This is a good article. Click here for more information.

Edmonton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Edmonton (disambiguation).
Edmonton
City
City of Edmonton
From top left: Downtown Edmonton, Fort Edmonton Park, Legislature Building, Law
Courts, Rexall Place, High Level Bridge, Muttart Conservatory
From top left: Downtown Edmonton, Fort Edmonton Park, Legislature Building, Law
Courts, Rexall Place, High Level Bridge, Muttart Conservatory
Flag of Edmonton
Flag
Coat of arms of Edmonton
Coat of arms
Official logo of Edmonton
Logo
Nickname(s): Canada's Festival City, City of Champions, The Oil Capital of Canad
a more...[1]
Motto: Industry, Integrity, Progress
Edmonton is located in Alberta EdmontonEdmonton
Location of Edmonton in Alberta
Coordinates: 5332'N 11330'WCoordinates: 5332'N 11330'W
Country Canada
Province
Alberta
Region Edmonton Capital Region
Census division 11
Established
1795
Incorporated [2]
- Town
January 9, 1892
- City October 8, 1904
Government
Mayor
Don Iveson
(Past mayors)
Governing body
Edmonton City Council
Manager
Linda Cochrane (acting)[3]
MPs
List of MPs[show]
MLAs
List of MLAs[show]
Area (2011)[4][5]
City 684.37 km2 (264.24 sq mi)
Metro
9,426.73 km2 (3,639.68 sq mi)
Elevation[6]
645 m (2,116 ft)
Population (2011)[4][5][8]
City 812,201 (5th)
Density
1,186.8/km2 (3,074/sq mi)
Urban
960,015 (5th)
Metro
1,159,869 (6th)
Metro density
123.0/km2 (319/sq mi)
Municipal census (2014)
877,926[7]
Demonym(s)
Edmontonian
Time zone
MST (UTC-7)
Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
Postal code span
T5A to T6Z
Area code(s)
780, 587
NTS Map 083H11
GNBC Code
IACMP
Median income (all census families)
C$ 88,075 (2011)[9]
Average income per household
C$ 103,856 (est. 2011)

Public transit Edmonton Transit System

Highways
2, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 28, 28A, 37, 100, 216
Waterways
North Saskatchewan River, Big Lake, Whitemud Creek, Blackmud Cre
ek, Mill Creek, Fulton Creek
GDP
US$ 88.2 billion[9]
GDP per capita US$ 62,832[10]
Website Official website
Edmonton Listeni/'?dm?nt?n/ is the capital of Alberta, Canada. Edmonton is on th
e North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, whi
ch is surrounded by Alberta's central region.
The city had a population of 877,926 in the 2014 census,[11] is Alberta's second
-largest city and Canada's fifth-largest municipality. This population represent
s 66 percent of the total 2014 population of 1,328,300[12] within the Edmonton c
ensus metropolitan area (CMA), Canada's fifth-largest CMA by population. Edmonto
n is the most northern North American city with a metropolitan population over o
ne million. A resident of Edmonton is known as an Edmontonian.[13]
Edmonton's historic growth has been facilitated through the absorption of five a
djacent urban municipalities (Strathcona, North Edmonton, West Edmonton, Beverly
and Jasper Place)[14] and a series of annexations ending in 1982.[15] Edmonton
serves as the northern anchor of the Calgary Edmonton Corridor.[16] Known as the "
Gateway to the North",[17] the city is a staging point for large-scale oil sands
projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operation
s in the Northwest Territories.[18]
Edmonton is a cultural, governmental and educational centre. It hosts a year-rou
nd slate of festivals, reflected in the nickname "Canada's Festival City".[1] It
is home to North America's largest mall, West Edmonton Mall (the world's larges
t mall from 1981 until 2004),[19] and Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest livin
g history museum.[20]
Contents [hide]
1
History
2
Geography
2.1
Climate
2.2
Parkland and environment
2.3
Neighbourhoods
2.4
Metropolitan area
3
Demographics
3.1
Religion
4
Economy
4.1
Retail
5
Arts and culture
5.1
Performing arts
5.2
Festivals
5.3
Museums and galleries
5.4
MusicThis is a good article. Click here for more information.
Edmonton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Edmonton (disambiguation).
Edmonton
City
City of Edmonton
From top left: Downtown Edmonton, Fort Edmonton Park, Legislature Building, Law
Courts, Rexall Place, High Level Bridge, Muttart Conservatory
From top left: Downtown Edmonton, Fort Edmonton Park, Legislature Building, Law
Courts, Rexall Place, High Level Bridge, Muttart Conservatory
Flag of Edmonton
Flag

