Westlock County Explained

Official Name:Westlock County
Settlement Type:Municipal district
Seal Type:Logo
Image Map1:AB locator WESTLOCK 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:Central Alberta
Subdivision Type3:Planning region
Subdivision Name3:North Saskatchewan
Leader Title:Reeve
Leader Name:Don Savage (acting)
Leader Title1:Governing body
Leader Name1:Westlock County Council
Leader Title2:Administrative office
Leader Name2:Westlock
Established Title:Established
Established Date:1943
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date2:1998
Area Footnotes: (2021)
Area Land Km2:3169.66
Population As Of:2021
Population Total:7186
Population Density Km2:2.3
Timezone:MST
Utc Offset:−7
Timezone Dst:MDT
Utc Offset Dst:−6
Coordinates:54.1522°N -113.8511°W

Westlock County is a municipal district in central Alberta, Canada that is north of Edmonton. The county was formerly known as the Municipal District of Westlock No. 92, and was created in 1943 from the merger of five smaller municipal districts.

Geography

Physiography

The county lies on the boundary of two of Canada's largest drainage basins. The northern and western sectors of the county are drained by the Pembina River which flows north to meet the Athabasca River, which drains into the Arctic Ocean via the Mackenzie River. The southern and eastern sections drain into the Sturgeon River which joins the North Saskatchewan and eventually empties via the Nelson River into Hudson Bay.

A 1986 federal map shows the area as being the north-western edge of the Eastern Alberta Plains. Specifically, the county includes parts of the Edmonton Plain (and its subdivision Westlock Plain), as well as the Tawatinaw Plain, and is bounded on the northwest by the Athabasca Valley.[1] The county also lies within the apen parkland: a transitional biome between the boreal forest of Canada to the north and the prairie to the south.

Communities and localities

The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Westlock County.

Cities
Towns
Villages
Summer villages

The following hamlets are located within Westlock County.

Hamlets

The following localities are located within Westlock County.[2]

Localities

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Westlock County had a population of 7,186 living in 2,680 of its 3,134 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 7,220. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[3]

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Westlock County had a population of 7,220 living in 2,670 of its 3,009 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 7,644. With a land area of 3171.83km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[4]

Government

The municipal government consists of a reeve and six other elected councillors who work with a permanent staff of 32.

Education

The county is within the Pembina Hills Public Schools, which formed in 1995 as a merger of three school districts.[5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. 1986 . Physiographic subdivisions of Alberta . Agriculture Canada . 1:1,500,000 .
  2. Web site: Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) 2006, Economic Regions: 4813028 - Westlock County, geographical codes and localities, 2006 . . 2010-03-05 . 2012-08-12.
  3. Web site: Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities) . . February 9, 2022 . February 9, 2022.
  4. 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.
  5. Web site: Our Division. Pembina Hills Public Schools. 2019-08-25. 5310 - 49th Street Barrhead, Alberta T7N 1P3.