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Taber
Town
Town of Taber
Taber town centre
Coat of armsLogo
Motto(s): "Unity, Growth, Prosperity"
TaberLocation of Taber in Alberta
Coordinates: 49°47′05″N 112°09′03″W / 49.78472°N 112.15083°W / 49.78472; -112.15083
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Southern Alberta
Census division	2
Municipal district	Municipal District of Taber
Incorporated
• Village	March 15, 1905
• Town	July 1, 1907
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council government
• Mayor	Andrew Prokop
• Governing body	Taber Town Council Jack Brewin Garth Bekkering Monica McLean Carly Firth Daniel Remfert Joanne Sorensen
• CAO	Derrin Thibault
• MLA	Grant Hunter (UCP)
Area
• Land	19.32 km (7.46 sq mi)
Elevation	815 m (2,674 ft)
Population
• Total	8,862
• Density	458.6/km (1,188/sq mi)
• Municipal census (2020)	8,711
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Forward sortation area	T1G
Highways	Highway 3 Highway 36
Waterway	Oldman River
Website	www.taber.ca

Taber /ˈteɪbər/ is a town in southern Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by the Municipal District of Taber. It is approximately 51 km (32 mi) east of the City of Lethbridge at the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 36.

Taber is famous for its corn due to the large amounts of sunshine the area receives. It is therefore known as the Corn Capital of Canada and holds an annual "Cornfest" in the last week of August.

History

Originally, Taber was known as "Tank No. 77," and was used by the railway to fill up on water. In 1903, it is said that the first Mormon settlers from the U.S. were the ones to establish a hamlet at the Tank. After the town's post office was built in 1907, the CPR decided to call the town "Tabor," probably after Mount Tabor in the Holy Land. However, various letters and station heads came out printed "Taber," so the CPR changed the name to make it match the records.

An alternate version of the town's name origin is that the first part of the word tabernacle was used by Mormon settlers in the vicinity, and the next Canadian Pacific Railway station was named Elcan (nacle spelled backwards).

After time, Taber became a successful coal mining town. Coal mining declined in the late 1920s, but picked up in the 1930s after extensive irrigation in the area.

During the Second World War, Japanese Canadians were forcibly relocated to Alberta where some were compelled into forced labor, many in sugar beet cultivation, for the duration of the war.

Irrigation helped not only the coal miners, it also brought with it the production of sugar beets. In 1950, a sugar beet processing plant (Roger's Sugar) was built, which has become a vital part of the town's economy.

A number of archaeological discoveries were made in the vicinity of Taber, including that of extinct buffalo, and the so-called "Taber child" in 1961 by the head of a Geological Survey of Canada team Dr. Archie Stalker in the glacial deposits along the east bank of the Oldman River.

Geography

Climate

Taber experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). The highest temperature ever recorded in Taber was 40.6 °C (105 °F) on 17 July 1936. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −43.3 °C (−46 °F) on 23 January 1969.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Taber had a population of 8,862 living in 3,347 of its 3,481 total private dwellings, a change of 5.1% from its 2016 population of 8,428. With a land area of 19.32 km (7.46 sq mi), it had a population density of 458.7/km (1,188.0/sq mi) in 2021.

The population of the Town of Taber according to its 2020 municipal census is 8,711, a 3.9% change from its 2015 municipal census population of 8,380.

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Taber recorded a population of 8,428 living in 3,159 of its 3,384 total private dwellings, a 4% change from its 2011 population of 8,104. With a land area of 15.67 km (6.05 sq mi), it had a population density of 537.8/km (1,393.0/sq mi) in 2016.

Economy

Taber's economy is largely based on agriculture. Local produce includes hogs, beef, sheep, poultry, sugar beets, potatoes, peas, carrots, wheat, flax, barley, corn, beans, sunflowers, oats, onions, canola and mustard.

Roger's Sugar is Taber's sugar beet processing plant, which was built in 1950. The factory is owned and operated by Lantic Inc. There are several food processing companies based in the town, including a Frito-Lay factory, which produces various snack products for much of Western Canada. As well, sand and gravel are mined here. To a smaller extent, there is also a significant oil and gas component to the economy.

Arts and culture

Cornfest

Cornfest is an annual summer festival held on the last full weekend in August, and includes a midway (rides, booths, and tests of skill) and a stage with performers. It is the largest free family festival in Western Canada, and is organized by the Taber and District Chamber of Commerce. There are a number of corn-based activities, such as corn tasting and stuffing. Corn stuffing involves two people, one wearing an oversized coverall. One of the contestants attempts to stuff as much corn as possible into the other's coverall. Whichever team can put the most corn in the coveralls in the allotted time wins. During Cornfest, large-scale, local corn producers enter their best varieties in the 'Best Corn of the Year' award.