Coat of arms of Edmonton

Coat of arms
Official logo of Edmonton
Logo
Nickname(s): Canada's Festival City, City of Champions, The Oil Capital of Canad
a more...[1]
Motto: Industry, Integrity, Progress
Edmonton is located in Alberta EdmontonEdmonton
Location of Edmonton in Alberta
Coordinates: 5332'N 11330'WCoordinates: 5332'N 11330'W
Country Canada
Province
Alberta
Region Edmonton Capital Region
Census division 11
Established
1795
Incorporated [2]
- Town
January 9, 1892
- City October 8, 1904
Government
Mayor
Don Iveson
(Past mayors)
Governing body
Edmonton City Council
Manager
Linda Cochrane (acting)[3]
MPs
List of MPs[show]
MLAs
List of MLAs[show]
Area (2011)[4][5]
City 684.37 km2 (264.24 sq mi)
Metro
9,426.73 km2 (3,639.68 sq mi)
Elevation[6]
645 m (2,116 ft)
Population (2011)[4][5][8]
City 812,201 (5th)
Density
1,186.8/km2 (3,074/sq mi)
Urban
960,015 (5th)
Metro
1,159,869 (6th)
Metro density
123.0/km2 (319/sq mi)
Municipal census (2014)
877,926[7]
Demonym(s)
Edmontonian
Time zone
MST (UTC-7)
Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
Postal code span
T5A to T6Z
Area code(s)
780, 587
NTS Map 083H11
GNBC Code
IACMP
Median income (all census families)
C$ 88,075 (2011)[9]
Average income per household
C$ 103,856 (est. 2011)
Public transit Edmonton Transit System
Highways
2, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 28, 28A, 37, 100, 216
Waterways
North Saskatchewan River, Big Lake, Whitemud Creek, Blackmud Cre
ek, Mill Creek, Fulton Creek
GDP
US$ 88.2 billion[9]
GDP per capita US$ 62,832[10]
Website Official website
Edmonton Listeni/'?dm?nt?n/ is the capital of Alberta, Canada. Edmonton is on th
e North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, whi
ch is surrounded by Alberta's central region.
The city had a population of 877,926 in the 2014 census,[11] is Alberta's second
-largest city and Canada's fifth-largest municipality. This population represent

