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88-1567: The league is divided into 12 regional divisions. It can be considered part of Canada's fifth tier in soccer, with teams eligible to compete for the Challenge Trophy . For the 2022 season, the Ontario Soccer League is divided into two regional leagues: West and East. The following teams are taking part in the 2022 season: Caledon United FC Elite Cavan FC GS United Hrvat St. Catharines Olimpia Toronto Panathinaikos Vaughan Azzurri Woodbridge Strikers AC Soccer Diavoli Burloak Titans FC Caledon United FC PW Ebony Jrs Guelph Royals JJD Sports Lakeshore United Mississauga Croatia Aurora Hearts FC Ukraine United Downsview Rams Hungaria Toronto VFC Pana 2.0 PARS FC Scarboro Azzurri Blues Toronto AFC Toronto Celtic Woodbridge Strikers Bradford Wolves Clarkson Comets Croatia Norval Distinctionz SC Guelph Royals Hamilton Serbians Orangeville Athletics Peniche CC Wisla United Artemisium FC GS Vets Korean Red Devils United Markham Lightning Olympiakos SC Peterborough City Queens Park Rangers Toronto Pamir Toronto Skillz FC Distinctionz SC MJ Ebony II Georgetown Mustangs SC Toronto Sporting FC Mens York Jets Atletico Sporting Toronto Aurora Lions Newmarket United QPR MJ Rustic AC Scarborough Rangers SC Canadian soccer league system The Canadian soccer league system , also called

176-567: A few fossils are the Belly River Group and St. Mary River Formations of the southwest and the northwestern Wapiti Formation , which contains two Pachyrhinosaurus bone beds. The Bearpaw Formation represents strata deposited during a marine transgression . Dinosaurs are known from this formation, but represent specimens washed out to sea or reworked from older sediments . Paleo-Indians arrived in Alberta at least 10,000 years ago, toward

264-572: A franchise on June 20, 2011. The Northern Super League is a Canadian women's soccer league set to begin in 2025. It will be the first professional women's soccer league in Canada. In 2022, former national team player Diana Matheson and then-current national team captain Christine Sinclair announced the league provisionally named Project 8 with a goal of beginning play in 2025. Matheson and Project 8 Sports Inc. are leading this effort while Sinclair

352-466: A high rate of interprovincial migration compared to other provinces. In 2016, Alberta continued to have the youngest population among the provinces with a median age of 36.7 years, compared with the national median of 41.2 years. Also in 2016, Alberta had the smallest proportion of seniors (12.3%) among the provinces and one of the highest population shares of children (19.2%), further contributing to Alberta's young and growing population. About 81% of

440-530: A land area of 634,658.27 km (245,042.93 sq mi), it had a population density of 6.7/km in 2021. Statistics Canada estimated the province to have a population of 4,800,768 in Q1 of 2024. Since 2000, Alberta's population has experienced a relatively high rate of growth, mainly because of its burgeoning economy. Between 2003 and 2004, the province had high birthrates (on par with some larger provinces such as British Columbia), relatively high immigration, and

528-410: A part of the province's identity. Since Alberta is the province most rich in hydrocarbons, it provides 70% of the oil and natural gas produced on Canadian soil. In 2018, Alberta's output was CA$ 338.2 billion, 15.27% of Canada's GDP. Until the 1930s, Alberta's political landscape consisted of two major parties: the centre-left Liberals and the agrarian United Farmers of Alberta . Today, Alberta

616-477: A semi-arid steppe climate because the annual precipitation is less than the water that evaporates or is used by plants . The southeastern corner of Alberta, part of the Palliser Triangle , experiences greater summer heat and lower rainfall than the rest of the province, and as a result, suffers frequent crop yield problems and occasional severe droughts. Western Alberta is protected by the mountains and enjoys

704-684: A single province receive sanctioning from their provincial soccer association. The Canadian Premier League (CPL) is the top division of soccer in Canada. It is the only fully professional, and only fully national league in the system. Founded in 2019, the CPL is composed of eight teams and is sanctioned by the CSA. Each year, the top CPL clubs qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup . There are also three Canadian teams which play in Major League Soccer ,

