A population centre, in Canadian census data, is a populated place, or a cluster of interrelated populated places, which meet the demographic characteristics of an urban area. A population centre has a population of at least 1,000 and a population density of no fewer than 400 people per square kilometre."From urban areas to population centres" . Statistics Canada, May 5, 2011.

Population centres are not the same thing as urban municipalities. For example, the city of St. Albert is legally separate from Edmonton, but they are part of the same population centre.

The term was introduced in the Canada 2011 Census; prior to that, Statistics Canada used the term urban area.

As of the 2006 Census of Canada, the Province of Alberta had 107 urban areas with a cumulative population of 2,699,851 and an average population of 25,232. In the 2011 census, Statistics Canada listed 109 population centres in the province.Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and population centres, 2011 and 2006 censuses: Alberta. Statistics Canada. This number increased to 122 in the Canada 2016 Census.

List The below table is a list of those population centres in Alberta from the 2021 Census of Population as designated, named, and delineated by Statistics Canada.

+ List of population centres in AlbertaRankPopulation centreSize groupPopulation (2021)Population (2016)ChangeLand area (km2)Population density Calgary Large urban Edmonton Large urban Red Deer Medium Lethbridge Medium Airdrie Medium Fort McMurray Medium Medicine Hat Medium Grande Prairie Medium Spruce Grove Medium Leduc Medium Cochrane Medium Lloydminster Medium Okotoks Medium Fort Saskatchewan Small Chestermere Small Beaumont Small Camrose Small Stony Plain Small Sylvan Lake Small Brooks Small High River Small Strathmore Small Canmore Small Lacombe Small Wetaskiwin Small Morinville Small Blackfalds Small Whitecourt Small Hinton Small Olds Small Taber Small Coaldale Small Banff Small Edson Small Grand Centre Small Cold Lake Small Ponoka Small Innisfail Small Drayton Valley Small Devon Small Slave Lake Small Rocky Mountain House Small Drumheller Small Wainwright Small Bonnyville Small St. Paul Small Stettler Small Redcliff Small Vegreville Small Langdon Small Didsbury Small Westlock Small Peace River Small Barrhead Small Jasper Small Raymond Small Carstairs Small Crossfield Small Vermilion Small Cardston Small Pincher Creek Small High Level Small Claresholm Small Penhold Small Fort Macleod Small Grande Cache Small Gibbons Small La Crète Small Three Hills Small Coalhurst Small Clairmont Small Black Diamond Small Grimshaw Small Fairview Small Turner Valley Small Magrath Small Sexsmith Small Rimbey Small Beaverlodge Small Hanna Small Lac la Biche Small High Prairie Small Westlake Small Nanton Small Heritage Pointe Small Calmar Small Millet Small Provost Small Bow Island Small Tofield Small Picture Butte Small Redwater Small Sundre Small Vulcan Small Springbrook Small Blairmore Small Bon Accord Small Coleman Small Nobleford Small Wembley Small Fox Creek Small Elk Point Small Two Hills Small Lamont Small Vauxhall Small Valleyview Small Bowden Small Lancaster Park Small Swan Hills Small Bassano Small Athabasca Small Mayerthorpe Small Legal Small Irricana Small Stirling Small Alberta Beach - Val Quentin Small Carriage Lane Estates Small Cardiff Small Manning Small

Retired population centres The following is a list of communities were once designated as population centres by Statistics Canada, but were retired after their populations dropped below 1,000 people. Some of them have since surpassed the minimum population threshold of 1,000 yet have not been reintroduced as population centres. Smoky Lake (retired after 2016) Spirit River (retired after 2016)

Retired urban areas The following is a list of communities were once designated as urban areas by Statistics Canada, but were retired after their populations dropped below 1,000 people. Some of them have since surpassed the minimum population threshold of 1,000 yet have not been reintroduced as population centres. Bellevue (retired after 1991 census) Castor (retired after 1991) Coronation (retired after 1991) Lake Louise (retired after 2001 census) McLennan (retired after 1986)

See also List of the largest population centres in Canada List of census agglomerations in Alberta List of census divisions of Alberta List of cities in Alberta List of communities in Alberta List of designated places in Alberta List of hamlets in Alberta List of municipalities in Alberta List of towns in Alberta List of villages in Alberta

References