St. Albert is Alberta’s oldest non-fortified community with roots going back to 1861. At this time, Father Lacombe convinced Bishop Taché that a mission be established on the Sturgeon River to serve the Aboriginals and the Métis of the district. The first building to be erected was a modest log chapel. Two years later, St. Albert became the site of the settlement’s first school with three Grey Nuns as its teachers. In 1864, the “Youville Asylum” was opened and served as both convent and school. The Asylum later functioned as an orphanage and as the first hospital in Central Alberta.    

By 1870, St. Albert had become the largest settlement west of St. Boniface, Manitoba. It boasted a population of 1,000 including both Métis and white settlers. Between 1870 and 1900, the area surrounding St. Albert attracted an increasing number of settlers, primarily French-Canadians. As a result, the community prospered and in 1904 was officially incorporated as a town.

By mid-century, St. Albert had begun to lose much of its rural appearance. Perron Street was home to a butcher shop, restaurants, hardware and general stores. In 1977, St. Albert became Alberta’s eleventh city.

St. Albert continues to grow and prosper, offering its 60,000 residents a high quality of life with abundant recreational opportunities and award winning cultural programs.

In 2010, the City of St. Albert invited residents to ‘Cultivate Life’ as they worked towards earning the brand the ‘Botanical Arts City.’ With 51,000 trees, a beautiful green river valley, over 70 km of trails, a Botanic Park, an abundance of public art, this brand fits our city. Since that time, the Enjoy Centre, a 242,000 square foot facility, that is foremost a garden centre, has opened.

For additional information about St. Albert please visit www.stalbert.ca