Westlock is a town in central Alberta , Canada. Founded in 1913, the town is primarily an agricultural, business, and government administration centre serving communities and rural areas within surrounding Westlock County .
123-584: Westlock is located approximately 85 km (53 mi) north of Edmonton , Alberta's provincial capital and Canada's sixth largest census metropolitan area . Westlock sits at the junction of Highway 44 and Highway 18 . It is surrounded by Westlock County within Census Division 13 . Westlock lies on the Alberta plain , one of the Great Plains . It lies just to the north of the continental divide between
246-513: A citizens' legislative initiative for tougher blasphemy laws in Poland with close to 400,000 (Higher than the 100,000 needed) signatures to parliament. According to Article 74 of the Romanian Constitution, groups of at least 100,000 Romanian Citizens with suffrage that reside in at least one quarter of all the counties and with a minimum 5,000 signatures per county have the right to send
369-537: A discharge petition on January 10, 1938, when it was defeated in the House by a vote of 209 to 188, short of the two-thirds vote required for its passage. Unsuccessful attempts to get initiatives have nevertheless occurred, but since the proposals were bills, not constitutional amendments, no initiative could probably have lawfully been voted on notwithstanding the bills' passage. The first attempt to get national ballot initiatives occurred in 1907 when House Joint Resolution 44
492-438: A new generation co-operative , Westlock Terminals (NGC) LTD. Also, Westlock is a centre of government as it is the location of Westlock County's municipal office and home of public and Catholic schools, a courthouse, a public library, and a modern hospital. As such, Westlock is the central town of the region where rural families do business, send their children to school, and obtain government services. Many rural people retire in
615-527: A " ballot measure ", "initiative measure", or "proposition". The United States has no initiative process at the national level, but the initiative is in use at the level of state government in 24 states and the District of Columbia , and is also in common use at the local government level. Article I, Section I of the United States Constitution vests "all legislative powers herein granted" to
738-489: A Citizens' Initiative which must be considered by the legislative body (Initiatives that address fiscal or international matters are not covered by this right). If the initiative concerns changing the Constitution, Article 150 of the Constitution states that the group must include at least 500,000 Romanian Citizens with suffrage who reside in at least half of all the counties, with a minimum of 20,000 per county. Article 151 of
861-587: A board of directors appointed by the city. In 1995, City of Edmonton ownership of its telephone service ended when Ed Tel was sold to the Telus corporation. City Bylaw 11713 created The Ed Tel Endowment Fund whereas the shares owned by Edmonton Telephones Corporation in Ed Tel Inc. were sold by the City of Edmonton to Telus on March 10, 1995, for $ 470,221,872 to be invested for the perpetual benefit of Edmontonians. Unions such as
984-416: A certain number of signatures by registered voters , to prevent a flood of frivolous measures on the ballot. It's been argued that a signature hurdle does not always determine popular support since the signature hurdle can be achieved through hiring a professional company to gather signatures. Instead of a signature hurdle a state-sponsored public opinion poll as hurdle has been proposed. The success of
1107-469: A committee. Any petition which reaches 10,000 signatures triggers a response from the government and those which reach 100,000 signatures will almost always require the government to consider holding a debate (with some exceptions, such as whether a similar issue has been debated recently, or a debate for that issue is scheduled) on the matter in the House of Commons. Only British Citizens or individuals resident in
1230-509: A direct proposal for a new law or of a motion to initiate the drafting of a new law by the relevant government department, as well as present reasons for doing so. A single initiative may not contain proposals on more than one specific legislative issue. Proposed initiatives are published on a website maintained by the Finnish Ministry of Justice, where they may be electronically signed; signatures are also collected on paper. If an initiative
1353-427: A fairly dry climate, receiving 455.7 mm (17.94 in) of precipitation per year, of which 347.8 mm (13.69 in) is rain and 111.2 mm (4.38 in) is the melt from 123.5 cm (48.6 in) from snowfall. Over 75% of the average annual precipitation falls in the late spring, summer, and early autumn, with the wettest month being July, having a mean precipitation of 93.8 mm (3.69 in), and
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#17328550014211476-506: A high school certificate or equivalent. The total workforce was 2,155 people. The most common occupations were in sales and service (660) and trades, transport and equipment operation (410). The most common industries were other services (360), health care and social services (355), and retail trade (320). Most people claimed to work in Westlock, and only (255) indicated working in another municipality. The majority (1,485) of those that had
1599-458: A land area of 13.37 km (5.16 sq mi), it had a population density of 368.1/km (953.3/sq mi) in 2021. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Westlock recorded a population of 5,101 living in 2,142 of its 2,333 total private dwellings, a 5.8% change from its 2011 population of 4,823. With a land area of 13.37 km (5.16 sq mi), it had
1722-414: A legal procedure on a proposition. In direct initiative , the proposition is put directly to a plebiscite or referendum , also called a popular initiated referendum or citizen-initiated referendum . In an indirect initiative , the proposed measure is first referred to the legislature, and then if the proposed law is rejected by the legislature, the government may be forced to put the proposition to
1845-737: A major base for distributing mail, food, and medicine to Northern Canada ; hence Edmonton's emergence as the "Gateway to the North". World War II saw Edmonton become a major base for the construction of the Alaska Highway and the Northwest Staging Route . The airport was closed in November 2013. On July 31, 1987, an F4 tornado hit the city and killed 27 people. The storm hit the areas of Beaumont, Mill Woods , Bannerman , Fraser , and Evergreen . The day became known as "Black Friday" and earned
