31-584: Cypress County is a municipal district in southeastern Alberta , Canada that surrounds the City of Medicine Hat and the Town of Redcliff . The municipality is part of Census Division 1, Alberta . The first farm in the area was settled in 1890. The Cypress County landscape is dominated by a shortgrass prairie ecosystem. The land is flat to slightly rolling. The Cypress Hills region features mixed grasslands, wetlands and montane habitats. Major hydrological features include
62-405: A 6.2% change from its 2011 population of 7,214. With a land area of 13,173.25 km (5,086.22 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.6/km (1.5/sq mi) in 2016. Agriculture and the oil and gas industry are the primary economic activities within the county. Agricultural sectors include ranching, wheat and oil seed crops, irrigated alfalfa and other specialty crops. Irrigation water
93-433: A semiarid climate with cold, dry winters and warm to hot summers. The winter cold is occasionally tempered by mild and dry chinook winds blowing from the west. Hot summer daytime temperatures are made tolerable by low humidity and rapid cooling in the evening hours. Maximum precipitation typically occurs in late spring and early summer. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Cypress County had
124-863: A candidate in their electoral ward. Municipal elections organized by Alberta Municipal Affairs are held on the 3rd Monday in October every four years. Each October, the Councillors elect the Reeve and Deputy Reeve. The Cypress County Council (elected in October 2021 ) consists of: Cypress County is served by the Provincial Electoral Division of Cypress-Medicine Hat and represented in the Alberta Legislature by UCP MLA Justin Wright (politician) . Cypress County
155-494: A feathered headdress. The head is approximately 300 metres (980 ft) wide and 25 metres (82 ft) deep. This unusual geographic feature is a result of natural erosion of the surrounding prairie. The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Cypress County. The following hamlets are located within Cypress County. The following localities are located within Cypress County. Cypress County has
186-556: A hamlet, which is part of the district's jurisdiction. They are Acadia ( Acadia Valley ), Bighorn ( Exshaw ), Birch Hills ( Wanham ), Clear Hills ( Worsley ), Cypress ( Dunmore ), Grande Prairie ( Clairmont ), Lac Ste. Anne ( Sangudo ), Opportunity ( Wabasca ), and Thorhild ( Thorhild ). One municipal district, Ranchland , has its offices in a provincial park, Chain Lakes Provincial Park . Thirteen municipal districts have their offices in their jurisdiction, outside
217-628: A majority of their residential buildings are on parcels of land greater than 1,850 m , apply to Alberta Municipal Affairs for municipal district status under the authority of the Municipal Government Act . Applications for municipal district status are approved via orders in council made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council under recommendation from the Minister of Municipal Affairs. As of
248-424: A population of 7,524 living in 2,658 of its 3,149 total private dwellings, a change of -1.8% from its 2016 population of 7,662. With a land area of 12,977.99 km (5,010.83 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.6/km (1.5/sq mi) in 2021. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Cypress County had a population of 7,662 living in 2,689 of its 3,222 total private dwellings,
279-510: Is a federal electoral district in southern Alberta , Canada , that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1908. Following the 2012 federal electoral redistribution , the riding was renamed Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner . In 2016, 34.9% of the population of the Medicine Hat constituency were of German ethnic origin , one of the highest percentages in all of Canada. In
310-452: Is a list of only those rural municipalities in Alberta that are incorporated as municipal districts . Despite their names, Lac La Biche County , Mackenzie County , and Strathcona County are not listed because they are in fact incorporated as specialized municipalities , not municipal districts . The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is likewise a specialized municipality and
341-494: Is located in Dunmore. The Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Regional School Division #20 serves the needs of Roman Catholic students. District schools located in Medicine Hat and Bow Island include McCoy High School, St. Mary's School, Notre-Dame Academy, St. Louis School, St. Francis Xavier School, St. Michael's School, Mother Teresa School and St. Patrick's School. The division office is located in Medicine Hat. Christian Education K-12
