Saddle Hills County
{{short description|Municipal district in Alberta, Canada}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Saddle Hills County
| other_name =
| native_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Municipal district
| motto = The Wilderness is our Back Yard
| image_seal = Saddle Hills County Alberta symbol.png
| seal_type = Logo
| blank_emblem_type =
| image_skyline = Saddle hills ab admin building.jpg
| image_caption = Administration building
| image_map =
{{Location map+ |CAN AB Saddle Hills
|caption =
|float = center
|places =
{{Location map~ |CAN AB Saddle Hills
|label = Woking
|mark = Western Canada Map Assets Hamlet.svg
|marksize = 4
|position = left
|lat_deg = 55.5925
|lon_deg = -118.7719}}
{{Location map~ |CAN AB Saddle Hills
|label = Blueberry Mountain
|mark = Western Canada Map Assets Hamlet.svg
|marksize = 4
|position = right
|lat_deg = 55.926667
|lon_deg = -119.149722}}
{{Location map~ |CAN AB Saddle Hills
|label = Silver Valley
|mark = Western Canada Map Assets Hamlet.svg
|marksize = 4
|position = top
|lat_deg = 56.042778
|lon_deg = -119.568889}}
{{Location map~ |CAN AB Saddle Hills
|label = Gordondale
|mark = Western Canada Map Assets Hamlet.svg
|marksize = 4
|position = bottom
|lat_deg = 55.84
|lon_deg = -119.540278}}
{{Location map~ |CAN AB Saddle Hills
|label = Bay Tree
|mark = Western Canada Map Assets Hamlet.svg
|marksize = 4
|position = top
|lat_deg = 55.825
|lon_deg = -119.906111}}
}}
| image_map1 = AB locator SADDLE HILLS COUNTY.svg
| mapsize1 = 200
| map_caption1 = Location within Alberta
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Canada
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Alberta
| subdivision_type2 = Region
| subdivision_name2 = Northern Alberta
| subdivision_type3 = Census division
| subdivision_name3 = 19
| government_footnotes = {{AMOS}}
| government_type =
| leader_title = Reeve
| leader_name = Alvin Hubert
| leader_title1 = Governing body
| leader_name1 = Saddle Hills County Council
| leader_title2 = Administrative office
| leader_name2 = west of Spirit River
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 1945
| established_title2 = Incorporated
| established_date2 = 1995 (Municipal district)
| established_title3 =
| established_date3 = 1999 (County)
| area_land_km2 = 5827.7
| population_as_of = 2021
| population_note =
| population_total = 2338
| population_density_km2 = 0.4
| population_blank1_title =
| population_blank1 =
| population_blank2_title =
| population_blank2 =
| timezone = MST
| utc_offset = −7
| timezone_DST = MDT
| utc_offset_DST = −6
|coordinates = {{coord|55|46|55|N|118|50|2|W|region:CA-AB|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code =
| website = {{URL|www.saddlehills.ab.ca|saddlehills.ab.ca}}
| footnotes =
}}
Saddle Hills County is a municipal district situated in the central portion of the Peace Country in northwest Alberta, Canada. Located approximately {{convert|450|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of Edmonton and {{convert|90|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Grande Prairie, its municipal office is located approximately {{convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of the Town of Spirit River at the intersection of Highway 49 and Highway 725.
Geography
= Communities and localities =
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Saddle Hills County.{{AltaML}}
- none
- none
- none
- none
The following hamlets are located within Saddle Hills County.