1968-987: A major park. The first residents moved into Blatchford in November 2020. Edmonton has four major industrial districts: the Northwest Industrial District, the Northeast Industrial District, the Southeast Industrial District, and the emerging Edmonton Energy and Technology Park, which is part of Alberta's Industrial Heartland. The northwest, northeast and southeast districts each have smaller industrial areas and neighbourhoods within them. The city has established 12 business revitalization zones : 124 Street and Area , Alberta Avenue , Beverly, Downtown, Chinatown and Little Italy , Fort Road and Area, Inglewood, Kingsway, North Edge, Northwest Industrial, Old Strathcona and Stony Plain Road. In
2091-604: A more southerly latitude than Edmonton. Its average daily temperatures range from a low of −10.4 °C (13.3 °F) in January to a summer peak of 17.7 °C (63.9 °F) in July, with average maximum of 23.1 °C (73.6 °F) in July and minimum of −14.8 °C (5.4 °F) in January. Temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) for an average of four to five afternoons anytime from late April to mid-September and fall below −20 °C (−4 °F) for an average of 24.6 days in
2214-549: A mother tongue. Every person in town claimed at least a working knowledge of English, 4,450 said it was their only language, 220 said they also knew French, not one person was unilingually Francophone. Of the population only 385 were immigrants, the majority of those (300) having arrived in Canada before 1991. All but 55 people were Canadian citizens. Most of the Canadian-born residents were from third generation or more (2,470), or
2337-539: A near-majority in 1929, and a full majority from 1932 to 1934, during the Great Depression. Jan Reimer became the city's first female mayor when she was elected in 1989. In 2021, Amarjeet Sohi became the first person of colour to be elected as mayor of Edmonton. Edmonton is on the North Saskatchewan River, at an elevation of 671 m (2,201 ft). It is North America's northernmost city with
2460-874: A planned inland port logistics support facility in support of the Port Alberta initiative) in Leduc County, the Acheson Industrial Area in Parkland County , Refinery Row in Strathcona County and Alberta's Industrial Heartland within portions of Fort Saskatchewan, Strathcona County and Sturgeon County . Alberta's Industrial Heartland also extends beyond the CMA's northeastern boundary into Lamont County . The individual economic development interests and costs of service delivery in certain municipalities within
2583-434: A popular initiative depends on the exact wording. A direct initiative places an initiative measure directly on the ballot for voters to pass or reject. The measure is not submitted to the legislature for support first. An indirect initiative is voted on by a legislature after sufficient signatures are collected from the voting population. In most areas the measure is submitted to a subsequent popular vote only if amended by
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#17328550014212706-405: A popular vote (referendum) rests with the local assembly. A citizens' initiative referendum was proposed by the yellow vests movement . Citizens are able to submit a law project to the parliament through the "Référendum d'Initiative Partagée"; they can ask for a referendum if they meet the 185 deputies requirement and the signatures of at least 10% of the voting population. All German states have
2829-588: A popular vote of 23,816 to 16,483. Oregon was the second state to adopt and did so in 1902, when the Oregon Legislative Assembly adopted it by an overwhelming majority. The "Oregon System", as it was at first known, subsequently spread to many other states, and became one of the signature reforms of the Progressive Era (1890s–1920s). Almost every state currently in the union utilizes some sort of State Question or Initiative. A contemporary issue that
2952-580: A population density of 381.5/km (988.1/sq mi) in 2016. The population of the Town of Westlock according to its 2015 municipal census is 5,147, a 0% change from its 2008 municipal census population of 4,964. NB The following sections present select demographic statistics arising out of the Canada 2006 Census . Population and dwelling unit figures presented within are rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 by Statistics Canada . Westlock had 2,060 private dwellings occupied by usual residents in 2006. 74.8% of
3075-445: A population of 932,546 living in 360,828 of its 387,950 total private dwellings, a change of 14.8% from its 2011 population of 812,201. With a land area of 685.25 km (264.58 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,360.9/km (3,524.7/sq mi) in 2016. Popular initiative A popular initiative (also citizens' initiative ) is a form of direct democracy by which a petition meeting certain hurdles can force
3198-470: A population over one million. It is south of Alberta's geographic centre, which is near the Hamlet of Fort Assiniboine . The terrain in and around Edmonton is generally flat to gently rolling, with ravines and deep river valleys, such as the North Saskatchewan River valley. The Canadian Rockies are west of Edmonton and about 220 km (140 mi) to the southwest. The North Saskatchewan River originates at
3321-526: A proposition sent to congress or local legislative body for action. The rejected Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE) included a limited indirect initiative right (Article I-46(4)). The proposal of introducing the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) was that 1,000,000 citizens, from minimal numbers of different member states, could invite the executive body of the European Union (EU),
3444-407: A referendum. The proposition may be on federal level law, statute , constitutional amendment , charter amendment, local ordinance , obligate the executive or legislature to consider the subject by submitting it to the order of the day. In contrast, a popular referendum that allows voters only to repeal existing legislation. The hurdles the petition has to meet vary between countries, typically
3567-420: A regular workplace that was not their own home (1,950) commuted to work by private automobile. Of all persons in Westlock aged 15 years and older with income in 2005, 11.0% reported being below the low income cutoff before taxes. For those under the age of 18, the rate was 10.4% (compared to Alberta averages of 12.2% and 14.2% respectively). The area around Westlock is primarily agricultural , although there
3690-501: A significant hurdle for people to navigate. The treaty also makes it clear that right of initiative should not be confused with the right to petition , particularly since a petition is directed to Parliament while a citizens' initiative is directed to the Commission; whereas a petition is a method of remonstrance, usually focussing on perceived infringements of European Law, an initiative is a grassroots proposal for new legislation. In 2013
