| Official Name: | Mackenzie County |
| Settlement Type: | Specialized municipality |
| Seal Type: | Logo |
| Image Map1: | AB locator MACKENZIE 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: | Planning region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Lower Peace |
| Leader Title: | Reeve |
| Leader Name: | Josh Knelsen[1] |
| Leader Title1: | Governing body |
| Leader Title2: | CAO |
| Leader Name2: | Bryon Peters |
| Leader Title3: | Administrative office |
| Leader Name3: | Fort Vermilion |
| Established Title: | Incorporated [2] - Municipal district |
| Established Date: | January 1, 1995 |
| Established Title2: | - Specialized municipality |
| Established Date2: | June 23, 1999 |
| Established Title3: | Name change |
| Established Date3: | March 8, 2007 |
| Area Footnotes: | (2021) |
| Area Land Km2: | 79629.26 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Total: | 12804 |
| Population Density Km2: | 0.2 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Municipal census (2018) |
| Population Blank1: | 12,514 |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | −7 |
| Timezone Dst: | MDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −6 |
| Website: | mackenziecounty.com |
Mackenzie County is a specialized municipality in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 17, along the Mackenzie Highway. The municipal office is located in the hamlet of Fort Vermilion.
Originally Improvement District No. 23, the Municipal District of Mackenzie No. 23 incorporated as a municipal district on January 1, 1995.[2] It subsequently changed its status to specialized municipality on June 23, 1999 "to address concerns about municipal government and management in a municipality that serves a number of unique communities within a very large territory."[2] The Municipal District of Mackenzie No. 23 changed its name to Mackenzie County on March 8, 2007.[2]
Mackenzie County is in the northwest corner of the province of Alberta.[3] It borders the province of British Columbia to the west; the Northwest Territories to the north; Improvement District No. 24 (Wood Buffalo National Park) and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo to the east; and Northern Sunrise County, the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement, and the County of Northern Lights to the south.[3] The Peace River meanders eastward through the southeast portion of Mackenzie County.[3] Some of its water bodies include Bistcho Lake, Eva Lake, Margaret Lake, Wadlin Lake, Wentzel Lake, and Zama Lake.[3] Land formations include Bootis Hill in the northwest, the Caribou Mountains in the northeast, Buffalo Head Hills in the south, Cameron Hills in the north, and Mount Watt northwest of the Town of High Level.[3]
The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Mackenzie County.
The following hamlets are within Mackenzie County.
The following localities are within Mackenzie County.[4]
The following settlements are within Mackenzie County.[3]
First Nations have the following Indian reserves within Mackenzie County.[3]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Mackenzie County had a population of 12,804 living in 3,516 of its 3,756 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 11,171. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[6]
The population of Mackenzie County according to its 2018 municipal census is 12,514,[7] a change of from its 2015 municipal census population of 11,750.[8]
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Mackenzie County had a population of 11,171 living in 3,088 of its 3,567 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 10,927. With a land area of 80458.19km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[9]
Mackenzie County is home to Caribou Mountains Wildland Provincial Park and Hay-Zama Lakes Wildland Provincial Park.[3] It is also adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park to the east.[3]