A summer village is a type of urban municipality in the Canadian province of Alberta that has a permanent population generally less than 300 permanent inhabitants, as well as seasonal (non-permanent) inhabitants.
Alberta has a total of 51 summer villages that had a cumulative population of 5,176 and an average population of 101 in Canada's 2016 Census of Population.[1] Alberta's largest summer village is Sandy Beach with a population of 278, while Castle Island, Kapasiwin, and Point Alison are the smallest each with a population of 10.[1]
History
A summer village is a type of municipal status used in Alberta, Canada founded in 1913. It was used in resort areas that were mainly active in the summer and where most residents were seasonal. Cottage owners did not want to pay for municipal services that they didn't need but wished to have a voice in local government of the resort area.[2]
Changes were made to the provincial laws to allow elections to be held in July and to allow seasonal residents to run for office and vote in the summer village without losing these same rights in their place of permanent residence.
In 1995, provincial legislation was changed to prevent the formation of new summer villages.[2] The 54 summer villages that existed at the time[3] were permitted to continue to operate as before.[2]
List
| Name | Rural municipality[4] | Incorporation date (summer village)[5] | Population (2016)[1] | Population (2011)[1] | Change (%)[1] | Land area (km²)[1] | Population density (per km²)[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentia Beach | Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of | January 1, 1967 | 27 | 15 | +80.0% | 0.73 | 37.0/km2 |
| Betula Beach | Parkland County | January 1, 1960 | 16 | 10 | +60.0% | 0.25 | 64.0/km2 |
| Birch Cove | Lac Ste. Anne County | December 31, 1988 | 45 | 45 | 0.0% | 0.3 | 150.0/km2 |
| Birchcliff | Lacombe County | January 1, 1972 | 117 | 112 | +4.5% | 1.03 | 113.6/km2 |
| Bondiss | Athabasca County | January 1, 1983 | 110 | 106 | +3.8% | 1.23 | 89.4/km2 |
| Bonnyville Beach | Bonnyville No. 87, M.D. of | January 1, 1958 | 84 | 95 | −11.6% | 0.17 | 494.1/km2 |
| Burnstick Lake | Clearwater County | December 31, 1991 | 15[6] | 16 | −6.2% | 0.18 | 83.3/km2 |
| Castle Island | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1955 | 10 | 19 | −47.4% | 0.05 | 200.0/km2 |
| Crystal Springs | Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of | January 1, 1957 | 51 | 90 | −43.3% | 0.57 | 89.5/km2 |
| Ghost Lake | Bighorn No. 8, M.D. of | December 31, 1953 | 82 | 81 | +1.2% | 0.67 | 122.4/km2 |
| Golden Days | Leduc County | January 1, 1965 | 160 | 141 | +13.5% | 2.28 | 70.2/km2 |
| Grandview | Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of | January 1, 1967 | 114 | 108 | +5.6% | 0.79 | 144.3/km2 |
| Gull Lake | Lacombe County | September 1, 1993 | 176 | 122 | +44.3% | 0.7 | 251.4/km2 |
| Half Moon Bay | Lacombe County | January 1, 1978 | 42 | 38 | +10.5% | 0.11 | 381.8/km2 |
| Horseshoe Bay | St. Paul No. 19, County of | January 1, 1985 | 49[a] | 37 | +32.4% | 1.14 | 43.0/km2 |
| Island Lake | Athabasca County | January 1, 1958 | 228 | 243 | −6.2% | 1.85 | 123.2/km2 |
| Island Lake South | Athabasca County | January 1, 1983 | 61 | 72 | −15.3% | 0.67 | 91.0/km2 |
| Itaska Beach | Leduc County | June 30, 1953 | 23 | 20 | +15.0% | 0.29 | 79.3/km2 |
| Jarvis Bay | Red Deer County | January 1, 1986 | 213 | 203 | +4.9% | 0.53 | 401.9/km2 |
| Kapasiwin | Parkland County | September 1, 1993 | 10 | 10 | 0.0% | 0.3 | 33.3/km2 |
| Lakeview | Parkland County | October 25, 1913 | 30 | 26 | +15.4% | 0.35 | 85.7/km2 |
| Larkspur | Westlock County | January 1, 1985 | 44 | 38 | +15.8% | 0.26 | 169.2/km2 |
