Lethbridge County

{{short description|Municipal district in Alberta, Canada}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2026}} {{use mdy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox settlement  | official_name = Lethbridge County | other_name = | native_name = | nickname = | settlement_type = Municipal district | motto =  | image_skyline = | image_caption = | image_seal = Lethbridge County AB logo.png | seal_type = Logo | blank_emblem_type = | image_map = {{Location map+ |CAN AB Lethbridge |caption = |float = center |places = {{Location map~ |CAN AB Lethbridge |label = '''Lethbridge''' |mark = Western Canada Map Assets City.svg |marksize = 8 |label_size = 110 |position = left |lat_deg = 49.694167 |lon_deg = -112.832778}} {{Location map~ |CAN AB Lethbridge |label = '''Coaldale''' |mark = Western Canada Map Assets Town.svg |marksize = 6 |position = top |lat_deg = 49.733333 |lon_deg = -112.616667}} {{Location map~ |CAN AB Lethbridge |label = '''Coalhurst''' |mark = Western Canada Map Assets Town.svg |marksize = 6 |position = left |lat_deg = 49.7457 |lon_deg = -112.9319}} {{Location map~ |CAN AB Lethbridge |label = '''Picture Butte''' |mark = Western Canada Map Assets Town.svg |marksize = 6 |position = top |lat_deg = 49.873056 |lon_deg = -112.78}} {{Location map~ |CAN AB Lethbridge |label = Barons |mark = Western Canada Map Assets Village.svg |marksize = 5 |position = left |lat_deg = 49.9975 |lon_deg = -113.0817}} {{Location map~ |CAN AB Lethbridge |label = Nobleford |mark = Western Canada Map Assets Town.svg |marksize = 6 |position = bottom |lat_deg = 49.882222 |lon_deg = -113.053056}} }} | image_map1 = AB locator LETHBRIDGE 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 = Southern Alberta | subdivision_type3 = Census division | subdivision_name3 = 2 | government_footnotes = <ref name=council>{{AMOS}}</ref> | government_type = | leader_title = Reeve | leader_name = Tory Campbell | leader_title1 = Governing body | leader_name1 = {{Collapsible list|title=Lethbridge County Council | 1 = Ken Benson |2=Steve Campbell |3=Robert Horvath|4=Lorne Hickey |5=Klaas Vanderveen |6=Tory Campbell|7=Morris Zeinstra}} | leader_title2 = CAO | leader_name2 = Cole Beck | leader_title3 = Administrative office | leader_name3 = Lethbridge | established_title = Incorporated | established_date = January 1, 1954<ref name=history/> | established_title2 = Name changes | established_date2 = January 1, 1964<ref name=history/><br>September 6, 2000<ref name=history/><br>December 4, 2013<ref name=namechange/> | area_footnotes =  (2021)<ref name=2021census/> | area_land_km2 = 2815.66 | population_as_of = 2021 | population_footnotes = <ref name=2021census/> | population_note = | population_total = 10120  | population_density_km2 = 3.6 | population_blank1_title = | population_blank1 = | population_blank2_title = | population_blank2 = | timezone = MST | utc_offset = −7 | timezone_DST = MDT | utc_offset_DST = −6 | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m =  | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = | website = {{official website|www.lethcounty.ca|lethcounty.ca}} | footnotes = }}

'''Lethbridge County''' is a municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada. It is in Census Division No. 2 and part of the Lethbridge census agglomeration. It was known as the ''County of Lethbridge'' prior to December 4, 2013.<ref name=namechange>{{cite news | url=http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/orders/orders_in_council/2013/1213/2013_393.html | title=O.C. 393/2013 | publisher=Government of Alberta | date=December 4, 2013 | access-date=December 4, 2013}}</ref> Its name was changed in time for 2014 to coincide with its 50th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lethcounty.ca/municipal/lethbridge/lethbridge-website.nsf/AllDoc/C1CE64EF37C97DAD87257BF30053319F/$FILE/Immediate%20Release%20County%20Council%20Adopts%20New%20Logo%20201309.pdf | title=County Council Adopts New Logo and Approves Changing Name | publisher=County of Lethbridge | date=September 27, 2013 | access-date=September 27, 2013}}</ref>

