. 2001. 2, 215. Last days of Sail. 1-55109-267-0.