3813-502: A small glass section of the roof collapsed under the weight of the rainwater, causing water to drain onto the mall's indoor ice rink. As a result, the mall was evacuated as a precautionary measure. Twelve tornadoes had been recorded in Edmonton between 1890 and 1989, and eight since 1990. An F4 tornado that struck Edmonton on July 31, 1987, killing 27, was unusual in many respects, including severity, duration, damage, and casualties. It
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3936-596: Is Glenn van Dijken . The town's current mayor is Jon Kramer who was elected in a by-election on January 10, 2024. The town is within the Pembina Hills Public Schools , which formed in 1995 as a merger of three school districts. Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta . It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of
4059-406: Is 972,223, a change of 8.1% from its 2016 municipal census population of 899,447. After factoring in dwellings that did not respond to the municipal census, Edmonton's population is further estimated to be 992,812. Per its municipal census policy, the city's next municipal census is scheduled for 2020. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Edmonton had
4182-456: Is a relatively fertile region of dark soils. To the north lies the subarctic climate zone. The mean annual precipitation averaged from one meteorological station within the county measured 468 millimetres (mm), based on data from 1980 to 1990. The mean annual temperature averaged 1.9 °C, with the mean monthly temperature reaching a high of 16.8 °C in July, and dropping to a low of −11.4 °C in January. Prior to European settlement,
4305-574: Is able to attract the signatures of a total of 50,000 citizens within six months, it is forwarded to the Finnish Parliament for consideration; otherwise, it will lapse. The Parliament treats citizens' initiatives according to normal parliamentary procedure, that is, they are debated and considered in committees and they may also be amended or altered; the Parliament is not restricted to passing or rejecting them as they are. The first initiative to pass
4428-517: Is also used at the cantonal and communal level in Switzerland (all cantons , all communes where the direct democratic citizens' participation originates); many cantons allow initiatives to enact regular non-constitutional law, but the federal system does not. If the necessary number of supporters is reached, the initiative will be put to a plebiscite about two or three years later; the delay helps prevent short-term political moods from getting into
4551-509: Is commonly decided through this method is the legalization of marijuana . People's initiative to propose amendments to the constitution is enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution under Article XVII Section 2, which states: Amendments to this Constitution may likewise be directly proposed by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least twelve per centum of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum of
4674-446: Is commonly referred to as Black Friday due both to its aberrant characteristics and the emotional shock it generated. Then-mayor Laurence Decore cited the community's response to the tornado as evidence that Edmonton was a "city of champions," which later became an unofficial slogan of the city. Edmonton is at the centre of Canada's sixth-largest census metropolitan area (CMA), which includes Edmonton and 34 other municipalities in
4797-464: Is divided into a town centre community ( Mill Woods Town Centre ) and eight surrounding communities: Burnewood , Knottwood , Lakewood , Millbourne , Millhurst , Ridgewood , Southwood , and Woodvale . Each has between two and four neighbourhoods. Several transit-oriented developments (TOD) have begun to appear along the LRT line at Clareview, with future developments planned at Belvedere (part of
4920-429: Is some oil and gas activity. The main employers in town include the hotels and inns that cater to oilpatch workers, the farm implement dealerships, and some small manufacturing such as Wabash Mfg. Inc. - custom manufacturing, and a Lafarge cement plant. Additionally, Westlock still retains its original purpose as a centre for the grain trade , as CN still accepts grains from the remaining grain elevators, now owned by
5043-637: Is within the Canadian Prairies Ecozone . Aspen parkland surrounds the city and is a transitional area from the prairies to the south and boreal forest in the north. The aspen woods and forests in and around Edmonton have long since been reduced by farming and residential and commercial developments including oil and natural gas exploration. Edmonton has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb , Trewartha climate classification Dcbc ) with typically cold, dry winters and warm, sunny summers, prone to extremes and large swings at all times of
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5166-411: Is within the city's mature area or inner city. It and the surrounding Boyle Street , Central McDougall , Cloverdale , Garneau , McCauley , Oliver , Queen Mary Park , Riverdale , Rossdale, Strathcona and University of Alberta form Edmonton's Central Core. Oliver and Garneau are the city's most populated and most densely populated neighbourhoods respectively. The mature area sector also contains
5289-417: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , the City of Edmonton had a population of 1,010,899 living in 396,404 of its 428,857 total private dwellings, a change of 8.3% from its 2016 population of 933,088. With a land area of 765.61 km (295.60 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,320.4/km (3,419.8/sq mi) in 2021. At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in
5412-563: The Athabasca and North Saskatchewan river basins , and to the east of the Pembina River , a tributary of the Athabasca. The town is about 670 metres (2,200 ft) above mean sea level . Westlock sits within the humid continental climate zone, on the northern edge of the aspen parkland belt, a once heavily treed region that was cleared for agriculture at the turn of the 20th century. It
5535-762: The Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park and bisects the city. It sometimes floods Edmonton's river valley, most notably in the North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915 . It empties via the Saskatchewan River , Lake Winnipeg , and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay . It runs from the southwest to the northeast and is fed by numerous creeks throughout the city, including Mill Creek , Whitemud Creek and Blackmud Creek ; these creeks have created ravines, some of which are used for urban parkland . Edmonton
5658-551: The Congress of the United States . Establishing a national initiative procedure would likely require an amendment to the Constitution , which would under Article V require two-thirds of both houses of Congress or the application of two-thirds of the state legislatures to propose, and three-fourths of all state legislatures (or conventions in three-fourths of the states ) to ratify. The Constitution itself, pursuant to Article VII ,