s 66 percent of the total 2014 population of 1,328,300[12] within the Edmonton c

ensus metropolitan area (CMA), Canada's fifth-largest CMA by population. Edmonto
n is the most northern North American city with a metropolitan population over o
ne million. A resident of Edmonton is known as an Edmontonian.[13]
Edmonton's historic growth has been facilitated through the absorption of five a
djacent urban municipalities (Strathcona, North Edmonton, West Edmonton, Beverly
and Jasper Place)[14] and a series of annexations ending in 1982.[15] Edmonton
serves as the northern anchor of the Calgary Edmonton Corridor.[16] Known as the "
Gateway to the North",[17] the city is a staging point for large-scale oil sands
projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operation
s in the Northwest Territories.[18]
Edmonton is a cultural, governmental and educational centre. It hosts a year-rou
nd slate of festivals, reflected in the nickname "Canada's Festival City".[1] It
is home to North America's largest mall, West Edmonton Mall (the world's larges
t mall from 1981 until 2004),[19] and Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest livin
g history museum.[20]
Contents [hide]
1
History
2
Geography
2.1
Climate
2.2
Parkland and environment
2.3
Neighbourhoods
2.4
Metropolitan area
3
Demographics
3.1
Religion
4
Economy
4.1
Retail
5
Arts and culture
5.1
Performing arts
5.2
Festivals
5.3
Museums and galleries
5.4
Music
5.5
Nightlife
6
Sports and recreation
7
Government
7.1
Municipal politics
7.2
Provincial politics
7.3
Crime
7.4
Military
8
Infrastructure
8.1
Transportation
8.1.1 Aviation
8.1.2 Rail
8.1.3 Public transit
8.1.4 Roads
8.1.5 Trail system
8.2
Electricity and water
8.3
Waste disposal
8.4
Health care
9
Education
9.1
Secondary
9.2
Post-secondary
10
Media
11
Sister cities
12
See also
13
References
13.1
Footnotes

14
Further reading
15
External links
History[edit]
Further information: History of Edmonton and Timeline of Edmonton history
The earliest known inhabitants settled in the area that is now Edmonton around 3
,000 BC and perhaps as early as 12,000 BC, when an ice-free corridor opened up a
s the last glacial period ended and timber, water, and wildlife became available
in the region.[21]
In 1754, Anthony Henday, an explorer working for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC),
may have been the first European to enter the Edmonton area.[22] His expedition
s across the Canadian Prairies were mainly to seek contact with the aboriginal p
opulation for the purpose of establishing the fur trade, as competition was fier
ce between the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company. By 1795, Fort Ed
monton was established on the north bank of the river, as a major trading post f
or the Hudson's Bay Company.[23] The name of the new fort was suggested by John
Peter Pruden after Edmonton, London, the home town of both the HBC deputy govern
or Sir James Winter Lake, and Pruden.
The coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to southern Alberta in 1885 hel
ped the Edmonton economy, and the 1891 building of the Calgary and Edmonton (C&E
) Railway resulted in the emergence of a railway townsite (South Edmonton/Strath
cona) on the south side of the river, across from Edmonton. The arrival of the C
PR and the C&E Railway facilitated the arrival of settlers and entrepreneurs fro
m eastern Canada, Britain and continental Europe, U.S. and other parts of the wo
rld. The fertile soil and cheap land in the Edmonton area helped attract settler
s, further establishing Edmonton as a major regional commercial and agricultural
centre. Some people participating in the Klondike Gold Rush passed through Sout
h Edmonton/Strathcona in 1897. Strathcona was the northernmost railway point in
North America, but travel to the Klondike was still very difficult for the "Klon
dikers", and a majority of them took a steamship north to the Yukon from Vancouv
er.[24]
Jasper Avenue in Edmonton, ca.1907
Incorporated as a town in 1892 with a population of 700 and then as a city in 19
04 with a population of 8,350,[25] Edmonton became the capital of Alberta when t
he province was formed a year later, on September 1, 1905.[26] In November 1905,
the Canadian Northern Railway (CNR) arrived in Edmonton, accelerating growth.[2
7]
During the early 1900s, Edmonton grew very rapidly, causing speculation in real
estate. In 1912, Edmonton amalgamated with the City of Strathcona, south of the
North Saskatchewan River; as a result, the city extended south of the North Sask
atchewan River for the first time.[28]
Just prior to World War I, the boom ended, and the city's population declined sh
arply from more than 72,000 in 1914 to less than 54,000 only two years later.[29
] Many impoverished families moved to subsistence farms outside the city and oth
ers fled to greener pastures in other provinces.[30] Recruitment to the Canadian
army during the war also contributed to the drop in population.[31] Afterwards,
the city slowly recovered in population and economy during the 1920s and 1930s
and took off again during and after World War II.
The Edmonton City Centre Airport opened in 1929,[32] becoming the first licensed
airfield in Canada.[33] Originally named Blatchford Field in honour of former m
ayor Kenny Blatchford, pioneering aviators such as Wilfrid R. "Wop" May and Max
Ward used Blatchford Field as a major base for the distribution of mail, food, a
nd medicine to Northern Canada; hence Edmonton's emergence as the "Gateway to th
e North". World War II saw Edmonton becoming a major base for the construction o

f the Alaska Highway and the Northwest Staging Route.[34]

