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, which had a cumulative population of 5,921 and an average population of 116 in Canada's 2021 Census of Population. Alberta's largest summer village is Norglenwold with a population of 306 while Castle Island, is the smallest with a population of 15. __TOC__
History A summer village is a type of municipal status used in Alberta, Canada, that was 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 unnecessary municipal services but wished to have a voice in local government of the resort area.
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. The 54 summer villages that existed at the time were permitted to continue to operate as before.
List + List of summer villages in Alberta Name Rural municipality Incorporation date(summer village) 2021 Census of Population Population(2021) Population(2016) Change Landarea(km2) Populationdensity(/km2) Argentia Beach Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of Betula Beach Parkland County Birch Cove Lac Ste. Anne County Birchcliff Lacombe County Bondiss Athabasca County Bonnyville Beach Bonnyville No. 87, M.D. of Burnstick Lake Clearwater County Castle Island Lac Ste. Anne County Crystal Springs Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of Ghost Lake Bighorn No. 8, M.D. of Golden Days Leduc County Grandview Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of Gull Lake Lacombe County Half Moon Bay Lacombe County Horseshoe Bay St. Paul No. 19, County of Island Lake Athabasca County Island Lake South Athabasca County Itaska Beach Leduc County Jarvis Bay Red Deer County Kapasiwin Parkland County Lakeview Parkland County Larkspur Westlock County Ma-Me-O Beach Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of Mewatha Beach Athabasca County Nakamun Park Lac Ste. Anne County Norglenwold Red Deer County Norris Beach Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of Parkland Beach Ponoka County Pelican Narrows Bonnyville No. 87, M.D. of Point Alison Parkland County Poplar Bay Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of Rochon Sands Stettler No. 6, County of Ross Haven Lac Ste. Anne County Sandy Beach Lac Ste. Anne County Seba Beach Parkland County Silver Beach Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of Silver Sands Lac Ste. Anne County South Baptiste Athabasca County South View Lac Ste. Anne County Sunbreaker Cove Lacombe County Sundance Beach Leduc County Sunrise Beach Lac Ste. Anne County Sunset Beach Athabasca County Sunset Point Lac Ste. Anne County Val Quentin Lac Ste. Anne County Waiparous Bighorn No. 8, M.D. of West Baptiste Athabasca County West Cove Lac Ste. Anne County Whispering Hills Athabasca County White Sands Stettler No. 6, County of Yellowstone Lac Ste. Anne County Total summer villages — —
Former summer villages Four other communities in Alberta have previously held summer village status – Alberta Beach, Chestermere Lake (now Chestermere), Edmonton Beach (now Spring Lake), and White Gull.
Community Incorporation date(summer village) Status changedate SubsequentstatusAlberta BeachVillageChestermere LakeTownEdmonton BeachVillageWhite GullUnincorporated
See also List of census divisions of Alberta List of cities in Alberta List of communities in Alberta List of hamlets in Alberta List of municipal districts in Alberta List of municipalities in Alberta List of resort villages in Saskatchewan List of towns in Alberta List of villages in Alberta
Notes
References
External links Alberta Municipal Affairs Association of Summer Villages of Alberta