Alberta is one of Canada's provinces, and has established several official emblems that reflect the province's history, its natural and diverse landscapes, and its people. [1]
Alberta is one of Canada's provinces, and has established several official emblems that reflect the province's history, its natural and diverse landscapes, and its people. [1]
| Symbol | Image | Adopted | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coat of arms | Coat of arms of Alberta |  | 1907, augmented July 30, 1980. | Granted to Alberta by Royal Warrant. [1] |
| Motto | Fortis et liber (English: Strong and Free) |  | July 30, 1980 | Granted with other elements of the coat of arms. [1] A reference to the fifth line of O Canada. |
| Provincial shield | Provincial shield of Alberta |  | September 2013 | The shield of the coat of arms was adopted as a separate official emblem known as the provincial shield in September 2013. [1] |
| Flag | Flag of Alberta | | June 1, 1968 | Adopted on June 1, 1968, the flag shows the provincial shield of Alberta on a blue background. The flag is proportioned twice as long as it is high. [2] |
| Provincial colours | Alberta Blue and Alberta Gold | 1984 | The colours can be found on the flag and on other provincial insignia. [2] | |
| Floral | Wild rose (Rosa acicularis) |  | 1930 [2] [3] | It grows in almost all regions of the province. |
| Tree | Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta latifolia) |  | May 30, 1984, due to the efforts of the Junior Forest Warden Association of Alberta. | It was used in the early 1900s for the production of railway ties, and is as a resource for the production of poles, posts, pulp and plywood in Alberta's forestry industry. |
| Grass | Rough fescue (Festuca scabrella) |  | April 30, 2003, due to the efforts of the Prairie Conservation Forum. | |
| Stone | Petrified wood |  | 1977, due to the efforts of the Alberta Federation of Rock Clubs. | Of Cretaceous and Paleocene ages, it is often found in gravel pits in Alberta. |
| Gemstone | Ammolite |  | As of 2022 [update] , bill still awaiting Royal assent | Made from fossilized shells and Southern Alberta is the only known location where it reaches gem quality levels. Bill to recognize it as the official gemstone was introduced in 2004 [4] Official gemstone of the City of Lethbridge since 2007. Formally adopted by the Alberta legislature in 2022. [5] [6] |
| Mammal | Rocky mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) |  | August 18, 1989 | The bighorn is a native Alberta mammal. Prehistoric remains have been found in most of the river valleys across Alberta, showing that some of the largest herds of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep once roamed the province. Today the bighorn is primarily found in the Rocky Mountain region. [2] |
| Fish | Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) |  | May 2, 1995 | Catch and release policy regulates all bull trout fishing in Alberta. |
| Bird | Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) |  | May 3, 1977, by a province-wide children's vote. [3] | It is found throughout Alberta in forests and grasslands. [7] |
| Tartan | Alberta tartan |  | 1961, due to the efforts of the Edmonton Rehabilitation Society for the Handicapped, now Goodwill Industries of Alberta. [2] | Green, gold, blue, pink and black, for forests, wheat fields, skies and lakes, wild rose and coal and petroleum respectively. |
| Alberta dress tartan |  | 2000 [2] | Large sections of white, a symbol of Alberta's clean and bright snowy days. It can be worn for dancing, special occasions and formal attire. [2] | |
| Anthem | "Alberta" | September 2004 [2] | Written by Mary Kieftenbeld, and [8] adopted as the official provincial song in preparation for the province's centennial celebrations in 2005. [9] | |
| Order | Alberta Order of Excellence |  | 1979 [10] | Intended to honour current or former Alberta residents for conspicuous achievements in any field, the Alberta Order of Excellence is the highest honour conferred by the province. [11] [12] |
| Medal | Alberta Centennial Medal |  | March 24, 2005 | Intended to honor Albertans who have made significant contributions to their fellow citizens, their community and to the province. [13] |
| Mace | The Mace of Alberta |  | It replaced the old version on February 9, 1956. | It is the symbol of the authority of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. It is a ceremonial staff carried by the Sergeant-at-Arms into the Chamber. [14] It was designed by L.B. Blain in Edmonton, and built by English silversmith Joseph Fray in Birmingham. [15] |
| Francophone flag | Franco-Albertan flag (French : Drapeau franco-albertain) |  | June 24, 2017 | Adopted by the Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta (French-Canadian Association of Alberta) in March 1982 after winning a contest sponsored by Francophonie jeunesse de l'Alberta (Francophone Youth of Alberta). On June 14, 2017, Alberta's French Policy officially recognized the flag as a "Symbol of Distinction under the Emblems of Alberta Act". [16] |
While not officially adopted through legislation as emblems by the government of Alberta, these places and things are popularly associated with (hence could be considered symbols of) the province.