{{Col-2}}
The following localities are located within Saddle Hills County.{{cite web | url=http://stds.statcan.gc.ca/sgc-cgt/2006/ersl-rerl-fin-eng.asp?criteria=4819059 | title=Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) 2006, Economic Regions: 4819059 - Saddle Hills County, geographical codes and localities, 2006 | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=2010-03-05 | access-date=2012-08-12}}
;Localities
- Bay Tree
- Blueberry Mountain
- Bonanza
- Braeburn
- Cotillion{{cite map | url=https://www.altalis.com/map;id=117 | title=Geo-Administrative Areas (Hamlet, Locality and Townsite Culture Points) | date=October 26, 2020 | year=2020 | publisher=AltaLIS | format=Geodatabase layer | access-date=October 2, 2021}}
- Dunvegan Settlement
- Fourth Creek
- Gordondale
- Happy Valley
- Ksituan
- Moonshine Lake
- Northmark
- Poplar Ridge
- Savanna
- Silver Valley
- Whitburn
{{Col-end}}
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saddle Hills County had a population of 2,338 living in 880 of its 1,115 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:2338-2225}}|2225|1}} from its 2016 population of 2,225. With a land area of {{cvt|5827.7|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|2338|5827.7|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000248 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 9, 2022}}
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saddle Hills County had a population of 2,225 living in 838 of its 978 total private dwellings, a {{percentage|{{#expr:2225-2288}}|2288|1}} change from its 2011 population of 2,288. With a land area of {{convert|5838.15|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|2225|5838.15|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2016.{{cite web | url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=86&O=A&RPP=9999&PR=48 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 8, 2017 | access-date=February 8, 2017}}
Economy
Saddle Hills County is situated in the Central Peace Region of northwestern Alberta along the southern banks of the Peace River. The county has a diverse agricultural community and deposits of natural gas and oil.
The oil and gas industry continues to play an important role in the region and helps to create a progressive and growing economic base.
Saddle Hills County is also home to a diverse agricultural community which produces crops which include: pulses, cereals, canola, legumes as well as bison, elk, goats and sheep. The most common livestock is cattle with an estimated of 26,429 head.
Rail service is available nearby in the Village of Rycroft, the Hamlet of Woking and the City of Dawson Creek.
Two major road corridors (Highway 49 and Highway 2) run through the County offering access to the Northwest Territories, British Columbia as well as Central and Southern Alberta.
Three areas of the County have been targeted for economic growth and have area structure plans that are designed to give landowners, developers and prospective residents a sense of where the County its future potential.{{cite web | url=https://townfolio.co/ab/saddle-hills-county/overview | title=Overview | publisher=Saddle Hills County | accessdate=October 3, 2021}}
In November 2019, Saddle Hills County Council declared a municipal agricultural disaster following a wet fall and early snow that resulted in many crops remaining unharvested.
{{cite web | url=https://www.saddlehills.ab.ca/en/news/council-declares-municipal-agricultural-disaster.aspx | title=Council Declares Municipal Agricultural Disaster | publisher=Saddle Hills County | date=November 8, 2019 | accessdate=October 3, 2021}} As late October 2019, only 59% of crops had been harvested in the Peace Region.
Government
County Council is responsible for establishing municipal service levels, approving the annual budget and local taxation levels. Council has seven members and is headed by a reeve. The reeve, currently Alvin Hubert, is the chief elected officer and is elected from within council. It is the reeve's responsibility to chair all council meetings and speak on behalf of council and the community.
Council provides direction to its administration through its chief administrative officer (CAO). The CAO is responsible for the overall administration of the county and for advising and making recommendations to county council on matters concerning the municipality.
Gallery
File:Fall Colours in Saddle Hills County.jpg|alt=Autumn|The beautiful Saddle Hills in autumn
File:Fishing at Moonshine Lake.jpg|alt=Fishing at Moonshine Lake|Moonshine Lake offers year-round fishing
File:Beautiful Peace River.jpg|alt=Peace River|Canada's Mighty Peace River runs through Saddle Hills County
File:Beautiful autumn in Saddle Hills County.jpg|alt=Fall colours in Saddle Hills County|Autumn makes the hills and valley of Saddle Hills County stand out
File:Moonshine Lake in summer.jpg|alt=Moonshine Lake|Moonshine Lake is one of the jewels of Saddle Hills County
File:Rim Rocks Bay Tree.jpg|alt=Rim Rocks|The Rim Rocks are a unique rock formation near Bay Tree is Saddle Hills County
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}}
{{Geographic location
| Northwest = Peace River Regional District
| North = Clear Hills County
| Northeast = Municipal District of Fairview No. 136
| West = Peace River Regional District
| Centre = Saddle Hills County
| East = Municipal District of Spirit River No. 133
| Southwest = Peace River Regional District
| South = County of Grande Prairie No. 1
| Southeast = Birch Hills County
}}
{{Alberta|RM=yes}}