792-564: A team from Eastern Ontario, who compete with special permission from the CSA. Following the release of The Easton Report in 2013, the CSA set out to create a Division 3 semi-pro structure divided by region, similar to the major junior hockey leagues in Canada, with regional champions competing in a national tournament. In November 2013, the Ontario Soccer Association announced the sanction of League1 Ontario as part of this new structure. On October 5, 2021, BC Soccer announced

880-527: A total over 40 clubs. Like the men's divisions of these leagues, League1 Canada was formed as an umbrella organization for the three leagues. Since in 2022, League1 Canada has sponsored an inter-provincial championship. The annual competition includes the three Division 3 champions and a second club from the league designated to host the competition. One Canadian club ( Calgary Foothills WFC ), competes in United Women's Soccer League 1. U Sports women's soccer

968-585: A tributary of the Mackenzie River . Alberta's capital city, Edmonton , is at about the geographic centre of the province. It is the most northerly major city in Canada and serves as a gateway and hub for resource development in northern Canada. With its proximity to Canada's largest oil fields, the region has most of western Canada's oil refinery capacity. Calgary is about 280 km (170 mi) south of Edmonton and 240 km (150 mi) north of Montana, surrounded by extensive ranching country. Almost 75% of

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1056-500: A type of intense, fast-moving winter storm that generally forms over or near the province and, pushed with great speed by the continental polar jetstream , descends over the rest of southern Canada and the northern tier of the United States. In southwestern Alberta, the cold winters are frequently interrupted by warm, dry Chinook winds blowing from the mountains, which can propel temperatures upward from frigid conditions to well above

1144-545: Is a league competition for students at Canadian universities. The two-month season is followed by the U Sports women's soccer championship to determine a national champion. There are provincial competitions run by each of the provincial soccer associations to qualify an amateur team for the national championship, the Jubilee Trophy . Some of these are leagues and others cup competitions. Many other primarily adult amateur leagues, some with eight month seasons, also culminate in

1232-522: Is generally perceived as a conservative province. The right-wing Social Credit Party held office continually from 1935 to 1971 before the centre-right Progressive Conservatives held office continually from 1971 to 2015, the latter being the longest unbroken run in government at the provincial or federal level in Canadian history. Since before becoming part of Canada, Alberta has been home to several First Nations like Plains Indians and Woodland Cree . It

1320-513: Is involved in an advisory role. In their announcement, they confirmed that Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Calgary Foothills WFC would be two of the league's inaugural teams. In 2023, they announced AFC Toronto as a third team, and in 2024, a Halifax -based team. In May 2024, the competition was officially named the Northern Super League; additional teams were announced for Montreal and Ottawa . The CSA formerly had an affiliation with

1408-403: Is the fourth-largest province by area at 661,848 square kilometres (255,541 square miles), and the fourth-most populous, being home to 4,262,635 people. Alberta's capital is Edmonton , while Calgary is its largest city. The two are Alberta's largest census metropolitan areas . More than half of Albertans live in either Edmonton or Calgary, which contributes to continuing the rivalry between

1496-588: Is the primary domestic cup in Canada. It was established in 2008 to determine the nation's representative at the CONCACAF Champions Cup . The tournament is organized by the Canadian Soccer Association and is open to fully professional Canadian teams (playing in American or Canadian leagues) and the winners of the Canadian regional pro-am leagues. The winner of the Canadian Championship is awarded

1584-512: The 2013 Alberta floods Alberta experienced heavy rainfall that triggered catastrophic flooding throughout much of the southern half of the province along the Bow , Elbow , Highwood and Oldman rivers and tributaries. A dozen municipalities in Southern Alberta declared local states of emergency on June 21 as water levels rose and numerous communities were placed under evacuation orders. In 2016,

1672-441: The 2021 Canadian Census , the ten most spoken languages in the province included English (4,109,720 or 98.37%), French (260,415 or 6.23%), Tagalog (172,625 or 4.13%), Punjabi (126,385 or 3.03%), Spanish (116,070 or 2.78%), Hindi (94,015 or 2.25%), Mandarin (82,095 or 1.97%), Arabic (76,760 or 1.84%), Cantonese (74,960 or 1.79%), and German (65,370 or 1.56%). The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. As of

1760-833: The Alberta Act was passed, creating the province of Alberta. Massive oil reserves were discovered in 1947. The exploitation of oil sands began in 1967. Alberta is renowned for its natural beauty, richness in fossils and for housing important nature reserves. Alberta is home to six UNESCO -designated World Heritage Sites : the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks , Dinosaur Provincial Park , Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump , Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park , Wood Buffalo National Park and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park . Other popular sites include Banff National Park , Elk Island National Park , Jasper National Park , Waterton Lakes National Park , and Drumheller . Alberta