Taber is home to one of the Canada 150 Mosaic murals. It depicts Tank 77 within a field of corn, and the tiles were painted by members of the community. The mural was unveiled in December 2016, and is housed within the Taber Health Clinic.

Government

The Town of Taber gained notoriety when it adopted a bylaw on February 23, 2015, that granted the police and bylaw officials the authority to levy fines for controversial actions including swearing, public assembly, spitting and applying graffiti on one's own private property. The bylaw also implemented a curfew. The adoption met criticism over its appearance of being unconstitutional; violating freedoms of expression and association protected under Section Two of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The town defended its adoption stating the bylaw "is intended to consolidate existing municipal regulations and allow enforcement under a municipal bylaw rather than the Criminal Code" and citing concerns about unnecessary prosecutions clogging the court. Mayor Henk De Vlieger supported the bylaw while stating that town council would review the bylaw after a six-month trial.

Taber Police Service

Taber Police Service
Agency overview
Formed	1904
Jurisdictional structure
Legal jurisdiction	Municipal
Operational structure
Elected officer responsible	The Honourable Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General
Agency executive	Graham Abela, chief of police

The Taber Police Service (TPS) is the municipal police force for the Town of Taber. Graham Abela is the current chief of police. The TPS was established in 1904

Education

Kindergarten through grade 12 education is administered in Taber by the Horizon School Division and Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Division. The two high schools in Taber are W.R. Myers High School and St. Mary's School. Taber has a Christian School for kindergarten through grade 9. Other education systems include Community Adult Learning Council, ACE Place Learning Center and a Career Resource Centre.

Sister cities

Taber and Higashiomi are sister towns. In 1981, the Town of Taber and Notogawa, Japan signed the original Twinned Municipalities Agreement. When Notogawa was merged into the City of Higashiomi in 2006, the two municipalities re-signed the Twinning Agreement.

Notable people

• Gavin Crawford, actor and comedian (This Hour Has 22 Minutes)
• Brandon Davidson, professional ice hockey player
• Sally Ito, writer
• Ron Lloyd, Commander Royal Canadian Navy 2016-2019
• Corb Lund, Musician
• Johnny Longden, jockey and horse trainer
• Devin Setoguchi, professional ice hockey player
• Kenneth B. Storey, biology professor at Carleton University, among the top 2% of highly cited scientists in the world.

See also

• List of communities in Alberta
• List of towns in Alberta

References

1. "Location and History Profile: Town of Taber" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. June 17, 2016. p. 639. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
2. "Mayor & Council | Town of Taber".
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). Retrieved October 9, 2013.
5. ^ "2020 Municipal Census". Town of Taber. pp. 158–167. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
6. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
7. C. Trylich and L.A. Bayrock, "Bison occidcntalis Lucas Found at Taber, Alberta, Canada.", Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 3 (1966), pp. 987–95.
8. Francis, R. Douglas, Palmer, Howard, The Prairie West: historical readings, The University of Alberta Press, 2nd (Revised) ed., 1992, p.50
9. ^ "Taber". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
10. "Taber". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
11. 2015 Municipal Affairs Population List (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. ISBN 978-1-4601-2630-1. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
12. "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.
13. Taber Chamber of Commerce. Cornfest 2004 website
14. "Canada 150 Mosaic: Taber". Retrieved 26 October 2017.
15. "Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Taber)". Elections Canada. April 7, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
16. "Official Voting Results by polling station (poll by poll results in Taber)". Elections Alberta. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
17. ^ "Taber bylaw bans public swearing, spitting and yelling in Alberta town". CBC News. March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
18. "Town of Taber Bylaw 4-2015". Town of Taber. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
19. Stark, Erika (March 10, 2015). "Forget washing your mouth out with soap, Taber establishes $150 fine for potty mouths". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network Inc. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
20. "Media Release on Community Standards Bylaw". Town of Taber. March 10, 2015. Archived from the original on March 13, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
21. ^ "History". Town of Taber. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
22. ^ "Taber Police Service". Town of Taber. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
23. "W.R. Myers High School". wrmyers.horizon.ab.ca. W. R. Myers High School. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
24. "St. Mary's School". www.smt.holyspirit.ab.ca. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
25. "Taber School List". Archived from the original on 2008-03-21. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
26. "Town of Taber Official Website". Town of Taber. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
27. "Johnny Longden | the Canadian Encyclopedia".
28. Ioannidis, John P. A.; Boyack, Kevin W.; Baas, Jeroen (2020). "Updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators". PLOS Biology. 18 (10): e3000918. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000918. PMC 7567353. PMID 33064726.

External links

• Official website

v t e Places adjacent to Taber, Alberta
Picture Butte Vauxhall Redcliff Lethbridge Taber Burdett Stirling Warner Foremost

• Taber, Alberta
• 1905 establishments in Alberta
• Latter-day Saint settlements in Canada
• Towns in Alberta