Birch Hills County Explained

Official Name:	Birch Hills County
Seal Type:	Logo
Image Map1:	AB locator BIRCH HILLS COUNTY.svg
Mapsize1:	200
Map Caption1:	Location within Alberta
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	Canada
Subdivision Type1:	Province
Subdivision Name1:	Alberta
Subdivision Type2:	Region
Subdivision Name2:	Northern Alberta
Subdivision Type3:	Census division
Subdivision Name3:	19
Leader Title:	Reeve
Leader Name:	Gerald Manzulenko
Leader Title1:	Governing body
Leader Name1:	Birch Hills County Council
Leader Title2:	Administrative office
Leader Name2:	Wanham
Established Title:	Established
Established Date:	1995
Area Footnotes:	(2021)
Area Land Km2:	2848.75
Population As Of:	2021
Population Total:	1516
Population Density Km2:	0.5
Timezone:	MST
Utc Offset:	−7
Timezone Dst:	MDT
Utc Offset Dst:	−6

Birch Hills County is a municipal district in north-western Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 19, northeast of Grande Prairie.

The district takes its name from a range of hills of the same name, which in turn were named by Cree Indians.^[1]

History

In January 2021, a helicopter crash happened in the county, in which a family of four were killed.^[2]

Geography

Communities and localities

The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Birch Hills County.

Cities

• none

Towns

• none

Villages

• none

Summer villages

• none

The following hamlets are located within Birch Hills County.

Hamlets

• Eaglesham
• Peoria
• Tangent
• Wanham (dissolved from village status in 1999, location of municipal office)
• Watino

The following localities are located within Birch Hills County.^[3]

Localities

• Belloy
• Codesa
• Heart Valley

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Birch Hills County had a population of 1,516 living in 485 of its 637 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 1,553. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.^[4]

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Birch Hills County had a population of 1,553 living in 496 of its 616 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 1,582. With a land area of 2859.6km2, it had a population density of in 2016.^[5]

See also

• List of communities in Alberta
• List of francophone communities in Alberta
• List of municipal districts in Alberta

Notes and References

1. Book: Place-names of Alberta. 1928. Geographic Board of Canada. Ottawa. 20.
2. Web site: 2021-01-02. 4 Members Of Family Killed In Alberta Helicopter Crash. 2021-01-07. HuffPost Canada. en.
3. Web site: Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) 2006, Economic Regions: 4819049 - Birch Hills County, geographical codes and localities, 2006 . . 2010-03-05 . 2012-08-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130525212125/http://stds.statcan.gc.ca/sgc-cgt/2006/ersl-rerl-fin-eng.asp?criteria=4819049 . 2013-05-25 . dead .
4. Web site: Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities) . . February 9, 2022 . February 9, 2022.
5. Web site: Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta) . . February 8, 2017 . February 8, 2017.