| Blackfalds | |
| Official Name: | Town of Blackfalds |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Alberta |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Blackfalds in Alberta |
| Coordinates: | 52.3758°N -113.7931°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Type3: | Census division |
| Subdivision Type4: | Municipal district |
| Subdivision Name1: | Alberta |
| Subdivision Name2: | Central Alberta |
| Subdivision Name3: | 8 |
| Subdivision Name4: | Lacombe County |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated[1] |
| Established Date1: | |
| Established Title2: | • Village |
| Established Date2: | June 17, 1904 |
| Established Title3: | • Town |
| Established Date3: | April 1, 1980 |
| Government Footnotes: | [2] |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Title1: | Governing body |
| Leader Name1: | Blackfalds Town Council: Laura Svab, Rebecca Stendie, Marina Appel, Edna Coulter, Brenda Dennis, Jim Sands |
| Leader Title2: | MP |
| Leader Name2: | Blaine Calkins |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [3] |
| Elevation M: | 880 |
| Area Footnotes: | (2021) |
| Area Land Km2: | 16.58 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Footnotes: | [4] |
| Population Total: | 10470 |
| Population Density Km2: | 631.4 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Municipal census (2021) |
| Population Blank1: | 11105 |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Estimate (2020) |
| Population Blank2: | 11974[5] |
| Postal Code Type: | Forward sortation area |
| Postal Code: | T0M 0J0 |
| Area Codes: | +1 403, +1 587 |
| Leader Title3: | MLA |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | −7 |
| Timezone Dst: | MDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −6 |
| Blank Name: | Highway |
| Blank Info: | Highway 2A |
| Blank1 Name: | Waterways |
| Blank1 Info: | Blindman River Red Deer River |
Blackfalds is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located along Highway 2A 13.5 km north of Red Deer. The town's name, Waghorn (for Walter Waghorn, post master), changed in 1903 to Blackfalds, after Blackfalds, a Scottish hamlet.[6]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Blackfalds had a population of 10,470 living in 3,780 of its 3,952 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 9,328. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[7]
The population of the Town of Blackfalds according to its 2021 municipal census is 11,015,[8] a change of from its 2018 municipal census population of 10,125.[9] At its current population, Blackfalds is one of the largest towns in the province and is eligible for city status. According to Alberta's Municipal Government Act, a town is eligible for city status when it reaches 10,000 residents.[10]
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Blackfalds recorded a population of 9,328 living in 3,302 of its 3,552 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 6,300. With a land area of 16.44km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[11]
The town has many public facilities such as:
The town has three public schools in the Wolf Creek school district and one catholic school in the Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools district:[12]
The Town of Blackfalds is primarily served by regional weekly newspapers and one major daily. As of 2018, the town no longer has a newspaper of their own as the Blackfalds LIFE, which began circulation in August 2014,[13] closed.
Blackfalds has access to rdnewsNOW, and receives the Red Deer Advocate and Lacombe Express.
Blackfalds is served by numerous radio stations from Red Deer and Lacombe, including Kraze 101.3 (CKIK), Real Country 95.5, Zed 99, Sunny 94, Big 105, X 100.7 (CKEX) and 106.7 Rewind Radio.[14]
The Blackfalds Bulldogs, formerly the Calgary Mustangs, of the AJHL relocated to Blackfalds in 2021. On February 1, 2024,[15] the Bulldogs announced their move to the British Columbia Hockey League.