== History == Lethbridge County encompasses an area that was originally under the jurisdiction of six municipalities. It was originally formed as the Municipal District of Lethbridge No. 25 on January 1, 1954 by amalgamating the municipal districts of Bright No. 16 and Barons No. 25 and portions of Special Area No. 4, the County of Vulcan No. 2 and the municipal districts of Warner No. 4 and Sugar City No. 5.<ref name=history>{{cite web | url=http://municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/cfml/MunicipalProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=BasicReport&MunicipalityType=RMUN&stakeholder=204&profileType=HIST | title=Location and History Profile: County of Lethbridge | publisher=Alberta Municipal Affairs | date=September 27, 2013 | access-date=September 27, 2013}}</ref> Ten years later, on January 1, 1964, the Municipal District of Lethbridge No. 25 joined with Lethbridge School Division No. 7 to become the County of Lethbridge No. 26.<ref name=history/> It subsequently changed its name to the County of Lethbridge on September 6, 2000 and then again to Lethbridge County on December 4, 2013.<ref name=history/><ref name=namechange/>

== Geography == === Communities and localities === <div style="width:70%"> {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Lethbridge County.<ref name=city>{{cite web | url=http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page_Map_Carte_Detail.cfm?Lang=E&G=1&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4802012&Geo2=CD&Code2=4802&Data=Count&SearchText=lethbridge&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1&geocode=4802012 | title=Lethbridge, City (Census Subdivision), Alberta | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=June 20, 2012 | access-date=August 13, 2012}}</ref><ref name=communities>{{AltaML}}</ref> ;Cities *Lethbridge ;Towns *Coaldale *Coalhurst *Picture Butte ;Villages *Barons *Nobleford ;Summer villages *none {{Col-break}} The following hamlets are located within Lethbridge County.<ref name=communities/> ;Hamlets *Chin *Diamond City *Fairview *Iron Springs *Kipp *Monarch *Shaughnessy *Turin {{Col-end}}

The following localities are located within Lethbridge County.<ref name=localities>{{cite web | url=http://stds.statcan.gc.ca/sgc-cgt/2006/ersl-rerl-fin-eng.asp?criteria=4802011 | title=Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) 2006, Economic Regions: 4802011 - Lethbridge County, geographical codes and localities, 2006 | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=March 5, 2010 | access-date=August 11, 2012}}</ref> ;Localities {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} *Agriculture Research *Albion Ridge *Broxburn *Commerce *Eastview Acres *Ghent *Lenzie *McDermott or McDermott Subdivision *Piyami {{Col-break}} *Stewart *Stewart Siding *Sunset Acres *Tempest *Tennion *Westview Acres *Whitney *Wilson or Wilson Siding<ref name=WilsonSiding>{{cite web | url=http://www.lethcounty.ca/municipal/lethbridge/lethbridge-website.nsf/AllDoc/094822E3280E25628725758C0022132A?OpenDocument | title=Wilson Siding | publisher=County of Lethbridge | access-date=May 24, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503024046/http://www.lethcounty.ca/municipal/lethbridge/lethbridge-website.nsf/AllDoc/094822E3280E25628725758C0022132A?OpenDocument | archive-date=May 3, 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref> {{Col-end}}</div>

== Demographics == In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lethbridge County had a population of 10,120 living in 2,890 of its 3,136 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:10120-10237}}|10237|1}} from its 2016 population of 10,237. With a land area of {{cvt|2815.66|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|10120|2815.66|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021census>{{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}}</ref>

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lethbridge County had a population of 10,353 living in 2,968 of its 3,129 total private dwellings, a {{percentage|{{#expr:10353-10046}}|10046|1}} change from its 2011 population of 10,046. With a land area of {{convert|2836.64|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|10353|2836.64|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2016.<ref name=2016censusABmunis>{{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}}</ref>

== Economy == The economy of the county is primarily agricultural, including the well known "Feedlot Alley", a 500 km<sup>2</sup> area of intensive livestock operations.

== Government == The county is governed by a council of seven councillors, elected every four years, from seven electoral divisions. The last election was in October 2013. The council chooses a reeve to be their head. It meets in offices located in Lethbridge.

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *{{official website}}

{{Geographic location | Northwest = | North = Vulcan County | Northeast = | West = Municipal District of Willow Creek No. 26 | Centre = Lethbridge County | East = Municipal District of Taber | Southwest = Cardston County | South = City of Lethbridge | Southeast = County of Warner No. 5 }} {{Alberta|RM=yes}}

Category:Lethbridge County Category:Municipal districts in Alberta