1848-640: The Canadian Soccer League was granted full membership by the CSA and sanctioned as a semi-professional league. Sitting behind MLS and the NASL, the CSL operated as one of the Division 3 leagues within the Canadian pyramid. However, following the release of a development study and subsequent change in CSA policy for the future growth and development of regional leagues, also coinciding with match fixing allegations in 2012,

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1936-590: The Canadian soccer pyramid , is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in Canada. The governing body of soccer in the country is the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), which oversees the system and domestic cups (including the Canadian Championship ) but does not operate any of its component leagues. In addition, some Canadian teams compete in leagues that are based in

2024-651: The Drumheller Valley and Edmonton regions there are exposed Horseshoe Canyon facies . Other formations have been recorded as well, like the Milk River and Foremost Formations. The latter two have a lower diversity of documented dinosaurs, primarily due to their lower total fossil quantity and neglect from collectors who are hindered by the isolation and scarcity of exposed outcrops. Their dinosaur fossils are primarily teeth recovered from microvertebrate fossil sites. Additional geologic formations that have produced only

2112-554: The Fort McMurray wildfire resulted in the largest fire evacuation of residents in Alberta's history, as more than 80,000 people were ordered to evacuate. From 2020 until restrictions were lifted in 2022, Alberta was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic . The 2021 Canadian census reported Alberta had a population of 4,262,635 living in 1,633,220 of its 1,772,670 total dwellings, an 4.8% change from its 2016 population of 4,067,175. With

2200-527: The Government of Alberta has operated a rat-control program, which has been so successful that only isolated instances of wild rat sightings are reported, usually of rats arriving in the province aboard trucks or by rail. In 2006, Alberta Agriculture reported zero findings of wild rats; the only rat interceptions have been domesticated rats that have been seized from their owners. It is illegal for individual Albertans to own or keep Norwegian rats of any description;

2288-748: The Leagues Cup , a competition held between MLS and Liga MX clubs, as the sub-regional competition within CONCACAF . The CPL does not take part in this competition. Pro-am (or semi-pro) soccer competitions in Canada are regionally-based due to its large geography and dispersed pockets of population. Teams playing in pro-am leagues are permitted to be composed of professional and amateur players. There are four of such leagues in Canada: League1 Alberta (L1AB); League1 British Columbia (L1BC); League1 Ontario (L1O); and Ligue1 Québec (L1Q). They are based in

2376-615: The North West Company (NWC) of Montreal to compete with the HBC in 1779. The NWC occupied the northern part of Alberta territory. Peter Pond built Fort Athabasca on Lac la Biche in 1778. Roderick Mackenzie built Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabasca ten years later in 1788. His cousin, Sir Alexander Mackenzie , followed the North Saskatchewan River to its northernmost point near Edmonton, then setting northward on foot, trekked to

2464-742: The Northwest Territories . The 110th meridian west separates it from the province of Saskatchewan ; while on the west its boundary with British Columbia follows the 120th meridian west south from the Northwest Territories at 60°N until it reaches the Continental Divide at the Rocky Mountains , and from that point follows the line of peaks marking the Continental Divide in a generally southeasterly direction until it reaches

2552-473: The Pacific Coast Soccer League , Vancouver Island Soccer League , Vancouver Metro Soccer League , Fraser Valley Soccer League , Alberta Major Soccer League , Saskatchewan Premier Soccer League , Manitoba Major Soccer League , Ontario Soccer League , Ligue de Soccer Elite Quebec , Nova Scotia Soccer League , and New Brunswick Premier Senior Soccer League . This collection of leagues across

2640-688: The Plains Indians of southern Alberta such as those of the Blackfoot Confederacy and the Plains Cree, who generally lived by hunting buffalo , and the more northerly tribes such as the Woodland Cree and Chipewyan who hunted, trapped, and fished for a living. The first Europeans to visit Alberta were French Canadians during the late 18th century, working as fur traders. French was the predominant language used in some early fur trading forts in

