Local government history - dates noting government status

Detailed historical account of Strathcona County's governance

The beginnings of organized governance in what today is Strathcona County started with the Clover Bar area being named Statute Labor and Fire District No. 2 in 1893. A declaration of the North-West Territorial Legislature in response to a local petition of settlers, this act was intended to organize herd and fire districts, and trails for increasing settlement.

The North-West Territorial Legislature revised the labor districts, renaming them local improvement districts. In 1903 the local improvement districts were enlarged to six townships--216 square miles in size. In 1912, local improvement districts were enlarged to nine townships. Those in this vicinity were called Local Improvement District No. 517 and Local Improvement District No. 518.

In 1918 names were added; Local Improvement District No. 517 became the Municipal District of Clover Bar No. 517, and Local Improvement District No. 518 became the Municipal District of Strathcona, No. 518.

In 1938, the Government of Alberta amalgamated 76 one-roomed school districts in the Strathcona and Leduc areas, and named the new entity Clover Bar School Division No. 13.

In 1955 the Co-terminus Boundaries Act laid the groundwork for the union of the Municipal District of Strathcona No. 83 with those schools in the Clover Bar School Division within the municipality's borders. This led to the amalgamation of these two bodies -- the municipality and school division -- on January 1, 1962. The new entity was called County of Strathcona No. 20.

This marriage of municipal council and school board lasted until 1994 when the provincial government repealed the County Act. At this point school operations fell to the newly formed Elk Island Public Schools Regional Division No. 14.

Effective January 1, 1996, Strathcona County was incorporated as a specialized municipality by Alberta Municipal Affairs. This means that Sherwood Park and the Urban Service Area immediately around it is considered equivalent to a city for purposes of provincial programs and grants, and the surrounding rural areas are recognized as equivalent to a municipal district for program and grant purposes.

--Researched in part from Story of Rural Municipal Government in Alberta 1909 to 1983
Publisher: Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties, 1983
Used with permission