Geography[edit]
Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River, and sits at an elevation of
671 metres (2,201 ft).[26] Edmonton is the most northerly city in North America
with a metropolitan population of over one million. It is at the same latitude
as Hamburg (Germany), Dublin (Ireland), Manchester (United Kingdom), and Magnito
gorsk (Russia). North as it is, it is south of the geographic centre of Alberta,
which is located near the Hamlet of Fort Assiniboine.[35] The terrain in and ar
ound Edmonton is generally flat to gently rolling, with ravines and deep river v
alleys, such as the North Saskatchewan River valley.[36] The Canadian Rockies ar
e located about 220 km (140 mi) to the southwest.
The North Saskatchewan River originates at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper Natio
nal Park and bisects the city. Before the construction of two reservoirs near th
e mountains, it would sometimes flood Edmonton's river valley, most notably in t
he North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915. It empties via the Saskatchewan River
, Lake Winnipeg, and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay.[37] It runs from the sout
hwest to the northeast and is fed by numerous creeks throughout the city, such a
s Mill Creek, Whitemud Creek and Blackmud Creek; this creates numerous ravines,
some of which are used for urban parkland.[38] Edmonton is situated at the bound
ary between prairie to the south and boreal forest to the north, in a transition
al area known as aspen parkland. However, the aspen woods and forests in and aro
und Edmonton have long since been reduced by farming and other human activities,
such as oil and natural gas exploration.[39]
Climate[edit]
Edmonton has a humid continental climate (Kppen climate classification Dfb)[40] w
ith relatively low precipitation, and falls into the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4
a.This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Edmonton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Edmonton (disambiguation).
Edmonton
City
City of Edmonton
From top left: Downtown Edmonton, Fort Edmonton Park, Legislature Building, Law
Courts, Rexall Place, High Level Bridge, Muttart Conservatory
From top left: Downtown Edmonton, Fort Edmonton Park, Legislature Building, Law
Courts, Rexall Place, High Level Bridge, Muttart Conservatory
Flag of Edmonton
Flag
Coat of arms of Edmonton
Coat of arms
Official logo of Edmonton
Logo
Nickname(s): Canada's Festival City, City of Champions, The Oil Capital of Canad
a more...[1]
Motto: Industry, Integrity, Progress
Edmonton is located in Alberta EdmontonEdmonton
Location of Edmonton in Alberta
Coordinates: 5332'N 11330'WCoordinates: 5332'N 11330'W
Country Canada
Province
Alberta
Region Edmonton Capital Region
Census division 11
Established
1795
Incorporated [2]
- Town
January 9, 1892
- City October 8, 1904