2728-464: The Proto-Germanic language *Aþalaberhtaz (compound of "noble" + "bright/famous"). Alberta, with an area of 661,848 square kilometres (255,541 square miles), is the fourth-largest province after Quebec , Ontario , and British Columbia . Alberta's southern border is the 49th parallel north , which separates it from the U.S. state of Montana . The 60th parallel north divides Alberta from

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2816-673: The Western Canada Soccer League (Alberta, Saskatchewan and eventually Manitoba and British Columbia), and the National Soccer League (Ontario and Quebec). In 1968, Canadian soccer turned its attention to the cross-nation North American Soccer League that initially featured professional teams in Vancouver and Toronto. Over the next 15 years, the professional league also featured teams in Calgary, Edmonton, and Montreal. After

2904-455: The fronts between the air masses shift north and south across Alberta, the temperature can change rapidly. Arctic air masses in the winter produce extreme minimum temperatures varying from −54 °C (−65 °F) in northern Alberta to −46 °C (−51 °F) in southern Alberta, although temperatures at these extremes are rare. In the summer, continental air masses have produced record maximum temperatures from 32 °C (90 °F) in

2992-408: The prairie crocus ( Pulsatilla nuttalliana ) anemone ; this member of the buttercup family has been recorded flowering as early as March, though April is the usual month for the general population. Other prairie flora known to flower early are the golden bean ( Thermopsis rhombifolia ) and wild rose ( Rosa acicularis ). Members of the sunflower ( Helianthus ) family blossom on the prairie in

3080-610: The 2007 season, whereas the existing Toronto Lynx self relegated from the USL-1 and began playing in the amateur-only USL Premier Development League . The owners of Vancouver Whitecaps FC of the USSF Division 2 Professional League formed a team that joined MLS in 2011, and the owners Montreal Impact of the North American Soccer League created a team that joined in 2012. One of the other original CSL teams did not join

3168-469: The 2016 census Alberta has 779,155 residents (19.2%) between the ages of 0–14, 2,787,805 residents (68.5%) between the ages of 15–64, and 500,215 residents (12.3%) aged 65 and over. Additionally, as per the 2016 census, 1,769,500 residents hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree, 895,885 residents have obtained a secondary (high) school diploma or equivalency certificate, and 540,665 residents do not have any certificate, diploma or degree. As of

3256-705: The APSL and won the USSF's competition for U.S. Division 1 status. Canadian teams continued to participate in the APSL and subsequently with the United Soccer Leagues merger in the A League / USL-1 . FIFA did not allow the U.S. Division 1 sanctioned league to include foreign teams which was why the APSL was never officially recognized as Division 1 before MLS. MLS would eventually expand into Canadian cities with existing U.S. Division 2 teams. Newly created Toronto FC joined MLS for

3344-663: The APSL, they joined the National Soccer League based in southern Ontario. The National Soccer League renamed itself the Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL) with the addition of an out of province team. The CNSL had four teams found the second league named the Canadian Professional Soccer League (1998–2006) or CPSL with four other new teams. In 2006, the CPSL teams restarted in a new league,

3432-730: The Athabasca River, which he followed to Lake Athabasca. It was there he discovered the mighty outflow river which bears his name—the Mackenzie River —which he followed to its outlet in the Arctic Ocean. Returning to Lake Athabasca, he followed the Peace River upstream, eventually reaching the Pacific Ocean, and so he became the first European to cross the North American continent north of Mexico. The extreme southernmost portion of Alberta

3520-493: The CSL was de-sanctioned by the CSA in 2013 and would not be considered a CSA sanctioned semi-pro league for the 2014 season. In order to limit the Americanization of all of Canada's professional soccer clubs, the CSA issued a moratorium on the sanctioning of any new Division 2, 3, or 4 teams on November 15, 2010, which lasted until September 30, 2011. Despite the moratorium, the NASL announced that Ottawa had been awarded

3608-541: The District of Alberta was enlarged and given provincial status, with the election of Alexander Cameron Rutherford as the first premier. Less than a decade later, the First World War presented special challenges to the new province as an extraordinary number of volunteers left relatively few workers to maintain services and production. Over 50% of Alberta's doctors volunteered for service overseas. On June 21, 2013, during

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3696-597: The First Nations and guaranteed their hunting and fishing rights. The most significant treaties for Alberta are Treaty 6 (1876), Treaty 7 (1877) and Treaty 8 (1899). The District of Alberta was created as part of the North-West Territories in 1882. As settlement increased, local representatives to the North-West Legislative Assembly were added. After a long campaign for autonomy, in 1905,

