Lac La Biche, Alberta

Lac La Biche
—  Hamlet  —
Main street
Motto: Forestry Capital of Canada
Lac La Biche Location of Lac La Biche in Alberta
Coordinates: 54°46′13″N 111°58′45″W / 54.77028°N 111.97917°W / 54.77028; -111.97917Coordinates: 54°46′13″N 111°58′45″W / 54.77028°N 111.97917°W / 54.77028; -111.97917
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Northern Alberta
Census division	12
Municipal district	Lac La Biche County
Founded	October 4, 1798
Dissolved	August 1, 2007[1]
Government
• Mayor	Aurel Langevin
• Governing body	Lac La Biche County Council Gail Broadbent Alvin A. Kumpula John Nowak Guy Piquette Robert Richard M.J. Siebold Tim Thompson Eugene Uganecz
• MLA
Area (2011)[2]
• Total	6.20 km2 (2.39 sq mi)
Elevation	574 m (1,884 ft)
Population (2011)[3][2]
• Total	2,520
• Density	407.8/km2 (1,056/sq mi)
• Population centre	2,544
• Population centre Density	410.6/km2 (1,063/sq mi)
Time zone	MST (UTC−7)
• Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC−6)
Postal code span	T0A 2C0-T0A 2C2
Area code(s)	-1+780
Highways	Highway 55 Highway 36 Highway 881
Waterway	Lac la Biche
Website	laclabichecounty.com

Lac La Biche is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Lac La Biche County.^[4] It is located approximately 220 kilometres (140 mi) northeast of the provincial capital of Edmonton, on the southern shore of Lac la Biche. Previously incorporated as a town, Lac La Biche amalgamated with Lakeland County to form Lac La Biche County on August 1, 2007.^[1]

History

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A statue of David Thompson

Its location on fur-trade routes resulted in posts being built there in the late 1790s.^[5] Both David Thompson and George Simpson passed through here, using the Beaver River to go from the main Methye Portage route to reach the Athabasca River. The French-speaking element, mostly from Red River, coalesced around the Oblate mission that was established in 1853. It formed a community that was tightly knit, even though the influence of the church lessened and the trend was towards marrying out and establishing nuclear families. Living was largely off the land; logging and road work provided intermittent wage labour. Many of the adults were trilingual, speaking French and Cree as well as English. Therefore, from its beginning, Lac La Biche was already an ethnically diverse, though fraught, community.^[6] Other pertinent local ethnicities include the Lebanese, White Russians Old Believers, several First Nations reserves, and a French population. The Lac La Biche Mission is a National Historic Site and was one of the first residential schools in Alberta.^[7]

Lac La Biche Mission

Demographics

In the 2011 Census, the dissolved Town of Lac La Biche had a population of 2,520 living in 929 of its 1,038 total dwellings, an -8.6% change from its 2006 population of 2,758. With a land area of 6.18 km² (2.39 sq mi), it had a population density of 407.8/km² (1,056.1/sq mi) in 2011.^[3]

As a population centre in the 2011 Census, Lac La Biche had a population of 2,544 living in 938 of its 1,047 total dwellings, a -7.8% change from its 2006 population of 2,758. With a land area of 6.2 km² (2.4 sq mi), it had a population density of 410/km² (1,063/sq mi) in 2011.^[2]

In 2006, Lac La Biche had a population of 2,758 living in 1,169 dwellings, a 0.6% decrease from 2001. The former town has a land area of 6.18 km² (2.39 sq mi) and a population density of 446.6 /km² (1,157 /sq mi).^[8]

Infrastructure

Aerial view of Lac La Biche (2010)

Lac La Biche Airport (YLB) is located 1.5 NM west of Lac La Biche. It features a fully serviced 5,700 ft (1,700 m) by 100 ft (30 m) paved airstrip.

Economy

The community is supported by the oil patch, logging, forestry, agriculture, and commercial fishing.

Recreation

Lac La Biche is home to the Lac La Biche Golf Course,^[9] while numerous lakes and campgrounds provide outdoor recreation opportunities in the area, including Lakeland Provincial Park to the east.

Education

Lac la Biche from the west end of the community

The main campus of Portage College is located in Lac La Biche. The college has an ACAC hockey team named the Portage Voyageurs. The team's first season began in the fall of 2008.^[10]

Northern Lights School Division No. 69

• Vera M. Welsh Elementary School (K-3)
• Central Elementary School (4-5)
• Dr. Swift Middle School (6-8)
• J.A. Williams High School (9-12)
• Lac La Biche Off-Campus (8-12)

Media

Media outlets serving Lac La Biche and area include the Lac La Biche Post weekly newspaper^[11] and the Big Dog 103.5 radio station.^[12]

Notable people

• René Bourque – professional hockey player
• Raymond Lemieux - organic chemist pioneer in discovery of the synthesis of sucrose
• Travis Milne - professional actor

See also

• List of communities in Alberta
• List of hamlets in Alberta

References

External links

• Lac La Biche County

	Plamondon	Fort McMurray	Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park
	Athabasca		Cold Lake
		Lac La Biche
	Boyle	Vilna	Bonnyville

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