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65 Interesting Facts About Alberta You Must Know
65 Interesting Facts About Alberta You Must Know
5. The youngest person to ever head a government in Canada was from Alberta
Joe Clark, who was born in High River, Alberta, became the youngest person to ever head a
government when he was sworn in as Canada’s Prime Minister. He became leader of the
now-defunct Progressive Conservative party at age 39.
7. Alberta’s agriculture
Alberta’s biggest advantage after its oil industry is its agriculture. Wheat, barley, canola, oats,
and other grains are some of the main crops grown here. Alberta farms exported $ 10.1
billion worth of these goods in 2012, and there were close to 59,000 farms in Alberta
producing mainly wheat and other grains.
The first time non-indigenous people visited what is now Alberta was in 1754 when Anthony
Henday, an explorer for the Hudson’s Bay Company, came west looking for opportunities in
the fur trade.
11. Learn about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures in Alberta
Alberta has many unique learning complexes to understand the past and present of the First
Nations, Métis, and Inuit who’ve lived here thousands of years. The Indigenous people of
Alberta are descendants of the first settlers of North American plains.
The northern half of the province is boreal forest, while the Rocky Mountains along the
southwestern boundary are largely forested. The southern quarter of the province is mostly
prairie.
19. Edmonton’s population grew faster than any other city in Canada
Edmonton grew more rapidly between 1981 and 2001 than any other city. They had a
population growth of 83.5 percent! That’s more than 3 times the national average for that
time period.
Edmonton is also nicknamed “Gateway to the North”, “River City”, and “Oil Capital of
Canada”.
23. Calgary was named the most livable city in North America
Calgary was named the most livable city in North America by the Economist Intelligence Unit
(EIU) for six consecutive years. It dropped to second place after Vancouver took over that
title, but it still scored higher than other large cities like New York and Los Angeles.
Calgary city is the 4th populous in the country - Interesting facts about Alberta.
Calgary is the 4th populous city in Canada.
25. Calgary’s Fish Creek Provincial Park is the second-largest urban park in Canada
Fish Creek Provincial Park is located just south of downtown Calgary. It spans 19 km. There
are over 100 kilometres (62 mi) of hiking and biking trails, as well as picnic spots, swimming,
and wildlife opportunities.
26. Calgary Stampede is one of the largest rodeos in the world
Calgary Stampede is considered the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. This iconic western
festival is a must-see event when visiting the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
The 10-day celebration in July has something to offer for everyone including a large midway,
live concerts, and an outdoor exhibition showcasing the best of Western life and culture.
It was originally named the Husky Tower and was constructed as a joint venture between
Marathon Realty and Husky Oil to honor Canada’s centennial celebrations. Today it is a
major tourist destination in Canada.
In the Star Trek television and feature film series, Vulcan is the name of the homeworld of
Spock and his fellow Vulcan’s.
34. Canada Olympic Park was used for the 1988 Winter Olympics
Canada Olympic Park was originally called Paskapoo Ski Hill. It started as a training facility
for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The park is now used by athletes worldwide for
high-performance training and also hosts world-class sporting events throughout the year.
39. Jasper National Park is the largest one in the Canadian Rockies
Jasper National Park is one of the most visited national parks in Alberta and the largest in
the Canadian Rockies. It was established in 1907 and has a surface area of 11, 228 square
kilometers.
In 1882 a Canadian railway worker and guide named Tom Wilson called it the Emerald Lake.
Two years later it was renamed Lake Louise after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta
(1848-1939), the daughter of Queen Victoria.
44. Waterton Glacier International Peace Park is located in Alberta and the USA
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park is located on the border of Alberta and the USA. It
is known for its outstanding scenery and peaceful beauty.
45. The Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta are home to the Columbia Icefield
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks consist of Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta.
The Columbia Icefield is part of the Rocky Mountains and it’s one of North America’s largest
accumulations of ice with an area of about 12 square kilometers. It is also home to Mount
Athabasca which is situated in Jasper National Park.
Mount Athabasca has an elevation of 3,256 meters above sea level and it’s located in the
Columbia Icefield. It also sits on top of a large deposit of oil bitumen.
47. One of the unique UNESCO Sites in Alberta is the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Located near Fort Macleod, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump was established in 1981. It is
one of the oldest buffalo jumps, where Indigenous peoples drove buffalo over a cliff to use
them as food and other resources such as clothes, tipis, and more.
52. Earthquake in Red Deer associated with the creation of the Rocky Mountains
In 2019, a 4.6 magnitude earthquake shook the town of Red Deer, Alberta. It was reportedly
felt from as far away as Banff and Calgary. The quake has been attributed to the creation of
the Rocky Mountains.
Chinook winds are a type of warm, dry wind that sometimes brings astonishing temperature
changes up to 20 degrees C – are pretty common in the south. And once the warm wind
sets in it can melt ice at a rate of up to one inch per hour and turn inches of snow into
puddles of water, fast.
54. Alberta is a Prairie Province, and it is known for its beautiful sunrises and sunsets
Alberta is one of the three Prairie provinces in Canada. The Prairies get a lot of sunlight so
it’s no wonder why many people rave about its stunning sunrises and sunsets! This is one
reason to visit Alberta during the summer.
55. The highest point of the longest Trans-Canada Highway is in Alberta (BC border)
Trans-Canada Highway is the longest highway in Canada that passes through the provinces,
including a large portion of Alberta. The highest spot on the Trans-Canada is Kicking Horse
Pass (on the Alberta-BC border).
56. Alberta is home to one of the scenic drives aka Icefield Parkway
Icefield Parkway is a scenic road that links Jasper, Alberta to Banff National Park. This
highway has been named as one of the most beautiful drives in the world and it is also a
World Heritage Site!
Aerial view of vehicles on scenic Icefields Parkway highway between Banff and Jasper
National Parks during summer in Alberta, Canada.
57. Edmonton Oilers have won multiple NHLs
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta
founded in 1972. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the
National Hockey League. They have won 5 Stanley Cups, most recently from 1984-1990.
59. The first airplane to fly over the North Pole came from Alberta
In May 1926 Captain George Hubert Wilkins and his mechanic, Albert F. Hegenberger,
became the first to fly over the North Pole on a journey that began in Alaska. This historic
event ended in Alberta with a safe landing at Edmonton’s Blatchford Field airport (now
Edmonton City Centre Airport).
Trick or Treating has become a significant part of Halloween celebrations all across Canada,
but this tradition can also be traced back to when the first immigrants from Europe settled in
Alberta’s cities.
There are so many interesting Alberta facts, and we tried to fit in as much as possible in this
one article. We hope this post has helped you learn a little bit more about Alberta.
Thousands visit this beautiful province every year to explore the unique landscape and
experience our vibrant cities. If you’re planning on visiting or moving to Alberta anytime
soon, do let us know in the comments below!