3784-458: The Jubilee Trophy. There are indoor (March) and outdoor (September) national championships given Canada's climate. ↓ relegate 1 or 2 ↑ promote 1 or 2 ↓ relegate 1 ↑ promote 1 Alberta Alberta is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces . Alberta borders British Columbia to

3872-649: The Montana border at 49°N. The province extends 1,223 kilometres (760 miles) north to south and 660 kilometres (410 miles) east to west at its maximum width. Its highest point is 3,747 metres (12,293 feet) at the summit of Mount Columbia in the Rocky Mountains along the southwest border while its lowest point is 152 metres (499 feet) on the Slave River in Wood Buffalo National Park in the northeast. With

3960-619: The U.S.-based National Women's Soccer League where some Canada women's national soccer team would be assigned to an NWSL club. This affiliation ended in 2021 although many Canadians continue to play in the American league. Various women's leagues operate throughout Canada and the United States at a lower level than NWSL in a pro-am setup. As with the men's system, there is often no formal relationship (or results-based promotion/relegation) between leagues. There are four Canadian leagues (CSA Division 3): League1 Ontario , Ligue1 Québec , League1 Alberta and League1 British Columbia , which have

4048-407: The United States. The Canadian soccer system consists of several unconnected leagues and it does not have promotion and relegation . Leagues in the Canadian system are classified as either professional, pro-am , or amateur. The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) is the governing body for the sport in Canada and directly sanctions leagues that operate in more than one province. Leagues operating in

4136-698: The amateur USL League Two (USL2). USL2 is sanctioned and administered under the USASA and is below Division 3 in the United States soccer league system . On November 18, 2015, four Ontario teams (including FC London , who then moved to L1O) were given notice by the Ontario Soccer Association that they would no longer be permitted to participate in the league starting in 2017. As of the 2024 season. ↓ relegate 1 or 2 ↑ promote 1 or 2 ↓ relegate 0 or 1 ↑ promote 2 or 3 The Canadian Championship

4224-642: The animals can only be kept in the province by zoos, universities and colleges, and recognized research institutions. In 2009, several rats were found and captured, in small pockets in southern Alberta, putting Alberta's rat-free status in jeopardy. A colony of rats was subsequently found in a landfill near Medicine Hat in 2012 and again in 2014. Alberta has one of the greatest diversities and abundances of Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils worldwide. Taxa are represented by complete fossil skeletons, isolated material, microvertebrate remains, and even mass graves . At least 38 dinosaur type specimens were collected in

4312-473: The badlands terrain, desert flora, and remnants from Alberta's past when dinosaurs roamed the then lush landscape. Alberta extends for over 1,200 km (750 mi) from north to south; its climate, therefore, varies considerably. Average high temperatures in January range from 0 °C (32 °F) in the southwest to −24 °C (−11 °F) in the far north. The presence of the Rocky Mountains also influences

4400-403: The climate to the southwest, which disrupts the flow of the prevailing westerly winds and causes them to drop most of their moisture on the western slopes of the mountain ranges before reaching the province, casting a rain shadow over much of Alberta. The northerly location and isolation from the weather systems of the Pacific Ocean cause Alberta to have a dry climate with little moderation from

4488-550: The collapse of the original North American Soccer League, and Canada's participation in the 1986 FIFA World Cup the original Canadian Soccer League started operations as a nationally based CSA sanctioned Division 1 league. When the original CSL folded in 1993, three Canadian teams moved to the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) where several had played preseason games and competed in post season tournaments. Later in 1993, Major League Soccer (MLS) beat

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4576-568: The country collectively compete for the Challenge Trophy . There are 13 provincial and territorial soccer associations in Canada, with a number of leagues organized as amateur competitions at adult and/or youth levels. Typically there is promotion and relegation plus league and cup competitions in each provincial and territorial association, which culminates in the national Challenge Trophy . However, not all associations consistently send representative teams to national championships. The United Soccer League (USL) manages several leagues, including

4664-493: The division 1 league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation , reflecting a longstanding practice of major Canadian sports teams competing in American leagues. The Canadian clubs in this league are members of the CSA and compete in the Canadian Championship , rather than in the U.S. Open Cup , alongside clubs from the CPL and qualified lower division clubs. The three Canadian MLS clubs also compete in