5781-536: The Constitutional Convention considered Dáil electoral reform, members voted 83:16 in favour of allowing "citizens' initiatives" in general, 80:19 to allow them specifically for legislation, and 78:17 to allow them for constitutional amendments . In April 2015, the Fine Gael–Labour government rejected the recommendations on the basis that there is sufficient public involvement in legislation through
5904-483: The Edmonton Metropolitan Region , which is surrounded by Alberta's central region . It anchors the northern end of what Statistics Canada defines as the " Calgary–Edmonton Corridor ", a region spanning between it and Calgary , Alberta's largest city, including many smaller municipalities between the two. The area that later became the city of Edmonton was first inhabited by First Nations peoples and
6027-555: The European Commission , to consider any proposal "on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the Union is required for the purpose of implementing the Constitution." The precise mechanism had not been agreed upon. Critics underlined the weakness of this right of initiative, which did not ultimately entail any vote or referendum. A similar scheme under the same name, European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), has been put forward in
6150-681: The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), may have been the first European to enter the Edmonton area. His expeditions across the Prairies of Rupert's Land were mainly to seek contact with the Indigenous population for establishing the fur trade , as the competition was fierce between the HBC and the North West Company (NWC). By 1795, Fort Edmonton was established on the river's north bank as a major trading post for
6273-624: The Industrial Workers of the World struggled for progressive social change through the early years, with the first reformer, James East , elected in 1912, followed by the first official Labour alderman, James Kinney , the following year. Many thousands of workers participated in the Edmonton general strike of 1919 and a strong block of Labour representatives were on council after the next election: East, Kinney, Sam McCoppen, Rice Sheppard and Joe Clarke . Labour representation on city council became
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#17328550014216396-658: The Memorial Hall was also built. In 1992 the Memorial Hall burned down, later to be replaced. In 1995, the hospital was replaced by the Westlock Health Care Centre, a somewhat controversial decision because several other communities in Alberta were facing hospital closures at the time. In 1997, the old hospital was demolished. On February 22, 2024, Westlock residents narrowly passed a popular initiative prohibiting
6519-588: The Oath of Allegiance . By May 1928 Fianna Fáil claimed 96,000 signatures and attempted to have the petition laid before the Dáil (lower house). The motion was deferred, ostensibly to allow the Dáil procedure committee to define the method of dealing with such petitions. Before the committee could meet, the Cumann na nGaedheal government rushed through an amendment deleting Article 48 of
6642-601: The last glacial period ended and timber, water, and wildlife became available in the region. The site of present-day Edmonton was home to several First Nations peoples, including the Cree , Nakota Sioux , Blackfoot , Tsuut'ina , Ojibwe , and Denesuline . The valley of the North Saskatchewan River , in particular the area of Edmonton, was settled to varying degrees for thousands of years, and provided many essential resources, including fish, medicine, and materials for tool making, such as chert or quartzite , which are abundant in
6765-629: The "Gateway to the North" outside of Ontario , Edmonton has become a staging point for large-scale oil sands projects occurring in northern Alberta and large-scale diamond mining operations in the Northwest Territories . It is a cultural, governmental and educational centre. It hosts festivals year-round, reflected in the nickname "Canada's Festival City". It is home to Canada's largest mall, West Edmonton Mall (the world's largest mall from 1981 until 2004); and Fort Edmonton Park , Canada's largest living history museum. Established as
6888-459: The 2021 census, the Edmonton CMA had a population of 1,418,118 living in 548,624 of its 589,554 total private dwellings, a change of 7.3% from its 2016 population of 1,321,441 . With a land area of 9,416.19 km (3,635.61 sq mi), it had a population density of 150.6/km (390.1/sq mi) in 2021. The population of the City of Edmonton according to its 2019 municipal census
7011-412: The 24 June 1999 law, citizens wishing to launch an initiative must create a committee of at least 15 members, which becomes a legal person . The committee must prepare the draft bill and collect at least 100,000 signatures (Article 2). Under Article 12 of the law, if there is "justified doubt regarding the authenticity of the required number of signatures of citizens, then within 14 days of the lodging of
7134-451: The 50,000 mark did so already a few months after the "kansalaisaloite" first became possible. The initiative demanded the ending of fur industry in Finland, but failed to pass in Parliament. The first initiative to be accepted by the Parliament was the citizens' initiative known in Finland as "Equal Marriages Law", which is also known by its campaign slogan, #Tahdon2013 (#IDo2013). This initiative
7257-566: The C&;E Railway helped bring settlers and entrepreneurs from eastern Canada, Europe, the U.S. and other parts of the world. The Edmonton area's fertile soil and cheap land attracted settlers, further establishing Edmonton as a major regional commercial and agricultural centre. Some people participating in the Klondike Gold Rush passed through South Edmonton/Strathcona in 1897. Strathcona was North America's northernmost railway point, but travel to
7380-488: The City Centre Airport, and even warmer in the city proper. A massive cluster of thunderstorms swept through Edmonton on July 11, 2004, with large hail and over 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain reported within an hour in many places. This "1-in-200 year event" flooded major intersections and underpasses and damaged both residential and commercial properties. The storm caused extensive damage to West Edmonton Mall;
7503-459: The City of Beaumont on January 1, 2019. As of 2021 , Edmonton had a city population of 1,010,899 and a metropolitan population of 1,418,118, making it the fifth-largest city and sixth-largest metropolitan area (CMA) in Canada. It is the northernmost city and metropolitan area in North America to have a population of over one million. Residents are called Edmontonians . Known as
