St. Paul, originally known as St-Paul-de-Métis or St-Paul-des-Métis, is a town in east-central Alberta, Canada, within the County of St. Paul No. 19. It was known as St. Paul de Métis between 1912 and 1936.
History
The community was founded as a Métis colony in 1896, but the colony later dissolved sometime between 1905 and 1909. After the area was made available to other groups in 1909, primarily the French-Catholic, the community incorporated as the Village of St. Paul de Métis on June 14, 1912, though it was referred to as St. Paul des Métis by June 6, 1922. It then incorporated as the Town of St. Paul on December 15, 1936.
Demographics
The population of the Town of St. Paul according to its 2017 municipal census is 5,963, a change of from its 2014 municipal census population of 6,004.In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of St. Paul recorded a population of 5,827 living in 2,248 of its 2,378 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 5,405. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016. As of the 2016 Canada Census, 71% of the population is of European descent. Indigenous people make up the next largest ethnic group, at 16% of the St. Albert's population. Most of the town's Indigenous residents are Cree or Métis. Visible minorities make up 12.3% of St. Albert's population. Filipino Canadians form the largest group, followed by Black Canadians, Chinese and South Asians. In the 2011 Census, the Town of St. Paul had a population of 5,400 living in 2,169 of its 2,338 total dwellings, a 5.8% change from its 2006 population of 5,106. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011. In 2012, Statistics Canada adjusted St. Paul's 2011 population by an additional 5 people to 5,405 to reflect its 2011 annexation.
Economy
St. Paul's economy is driven by the agriculture and service industries. St. Paul is located in Alberta's Lakeland tourism district.
Attractions
St. Paul is home to the world's first UFOlanding pad, built as a centennial project in an effort to attract both tourists and Martians to the municipality. The pad consists of a raised platform with a map of Canada embossed on the back stop, consisting of stones provided by each province of Canada. On June 3, 1967, Paul Hellyer, Minister of National Defence, flew in by helicopter to officially open the Pad. The pad was one of over 100 Centennial Projects organized by the town. The sign beside the pad reads: "The area under the World's First UFO Landing Pad was designated international by the Town of St. Paul as a symbol of our faith that mankind will maintain the outer universe free from national wars and strife. That future travel in space will be safe for all intergalactic beings, all visitors from earth or otherwise are welcome to this territory and to the Town of St. Paul." Mentioned in George Fox's song, Real Canadian Town. The UFO Landing pad was also featured across Canada as a film crew with Cineplex Entertainment was in the town in May 2014 filming a pre-show piece to be played in Cineplex movie theatres across Canada throughout the month of June.