Government
Mayor
Don Iveson
(Past mayors)
Governing body
Edmonton City Council
Manager
Linda Cochrane (acting)[3]
MPs
List of MPs[show]
MLAs
List of MLAs[show]
Area (2011)[4][5]
City 684.37 km2 (264.24 sq mi)
Metro
9,426.73 km2 (3,639.68 sq mi)
Elevation[6]
645 m (2,116 ft)
Population (2011)[4][5][8]
City 812,201 (5th)
Density
1,186.8/km2 (3,074/sq mi)
Urban
960,015 (5th)
Metro
1,159,869 (6th)
Metro density
123.0/km2 (319/sq mi)
Municipal census (2014)
877,926[7]
Demonym(s)
Edmontonian
Time zone
MST (UTC-7)
Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
Postal code span
T5A to T6Z
Area code(s)
780, 587
NTS Map 083H11
GNBC Code
IACMP
Median income (all census families)
C$ 88,075 (2011)[9]
Average income per household
C$ 103,856 (est. 2011)
Public transit Edmonton Transit System
Highways
2, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 28, 28A, 37, 100, 216
Waterways
North Saskatchewan River, Big Lake, Whitemud Creek, Blackmud Cre
ek, Mill Creek, Fulton Creek
GDP
US$ 88.2 billion[9]
GDP per capita US$ 62,832[10]
Website Official website
Edmonton Listeni/'?dm?nt?n/ is the capital of Alberta, Canada. Edmonton is on th
e North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, whi
ch is surrounded by Alberta's central region.
The city had a population of 877,926 in the 2014 census,[11] is Alberta's second
-largest city and Canada's fifth-largest municipality. This population represent
s 66 percent of the total 2014 population of 1,328,300[12] within the Edmonton c
ensus metropolitan area (CMA), Canada's fifth-largest CMA by population. Edmonto
n is the most northern North American city with a metropolitan population over o
ne million. A resident of Edmonton is known as an Edmontonian.[13]
Edmonton's historic growth has been facilitated through the absorption of five a
djacent urban municipalities (Strathcona, North Edmonton, West Edmonton, Beverly
and Jasper Place)[14] and a series of annexations ending in 1982.[15] Edmonton
serves as the northern anchor of the Calgary Edmonton Corridor.[16] Known as the "
Gateway to the North",[17] the city is a staging point for large-scale oil sands
projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operation
s in the Northwest Territories.[18]
Edmonton is a cultural, governmental and educational centre. It hosts a year-rou
nd slate of festivals, reflected in the nickname "Canada's Festival City".[1] It
is home to North America's largest mall, West Edmonton Mall (the world's larges
t mall from 1981 until 2004),[19] and Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest livin
g history museum.[20]

Contents [hide]
1
History
2
Geography
2.1
Climate
2.2
Parkland and environment
2.3
Neighbourhoods
2.4
Metropolitan area
3
Demographics
3.1
Religion
4
Economy
4.1
Retail
5
Arts and culture
5.1
Performing arts
5.2
Festivals
5.3
Museums and galleries
5.4
MusicThis is a good article. Click here for more information.
Edmonton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Edmonton (disambiguation).
Edmonton
City
City of Edmonton
From top left: Downtown Edmonton, Fort Edmonton Park, Legislature Building, Law
Courts, Rexall Place, High Level Bridge, Muttart Conservatory
From top left: Downtown Edmonton, Fort Edmonton Park, Legislature Building, Law
Courts, Rexall Place, High Level Bridge, Muttart Conservatory
Flag of Edmonton
Flag
Coat of arms of Edmonton
Coat of arms
Official logo of Edmonton
Logo
Nickname(s): Canada's Festival City, City of Champions, The Oil Capital of Canad
a more...[1]
Motto: Industry, Integrity, Progress
Edmonton is located in Alberta EdmontonEdmonton
Location of Edmonton in Alberta
Coordinates: 5332'N 11330'WCoordinates: 5332'N 11330'W
Country Canada
Province
Alberta
Region Edmonton Capital Region
Census division 11
Established
1795
Incorporated [2]
- Town
January 9, 1892
- City October 8, 1904
Government
Mayor
Don Iveson
(Past mayors)
Governing body
Edmonton City Council
Manager
Linda Cochrane (acting)[3]
MPs
List of MPs[show]
MLAs
List of MLAs[show]
Area (2011)[4][5]
City 684.37 km2 (264.24 sq mi)
Metro
9,426.73 km2 (3,639.68 sq mi)
Elevation[6]
645 m (2,116 ft)