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#17328550014217626-484: The City of Beaumont, increasing the city's area to 767.85 km (296.47 sq mi), with discussions of annexing an additional 2,830 ha (28.3 km ; 10.9 sq mi) of Edmonton International Airport land still ongoing. Edmonton is divided into 375 neighbourhoods within seven geographic sectors – a mature area sector, which includes neighbourhoods that were essentially built out before 1970, and six surrounding suburban sectors. Edmonton's Downtown
7749-493: The City of Edmonton and Leduc County came to an agreement on Edmonton's annexation proposal. The City of Edmonton was poised to annex 12,100 ha (121 km ; 47 sq mi) of land from Leduc County and Beaumont, including the Edmonton International Airport, as a result. On January 1, 2019, the City of Edmonton officially annexed 8,260 ha (82.6 km ; 31.9 sq mi) from Leduc County and
7872-506: The Constitution also states that any amendments brought to it, must be also approved by means of a National Referendum. The federal popular initiative was included in the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1891, permitting a certain number of citizens (currently 100,000 signatures within 18 months ) to make a request to amend a constitutional article, or even to introduce a new article into the constitution. The right of initiative
7995-505: The Constitution. Citizens' legislative initiatives are a constitutional right in Poland, defined in Article 118, paragraph 2, of the 1997 Polish Constitution . The paragraph gives legislative initiative to any group of at least 100,000 citizens with voting rights to the Sejm , the lower house of Polish parliament. The detailed procedure is defined in a law dated 24 June 1999. Under Article 5 of
8118-506: The ECI evolves into a full initiative or remains in its present state of a de facto petition. Since 1 March 2012, Finnish citizens with suffrage have had the constitutional right to send a citizens' initiative (Finnish: kansalaisaloite , Swedish: medborgarinitiativ ) to the Parliament of Finland . An initiative must begin with at least five citizens as sponsors, and it must consist either of
8241-568: The Edmonton area by multiple names which reference the presence of fur trading posts. In Cree , the area is known as ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amiskwacîwâskahikan , which translates to "Beaver Hills House" and references the location's proximity to the Beaver Hills east of Edmonton. In Blackfoot , the area is known as Omahkoyis ; in Nakota Sioux , the area is known as Titâga ; in Tsuutʼina ,
8364-459: The HBC, near the mouth of the Sturgeon River close to present-day Fort Saskatchewan . Fort Edmonton was built within "musket-shot range" of the rival NWC's Fort Augustus. Although both forts were initially successful, declines in beaver pelt hauls and firewood stocks forced both HBC and NWC to move their forts upstream. By 1813, after some changes in location, Fort Edmonton was established in
8487-523: The Hudson's Bay Company between 1696 and 1807. In turn, the name of Edmonton derives from Adelmetone, meaning 'farmstead/estate of Ēadhelm' (from Ēadhelm, an Old English personal name, and tūn ); this earlier form of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086. Fort Edmonton was also called Fort-des-Prairies by French-Canadians , trappers , and coureurs des bois . Indigenous languages refer to
8610-486: The Klondike was still very difficult for the "Klondikers", and a majority of them took a steamship north to the Yukon from Vancouver , British Columbia. Incorporated as a town in 1892 with a population of 700 and then as a city in 1904 with a population of 8,350, Edmonton became the capital of Alberta when the province was formed a year later, on September 1, 1905. In November 1905, the Canadian Northern Railway (CNR) arrived in Edmonton, accelerating growth. During
8733-553: The Old Town Fort Road Redevelopment Project). Another TOD, Century Park, is being constructed at the site of what was once Heritage Mall, at the southern end of the LRT line. Century Park will eventually house up to 5,000 residents. The Edmonton City Centre Airport is being redeveloped into a sustainable community of 30,000 people called Blatchford , comprising a transit-oriented mixed use town centre, townhouses, low, medium and high rise apartments, neighbourhood retail and service uses, renewable energy, district heating and cooling, and
8856-445: The UK are allowed to start a petition or be a signatory. Petitions can be initiated via a specialist website, which also contains guidance on when petitions will, and will not, be debated. On occasion, some petitions which are signed by fewer than 100,000 people are still debated. Examples of issues which have been debated in parliament via this system are various issues surrounding Brexit and
8979-553: The aforementioned "Equal Marriages Law" and the "Motherhood Law" from 2015/16 . A limited, indirect form of local initiative was added to the French Constitution (article 72-1, référendum d'initiative locale ) on 28 March 2003 as part of decentralization reforms. However, the only power these "local referendum initiatives" confer on citizens is the ability to add propositions to their local assembly's meeting agenda. The decision as to whether to submit citizen propositions to
9102-507: The area around Westlock was inhabited by First Nations people, notably the Cree . Although the fur trade had been active in Alberta since 1754 when Anthony Henday explored the area, the Westlock district was not mentioned in writing until David Thompson came through in April 1799. White settlement did not begin until 1902 at that time centred on a rural community about 5 km (3.1 mi) east of present-day Westlock. The founding family
9225-550: The area around the modern city and which can be easily knapped into tools such as axes , knives , and arrowheads . The city was also a historic site for the Métis , who held many narrow lots along the North Saskatchewan which gave access to resources in the area. By 1882, these lots numbered about 44, after which they were displaced and integrated into the expanding city of Edmonton. In 1754, Anthony Henday , an explorer for
9348-528: The area is known as Nââsʔágháàchú (anglicised as Nasagachoo ). The Blackfoot name translates to 'big lodge', while the Nakota Sioux and Tsuutʼina names translate to 'big house'. In Denesuline , the area is known as Kuę́ Nedhé , a metonymic toponym which also generally means 'city'. The earliest known inhabitants arrived in the area that is now Edmonton around 3,000 BC and perhaps as early as 12,000 BC when an ice-free corridor opened as
9471-658: The area of what is now Rossdale , beginning Edmonton's start as a permanent population centre. The fort was located on the border of territory that was disputed by the Blackfoot and Cree nations. Furthermore, the fort intersected territory patrolled by the Blackfoot Confederacy to the South, and the Cree, Dene , and Nakoda nations to the north. After the NWC merged with the HBC, Fort Augustus
