Fort Saskatchewan | |||
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City | |||
City of Fort Saskatchewan | |||
Fort Saskatchewan City Hall in December
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Motto: Gotta Love It! | |||
Location of Fort Saskatchewan in Alberta | |||
Coordinates: 53°42′46″N 113°12′48″W / 53.71278°N 113.21333°WCoordinates: 53°42′46″N 113°12′48″W / 53.71278°N 113.21333°W | |||
Country | Canada | ||
Province | Alberta | ||
Region | Edmonton Capital Region | ||
Census division | 11 | ||
Incorporated | |||
• Village | March 1, 1899 | ||
• Town | July 1, 1907 | ||
• City | July 1, 1985 | ||
Government | |||
• Mayor |
Gale Katchur (Past mayors) |
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• Governing body |
Fort Saskatchewan City Council
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• Manager | Troy Fleming (acting) | ||
• MP | Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan-Cons) | ||
• MLA | Jessica Littlewood (Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville-NDP) | ||
Area (2016) | |||
• Land | 48.18 km2 (18.60 sq mi) | ||
Elevation | 610 m (2,000 ft) | ||
Population (2016) | |||
• Total | 24,149 | ||
• Density | 501.3/km2 (1,298/sq mi) | ||
• Municipal census (2016) | 24,569 | ||
Time zone | MST (UTC−7) | ||
• Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC−6) | ||
Postal code span | T8L | ||
Area code(s) | +1-780 | ||
Highways |
Highway 15 Highway 21 |
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Waterways | North Saskatchewan River | ||
Website | Official website |
Fort Saskatchewan is a city in Alberta, Canada, located 25 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of Edmonton, Alberta's capital city, along the North Saskatchewan River. Fort Saskatchewan is part of the Edmonton census metropolitan area and is one of 24 municipalities that comprise the Capital Region Board (CRB). Fort Saskatchewan's population in the 2016 federal census was 24,149 while it was 24,569 in the city's 2016 municipal census.
Fort Saskatchewan is bordered by Strathcona County to the south and east, Sturgeon County to the north and west, and the City of Edmonton to the southwest. Sturgeon County and Edmonton are both located across the North Saskatchewan River.
The city is most well known for its proximity to petrochemical facilities, including Dow Chemical, Sherritt International, Agrium and Shell Canada. It is also known for its flock of 50 sheep that roam its downtown park throughout the summer months eating the grass. The city mascot is a sheep named Auggie.
In 1875, under the command of Inspector W.D. Jarvis, the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) established Fort Saskatchewan as a fort on the North Saskatchewan River. The community was later incorporated as a village in 1899, a town in 1904, and a city in 1985.
The Canadian Northern Railway reached Fort Saskatchewan in 1905, placing the town on a transcontinental rail line. The first bridge across the river was also built at this time, with the rail company paying for it in exchange for free land for its station in Fort Saskatchewan. Prior to the bridge, the only method to cross the river at Fort Saskatchewan was via ferry. In the decade after the railway arrived, the town's population nearly doubled to 993.