Breton, Alberta

Village in Alberta, Canada

Coat of arms

Location in Brazeau County

53°06′18.0″N 114°28′25.1″W / 53.105000°N 114.473639°W / 53.105000; -114.473639CountryCanadaProvinceAlbertaRegionCentral AlbertaCensus division11Municipal DistrictBrazeau CountyIncorporated^[1] • VillageJanuary 1, 1957Government

^[2]

• MayorJames Alan Barker • Governing bodyBreton Village CouncilArea

(2021)^[3]

• Land1.72 km² (0.66 sq mi)Population

(2021)^[3]

• Total567 • Density329.9/km² (854/sq mi)Time zoneUTC−7 (MST) • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)Postal code span

T0C 0P0

HighwaysHighway 20
Highway 616Websitewww.breton.ca

Breton /ˈbrɛtən/ is a village in central Alberta, Canada. It is located roughly 95 kilometres (59 mi) southwest of Edmonton.

History

Originally called Keystone, it was established in 1909 by a group of African-American immigrants as a block settlement.^[4] The new Black Canadian homesteaders arrived from Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas, just four years after Alberta became a province in 1905.^[5]

A Canadian Northern Railway line went through Breton. Breton had several grain elevators and a station.^[6]

In 1927 the town was renamed after politician Douglas Breton, in his second year as the region's Member of the Alberta Legislature.^[7]^[8]

Infrastructure

It has one High School (grades 7–12) and one elementary (K-6) school. It has a Paid on call Fire department operating with the Brazeau county fire services, two grocery stores, two golf courses, four restaurants, two hair parlors, a police station with three officers and one secretary.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Breton had a population of 567 living in 259 of its 296 total private dwellings, a change of -1.2% from its 2016 population of 574. With a land area of 1.72 km² (0.66 sq mi), it had a population density of 329.7/km² (853.8/sq mi) in 2021.^[3]

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Breton recorded a population of 574 living in 252 of its 292 total private dwellings, a 15.7% change from its 2011 population of 496. With a land area of 1.72 km² (0.66 sq mi), it had a population density of 333.7/km² (864.3/sq mi) in 2016.^[9]

The Village of Breton's 2012 municipal census counted a population of 581,^[10] a 0.3% increase over its 2007 municipal census population of 579.^[11]

References

^ "Location and History Profile: Village of Breton" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 14, 2016. p. 113. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
^ "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. May 9, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities)". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
^ Heritage Community Foundation; Black Pioneers Descendants' Society (2007). "Alberta's Black Pioneer Heritage - Keystone". Heritage Community Foundation and Black Pioneers Descendants' Society. Archived from the original on 2009-11-09. Retrieved 2008-07-09.
^ Rowe, Allan (2015-02-12). "African American Immigration to Alberta". Historic Resources Management Branch. Alberta Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Retrieved 2017-02-06.
^ South Edmonton Saga, map on endpapers.
^ "Breton". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
^ "Legislative Assembly of Alberta" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. 24 August 2006. p. 1,690. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 15, 2021.
^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
^ "2012 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 2012-11-22. Retrieved 2012-12-13.
^ "Alberta 2009 Official Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 2009-09-15. Retrieved 2010-09-14.