| Symbol | Image | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legislative building | Alberta Legislative Building |  | Completed in 1913, it is the seat of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. [17] |
| Official residence | Government House |  | The former official residence of the lieutenant governors of Alberta. The restored and repurposed building is currently used by the Alberta provincial government for ceremonial events, conferences, and some official meetings of the caucus. [18] |
| Logo | Provincial signature |  | Introduced in 2009 as part of Brand Alberta. |
| Provincial wordmark (1972–2009) |  | Introduced in 1972 and used by Executive Council of Alberta as well as the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on all official documents. It uses a specific typeface, and is also showcased on signs such as highway shields. Still in found in use. [19] | |
| Provincial wordmark |  | Introduced in 1960s. [20] | |
| Highway shield | Standard highway markers for Alberta |   | Alberta's provincial highway network is signed using standard highway markers along its 31,000 kilometers (19,000 mi) of paved roads. |
| Vehicle registration plate | Standard Alberta licence plate |  | The current white, red and blue base was introduced in late 1983, with the new Alberta logo being added in July 2019. Only rear plates have been required since 1992. |
| Law enforcement agency | Alberta Sheriffs Branch |   | While not a provincial police service like Ontario, Quebec or Newfoundland, the Alberta Sheriffs are provincial law enforcement agency. Rural policing is done by a combination of the RCMP and the Sheriff Highway Patrol. |
| Coin | Alberta Centennial Quarter Coin | In 2005, to celebrate the centennials of Alberta, two commemorative quarters were issued by the Royal Canadian Mint. There were four candidate designs for the Alberta quarter: Big Sky Country, Alberta's Natural Beauty, A Dynamic Century, and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep . The winning design was Big Sky Country, by Michelle Grant, and depicted an oil derrick with cattle grazing at its base. [21] | |
| 125th Anniversary of Confederation | In 1992, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Confederation, the Mint released a commemorative coin depicting the Alberta badlands. | ||
| Dinosaur | Albertosaurus ( /ælˌbɜːrtəˈsɔːrəs/ ; meaning "Alberta lizard") |  | Named by Henry Fairfield Osborn, honouring Alberta, established the same year in which the first remains were found. Almost three-quarters of all remains have been discovered alongside the Red Deer River near Drumheller. [22] : 265 The Albertosaurus is featured on the latest issue of the Alberta driver's licence, introduced in 2018. |
| Fungus | Red cap mushroom (Leccinum boreale) |  | An amendment introduced to the Emblems of Alberta Act, as proposed in March 2009 was approved by Members of the Legislative Assembly. [23] |
| Sport | Rodeo |  | Commonly associated with Alberta, rodeo is particularly popular in the province. The first rodeo in Canada was held in 1902 in Raymond, Alberta, and the Calgary Stampede, a ten-day event billing itself as "the greatest outdoor show on Earth," attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos. There is a bill before the Legislative Assembly of Alberta that will make American rodeo the official sport of the province. [24] However, enabling legislation has yet to be passed, and this has not been without criticism and opposition from animal rights and some animal welfare advocates. [25] |
The politics of Alberta are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian provinces, namely a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The capital of the province is Edmonton, where the provincial Legislative Building is located.
The flag of Alberta is an official symbol of the province of Alberta, Canada. In 1968, the provincial legislature authorized the design of a flag, adopting it on 1 June 1968.
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is the deliberative assembly of the province of Alberta, Canada. It sits in the Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton. Since 2012 the Legislative Assembly has had 87 members, elected first past the post from single-member electoral districts. Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly are given royal assent by the lieutenant governor of Alberta, as the viceregal representative of the King of Canada. The Legislative Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor together make up the unicameral Alberta Legislature.
Regional tartans of Canada are represented by all Canada's provinces and territories having a regional tartan, as do many other regional divisions in Canada. Tartans were first brought to Canada by Scottish settlers; the first province to adopt one officially was Nova Scotia in 1956, and the most recent province was Ontario, in 2000. Except for the tartan of Quebec, all of the provincial and territorial tartans are officially recognized and registered in the books of the Court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms of Scotland.
"Alberta" is the regional anthem of the province of Alberta, Canada. It was adopted as the official provincial song in preparation for the province's centennial celebrations in 2005.
The 25th Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from April 9, 2001, to October 25, 2004, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the 2001 Alberta general election held on March 12, 2001. The Legislature officially resumed on April 9, 2001, and continued until the fourth session was prorogued and dissolved on October 25, 2004, prior to the 2004 Alberta general election on November 22, 2004.
Calgary-Mountain View is a provincial electoral district in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting. The district was created in 1971 and is currently represented by Kathleen Ganley of the Alberta New Democratic Party.
Calgary-Currie is a provincial electoral district in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It was created in 1971 and is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting.
Edmonton Meadowlark was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting from 1971 to 2019.
Calgary Victoria Park was a provincial electoral district in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting from 1967 to 1971.
Willingdon was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1963.
Rosebud was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1909.
Cardston was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1993.
Wetaskiwin was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada, mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1905 to 1971.
The Alberta Legislature Building is in Edmonton and is the meeting place of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the Executive Council of Alberta. It is often shortened to "the Ledge".
Government House is the former official residence of the lieutenant governors of Alberta. Located in Edmonton's Glenora neighbourhood, since 1964 the restored and repurposed building has been used by the Alberta provincial government for ceremonial events, conferences, and some official meetings of the caucus.
Eugene Zwozdesky was a Canadian politician in the province of Alberta. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1993 to 2015, and was the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2012 to 2015.
Guy Carleton Boutilier was a Canadian politician, who sat as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1997 to 2012. He was elected as a Progressive Conservative, and served in several capacities in the Cabinet of Alberta under Premiers Ralph Klein and Ed Stelmach before being ejected from the PC caucus in July 2009; he joined the Wildrose Alliance Party after sitting as an independent for a year.
Alexandra was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1909 to 1971. The district was named after Queen Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII.
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