Population (2011)[4][5][8]
City 812,201 (5th)
Density
1,186.8/km2 (3,074/sq mi)
Urban
960,015 (5th)
Metro
1,159,869 (6th)
Metro density
123.0/km2 (319/sq mi)
Municipal census (2014)
877,926[7]
Demonym(s)
Edmontonian
Time zone
MST (UTC-7)
Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
Postal code span
T5A to T6Z
Area code(s)
780, 587
NTS Map 083H11
GNBC Code
IACMP
Median income (all census families)
C$ 88,075 (2011)[9]
Average income per household
C$ 103,856 (est. 2011)
Public transit Edmonton Transit System
Highways
2, 14, 15, 16, 16A, 28, 28A, 37, 100, 216
Waterways
North Saskatchewan River, Big Lake, Whitemud Creek, Blackmud Cre
ek, Mill Creek, Fulton Creek
GDP
US$ 88.2 billion[9]
GDP per capita US$ 62,832[10]
Website Official website
Edmonton Listeni/'?dm?nt?n/ is the capital of Alberta, Canada. Edmonton is on th
e North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, whi
ch is surrounded by Alberta's central region.
The city had a population of 877,926 in the 2014 census,[11] is Alberta's second
-largest city and Canada's fifth-largest municipality. This population represent
s 66 percent of the total 2014 population of 1,328,300[12] within the Edmonton c
ensus metropolitan area (CMA), Canada's fifth-largest CMA by population. Edmonto
n is the most northern North American city with a metropolitan population over o
ne million. A resident of Edmonton is known as an Edmontonian.[13]
Edmonton's historic growth has been facilitated through the absorption of five a
djacent urban municipalities (Strathcona, North Edmonton, West Edmonton, Beverly
and Jasper Place)[14] and a series of annexations ending in 1982.[15] Edmonton
serves as the northern anchor of the Calgary Edmonton Corridor.[16] Known as the "
Gateway to the North",[17] the city is a staging point for large-scale oil sands
projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operation
s in the Northwest Territories.[18]
Edmonton is a cultural, governmental and educational centre. It hosts a year-rou
nd slate of festivals, reflected in the nickname "Canada's Festival City".[1] It
is home to North America's largest mall, West Edmonton Mall (the world's larges
t mall from 1981 until 2004),[19] and Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest livin
g history museum.[20]
Contents [hide]
1
History
2
Geography
2.1
Climate
2.2
Parkland and environment
2.3
Neighbourhoods
2.4
Metropolitan area
3
Demographics
3.1
Religion
4
Economy
4.1
Retail
5
Arts and culture

5.1
Performing arts
5.2
Festivals
5.3
Museums and galleries
5.4
Music
5.5
Nightlife
6
Sports and recreation
7
Government
7.1
Municipal politics
7.2
Provincial politics
7.3
Crime
7.4
Military
8
Infrastructure
8.1
Transportation
8.1.1 Aviation
8.1.2 Rail
8.1.3 Public transit
8.1.4 Roads
8.1.5 Trail system
8.2
Electricity and water
8.3
Waste disposal
8.4
Health care
9
Education
9.1
Secondary
9.2
Post-secondary
10
Media
11
Sister cities
12
See also
13
References
13.1
Footnotes
14
Further reading
15
External links
History[edit]
Further information: History of Edmonton and Timeline of Edmonton history
The earliest known inhabitants settled in the area that is now Edmonton around 3
,000 BC and perhaps as early as 12,000 BC, when an ice-free corridor opened up a
s the last glacial period ended and timber, water, and wildlife became available
in the region.[21]
In 1754, Anthony Henday, an explorer working for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC),
may have been the first European to enter the Edmonton area.[22] His expedition
s across the Canadian Prairies were mainly to seek contact with the aboriginal p
opulation for the purpose of establishing the fur trade, as competition was fier
ce between the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company. By 1795, Fort Ed
monton was established on the north bank of the river, as a major trading post f
or the Hudson's Bay Company.[23] The name of the new fort was suggested by John
Peter Pruden after Edmonton, London, the home town of both the HBC deputy govern
or Sir James Winter Lake, and Pruden.
The coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to southern Alberta in 1885 hel
ped the Edmonton economy, and the 1891 building of the Calgary and Edmonton (C&E
) Railway resulted in the emergence of a railway townsite (South Edmonton/Strath
cona) on the south side of the river, across from Edmonton. The arrival of the C
PR and the C&E Railway facilitated the arrival of settlers and entrepreneurs fro
m eastern Canada, Britain and continental Europe, U.S. and other parts of the wo
rld. The fertile soil and cheap land in the Edmonton area helped attract settler
s, further establishing Edmonton as a major regional commercial and agricultural
centre. Some people participating in the Klondike Gold Rush passed through Sout
h Edmonton/Strathcona in 1897. Strathcona was the northernmost railway point in
North America, but travel to the Klondike was still very difficult for the "Klon
dikers", and a majority of them took a steamship north to the Yukon from Vancouv