4752-467: The dry prairie of the southeast. The northern and western parts of the province experience higher rainfall and lower evaporation rates caused by cooler summer temperatures. The south and east-central portions are prone to drought-like conditions sometimes persisting for several years, although even these areas can receive heavy precipitation, sometimes resulting in flooding. In the winter, the Alberta clipper ,

4840-515: The end of the last ice age . They are thought to have migrated from Siberia to Alaska on a land bridge across the Bering Strait and then possibly moved down the east side of the Rocky Mountains through Alberta to settle the Americas . Others may have migrated down the coast of British Columbia and then moved inland. Over time they differentiated into various First Nations peoples, including

4928-578: The establishment of League1 British Columbia as the nation's third regional pro-am soccer league. The league began play in May 2022 with seven clubs. In 2022, Toronto FC II and Whitecaps FC 2 began play in MLS Next Pro , a USSF-sanctioned division 3 league. Both Canadian clubs are members of the CSA. Toronto FC II had played in the division 2 USL Championship until 2018 and in the division 3 USL League One from 2019 to 2021. In March 2023, League1 Alberta

5016-624: The exception of the semi-arid climate of the steppe in the south-eastern section, the province has adequate water resources . There are numerous rivers and lakes in Alberta used for swimming, fishing and a range of water sports. There are three large lakes, Lake Claire (1,436 km  [554 sq mi]) in Wood Buffalo National Park, Lesser Slave Lake (1,168 km  [451 sq mi]), and Lake Athabasca (7,898 km  [3,049 sq mi]), which lies in both Alberta and Saskatchewan. The longest river in

5104-490: The fan-created Voyageurs Cup which predates the tournament. The Challenge Trophy is Canada's national men's amateur championship. It has been contested since 1913. By the mid-1960s, there were four major leagues across Canada including the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League (1961–1967). From west to east, the other major leagues were the Pacific Coast Soccer League (British Columbia),

5192-516: The freezing point in a very short period. During one Chinook recorded at Pincher Creek , temperatures soared from −19 to 22 °C (−2 to 72 °F) in just one hour. The region around Lethbridge has the most Chinooks, averaging 30 to 35 Chinook days per year. Calgary has a 56% chance of a white Christmas , while Edmonton has an 86% chance. After Saskatchewan, Alberta experiences the most tornadoes in Canada with an average of 15 verified per year. Thunderstorms, some of them severe, are frequent in

5280-405: The hundreds of small lakes that dot northern Alberta. Eagles , hawks , owls, and crows are plentiful, and a huge variety of smaller seed and insect-eating birds can be found. Alberta, like other temperate regions, is home to mosquitoes , flies , wasps , and bees. Rivers and lakes are populated with pike , walleye , whitefish , rainbow , speckled , brown trout , and sturgeon . Native to

5368-483: The mild temperatures brought by winter Chinook winds. Central and parts of northwestern Alberta in the Peace River region are largely aspen parkland, a biome transitional between prairie to the south and boreal forest to the north. Alberta has a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The province is open to cold Arctic weather systems from the north, which often produce cold winter conditions. As

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5456-447: The mountains and wooded regions. Smaller carnivores of the canine and feline families include coyotes , red foxes , Canada lynx , and bobcats . Wolverines can also be found in the northwestern areas of the province. Central and northern Alberta and the region farther north are the nesting ground of many migratory birds. Vast numbers of ducks, geese , swans and pelicans arrive in Alberta every spring and nest on or near one of

5544-417: The mountains to over 40 °C (104 °F) in southeastern Alberta. Alberta is a sunny province. Annual bright sunshine totals range between 1,900 up to just under 2,600 hours per year. Northern Alberta gets about 18 hours of daylight in the summer. The average daytime temperatures range from around 21 °C (70 °F) in the Rocky Mountain valleys and far north, up to around 28 °C (82 °F) in

5632-401: The newly formed Canadian Government purchased Rupert's Land. Northern Alberta was included in the North-Western Territory until 1870, when it and Rupert's land became Canada's North-West Territories . First Nations negotiated the Numbered Treaties with the Crown in which the Crown gained title to the land that would later become Alberta, and the Crown committed to the ongoing support of