9594-563: The arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1891, its inauguration as a city in 1904, and its designation as the capital of the new province of Alberta in 1906. Its growth was facilitated through the absorption of five adjacent urban municipalities ( Strathcona , North Edmonton , West Edmonton , Beverly and Jasper Place ) in addition to a series of annexations through 1982, and the annexation of 8,260 ha (82.6 km ; 31.9 sq mi) of land from Leduc County and
9717-500: The central area of the current provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. The coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to southern Alberta in 1885 helped the Edmonton economy, and the 1891 building of the Calgary and Edmonton (C&E) Railway resulted in the emergence of a railway townsite (South Edmonton/Strathcona) on the river's south side, across from Edmonton. The arrival of the CPR and
9840-411: The city the moniker "City of Champions". In 1892, Edmonton was incorporated as a town. The first mayor was Matthew McCauley , who established the first school board in Edmonton and Board of Trade (later Chamber of Commerce) and a municipal police service. Due to McCauley's good relationship with the federal Liberals, Edmonton maintained economic and political prominence over Strathcona, a rival town on
9963-564: The city, while others fled to greener pastures in other provinces. Recruitment to the army during the war also contributed to the drop in population. Afterwards, the city slowly recovered in population and economy during the 1920s and 1930s and took off again during and after World War II . The Edmonton City Centre Airport opened in 1929, becoming Canada's first licensed airfield. Originally named Blatchford Field in honour of former mayor Kenny Blatchford , pioneering aviators such as Wilfrid R. "Wop" May and Max Ward used Blatchford Field as
10086-428: The constitution. The parliament and government will both issue their official opinions on whether they recommend voting for or against the proposed amendment, and these opinions will be published. The parliament may also pass an alternative amendment suggestion which will also be included on the ballot; in this case, the voters cast two votes, one for whether or not they want an amendment, and one for which one they want,
10209-576: The driest months being February, March, October, November and December. Significant snowfall accumulation typically begins in late October and tapers off by late March. Dry spells are not uncommon and may occur at any time of the year. Extremes do occur, such as the 114 mm (4.49 in) of rainfall that fell on July 31, 1953. Much of the precipitation that Edmonton receives in the summer comes from late-day thunderstorms, which are frequent and occasionally severe enough to produce large hail, damaging winds, funnel clouds, and tornadoes. The summer of 2006
10332-492: The early 1900s, Edmonton's rapid growth led to speculation in real estate. In 1912, Edmonton amalgamated with the City of Strathcona south of the North Saskatchewan River ; as a result, the city held land on both banks of the North Saskatchewan River for the first time. Just before World War I , the boom ended, and the city's population declined from more than 72,000 in 1914 to less than 54,000 only two years later. Many impoverished families moved to subsistence farms outside
10455-710: The early 21st century, the Province of Alberta formed the Capital Region Board (CRB) on April 15, 2008. The CRB consists of 24 member municipalities – 22 of which are within the Edmonton CMA and two of which are outside the CMA. The City of Edmonton announced in March 2013 its intent to annex 156 square kilometres of land (including the Edmonton International Airport) from Leduc County. On November 30, 2016,
10578-527: The establishment of the European Communities in 1957. This, however, does require that the signatures come from a "significant number" of Member States. It is suggested that this significant number will need to be around a quarter of member states, with at least 1/500 of the citizens in those member states supporting the initiative. With the variety of languages within the European Union, this creates
10701-527: The first grain elevator was built. The first bank branch , the Merchant's Bank opened its doors in 1918. A permanent brick schoolhouse was built in 1925. The Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (Halifax) operated a hospital out of a former house in 1927, and a purpose-built hospital, the Immaculata, was opened in 1928. Westlock became a town on 7 January 1947 with a population of 854. That same year,
10824-459: The first permanent settlement in the area of what is now Edmonton, the Hudson's Bay Company trading post of Fort Edmonton (also known as Edmonton House) was named after Edmonton , Middlesex , England. The fort's name was chosen by William Tomison , who was in charge of its construction, taking the fort's namesake from the hometown of the Lake family – at least five of whom were influential members of
10947-750: The five former urban municipalities annexed by the city over its history: Beverly, Jasper Place, North Edmonton, Strathcona and West Edmonton (Calder). Larger residential areas within Edmonton's six suburban sectors, each comprising multiple neighbourhoods, include Heritage Valley , Kaskitayo , Riverbend , Terwillegar Heights and Windermere (southwest sector); The Grange , Lewis Farms and West Jasper Place (west sector); Big Lake (northwest sector); Castle Downs , Lake District and The Palisades (north sector); Casselman-Steele Heights , Clareview , Hermitage , Londonderry and Pilot Sound (northeast sector); and Ellerslie , The Meadows , Mill Woods and Southeast Edmonton (southeast sector). Mill Woods
11070-400: The flying of flags related to "political, social, or religious movements or commercial entities" on municipal property, and the painting of zebra crossings in any colours other than white. The referendum was criticized by Mayor Jon Kramer, councilmen, and other politicians for prohibiting the official display of pride flags and the painting of rainbow crossings . Kramer stated the plebiscite
11193-672: The government held the first referendum under this legislation, in September 2011 on the subject of repealing the Harmonized Sales Tax . Details of its use in BC are available on the Elections BC website. In the United States , a popular vote on a measure is referred to as a referendum only when aiming at allowing or repealing an act passed by a state legislature. An initiative may be called
11316-403: The initiatives have proven to be a useful tool to force the government to concentrate on subjects that will otherwise remain hidden from the politic, lowering the distance between the government and the citizens. While there is no mandate for a referendum following directly from such an initiative, the UK government has a system whereby citizens can set up online petitions, which are considered by