er.[24]
Jasper Avenue in Edmonton, ca.1907
Incorporated as a town in 1892 with a population of 700 and then as a city in 19
04 with a population of 8,350,[25] Edmonton became the capital of Alberta when t
he province was formed a year later, on September 1, 1905.[26] In November 1905,
the Canadian Northern Railway (CNR) arrived in Edmonton, accelerating growth.[2
7]
During the early 1900s, Edmonton grew very rapidly, causing speculation in real
estate. In 1912, Edmonton amalgamated with the City of Strathcona, south of the
North Saskatchewan River; as a result, the city extended south of the North Sask
atchewan River for the first time.[28]
Just prior to World War I, the boom ended, and the city's population declined sh
arply from more than 72,000 in 1914 to less than 54,000 only two years later.[29
] Many impoverished families moved to subsistence farms outside the city and oth
ers fled to greener pastures in other provinces.[30] Recruitment to the Canadian
army during the war also contributed to the drop in population.[31] Afterwards,
the city slowly recovered in population and economy during the 1920s and 1930s
and took off again during and after World War II.
The Edmonton City Centre Airport opened in 1929,[32] becoming the first licensed
airfield in Canada.[33] Originally named Blatchford Field in honour of former m
ayor Kenny Blatchford, pioneering aviators such as Wilfrid R. "Wop" May and Max
Ward used Blatchford Field as a major base for the distribution of mail, food, a
nd medicine to Northern Canada; hence Edmonton's emergence as the "Gateway to th
e North". World War II saw Edmonton becoming a major base for the construction o
f the Alaska Highway and the Northwest Staging Route.[34]
Geography[edit]
Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River, and sits at an elevation of
671 metres (2,201 ft).[26] Edmonton is the most northerly city in North America
with a metropolitan population of over one million. It is at the same latitude
as Hamburg (Germany), Dublin (Ireland), Manchester (United Kingdom), and Magnito
gorsk (Russia). North as it is, it is south of the geographic centre of Alberta,
which is located near the Hamlet of Fort Assiniboine.[35] The terrain in and ar
ound Edmonton is generally flat to gently rolling, with ravines and deep river v
alleys, such as the North Saskatchewan River valley.[36] The Canadian Rockies ar
e located about 220 km (140 mi) to the southwest.
The North Saskatchewan River originates at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper Natio
nal Park and bisects the city. Before the construction of two reservoirs near th
e mountains, it would sometimes flood Edmonton's river valley, most notably in t
he North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915. It empties via the Saskatchewan River
, Lake Winnipeg, and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay.[37] It runs from the sout
hwest to the northeast and is fed by numerous creeks throughout the city, such a
s Mill Creek, Whitemud Creek and Blackmud Creek; this creates numerous ravines,
some of which are used for urban parkland.[38] Edmonton is situated at the bound
ary between prairie to the south and boreal forest to the north, in a transition
al area known as aspen parkland. However, the aspen woods and forests in and aro
und Edmonton have long since been reduced by farming and other human activities,
such as oil and natural gas exploration.[39]
Climate[edit]
Edmonton has a humid continental climate (Kppen climate classification Dfb)[40] w
ith relatively low precipitation, and falls into the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4
a.