Alberta is one of Canada's provinces, and has established several official emblems that reflect the province's history, its natural and diverse landscapes, and its people.[1]
| Symbol | Image | Adopted | Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coat of arms | Coat of arms of Alberta | 1907, augmented July 30, 1980. | Granted to Alberta by Royal Warrant. | ||
| Motto | Fortis et liber (English: Strong and Free) | July 30, 1980 | Granted with other elements of the coat of arms. A reference to the fifth line of O Canada. | ||
| Provincial shield | Provincial shield of Alberta | September 2013 | The shield of the coat of arms was adopted as a separate official emblem known as the provincial shield in September 2013. | ||
| Flag | Flag of Alberta | June 1, 1968 | Adopted on June 1, 1968, the flag shows the provincial shield of Alberta on a blue background. The flag is proportioned twice as long as it is high. | ||
| Provincial colours | Alberta Blue and Alberta Gold | 1984 | The colours can be found on the flag and on other provincial insignia.[2] | ||
| Floral | Wild rose (Rosa acicularis) | 1930[3] | It grows in almost all regions of the province. | ||
| Tree | Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta latifolia) | May 30, 1984, due to the efforts of the Junior Forest Warden Association of Alberta. | It was used in the early 1900s for the production of railway ties, and is as a resource for the production of poles, posts, pulp and plywood in Alberta's forestry industry. | ||
| Grass | Rough fescue (Festuca scabrella) | April 30, 2003, due to the efforts of the Prairie Conservation Forum. | |||
| Stone | Petrified wood | 1977, due to the efforts of the Alberta Federation of Rock Clubs. | Of Cretaceous and Paleocene ages, it is often found in gravel pits in Alberta. | ||
| Gemstone | Ammolite | , bill still awaiting Royal assent | Made from fossilized shells and Southern Alberta is the only known location where it reaches gem quality levels. Bill to recognize it as the official gemstone was introduced in 2004[4] Official gemstone of the City of Lethbridge since 2007. Formally adopted by the Alberta legislature in 2022.[5] [6] | ||
| Mammal | Rocky mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) | August 18, 1989 | The bighorn is a native Alberta mammal. Prehistoric remains have been found in most of the river valleys across Alberta, showing that some of the largest herds of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep once roamed the province. Today the bighorn is primarily found in the Rocky Mountain region. | ||
| Fish | Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) | May 2, 1995 | Catch and release policy regulates all bull trout fishing in Alberta. | ||
| Bird | Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) | May 3, 1977, by a province-wide children's vote. | It is found throughout Alberta in forests and grasslands.[7] | ||
| Tartan | Alberta tartan | 1961, due to the efforts of the Edmonton Rehabilitation Society for the Handicapped, now Goodwill Industries of Alberta. | Green, gold, blue, pink and black, for forests, wheat fields, skies and lakes, wild rose and coal and petroleum respectively. | ||
| Alberta dress tartan | 2000 | Large sections of white, a symbol of Alberta's clean and bright snowy days. It can be worn for dancing, special occasions and formal attire. | |||
| Anthem | "Alberta" | September 2004 | Written by Mary Kieftenbeld, and[8] adopted as the official provincial song in preparation for the province's centennial celebrations in 2005.[9] | ||
| Order | Alberta Order of Excellence | 1979[10] | Intended to honour current or former Alberta residents for conspicuous achievements in any field, the Alberta Order of Excellence is the highest honour conferred by the province. | ||
| Medal | Alberta Centennial Medal | March 24, 2005 | Intended to honor Albertans who have made significant contributions to their fellow citizens, their community and to the province.[11] | ||
| Mace | The Mace of Alberta | It replaced the old version on February 9, 1956. | It is the symbol of the authority of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. It is a ceremonial staff carried by the Sergeant-at-Arms into the Chamber.[12] It was designed by L.B. Blain in Edmonton, and built by English silversmith Joseph Fray in Birmingham.[13] | ||
| Francophone flag | Franco-Albertan flag (French: Drapeau franco-albertain) | June 24, 2017 | Adopted by the Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta (French-Canadian Association of Alberta) in March 1982 after winning a contest sponsored by Francophonie jeunesse de l'Alberta (Francophone Youth of Alberta). On June 14, 2017, Alberta's French Policy officially recognized the flag as a "Symbol of Distinction under the Emblems of Alberta Act".[14] |
While not officially adopted through legislation as emblems by the government of Alberta, these places and things are popularly associated with (hence could be considered symbols of) the province.
| Symbol | Image | Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislative building | Alberta Legislative Building | Completed in 1913, it is the seat of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.[15] | ||
| Official residence | Government House | The former official residence of the lieutenant governors of Alberta. The restored and repurposed building is currently used by the Alberta provincial government for ceremonial events, conferences, and some official meetings of the caucus.[16] | ||
| Logo | Provincial signature | Introduced in 2009 as part of Brand Alberta. | ||
| Provincial wordmark (1972–2009) | Introduced in 1972 and used by Executive Council of Alberta as well as the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on all official documents. It uses a specific typeface, and is also showcased on signs such as highway shields. Still in found in use.[17] | |||
| Provincial wordmark | Introduced in 1960s.[18] | |||
| Highway shield | Standard highway markers for Alberta | Alberta's provincial highway network is signed using standard highway markers along its 31,000 kilometers (19,000 mi) of paved roads. | ||
| Vehicle registration plate | Standard Alberta licence plate | The current white, red and blue base was introduced in late 1983, with the new Alberta logo being added in July 2019. Only rear plates have been required since 1992. | ||
| Law enforcement agency | Alberta Sheriffs Branch | While not a provincial police service like Ontario, Quebec or Newfoundland, the Alberta Sheriffs are provincial law enforcement agency. Rural policing is done by a combination of the RCMP and the Sheriff Highway Patrol. | ||
| Coin | In 2005, to celebrate the centennials of Alberta, two commemorative quarters were issued by the Royal Canadian Mint. There were four candidate designs for the Alberta quarter: Big Sky Country, Alberta's Natural Beauty, A Dynamic Century, and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. The winning design was Big Sky Country, by Michelle Grant, and depicted an oil derrick with cattle grazing at its base.[19] | |||
| 125th Anniversary of Confederation | In 1992, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Confederation, the Mint released a commemorative coin depicting the Alberta badlands. | |||
| Dinosaur | Albertosaurus (; meaning "Alberta lizard") | Named by Henry Fairfield Osborn, honouring Alberta, established the same year in which the first remains were found. Almost three-quarters of all remains have been discovered alongside the Red Deer River near Drumheller.[20] The Albertosaurus is featured on the latest issue of the Alberta driver's licence, introduced in 2018. | ||
| Fungus | Red cap mushroom (Leccinum boreale) | An amendment introduced to the Emblems of Alberta Act, as proposed in March 2009 was approved by Members of the Legislative Assembly.[21] | ||
| Sport | Rodeo | Commonly associated with Alberta, rodeo is particularly popular in the province. The first rodeo in Canada was held in 1902 in Raymond, Alberta, and the Calgary Stampede, a ten-day event billing itself as "the greatest outdoor show on Earth," attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos. There is a bill before the Legislative Assembly of Alberta that will make American rodeo the official sport of the province.[22] However, enabling legislation has yet to be passed, and this has not been without criticism and opposition from animal rights and some animal welfare advocates.[23] |