11439-548: The legislature. An agenda setting initiative is a measure submitted by petition to a legislature for consideration. The legislature may choose to approve or reject the proposal without a public vote. This form or initiative is more common than a legally binding direct or indirect initiative. In Brazil, a popular law initiative requires two conditions be met before it is sent to the National Congress: signatures from at least 1% of national registered voters and at least 0.3% of
11562-679: The list of signatures, the Marshal of the Sejm must request the National Electoral Commission to verify the signatures. The electoral commission has 21 days to carry out the verification. One of the best known citizens' initiatives in Poland is the pair of 2015/2016 anti-abortion and pro-abortion initiatives which were accompanied by the Black Protest marches coordinated by women's rights groups. In October 2022, United Poland submitted
11685-496: The longest growing seasons on the Canadian Prairies . At the summer solstice , Edmonton receives 17 hours and three minutes of daylight, with an hour and 46 minutes of civil twilight , and on average receives 2,344 hours of bright sunshine per year, making it one of Canada's sunniest cities. The city is known for having cold winters, though its weather is milder than Regina , Saskatoon or Winnipeg , all of which are on
11808-527: The now ratified European Lisbon Treaty (which entered into force on 1 December 2009), enabling a limited indirect initiative right. It follows very similar rules to the ones outlined in the European Constitution, requiring the signatures of 1,000 000 European Nationals. These citizens would thereby obtain the same right to request the Commission to submit a legislative proposal as the Council has had since
11931-484: The occupied housing in the town was single-detached (the average in Alberta was 63.4%), while 17.7% were apartments in buildings with fewer than five storeys (14.7% in Alberta as a whole). Of the total private dwellings, there were 1,410 housing units (houses or apartments) which were owned, and 650 which were rented. The majority of the housing stock (1,630) was constructed before 1986, while 430 units were built between 1986 and 2006. The average value of owned dwellings
12054-441: The original one from the initiative or the one introduced in parliament, in case a majority decides for amending. A citizen-proposed change to the constitution in Switzerland at the national level needs to achieve both a majority of the national popular vote and a majority of the canton-wide vote to pass. The vast majority of national initiatives introduced since 1891, when the system started, have failed to receive voter support. But
12177-515: The people allowed to vote from each of at least five of the 27 federal unities (the 26 states plus the federal district). If both conditions are met, Congress is obliged to discuss and vote on holding the initiative. The Canadian province of British Columbia has a citizen initiative law known as the Recall and Initiative Act. The original proposal was put to voters in a referendum held in October 1991 and
12300-560: The petitions committee and the pre-legislative scrutiny process. Article 48 of the 1922 Constitution of the Irish Free State gave a right of initiative: if more than 50,000 voters demanded a change in law, the Oireachtas had two years to enact it, failing which 75,000 voters could petition for a referendum . The only attempt to invoke this was organised in 1927 by Fianna Fáil , the largest opposition party, which sought to abolish
12423-506: The region have led to intermunicipal competition, strained intermunicipal relationships and overall fragmentation of the region. Although several attempts have been made by the City of Edmonton to absorb surrounding municipalities or annex portions of its neighbours, the city has not absorbed another municipality since the Town of Jasper Place joined Edmonton on August 17, 1964, and the city has not annexed land from any of its neighbours since January 1, 1982. After years of mounting pressure in
12546-428: The registered voters therein. No amendment under this section shall be authorized within five years following the ratification of this Constitution nor oftener than once every five years thereafter. This provision is further protected by Republic Act 6735 or The Initiative and Referendum Act. The law defines initiative as: The law also provides indirect initiative defining the exercise of people's initiative through
12669-524: The right to initiative. However, there is no constitutional citizens' initiative in Germany at a federal level. The Constitution of Ireland , since its 1937 enactment , has never made provision for initiatives. Since 2012, the Oireachtas (parliament) has a joint committee to which the public can submit petitions ; the committee must formally consider them but need not accept them. In May–June 2013, when
12792-472: The second generation (955). The majority of the population (3,980) had lived in the same house a year earlier, and most of those (2,525) had been in the same house five years earlier as well. There were 310 people who had Aboriginal identity . There were 145 who reported being visible minorities . A large minority (1,385) of those residents aged 15 years and older (3,825) had no certificate, diploma, or degree. 1,100 of residents aged 15 years and older has
12915-632: The south side of the North Saskatchewan River. Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904 and became Alberta's capital in 1905. In 1904, the City of Edmonton purchased the Edmonton District Telephone Company for $ 17,000 from Alex Taylor , a Canadian entrepreneur, inventor, and politician. Amalgamated into a city department as City of Edmonton Telephone Department, City Telephone System (CTS), 'Edmonton telephones'. In 1989, City Council voted to create Edmonton Telephones Corporation (Ed Tel) to operate as an autonomous organization under
13038-588: The subjects of ongoing open initiatives of the European Citizens' Initiative are e.g. about "water and sanitation as a human right" (against Water privatization ), "30 km/h - making the streets liveable!" ( Traffic calming in towns), " Unconditional Basic Income " (UBI - Exploring a pathway towards emancipatory welfare conditions), or to "End Ecocide in Europe" (to give the Earth Rights). It remains to be seen if
13161-633: The surrounding area. Larger urban communities include Sherwood Park (an urban service area within Strathcona County ), the cities of St. Albert , Beaumont , Leduc , Spruce Grove and Fort Saskatchewan , and the towns of Stony Plain , Morinville , and Devon . Major employment areas outside Edmonton but within the CMA include the Nisku Industrial Business Park and the Edmonton International Airport (including