5720-399: The ocean. Annual precipitation ranges from 300 mm (12 in) in the southeast to 450 mm (18 in) in the north, except in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where total precipitation including snowfall can reach 600 mm (24 in) annually. Northern Alberta is mostly covered by boreal forest and has a subarctic climate . The agricultural area of southern Alberta has

5808-475: The parkland region of the province grow in clumps and belts on the hillsides. These are largely deciduous , typically aspen , poplar , and willow . Many species of willow and other shrubs grow in virtually any terrain. North of the North Saskatchewan River, evergreen forests prevail for thousands of square kilometres. Aspen poplar, balsam poplar ( Populus balsamifera ) or in some parts cottonwood ( Populus deltoides ), and paper birch ( Betula papyrifera ) are

5896-410: The population lives in urban areas and only about 19% in rural areas. The Calgary–Edmonton Corridor is the most urbanized area in the province and is one of the most densely populated areas of Canada. Many of Alberta's cities and towns have experienced very high rates of growth in recent history. Alberta's population rose from 73,022 in 1901 to 3,290,350 according to the 2006 census . According to

5984-405: The primary large deciduous species. Conifers include jack pine ( Pinus banksiana ), Rocky Mountain pine, lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta ), both white and black spruce , and the deciduous conifer tamarack ( Larix laricina ). The four climatic regions ( alpine , boreal forest , parkland , and prairie ) of Alberta are home to many different species of animals. The south and central prairie

6072-401: The province is prairie , ranging from shortgrass prairie in the southeastern corner to mixed grass prairie in an arc to the west and north of it. The central aspen parkland region extending in a broad arc between the prairies and the forests, from Calgary, north to Edmonton, and then east to Lloydminster , contains the most fertile soil in the province and most of the population. Much of

6160-404: The province is the Athabasca River , which travels 1,538 km (956 mi) from the Columbia Icefield in the Rocky Mountains to Lake Athabasca. The largest river is the Peace River with an average flow of 2,100 m /s (74,000 cu ft/s). The Peace River originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows through northern Alberta and into the Slave River,

6248-442: The province's population lives in the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor . The land grant policy to the railways served as a means to populate the province in its early years. Most of the northern half of the province is boreal forest , while the Rocky Mountains along the southwestern boundary are largely temperate coniferous forests of the Alberta Mountain forests and Alberta–British Columbia foothills forests . The southern quarter of

6336-407: The province, the bull trout , is the provincial fish and an official symbol of Alberta . Turtles are found in some water bodies in the southern part of the province. Frogs and salamanders are a few of the amphibians that make their homes in Alberta. Alberta is the only province in Canada — as well as one of the few places in the world — that is free from Norwegian rats . Since the early 1950s,

6424-605: The province. The Foremost Formation , Oldman Formation and Dinosaur Park Formations collectively comprise the Judith River Group and are the most thoroughly studied dinosaur-bearing strata in Alberta. Dinosaur-bearing strata are distributed widely throughout Alberta. The Dinosaur Provincial Park area contains outcrops of the Dinosaur Park Formation and Oldman Formation. In Alberta's central and southern regions are intermittent Scollard Formation outcrops. In

6512-428: The provinces of Alberta , British Columbia , Ontario , and Quebec respectively, and are sanctioned by their relevant provincial soccer associations. There are more than 40 sanctioned teams playing in these leagues. These four leagues belong to the parent organization League1 Canada which was founded in 2022. The PLSQ was founded as a semi-pro league in 2012 and is sanctioned by Soccer Quebec . The league includes

6600-649: The region, such as the first Fort Edmonton (in present-day Fort Saskatchewan). After the British arrival in Canada , approximately half of the province of Alberta, south of the Athabasca River drainage, became part of Rupert's Land which consisted of all land drained by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay . This area was granted by Charles II of England to the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) in 1670, and rival fur trading companies were not allowed to trade in it. The Athabasca River and

6688-563: The rivers north of it were not in HBC territory because they drained into the Arctic Ocean instead of Hudson Bay, and they were prime habitats for fur-bearing animals. The first European explorer of the Athabasca region was Peter Pond , who learned of the Methye Portage , which allowed travel from southern rivers into the rivers north of Rupert's Land. Other North American fur traders formed

