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Jasper
Specialized municipality
Municipality of Jasper
View of Jasper from the Jasper Tramway
Location within Alberta
Coordinates: 52°52′23″N 118°04′56″W / 52.87306°N 118.08222°W / 52.87306; -118.08222
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Alberta's Rockies
Census division	15
Founded	1813
Incorporated   - Improvement district	August 31, 1995
- Specialized municipality	July 20, 2001
Government
• Mayor	Richard Ireland
• Governing bodies	Jasper Municipal Council and Parks Canada
• MP	See Yellowhead
• MLA	See West Yellowhead
Area
• Land	921.9 km (355.9 sq mi)
Elevation	1,060 m (3,480 ft)
Population
• Total	4,738
• Density	5.1/km (13/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Postal code span	T0E
Area code(s)	+1-780, +1-587
Highways	Highway 16 (TCH) (Yellowhead Highway) Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway) Highway 93A (Hazel Avenue)
Waterways	Athabasca River Miette River
Railways	Canadian National Railway
Website	jasper-alberta.com

Jasper is a specialized municipality and townsite in western Alberta within the Canadian Rockies. The townsite is in the Athabasca River valley and is the commercial centre of Jasper National Park.

History

Established in 1813, Jasper House was first a fur trade outpost of the North West Company, and later Hudson's Bay Company, on the York Factory Express trade route to what was then called "New Caledonia" (now British Columbia) and Fort Vancouver on the lower Columbia River. Jasper House was 35 km north of today's town of Jasper.

Jasper Forest Park was established in 1907. The railway divisional point at the location of the future townsite was established by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1911 and originally named Fitzhugh after a Grand Trunk vice president (along the Grand Trunk's "alphabet" line). The Canadian Northern Railway began service to its Jasper Park station in 1912, about 700 m from GTP's Fitzhugh station. The townsite was surveyed in 1913 by H. Matheson. It was renamed Jasper after the former fur trade post. An internment camp was set up at Dominion Park in Jasper from February 1916 to August 1916.

Jasper Forest Park was renamed Jasper National Park in 1930. By 1931, Jasper was accessible by road from Edmonton. In 1940, the scenic Icefields Parkway opened, connecting Jasper to Lake Louise and Banff in Banff National Park.

The first step towards incorporation of Jasper occurred on August 31, 1995, when the Jasper Improvement District was formed from a portion of Improvement District No. 12 (Jasper National Park). The improvement district was subsequently incorporated as a specialized municipality under the name of the Municipality of Jasper on July 20, 2001. The incorporation order established the Jasper townsite as the Town of Jasper and the surrounding balance of the specialized municipality as a rural service area that was deemed equivalent to a municipal district.

The Jasper wildfire began on July 22, 2024 and destroyed significant parts of the town.

Geography

The Municipality of Jasper is in the western portion of the province of Alberta within Jasper National Park. It borders the province of British Columbia to the west and Improvement District No. 12 to the north, east, and south. The Athabasca River, which originates from the Columbia Icefield, meanders northward through the municipality. The Miette River, Maligne River, and Snaring River all discharge into the Athabasca River within the Municipality of Jasper's limits.

The Jasper townsite, which is approximately 362 kilometres (225 mi) west of Edmonton, 290 kilometres (180 mi) north of Banff, and 28 kilometres (17 mi) east of the Yellowhead Pass, is at the intersection of Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) and Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway). It is near the confluence of the Athabasca River and Miette River. It lies between the Victoria Cross Ranges (northwest), Pyramid Mountain (north), Maligne Range (southeast) and Trident Ridge (southwest). Lakes near the Jasper townsite include Pyramid Lake, Patricia Lake, Lake Annette, Lake Edith, Lac Beauvert, Maligne Lake, and Medicine Lake.

Localities

The following localities are located within the Municipality of Jasper.

• Bedson
• Decoigne
• Geikie
• Henry House
• Jasper
• Jasper Lodge
• Jasper National Park
• Jasper Park Lodge
• Medicine Lake
• Miette Hot Springs
• Sixth Bridge
• Wynd

Climate

Jasper experiences a borderline Humid Continental/Subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb/Dfc). The highest temperature ever recorded in Jasper was 41.2 °C (106 °F) on June 30, 2021. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −47.2 °C (−53 °F) on January 24, 1916.

Summers in Jasper are pleasant, with daily highs usually around 21.1 °C (70 °F) and lows around 7.2 °C (45 °F). Winters are cold, though may be considered mild by Canadian standards, with daily highs around −2.2 °C (28 °F) and lows around −11.7 °C (11 °F).

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Municipality of Jasper had a population of 4,738 living in 1,674 of its 1,910 total private dwellings, a change of 3.2% from its 2016 population of 4,590. With a land area of 921.9 km (355.9 sq mi), it had a population density of 5.1/km (13.3/sq mi) in 2021.

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Municipality of Jasper had a population of 4,590 living in 1,576 of its 1,702 total private dwellings, a change of 3.6% from its 2011 population of 4,432. With a land area of 924.06 km (356.78 sq mi), it had a population density of 5.0/km (12.9/sq mi) in 2016.

The population of the Municipality of Jasper according to its 2011 municipal census is 5,236, a change of 10.3% over its 2008 municipal census population of 4,745. Jasper's 2011 population of 5,236 comprises 4,584 permanent and 652 non-permanent residents, while its 2007 census counted 4,235 permanent and 510 non-permanent residents.

