Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The city and its surrounding communities form one of Canada’s most populous metropolitan areas. Edmonton lies along the North Saskatchewan River in central Alberta. Its industries service a large farming region and aid in the development of natural resources in northern Canada. The city is a major refining, manufacturing, and distribution center for Alberta’s petroleum and petrochemical industries. Edmonton is often called the Gateway to the North.
The metropolitan area.
Though Edmonton has a downtown core of high-rise office and residential buildings, the metropolitan area is largely a region of spread-out suburban-style residential and shopping areas. Within the City of Edmonton, West Edmonton Mall is one of the world’s largest shopping centers. It includes hundreds of shops, an indoor water park, an amusement park, movie theaters, a casino, and an ice rink. Another popular attraction is Whyte Avenue in the Old Strathcona district of the city, with its many bars, boutiques, and cafes.
Major landmarks in downtown Edmonton include the Alberta Legislature Building; the City Hall, featuring a glass pyramid roof; Sir Winston Churchill Square; and the High Level Bridge. The massive steel bridge, completed in 1913, crosses the North Saskatchewan River valley, which winds through the city. Edmonton has abundant parkland, including many natural habitat areas, especially in the river valley.
The City of Edmonton has several industrial districts. “Refinery Row,” a large complex of petroleum industries, lies just east of Edmonton in the hamlet of Sherwood Park. Fort Saskatchewan is another industrial city in the region. Other settlements in the metropolitan area include Leduc, St. Albert, Spruce Grove, and Stony Plain.
People.
Edmonton’s early white settlers were mostly of British origin. They came mainly from eastern Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Significant numbers of central and eastern Europeans also settled in the area. Ukrainian immigrants in particular have influenced local culture. Their influence is evident in church architecture, folk dance troupes, and the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, east of the City of Edmonton.
After about 1970, Edmonton increasingly attracted immigrants from many parts of the world. Today, a variety of community groups and activities provide evidence of this ethnic diversity. The annual Heritage Festival features dozens of cultures.
Today, many people in Edmonton have some British, Irish, or German ancestry. Other large ethnic groups include people of Chinese, French, Polish, and Ukrainian backgrounds. Many people are of mixed descent.
Education.
A majority of schools in Edmonton are public or Roman Catholic schools. Edmonton also has independent private schools, as well as charter schools that operate according to special contracts called charters. Some of Edmonton’s schools are francophone schools, in which French is spoken.
Edmonton is an important center for post-secondary education. The University of Alberta, one of Canada’s major universities, has its main campus in Edmonton. MacEwan University (also called Grant MacEwan University), Concordia University of Edmonton, the King’s University, NorQuest College, and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology are also in Edmonton. The Edmonton Public Library has branches throughout the city. The city and provincial governments each maintain public archives in Edmonton.
Culture and recreation.
Venues for the performing arts in Edmonton include the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, the Winspear Centre, and the Citadel Theatre. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Edmonton Opera, and the Alberta Ballet perform in the city. Festivals devoted to art, music, and theater take place every summer. The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, held every August in Old Strathcona, is one of the largest festivals of its kind.
Museums in Edmonton include the Royal Alberta Museum, which features exhibits on the history and wildlife of Alberta; the Art Gallery of Alberta; the Alberta Aviation Museum; and TELUS World of Science. Fort Edmonton Park includes a replica of the trading post from which the city developed. Edmonton Expo Centre, a large exhibition area, hosts fairs and sporting events. The city is also home to Edmonton Valley Zoo. Elk Island National Park, located east of the city, is known for its bison herd.
People in Edmonton play and watch a wide variety of sports. Ice hockey is probably the most popular. Edmonton has two professional sports teams—the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League and the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League.
Economy.
Petroleum is especially important to the local economy. Edmonton has numerous companies related to petroleum exploration, drilling, and distribution, as well as the refining and manufacturing of petroleum products. Many of the fuels, fertilizers, and chemicals produced in Edmonton are sold throughout western Canada. Edmonton exports oil and natural gas to eastern Canada, the Pacific coast, and parts of the United States. Edmonton also provides work crews and supplies for petroleum and pipeline projects throughout Alberta.
Other industries in Edmonton service a major agricultural area in central Alberta. The region raises large amounts of cereal grains, hay, and livestock. The city and provincial governments and local educational institutions also employ many people.
Edmonton City Centre Airport, near downtown, provides service to various locations in western Canada. Edmonton International Airport is in nearby Leduc. The Yellowhead Highway, the northern branch of the Trans-Canada Highway system, runs through Edmonton. Two railroads serve the city. Daily newspapers in Edmonton include the Edmonton Journal and Edmonton Sun.
Government.
A city council, consisting of a mayor and 12 councilors, governs the City of Edmonton. The councilors represent 12 wards (districts). The people elect the mayor and all members of the council for four-year terms. The council sets government policy. A city manager appointed by the council handles daily government operations. Other cities and towns in the Edmonton metropolitan area have separate local governments.
History.
Cree and Blackfoot First Nations people lived in the Edmonton area before Europeans arrived there. First Nations are Indigenous (native) peoples. In 1795, the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company each built a fur-trading post near the present-day city of Fort Saskatchewan. Both companies moved their posts several times. The Hudson’s Bay Company posts were called Edmonton House and, later, Fort Edmonton. The name Edmonton comes from an English city. In 1830, Fort Edmonton was rebuilt near the present site of the Alberta Legislature Building. It became a major supply center for smaller posts across a wide area.
In 1870, the government of Canada acquired the vast fur-trading region known as Rupert’s Land from the Hudson’s Bay Company. Rupert’s Land included what is now Alberta. Canada’s government wanted to promote agricultural settlement in the region. However, settlement progressed slowly. In 1891, a railway line connected Calgary, to the south, with a terminus (ending point) near the North Saskatchewan River. The town of South Edmonton (later called Strathcona) was established at the site of the rail terminus. Coal mining in the region grew to supply train locomotives.
From about 1900, settlers poured into central Alberta. New railways arrived, and Edmonton emerged as a boom town that supplied small agricultural communities throughout the region. Edmonton was incorporated as a town in 1892 and as a city in 1904. In 1905, it became the capital of the newly established province of Alberta. In 1912, Strathcona, which had been a rival town, became part of Edmonton.
Edmonton’s growth slowed after the start of World War I in 1914. It slowed again during an economic downturn in the early 1920’s, and when the Great Depression struck in the 1930’s. During the early 1900’s, bush pilots began flying small planes into northern Canada. Edmonton became a major supply center for northern construction projects during World War II (1939-1945).
In 1947, the “Leduc strike” near the town of Devon became the first in a series of major oil discoveries in central Alberta. Edmonton became a supplier for oil drilling camps. The city soon developed a number of industries based on petroleum. These industries, along with the steady expansion of education and government, led to rapid urban growth in the mid-1900’s.
A great oil boom in the 1970’s led to urban renewal and the construction of many high-rise buildings. Major building projects included the construction of a light rail rapid transit system and Commonwealth Stadium. A collapse of oil prices in the 1980’s led to a temporary economic slowdown. But the development of bituminous sands in the Athabasca region revived Edmonton’s fortunes. Bituminous sands are deposits of sand that contain bitumen, a substance used to produce oil and other fuels.
A tornado struck Edmonton in 1987, killing 27 people and causing considerable property damage. In 2001, Edmonton became the first North American city to host the World Championships in Athletics, a major track and field meet.
See also Alberta (pictures); Alberta, University of.