13284-543: The town, and there are several old age homes . Westlock is too far from Edmonton to serve as a bedroom community but some people do commute. Of increasing importance to the community since the Second World War has been highway traffic heading to oilfields in Northern Alberta . Recent retail developments have shifted from the railway era downtown to larger malls and businesses along the highway. One recent proposal
13407-437: The winter. The highest temperature recorded in Edmonton was 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on June 29, 1937 and on July 2, 2013, a record high humidex of 44 was recorded due to an unusually humid day with a temperature of 33.9 °C (93.0 °F) and a record high dew point of 23 °C (73 °F). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Edmonton was −49.4 °C (−56.9 °F) on January 19 and 21, 1886. Edmonton has
13530-489: The year. It falls into the NRC 4a Plant Hardiness Zone . Summer in Edmonton lasts from June until early September, while winter lasts from November until March and in common with all of Alberta varies greatly in length and severity. Spring and autumn are both short and highly variable. Edmonton's growing season on average lasts from May 9 to September 22; having an average 135–140 frost-free days each year, resulting in one of
13653-594: Was $ 148,083 (compared to Albertan average of $ 293,811). There were 2,060 households, of which 1,355 were considered census families in 2006, with an average of 2.8 persons per family, compared to an Alberta average of 3.0. The median incomes in 2005 were $ 41,487 per household and $ 47,853 per census family, compared to the Alberta median incomes of $ 63,988 and $ 73,823 respectively. In 2006, there were 3,945 people who claimed English as their mother tongue , 125 who chose French, and 10 who indicated both. In addition, 600 claimed another language (besides English and French) as
13776-418: Was accepted by the Parliament during the 2011-2015 parliamentary session, though political debate, decision-making and drafting of the new law continued on to the next parliamentary session. The new law took effect on 1 March 2017 . To date, a total of 24 citizens' initiatives have reached the 50,000 mark, with 20 of them having been either rejected or accepted in Parliament - so far, only two have been accepted:
13899-489: Was also a historic site for the Métis . By 1795, many trading posts had been established around the area that later became the Edmonton census metropolitan area. "Fort Edmonton", as it was known, became the main centre for trade in the area after the 1821 merger of the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company . It remained sparsely populated until the Canadian acquisition of Rupert's Land in 1870, followed eventually by
14022-437: Was binding but did not reflect the views of all Westlock residents, and stated that "we will continue to find ways to embrace those in our community who need a helping hand, including marginalized groups." In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , the Town of Westlock had a population of 4,921 living in 2,151 of its 2,385 total private dwellings, a change of -3.5% from its 2016 population of 5,101. With
14145-527: Was closed in 1911 when Conservative Party came to power and fired many Liberals from the postal service . In 1911 the railway reached nearby Clyde to the east, and in 1912 the E.D. & B.C. Railway (later the Northern Alberta Railway , now part of CN ) mapped a new townsite where Westlock now stands to the west. Edison was now caught between the two. In 1914, the Methodist church building
14268-558: Was closed in favour of Fort Edmonton. In 1876, Treaty 6 , which includes what is now Edmonton, was signed between First Nations and the Crown , as part of the Numbered Treaties . The agreement includes the Plains and Woods Cree, Assiniboine , and other band governments of First Nations at Fort Carlton , Fort Pitt , and Battle River . The area covered by the treaty represents most of
14391-531: Was for a residential development adjoining Westlock Airport which would allow people to commute to the oilsand projects in Fort McMurray and other northern developments, but this has not been started as yet. Westlock's current MP is Arnold Viersen , representing the riding of Peace River-Westlock . In the 2015 Canadian Federal Election Westlock became part of the newly formed Peace River—Westlock federal electoral district. The MLA who represents Westlock
14514-567: Was introduced by Rep. Elmer Fulton of Oklahoma ; the proposal was never put to a vote. In 1977, both the Abourezk-Hatfield National Voter Initiative and the Jagt Resolutions never got out of committee. Senator Mike Gravel was part of that effort. The modern system of initiatives and referendums in the United States originated in the state of South Dakota , which adopted initiatives and referendums in 1898 by
14637-467: Was named Edgson, but this was considered too hard to pronounce. Edson, Alberta already existed, so the site was called Edison by its Irish-Canadian founders, after the American inventor Thomas Edison . The community in 1912 consisted of a total of no more than 13 buildings: a harness shop, a blacksmith shop, several homes, two churches, and one family living in a tent. There was also a post office but this
14760-551: Was particularly warm for Edmonton, as temperatures reached 29 °C (84 °F) or higher more than 20 times from mid-May to early September. Later, the summer of 2021 saw the temperature rise above 29 °C (84 °F) on 23 days between June and August, while nearly breaking the record high temperature on June 30 with a temperature of 37.0 °C (98.6 °F). The winter of 2011–12 was particularly warm: from December 22 through March 20 there were 53 occasions when Edmonton saw temperatures at or above 0.0 °C (32.0 °F) at
14883-399: Was picked up and moved down the road to Westlock, an indication of the new settlement's ascendancy over the older one. The name of the new town is a portmanteau of the names of William Westgate and William Lockhart, who owned the property. Westlock was incorporated as a village on 16 March 1916, with a population of 65 residents. The first reeve was George MacTavish, and in that same year,
15006-453: Was ratified by state conventions rather than by a referendum. Several proposals have been made to institute a national referendum. The Ludlow Amendment , introduced several times to the House of Representatives by Louis Ludlow of Indiana between 1935 and 1940, proposed an amendment to the Constitution that would require a national referendum to declare war except in the case of invasion or attack. The amendment came closest to overcoming
15129-426: Was supported by over 83% of voters. It was subsequently put into force by the incoming NDP government. Since it came into force in 1995, at least 14 attempts have been made to force the government to either adopt a law or to hold a referendum on the question, but only one has succeeded. Only one secured the required signatures of 10% of registered voters in each riding throughout British Columbia. Due to this achievement
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