Attractions

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, the Marmot Basin ski resort, and the Jasper Skytram, which carries visitors to The Whistlers' summit, are all near the townsite. Within the Jasper townsite are the heritage building of the Jasper Visitor Centre, the heritage building St. Mary & St. George Anglican Church, and the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives.

Government

Governance of Jasper is shared between the municipality and Parks Canada, an agency of the federal government.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Jasper railway station is served by Via Rail with two passenger services. The Canadian and the Jasper–Prince Rupert train both operate three times per week.

Jasper Airport is located 7.2 nautical miles (13.3 km; 8.3 mi) north of Jasper.

Education

The Grande Yellowhead Public School Division No. 77 operates two schools in Jasper: Jasper Elementary School (K–6 English & French Immersion) and Jasper Junior Senior High School (7–12 English & French Immersion), while Greater North Central Francophone Education Region No. 2 operates a francophone school called École Desrochers for kindergarten through grade 12.

Media

Newspapers

• Jasper Fitzhugh (locally owned weekly)
• The Local (locally owned weekly)

Radio

Television

Sister cities

• Hakone, Kanagawa, since July 4, 1972

Notable people

• Ian Herbers, NHL hockey player
• John Hilworth, NHL hockey player
• Erin Karpluk, actress - best known for CBC's Being Erica
• Loni Klettl, Olympic Alpine skier - 1980 Lake Placid downhill
• Wyatt Tremblay, editorial cartoonist
• Kirby Morrow (1973–2020), voice actor known for roles such as Miroku from InuYasha, Hot Shot from Transformers: Cybertron, and Cole from Ninjago
• Brian Young, NHL hockey player

See also

• Jasper to Banff Relay
• List of communities in Alberta
• List of francophone communities in Alberta
• List of historic places in Alberta's Rockies
• List of specialized municipalities in Alberta

References

1. Alberta Municipal Affairs (September 17, 2010). "Municipal Profile – Municipality of Jasper". Retrieved October 2, 2010.
2. "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. May 9, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
3. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities)". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
4. "Alberta Private Sewage Systems 2009 Standard of Practice Handbook: Appendix A.3 Alberta Design Data (A.3.A. Alberta Climate Design Data by Town)" (PDF) (PDF). Safety Codes Council. January 2012. pp. 212–215 (PDF pages 226–229). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
5. Parks Canada - Jasper House National Historic Site Archived September 10, 2012, at archive.today
6. "Jasper Alberta Information Centre History".
7. ^ Lothian, W.F. (1987). A Brief History of Canada's National Parks. Environment Canada.
8. "Internment Camps in Canada during the First and Second World Wars, Library and Archives Canada". June 11, 2014.
9. ^ "Location and History Profile – Municipality of Jasper" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 22, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
10. "Order in Council 279/2001" (PDF). Government of Alberta. July 24, 2001. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
11. "Jasper Sustainable Community Plan" (PDF). Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
12. "Raging wildfire reaches resort town of Jasper in Canadian Rockies' largest national park - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
13. Snowdon, Wallis; Frew, Nicholas (July 25, 2024). "Buildings in Jasper in ashes as 'monster' wildfire spans 36,000 hectares". CBC News.
14. ^ 2021 Provincial Base Map: Municipalities (PDF) (Map). Alberta Environment and Parks. July 26, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
15. "Economic Regions - SGC 2006 (4815033 - Jasper)". Statistics Canada. November 27, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
16. Geo-Administrative Areas (Hamlet, Locality and Townsite Culture Points) (Geodatabase layer) (Map). AltaLIS. October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2021.{{cite map}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
17. "Daily Data Report for January 1916". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
18. "Jasper, Alberta". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
19. "Jasper". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
20. "Daily Data Report for July 2021". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
21. "Jasper Warden". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
22. "Daily Data Report for September 2022". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
23. "Table 10: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions, Census Subdivisions (Municipalities) and Designated Places, 1991 and 1996 Censuses – 100% Data". 96 Census. Vol. A National Overview – Population and Dwelling Counts. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1997. pp. 136–146. ISBN 0-660-59283-5.
24. "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Divisions, 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
25. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. January 6, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
26. "Corrections and updates". Statistics Canada. August 13, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
27. ^ "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.
28. ^ "2011 Municipal Affairs Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 5, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
29. "Municipality of Jasper Regular Meeting Agenda, Tuesday, September 6, 2011 (Agenda Item 7.1)" (PDF). Municipality of Jasper. September 6, 2011. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
30. ^ "2010 Official Population List" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. September 15, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
31. "Governance". Municipality of Jasper. June 26, 2024. Archived from the original on June 13, 2015.
32. Via Rail. "Jasper station". Retrieved June 22, 2007.
33. "Sister City". Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
34. "Loni Klettl". Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website. September 18, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
35. NHL Players from Jasper, Alberta | QuantHockey.com Retrieved on March 19, 2011

External links

• Official website
• Jasper travel guide from Wikivoyage

v t e Places adjacent to Jasper, Alberta
McBride Grande Cache Hinton Valemount Jasper Cadomin Jasper National Park Lake Louise Nordegg

• Jasper, Alberta
• 1813 establishments in Canada
• 1995 establishments in Alberta
• Hudson's Bay Company trading posts
• Jasper National Park
• Populated places established in 1813
• Specialized municipalities in Alberta