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#1732845424159372-412: Is provided by Cornerstone Christian School. The Medicine Hat College is a junior college located in Medicine Hat. The college offers university transfer programs, applied degrees and apprenticeship programs. Athletics include basketball, volleyball, and soccer. List of municipal districts in Alberta A municipal district (MD) is the most common form of all rural municipality statuses used in
403-515: Is served by the Federal Electoral Division of Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner and represented in the House of Commons of Canada by Conservative MP Glen Motz . Cypress County is home to Canadian Forces Base Suffield . The base provides an extensive training area for both Canadian and British Armed Forces. Defence Research and Development Canada facilities are located here as well. Fire Services Cypress County Fire Services serves
434-460: Is supplied by the St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID) and other smaller water co-operatives. Oil and gas production is extensive throughout the county. Natural gas is gathered through pipe networks and processed in gas production plants near Hilda . Cypress County has a Municipal Council of 9 elected Councillors. Councillors are elected by the eligible electors (Cypress County residents) who vote for
465-533: Is thus not listed here. For more information on specialized municipalities , see List of specialized municipalities in Alberta . Alberta's eight improvement districts and three special areas are also not listed because they are their own separate type of rural municipality and not subset types of the municipal district status. For more information on special areas , see Special Areas Board . Medicine Hat%E2%80%94Cardston%E2%80%94Warner Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner (formerly Medicine Hat )
496-569: The 2011 Census , Alberta's then 64 municipal districts ( Lac La Biche County has since then converted to a specialized municipality ) had a cumulative population of 451,979 and an average population of 7,062. Alberta's most populous and least populated municipal districts are Rocky View County and the MD of Ranchland No. 66 with populations of 36,461 and 79 respectively. 437 elected officials (eight mayors , 56 reeves and 373 councillors ) provide municipal district governance throughout
527-598: The 42nd Canadian Parliament , the seat was represented by Jim Hillyer of the Conservative Party of Canada until his death on 23 March 2016. In the first by-election in the history of the Medicine Hat constituency held on 24 October 2016 , Glen Motz of the Conservatives was elected. Motz has been the riding's representative to Ottawa since then. The constituency covers the City of Medicine Hat and surrounding areas in
558-630: The Canadian province of Alberta . Alberta's municipal districts, most of which are branded as a county (e.g. Yellowhead County , County of Newell , etc.), are predominantly rural areas that may include either farmland, Crown land or a combination of both depending on their geographic location. They may also include country residential subdivisions and unincorporated communities , some of which are recognized as hamlets by Alberta Municipal Affairs . Municipal districts are created when predominantly rural areas with populations of at least 1,000 people, where
589-472: The Municipal Government Act (MGA) as municipal districts and were permitted to retain the term county in their official names. More than half of the 63 municipal districts have their main administration offices, including council chambers, in a separate municipality such as a city, town, or village. This municipality (like all other cities, towns, and villages) is not part of the municipal district's jurisdiction. Nine municipal districts have their offices in
620-522: The South Saskatchewan and Milk rivers . Extensive coulee systems have formed adjacent to major rivers resulting in badlands terrain. Near Walsh, Alberta at 50°0′38.2″N 110°6′48.3″W / 50.010611°N 110.113417°W / 50.010611; -110.113417 ( Badlands Guardian ) lies the Badlands Guardian . Here the landscape takes the form of a head wearing
651-548: The county term in the official names of 47 municipal districts (and three specialized municipalities ) has partially led to a common belief that a county is its own separate municipal status type, which is not the case. The other major contributor to this common belief is that a county was once a former municipal status type in Alberta prior to the County Act being repealed in the mid-1990s. Those municipalities that were once officially incorporated as counties were continued under
