Alberta (AB) - Facts, Flags and Symbols

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Capital:

Edmonton

Population (2010 estimate): ^[i]

3,711,845

Motto on Licence Plate:

Wild Rose Country

Flag: ^[ii]

Act of Legislature assented to, May 1, 1968
Proclaimed into force, June 1, 1968

Arms: ^[iii]

Royal Warrant of King Edward VII, May 30, 1907
Gazetted, July 13, 1907
Augmented by crest, supporters and motto by Royal Warrant of Queen Elizabeth II, signed by Governor General Edward Schreyer, July 30, 1980
Gazetted, September 1, 1980

Date Entered Confederation: ^[iv]

On September 1, 1905, the Canadian government adopted the Saskatchewan Act and the Alberta Act, and two new provinces joined Canada.

Flower:

Wild Rose

Alberta adopted the wild rose (Rosa acicularis) as its official flower in 1930. The editor of an Edmonton newspaper suggested that a provincial floral emblem be selected. The Women’s Institutes took up the suggestion and passed it on to the Department of Education, and the province’s schoolchildren made the final choice.

Bird:

Great Horned Owl

Alberta adopted the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) as its official bird on May 3, 1977, following a province-wide children’s vote. The great horned owl lives in Alberta year round and was selected to symbolize the growing concern over threatened wildlife, not only in Alberta, but also throughout the world.

Tree:

Lodgepole Pine

The lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) played a significant role in Alberta’s early history. It was used to create the railway ties for the tracks that linked the province to eastern Canada. It was adopted as Alberta’s official tree on May 30, 1984, partly due to the efforts of the Junior Forest Warden Association of Alberta. Today, the lodgepole pine is used for poles, pulp and many other products of Alberta’s forest industry.

Footnotes

1. [i] Statistics Canada - Quarterly demographic estimates, 2010
   http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/100325/t100325a2-eng.htm
   [back to note i]
2. [ii] Canadian Heritage - Canadian Anthems and Symbols
   http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1266258105305/1266214672512
   [back to note ii]
3. [iii] Canadian Heritage - Canadian Anthems and Symbols
   http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1266258105305/1266214672512
   [back to note iii]
4. [iv] Library and Archives Canada - Canadian Confederation
   http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/index-e.html
   [back to note iv]