6776-489: The second Canadian Soccer League (CSL). This second version of the CSL was initially sanctioned the Ontario Soccer Association and later by the Canadian Soccer Association as Division 3 in 2009. Following a match fixing scandal the league was then de-sanctioned in 2014 and continues to operate as a member of the Soccer Federation of Canada (SFC) that is not associated with any international body. In February 2010,

6864-426: The summer months between July and September. The southern and east central parts of Alberta are covered by short prairie grass, which dries up as summer lengthens, to be replaced by hardy perennials such as the prairie coneflower ( Ratibida ), fleabane , and sage ( Artemisia ). Both yellow and white sweet clover ( Melilotus ) can be found throughout the southern and central areas of the province. The trees in

6952-481: The summer, especially in central and southern Alberta. The region surrounding the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor is notable for having the highest frequency of hail in Canada, which is caused by orographic lifting from the nearby Rocky Mountains, enhancing the updraft/downdraft cycle necessary for the formation of hail. In central and northern Alberta the arrival of spring is marked by the early flowering of

7040-439: The two cities . English is the official language of the province. In 2016, 76.0% of Albertans were anglophone, 1.8% were francophone and 22.2% were allophone . Alberta's economy is based on hydrocarbons , petrochemical industries , livestock and agriculture. The oil and gas industry has been a pillar of Alberta's economy since 1947, when substantial oil deposits were discovered at Leduc No. 1 well. It has also become

7128-497: The unforested part of Alberta is given over either to grain farming or cattle ranching, with mixed farming more common in the north and centre, while ranching and irrigated agriculture predominate in the south. The Alberta badlands are in southeastern Alberta, where the Red Deer River crosses the flat prairie and farmland, and features deep canyons and striking landforms. Dinosaur Provincial Park , near Brooks , showcases

7216-629: The west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south. It is one of the only two landlocked provinces in Canada, with Saskatchewan being the other. The eastern part of the province is occupied by the Great Plains , while the western part borders the Rocky Mountains . The province has a predominantly continental climate but experiences quick temperature changes due to air aridity . Seasonal temperature swings are less pronounced in western Alberta due to occasional Chinook winds . Alberta

7304-489: The wooded regions, and pronghorn can be found in the prairies of southern Alberta. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats live in the Rocky Mountains. Rabbits, porcupines , skunks , squirrels, and many species of rodents and reptiles live in every corner of the province. Alberta is home to only one venomous snake species, the prairie rattlesnake . Alberta is home to many large carnivores such as wolves , grizzly bears , black bears , and mountain lions , which are found in

7392-452: Was also a territory used by fur traders of the rival companies Hudson's Bay Company and North West Company . The Dominion of Canada bought the lands that would become Alberta as part of the NWT in 1870. From the late 1800s to early 1900s, many immigrants arrived to prevent the prairies from being annexed by the United States. Growing wheat and cattle ranching also became very profitable. In 1905,

7480-585: Was founded by the Alberta Soccer Association. With only five teams in the men's and women's division (one short of the requirement for sanctioning), the league played an exhibition series in 2023 . By December 2023, league membership had grown to seven teams and so the league joined League1 Canada and received full sanctioning ahead of the 2024 season. There are various amateur provincial leagues that are sanctioned under their individual provincial or territorial associations. This includes such leagues as

7568-569: Was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848–1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria . Princess Louise was the wife of John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne , Governor General of Canada (1878–83). Lake Louise and Mount Alberta were also named in her honour. The name "Alberta" is a feminine Latinized form of Albert , the name of Princess Louise's father, the Prince Consort ( cf. Medieval Latin : Albertus , masculine) and its Germanic cognates, ultimately derived from

7656-686: Was part of the French (and Spanish) territory of Louisiana and was sold to the United States in 1803. In the Treaty of 1818 , the portion of Louisiana north of the Forty-Ninth Parallel was ceded to Great Britain. Fur trade expanded in the north, but bloody battles occurred between the rival HBC and NWC, and in 1821 the British government forced them to merge to stop the hostilities. The amalgamated Hudson's Bay Company dominated trade in Alberta until 1870 when

7744-465: Was the homeland of the American bison , also known as buffalo, with its grasses providing pasture and breeding ground for millions of buffalo. The buffalo population was decimated during early settlement, but since then, buffalo have made a comeback, living on farms and in parks all over Alberta. Herbivores are found throughout the province. Moose , mule deer , elk , and white-tailed deer are found in

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