Anzac is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the Regional Municipality (RM) of Wood Buffalo.[4] It is located on Highway 881 along the east shore of Gregoire Lake, approximately 36 kilometres (22 mi) southeast of Fort McMurray.

Anzac
Anzac welcome sign
Anzac welcome sign
Anzac is located in Alberta
Anzac
Anzac
Location of Anzac in Alberta
Coordinates: 56°26′47″N 111°2′50″W / 56.44639°N 111.04722°W / 56.44639; -111.04722
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
RegionNorthern Alberta
Census division16
Specialized municipalityRM of Wood Buffalo
EstablishedAugust 7, 1979[1]
Founded byAlberta and Great Waterways Railway
Named forAustralian and New Zealand Army Corps
Government
 • MayorSandy Bowman
 • Governing body
Wood Buffalo Municipal Council
  • Ken Ball
  • Funky Banjoko
  • Lance Bussieres
  • M. Shafiq Dogar
  • Allan Grandison
  • Nicholas Keith McGrath
  • Kendrick Cardinal
  • Loretta Waquan
  • Stu Wigle
  • Jane Stroud
Area
 (2021)[3]
 • Land8.57 km2 (3.31 sq mi)
Elevation
490 m (1,610 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total506
 • Density59/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−7
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Postal code
Area code+1-780
WebsiteRM of Wood Buffalo page

History edit

 
Cafe in Anzac, 1960s

Anzac was named for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I, when the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway was being built from Carbondale to Waterways.[5]

Originally named after Willow Lake, the previous name of Gregoire Lake, the community were mostly non-status or non-treaty Cree whose ancestors had migrated to the Athabasca Basin area from what was to become northern Manitoba, mostly displacing the original Beaver and Chipewyan occupants of the area.

During World War II a road was built from the rail siding to service and construct a US Army base on Stoney Mountain.

The area has seen significant growth corresponding to that of Fort McMurray and the oil industry.

The hamlet was ordered to be evacuated on May 5, 2016, due to the spread of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire.

Demographics edit

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Anzac had a population of 506 living in 190 of its 256 total private dwellings, a change of -7.7% from its 2016 population of 548. With a land area of 8.57 km2 (3.31 sq mi), it had a population density of 59.0/km2 (152.9/sq mi) in 2021.[3]

The population of Anzac according to the 2018 municipal census conducted by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is 659,[6] an increase from its 2015 municipal census population count of 606.[7]

As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Anzac had a population of 548 living in 197 of its 286 total private dwellings, a change of -6.3% from its 2011 population of 585. With a land area of 8.56 km2 (3.31 sq mi), it had a population density of 64.0/km2 (165.8/sq mi) in 2016.[8]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Ministerial Order 756/79" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. August 7, 1979. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  2. ^ "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. May 9, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  4. ^ "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  5. ^ Place-names of Alberta. Ottawa: Geographic Board of Canada. 1928. p. 12.
  6. ^ "census2018 Municipal Census Report" (PDF). Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  7. ^ "The Municipal Census 2015 Report" (PDF). Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. p. 52. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  8. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.