From the Francophone Community Profile of Alberta: Grande Cache, Miette, Lac La Biche: at the time of the voyageurs, the vast spaces west of the Great Lakes were for the most part given French place names. French also predominated at Fort Edmonton, constructed in 1795 by the Hudson’s Bay Company.
Where in Alberta did they settle?
The majority of settlement in the province was in a large east facing crescent, beginning in the north at Lloydminster, extending in the west to Westlock, south to Rocky Mountain House and in the east from Viking and Settler south to Gleichen and ending in Medicine Hat in the far south.
Where do Franco Albertans live?
More than half of the Franco-Albertan population lives in these cities and their surrounding areas: south of Edmonton, in the town of Beaumont, and to the north, in the towns of Saint Albert, Morinville and Legal.
How many French people live in Alberta?
It is also estimated that over 268,600 Albertans can speak French. Five Alberta municipalities are officially bilingual: Beaumont, Legal, Falher, Plamondon and Grande Prairie.
Who were the first settlers in Alberta?
The British, Alberta’s first European settlers, claimed the area as part of Rupert’s Land, the territory belonging to the Hudson’s Bay fur trading company since 1670. French speaking settlers migrated west to establish their own fur trading communities around 1731.
What is the oldest settlement in Alberta?
Founded in 1788, Fort Chipewyan was the first European settlement in Alberta and from the very beginning, residents have eagerly anticipated winter for the freedom it brings.
Is Alberta British or French?
It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories (NWT) to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south.
| Alberta | |
|---|---|
| Demonym | Albertan |
| Official languages | English |
| GDP | |
| • Rank | 3rd |
Is there a French community in Alberta?
Alberta’s Francophone communities
Alberta has approximately 2,000 communities and natural sites with French-influenced names, such as: Beaumont. Brosseau. Grande Prairie.
Why did the French people come to Alberta?
The Francophone heritage in Alberta dates back to the earliest days of the fur trade when the Montreal peddlers came to the Northwest region in search of adventure and business opportunities. The voyageurs married Cree women and the first Francophone communities—Métis communities—were established.
When did French people come to Alberta?
The first Europeans to visit Alberta were French Canadians during the late 18th century, working as fur traders and voyageurs for the Hudson’s Bay Company, or the North West Company.
Which Canadian province is the most French?
Quebec
The majority of Francophones (85.4%) live in Quebec and over 1 million live in other regions of the country. Almost 10.4 million Canadians can carry on a conversation in French.
What city has the most French immigrants?
1,505,143 (0.5%) French alone
Many U.S. cities have large French American populations. The city with the largest concentration of people of French extraction is Madawaska, Maine, while the largest French-speaking population by percentage of speakers in the U.S. is found in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana.
Is Calgary a French speaking city?
Of the total population of the Calgary census metropolitan area, 84,675 people (7.9%) reported knowing French or both French and English. The vast majority of Calgary Francophones speak both official languages.
What are the oldest towns in Alberta?
Fort Vermilion, a hamlet located southeast of High Level, is the oldest settlement in Alberta. It was established in 1788 as a post by the North West Company, on the banks of the Peace River.
What was Alberta called before Alberta?
the North West Territories
Alberta was originally established as a provisional district of the North West Territories in 1882. The name was maintained when Alberta officially became a province in 1905.
What groups immigrated to Alberta?
The Dutch settled predominantly in Alberta, where a large population still thrives. Scandinavian groups, Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes came in their largest numbers to Canada between 1880 and 1900, mostly from the United States.
What is the oldest town in Canada?
Annapolis Royal, N.S., is Canada’s oldest town, but it only looks like it hasn’t changed in centuries. A new documentary shows it was a rundown “dump” in the 1970s. Only through a determined effort from locals was its historic beauty restored.
Has Queen Elizabeth been to Alberta?
Now that she’s gone, many Albertans are savouring memories of seeing Queen Elizabeth ll during one of her six visits to the province. The Queen, whose Sept. 8 death in Scotland at age 96 is being mourned worldwide, left an indelible impression on her Alberta tours, which included one visit before she became monarch.
Who were the first settlers in Edmonton?
Archaeological evidence indicates that, for some 3,000 years before the arrival of Europeans in the 19th century, the area around what is now Edmonton, in the North Saskatchewan River valley, was the site of seasonal settlement by aboriginal hunting peoples.
Why is Alberta called the Texas of Canada?
“Texas of the North” — referring to Alberta’s significance as an oil producer in Canada, similar to that of Texas to the US. The name is also used in reference to the province notably leaning to the political right, comparable to Texas.
What is the Alberta accent?
In addition to that whole a-boat thing, Albertans will generally pronounce words like bag more like bayg, raising the middle vowel. They’ll also pronounce words like can less nasally than their eastern counterparts, where, to an Albertan, the word might sound more like cayin.