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#1732845424159682-673: The U.S. border (Port of Wild Horse) and passes through the county in a northerly direction. Highway 41 intersects the Trans Canada Highway near Dunmore and continues on in a northerly direction until it exits the County near Sandy Point Recreational Area at the county's most northerly limits. Cypress County has developed and maintains an extensive road network within its municipal jurisdiction. Paved, oiled and graveled roads total more than 2700 km in length. The Canadian Pacific Kansas City main line traverses Cypress County. The line enters
713-503: The boundaries of a city, town, or village. They are Brazeau ( Drayton Valley ), Lacombe (between Gull Lake and Lacombe ), Mountain View ( Didsbury ), Newell ( Brooks ), Northern Sunrise ( Peace River ), Paintearth ( Castor ), Parkland ( Stony Plain ), Peace ( Berwyn ), Red Deer ( Red Deer ), Saddle Hills ( Spirit River ), Wheatland ( Strathmore ), Willow Creek ( Claresholm ), and Woodlands ( Whitecourt ). The below table
744-426: The eastern part of the County near Walsh and travels west through Dunmore and on to Medicine Hat. From Medicine Hat the highway travels in a north westerly direction passing near Suffield and on to Calgary. Planning has begun to upgrade The Trans Canada to true freeway status. The Crowsnest highway enters the County near Seven Persons and travels in a north westerly direction to Medicine Hat. Highway 41 begins at
775-440: The eastern part of the county near Walsh and travels west through Dunmore and on to Medicine Hat. From Medicine Hat the line travels in a north westerly direction passing near Suffield and on to Calgary. A secondary line joins the main at Dunmore and travels in a south westerly direction passing near Seven Persons and on to Lethbridge . Major switching yards are located in Dunmore. Several spur lines and side yards exist along
806-432: The entirety of Cypress County, excluding the city of Medicine Hat. They are a municipal paid-on-call fire department with 140 firefighters who respond to a yearly average of 250 calls for service. They have 9 fire halls located in Dunmore, Elkwater, Hilda, Irvine, One Four, Schuler, Seven Persons, and Walsh. The Trans-Canada Highway (1), Crowsnest Highway (3) and Highway 41 traverse Cypress County. The Trans-Canada enters
837-469: The lines route to facilitate the handling of grain and other commodities. Cypress County provides municipal services through various departments. Services include agricultural programs, road maintenance, bylaw enforcement, land use planning, development advice and approvals, fire protection, recreation, street lighting, waste collection, recycling, water and sewer, emergency services, and family and community support. The Prairie Rose School Division #8 serves
868-453: The needs of public school students. Schools within this district include Eagle Butte High School , Burdett School, Bow Island Elementary, Senator Gershaw School, Parkside School, I. F. Cox School, Margaret Wooding School, Irvine School, Schuler School, Oyen Public School, New Brigden School, Ralston School, Seven Persons School, Beyond Walls Alternative Outreach School and Elkwater Hutterite Colony and six other colony schools. The division office
899-492: The province of Alberta was admitted to Confederation in 1905, this electoral district was created – in 1907 – from Alberta (Provisional District) and Assiniboia West ridings . During the 2012 electoral redistribution , "Medicine Hat" was largely succeeded by "Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner", losing territory to Bow River and Battle River—Crowfoot , and gaining territory from Lethbridge and Macleod . Note: Change based on redistributed results. Conservative vote
930-420: The province. An order in council to incorporate any municipality must give the municipality an official name. Of Alberta's 63 municipal districts, 16 still have municipal district in their official names, while 47 of them have branded themselves as a county in their official names. Twenty-five of Alberta's municipal districts retain a numerical designation (e.g. "No. 8") in their official names. The use of
961-872: The southeast corner and southern U.S. border region of Alberta, including Cypress County , the County of Forty Mile No. 8 , Warner No. 5 and the Town of Warner , and Cardston County and the Town of Cardston . Languages: 86.4% English, 7.4% German, 1.2% French, ~1.1% Blackfoot (Blackfoot/ Kainai counted as "Other language" on the Census; this number derived from "other language" speakers on Blackfoot/ Kainai First Nations) Religions: 72.0% Christian (21.4% Catholic, 9.6% United Church, 6.1% Lutheran, 3.6% Anglican, 2.2% Pentecostal, 1.5% Baptist, 27.6% Other Christian), 1.2% Traditional Indigenous Spirituality, 25.6% None. Median income: $ 29,534 (2010) Average income: $ 39,940 (2010) Soon after