Strathcona County is both urban and rural in nature. Approximately 73% of its population lives in Sherwood Park, which is an urban service area east of Edmonton, remains an unincorporated hamlet. The balance lives beyond Sherwood Park within a rural service area.
History
In Treaty 6, the First Nations ceded their title to the land that would become Strathcona County. Local governance began in 1893 when the North-West Territorial Legislature established an area east of Edmonton as Statute Labour District No. 2.[6] It then grew in size over the following decade and was renamed Local Improvement District (LID) No. 517 in 1913.[6] In 1918, LID No. 517 became a municipal district under the name of the Municipal District (MD) of Clover Bar No. 517.[6] At the same time, the neighbouring LID No. 518 to the south became the MD of Strathcona No. 518.[6]
Predecessor municipalities (1918-1943)
Boundaries of the M.D. of Clover Bar No. 517
Boundaries of the M.D. of Strathcona No. 518
The MD of Clover Bar No. 517 and the MD of Strathcona No. 518amalgamated on March 1, 1943, into a larger municipal district under the name of the MD of Strathcona No. 517.[7] It was subsequently renumbered as the MD of Strathcona No. 83 in 1945.[6] Upon further amalgamating with the Clover Bar School Division No. 13,[6] the MD of Strathcona No. 83 incorporated as a county under the name of the County of Strathcona No. 20 on January 1, 1962.[7] Its county status reverted to municipal district status in 1995 when the County Act was repealed by the provincial legislature though its name remained County of Strathcona No. 20.[6] Its name was officially changed to Strathcona County on April 26, 1995.[7] Shortly thereafter, Strathcona County's status was changed from municipal district to specialized municipality on January 1, 1996.[7]
The purpose of Strathcona County's change to specialized municipality status was to provide "for the unique needs of a municipality that includes both a large urban centre and a significant rural territory and population."[7] The status change specifically designated Strathcona County's large urban centre, Sherwood Park, as an urban service area deemed equivalent to a city.[8] Its remaining rural territory was specifically designated a rural service area deemed equivalent to a municipal district.[8]
The population of Strathcona County according to its 2024 municipal census is 103,829, a change of 3.5% from its 2022 municipal census population of 100,362.[5] Its 2024 population includes 75,575 or 72.8% living in the Sherwood Park urban service area and 28,253 or 27.2% in the rural service area.[5]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Strathcona County had a population of 99,225 living in 37,128 of its 38,203 total private dwellings, a change of 1.2% from its 2016 population of 98,024. With a land area of 1,170.65 km2 (451.99 sq mi), it had a population density of 84.8/km2 (219.5/sq mi) in 2021.[4]
Strathcona County municipal census population breakdown
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Strathcona County had a population of 98,044 living in 35,567 of its 36,354 total private dwellings, a change of 6% from its 2011 population of 92,490. With a land area of 1,182.78 km2 (456.67 sq mi), it had a population density of 82.9/km2 (214.7/sq mi) in 2016.[23]
Ethnicity
Panethnic groups in the Municipality of Strathcona County (2001−2021)
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses
Economy
Industrial
Strathcona County has over $12.0 billion worth of industrial projects completed, announced, or under construction.[31] This is aided in part by the concentration of oil refineries on the west side of Sherwood Park. This district, known as Refinery Row, includes some of the largest industrial facilities in Western Canada, such as Imperial's Strathcona Refinery. Originally built in the 1940s, a new refinery was constructed in 1976 and is one of the largest refining facilities in Canada.[32] As well, the Suncor's Edmonton Refinery produces 142,000 barrels per day (22,600 m3/d) of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and aviation gasoline. This refinery sits on 247 hectares of land and has been operating for over 65 years.[33]
A founding member of Alberta's Industrial Heartland, Strathcona County is home to Canada's largest hydrocarbon refining cluster.[34]
In 2002, when reporting on the industrial growth of Strathcona County, Alberta, the National Post focused specifically on the companies Lockerbie & Hole Contracting and Jireh Industries.[35] Regarding Jireh Industries, the National Post stated that the company "does aerospace quality machining and makes robots that inspect on-surface and underwater pipelines for cracks and corrosion."[35] As of 2020, the leading industries in Strathcona County are extraction, manufacturing, scientific, construction, trucking and engineering.
Commercial
Strathcona County is home to more than 11,000 businesses, with 3,500 of those businesses comprising employees. A market area population of 1.4 million has resulted in household spending power of $5.6 billion. Strathcona County has over 15,800 highly-skilled graduates available with 94% of residents holding a diploma, certificate, or degree.
Within the active business community, there are several resources available to local entrepreneurs to help support their businesses:[36][37]
Strathcona County Library is a publicly funded library with its main branch in Sherwood Park. Its bookmobile provides service to rural residents through 14 regular weekly stops.
Attractions
Elk Island National Park is adjacent to Strathcona County to the east.[9]
Government
Unlike most Albertan municipal districts, where council appoints a reeve, Strathcona County elects a mayor. Rod Frank was elected in 2017,[38] replacing Roxanne Carr who was elected in 2013.
Infrastructure
Airports
Strathcona County is home to two public airports. Cooking Lake Airport, which operates as a condo board, accommodates 87 per cent of Strathcona County's public aeronautical transportation needs.[39][40] It is also the oldest operating public airport in Canada and approved for international flights under the Canada Border Services Agency CANPASS program.[41]
The Warren Thomas Aerodrome, better known as the Josephburg Airport, serves the remaining 13 per cent of Strathcona County's public aeronautical transportation needs.
^"Table 6a: Population by census divisions and subdivisions showing reorganization of rural areas, 1931-1946". Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1946. Vol. I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1949. p. 424.
^"Table 6: Population by sex, for census subdivisions, 1956 and 1951". Census of Canada, 1956. Vol. I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1958.
^"Table 9: Population by census subdivisions, 1966 by sex, and 1961". 1966 Census of Canada. Western Provinces. Vol. Population: Divisions and Subdivisions. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1967.
^"Table 3: Population for census divisions and subdivisions, 1971 and 1976". 1976 Census of Canada. Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Vol. Population: Geographic Distributions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1977.
^"Table 2: Census Subdivisions in Alphabetical Order, Showing Population Rank, Canada, 1981". 1981 Census of Canada. Vol. Census subdivisions in decreasing population order. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1982. ISBN0-660-51563-6.
^"Table 2: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 and 1991 – 100% Data". 91 Census. Vol. Population and Dwelling Counts – Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1992. pp. 100–108. ISBN0-660-57115-3.
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