| Ma-Me-O Beach | Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of | December 31, 1948 | 110 | 113 | −2.7% | 0.52 | 211.5/km2 |
| Mewatha Beach | Athabasca County | January 1, 1978 | 90 | 79 | +13.9% | 0.8 | 112.5/km2 |
| Nakamun Park | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1966 | 96 | 36 | +166.7% | 0.45 | 213.3/km2 |
| Norglenwold | Red Deer County | January 1, 1965 | 273 | 232 | +17.7% | 0.62 | 440.3/km2 |
| Norris Beach | Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of | December 31, 1988 | 38 | 46 | −17.4% | 0.2 | 190.0/km2 |
| Parkland Beach | Ponoka County | January 1, 1984 | 153 | 124 | +23.4% | 0.95 | 161.1/km2 |
| Pelican Narrows | Bonnyville No. 87, M.D. of | July 1, 1979 | 151 | 162 | −6.8% | 0.72 | 209.7/km2 |
| Point Alison | Parkland County | December 31, 1950 | 10 | 15 | −33.3% | 0.16 | 62.5/km2 |
| Poplar Bay | Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of | January 1, 1967 | 103 | 80 | +28.8% | 0.67 | 153.7/km2 |
| Rochon Sands | Stettler No. 6, County of | May 17, 1929 | 86 | 65 | +32.3% | 2.16 | 39.8/km2 |
| Ross Haven | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1962 | 160 | 137 | +16.8% | 0.71 | 225.4/km2 |
| Sandy Beach | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1956 | 278 | 223 | +24.7% | 2.4 | 115.8/km2 |
| Seba Beach | Parkland County | August 20, 1920 | 169 | 143 | +18.2% | 0.86 | 196.5/km2 |
| Silver Beach | Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of | December 31, 1953 | 65 | 52 | +25.0% | 0.64 | 101.6/km2 |
| Silver Sands | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1969 | 160 | 85 | +88.2% | 2.41 | 66.4/km2 |
| South Baptiste | Athabasca County | January 1, 1983 | 66 | 52 | +26.9% | 0.93 | 71.0/km2 |
| South View | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1970 | 67 | 35 | +91.4% | 0.41 | 163.4/km2 |
| Sunbreaker Cove | Lacombe County | December 31, 1990 | 81 | 69 | +17.4% | 0.5 | 162.0/km2 |
| Sundance Beach | Leduc County | January 1, 1970 | 73 | 82 | −11.0% | 0.44 | 165.9/km2 |
| Sunrise Beach | Lac Ste. Anne County | December 31, 1988 | 135 | 149 | −9.4% | 1.66 | 81.3/km2 |
| Sunset Beach | Athabasca County | May 1, 1977 | 49 | 44 | +11.4% | 0.74 | 66.2/km2 |
| Sunset Point | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1959 | 169 | 221 | −23.5% | 1.15 | 147.0/km2 |
| Val Quentin | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1966 | 252 | 157 | +60.5% | 0.31 | 812.9/km2 |
| Waiparous | Bighorn No. 8, M.D. of | January 1, 1986 | 49 | 42 | +16.7% | 0.41 | 119.5/km2 |
| West Baptiste | Athabasca County | January 1, 1983 | 38 | 52 | −26.9% | 0.65 | 58.5/km2 |
| West Cove | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1963 | 149 | 121 | +23.1% | 1.33 | 112.0/km2 |
| Whispering Hills | Athabasca County | January 1, 1983 | 142 | 108 | +31.5% | 1.68 | 84.5/km2 |
| White Sands | Stettler No. 6, County of | January 1, 1980 | 120 | 91 | +31.9% | 1.58 | 75.9/km2 |
| Yellowstone | Lac Ste. Anne County | January 1, 1965 | 137 | 124 | +10.5% | 0.28 | 489.3/km2 |
| Total summer villages | — | — | 5,176 | 4,586 | +12.9% | 40.79 | 126.9/km2 |
Former summer villages
Four other communities in Alberta have previously held summer village status – Alberta Beach,[8] Chestermere Lake (now Chestermere),[9] Edmonton Beach (now Spring Lake),[10] and White Gull.[11]
| Community | Incorporation date (summer village) | Status change date | Subsequent status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Beach | August 23, 1920 | January 1, 1999 | Village |
| Chestermere Lake | April 1, 1977 | March 1, 1993 | Town |
| Edmonton Beach | January 1, 1959 | January 1, 1999 | Village |
| White Gull | January 1, 1983 | January 1, 2003 | Unincorporated |