Brazeau County


Brazeau County is a municipal district in central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 11. The municipal district was incorporated on July 1, 1988 from Improvement District No. 222. On October 1, 2002, the name was changed from Municipal District of Brazeau No. 77 to Brazeau County.
It is named for the Brazeau River, in turn named for Joseph Brazeau, a linguist associated with the Palliser Expedition.

History

Brazeau County encompasses an area that was originally under the jurisdiction of three neighbouring municipalities. In the mid-1980s, residents of the southwest portion of Parkland County and the west portion of Leduc County were growing weary of perceived poor service provision as a result of being located significant distances from their municipal headquarters in Stony Plain and Leduc respectively. After much lobbying and petitions over approximately five years, lands were severed from Parkland County and Leduc County, as well as a small portion of Yellowhead County to the west, to create Improvement District No. 222 on December 31, 1987, which incorporated as the Municipal District of Brazeau No. 77 six months later on July 1, 1988. The municipality subsequently changed its name to Brazeau County on October 1, 2002.

Demographics

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Brazeau County recorded a population of 7,771 living in 2,930 of its 3,194 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 7,132. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016.
In the 2011 Census, Brazeau County had a population of 7,201 living in 2,693 of its 2,852 total dwellings, a 2.3% change from its 2006 population of 7,040. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011. Following Drayton Valley's 2011 and 2012 annexations, Statistics Canada adjusted Brazeau County's 2011 population downward by 69 people to 7,132.

Communities and localities


The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Brazeau County:
;Cities
  • none
;Towns
  • Drayton Valley
;Villages
  • Breton
;Summer villages
  • none
The following hamlets are located within Brazeau County:
;Hamlets
  • Alsike
  • Buck Creek
  • Cynthia
  • Lodgepole
  • Poplar Ridge
  • Rocky Rapids
  • Violet Grove
The following localities are located within Brazeau County:
;Localities
  • Antross
  • Beaver Estates
  • Berrymoor
  • Birch Field Estates
  • Birchwood Village Greens
  • Boggy Hall
  • Brazeau Dam
  • Carnwood
  • Cottonwood Subdivision
  • Country Classic Estates
  • Country Style Trailer Court
  • Easyford
  • Fairway Meadows
  • Lindale
  • Meadow Land Acres
  • Parview Estates
  • Pembina
  • Pleasant View
  • Rex Block
  • River Ridge Subdivision
  • Round Valley
  • Valley Drive
  • Valley Drive Acres
  • West Bank Acres