Central Alberta

Central Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.
Central Alberta is the most densely populated rural area in the province. Agriculture and energy are important to the area's economy.

Geography

Central Alberta is bordered by the Canadian Rockies in the west, Southern Alberta and the Calgary Region to the south, Saskatchewan to the east and Northern Alberta to the north. It completely surrounds the Edmonton Capital Region and contains the central part of the heavily populated Calgary-Edmonton Corridor.
The North Saskatchewan River crosses the region from west to east. Other rivers traversing the area are Red Deer River, Battle River, Athabasca River, Pembina River, Brazeau River, Beaver River.
Tourist attractions in the region include: Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, the Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre in Leduc, Discovery Wildlife Park, Kerry Wood Nature Centre and Gaetz Lake Sanctuary in Red Deer, Nordegg Heritage Centre and Mine Site, Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site, Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village and Stephannson House Provincial Historic Site near Sylvan Lake.
Major national, provincial, and municipal parks include Elk Island National Park, William A. Switzer Provincial Park, Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, Big Knife Provincial Park, Pigeon Lake Provincial Park, and Sylvan Lake Park.
A series of roadside attractions known as the Giants of the Prairies can be found in Central Alberta. Large mushrooms in Vilna, huge pumpkins in Smoky Lake, giant Perogy in Glendon, huge Kielbasa in Mundare, large Pysanka in Vegreville, a UFO Landing Pad in St. Paul and a giant mallard duck in Andrew.

Demographics

Central Alberta has a population of 240,368.

Sector	Labour force	% of total
Agriculture	16,530	12.83%
Mining	9,690	7.52%
Manufacturing	8,610	6.68%
Construction	11,340	8.80%
Transportation and utilities	5,945	4.61%
Retail and wholesale	19,150	14.87%
Finance	4,830	3.75%
Business and community services	48,360	37.54%
Public administration	4,340	3.37%
Total	128,825	100.00%

Infrastructure

;Transportation
Queen Elizabeth II Highway crosses the region from south to north, and the Yellowhead Highway from east to west. Other major highways include Highway 9, Highway 21, Veteran Memorial Highway, David Thomson Highway, Cowboy Trail, Grizzly Trail and Buffalo Trail. Poundmaker Trail runs through the north-east of the region.
;Health care
Health care in the region is overseen by Alberta Health Services. It was formerly served by Aspen Regional Health Authority, David Thompson Regional Health Authority and East Central Health before they were amalgamated with the other six regional health boards in 2008 to form Alberta Health Services.
;Education
Post-secondary institutions in the region are Red Deer Polytechnic, Olds College, Lakeland College, Burman University and the University of Alberta Augustana Faculty.

Politics

On a provincial level, central Alberta is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta by MLA's elected in the ridings of Camrose, Drayton Valley-Devon, Drumheller-Stettler, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, Lacombe-Ponoka, Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland, Leduc-Beaumont, Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, Red Deer-North, Red Deer-South, Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre, Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright, and West Yellowhead.

Communities

The region spreads across several census divisions: 7, 8, 9, 10, 14 and parts of divisions 11, 12 and 13.
Cities

Camrose
Lacombe
Lloydminster
Red Deer
Wetaskiwin

Towns

Barrhead
Bashaw
Bentley
Blackfalds
Bowden
Carstairs
Castor
Coronation
Daysland
Didsbury
Drayton Valley
Eckville
Edson
Hanna
Hardisty
Hinton
Innisfail
Killam
Lamont
Mayerthorpe
Millet
Mundare
Olds
Onoway
Penhold
Ponoka
Provost
Rimbey
Rocky Mountain House
Sedgewick
Smoky Lake
Stettler
Sundre
Sylvan Lake
Tofield
Two Hills
Vegreville
Vermilion
Viking
Wainwright
Westlock

Villages

Alberta Beach
Alix
Alliance
Amisk
Andrew
Bawlf
Big Valley
Bittern Lake
Botha
Breton
Caroline
Chauvin
Chipman
Clive
Clyde
Consort
Cremona
Czar
Delburne
Dewberry
Donalda
Edberg
Edgerton
Elnora
Ferintosh
Forestburg
Gadsby
Galahad
Glendon
Halkirk
Hay Lakes
Heisler
Holden
Hughenden
Innisfree
Irma
Kitscoty
Lougheed
Mannville
Marwayne
Myrnam
Paradise Valley
Rosalind
Ryley
Sangudo
Spring Lake
Strome
Veteran
Vilna
Waskatenau
Willingdon

Summer villages

Argentia Beach
Birch Cove
Birchcliff
Burnstick Lake
Castle Island
Crystal Springs
Grandview
Gull Lake
Half Moon Bay
Horseshoe Bay
Jarvis Bay
Larkspur
Ma-Me-O Beach
Nakamun Park
Norglenwold
Norris Beach
Parkland Beach
Pelican Narrows
Poplar Bay
Rochon Sands
Ross Haven
Sandy Beach
Silver Beach
Silver Sands
South View
Sunbreaker Cove
Sunrise Beach
Sunset Point
Val Quentin
West Cove
White Sands
Yellowstone

Improvement districts

Improvement District No. 13

Municipal districts

Barrhead No. 11, County of
Beaver County
Brazeau County
Camrose County
Clearwater County
Flagstaff County
Lac Ste. Anne County
Lacombe County
Lamont County
Minburn No. 27, County of
Mountain View County
Paintearth No. 18, County of
Ponoka County
Provost No. 52, M.D. of
Red Deer County
Smoky Lake County
Stettler No. 6, County of
Thorhild County
Two Hills No. 21, County of
Vermilion River, County of
Wainwright No. 61, M.D. of
Westlock County
Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of
Woodlands County
Yellowhead County

Special areas

Special Area No. 4