Alberta Became a Province in 1905

Alberta officially joined Confederation on September 1, 1905, the same day as Saskatchewan. Before that, the area was part of the Northwest Territories.

Named After Royalty

The province was named after Princess Louise Caro- line Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and wife of the Marquess of Lorne, who was Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883.

Settlers Were Lured West

The Canadian government encouraged settlement in Alberta in the late 1800s and early 1900s with offers

of free or cheap farmland under the Dominion Lands Act. This helped populate the prairies with farmers from Eastern Canada, the U.S., and Europe.

Edmonton Was Chosen Over Calgary as Capital

Though Calgary had a larger population at the time, Edmonton was selected as Alberta’s capital due to its central location and role as a supply hub during the fur trade and Klondike Gold Rush.

Railways Were Crucial to Development

The Canadian Pacific Railway played a major role in Alberta’s early growth, allowing settlers, goods, and resources to move efficiently across the province.

A Blend of Industries Took Root Early

In Alberta’s early years, the economy was based on agriculture, ranching, and coal mining. It wasn’t until 1947 that Alberta’s major oil industry began to boom with the Leduc No. 1 discovery.

Treaty Territory and Early Governance

Alberta’s lands were part of several Numbered Treaties signed with Indigenous peoples (Treaties 6, 7, and 8), negotiated in the late 1800s as settlement expanded.

Before becoming a province, the area was administered by the federal government from Ottawa.