Bonnyville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bonnyville
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Town
|
|||
| Town of Bonnyville | |||
Grain elevators, 1974
|
|||
|
|||
| Motto(s):
It's Multi-Natural
|
|||
Location in the MD of Bonnyville No. 87
|
|||
 Bonnyville
Location in Alberta
|
|||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | Alberta | ||
| Region | Northern Alberta | ||
| Planning region | Lower Athabasca | ||
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87 | ||
| Incorporated | |||
| • Village | September 19, 1929 | ||
| • Town | February 3, 1948 | ||
| Area
(2021)
|
|||
| • Land | 14.17 km2 (5.47 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 564 m (1,850 ft) | ||
| Population
(2021)
|
|||
| • Total | 6,404 | ||
| • Density | 452.1/km2 (1,171/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | ||
| Forward sortation area |
T9N
|
||
| Area codes | +1-780, +1-587 | ||
| Highways | Highway 28 Buffalo Trail |
||
| Waterways | Moose Lake Beaver River |
||
Bonnyville is a town in East Northern Alberta, Canada. It is located between the towns of Cold Lake and St. Paul. The larger area around Bonnyville is called the Municipal District (MD) of Bonnyville No. 87. This means it is a local government area that includes the town and surrounding rural lands.
The town of Bonnyville got its name from Father Bonnin. He was a Roman Catholic priest.
Contents
Exploring Bonnyville's Location
Bonnyville is found on the north shore of Jessie Lake. This lake is a very important stop for thousands of birds. Many different kinds of birds rest here during their long journeys. This makes Jessie Lake a great spot for people who love to watch birds. Other lakes nearby include Moose Lake and Muriel Lake.
How Many People Live in Bonnyville?
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In 2021, the town of Bonnyville had 6,404 people living there. This number comes from the 2021 Census of Population done by Statistics Canada. This was a small increase from its population of 5,975 people in 2016.
The town covers an area of about 14.17 square kilometers. This means that in 2021, there were about 452 people living in each square kilometer.
What Languages Are Spoken in Bonnyville?
Most people in Bonnyville speak English. However, there is also a noticeable group of people who speak French. These are called Franco-Albertans. Besides English and French, other common languages spoken by families are Tagalog and Ukrainian.
| Mother tongue, 2016 census | Number of speakers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4,390 | 81.1% |
| French | 335 | 6.2% |
| Tagalog | 140 | 2.6% |
| Ukrainian | 60 | 1.1% |
| Other | 370 | 6.8% |
| Multiple responses | 120 | 2.2% |
| Total responses | 5,415 | 100.0% |
Who Lives in Bonnyville?
Bonnyville is home to people from many different backgrounds. The census helps us understand the different groups living in the town.
| Visible minority and Aboriginal population (Canada 2016 Census) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Population group | Population | % of total population | |
| White | 4,155 | 76.8% | |
| Visible minority group | South Asian | 35 | 0.6% |
| Chinese | 2 | 0% | |
| Black | 30 | 0.6% | |
| Filipino | 255 | 4.7% | |
| Latin American | 25 | 0.5% | |
| Arab | 110 | 2% | |
| Southeast Asian | 0 | 0% | |
| West Asian | 0 | 0% | |
| Korean | 0 | 0% | |
| Japanese | 10 | 0.2% | |
| Visible minority, n.i.e. | 0 | 0% | |
| Multiple visible minority | 15 | 0.3% | |
| Total visible minority population | 545 | 10.1% | |
| Aboriginal group | First Nations | 270 | 5% |
| Métis | 440 | 8.1% | |
| Inuit | 0 | 0% | |
| Aboriginal, n.i.e. | 15 | 0.3% | |
| Multiple Aboriginal identity | 0 | 0% | |
| Total Aboriginal population | 710 | 13.1% | |
| Total population | 5,410 | 100% | |
What Does Bonnyville's Economy Rely On?
Bonnyville's economy is mainly based on two things: its nearby petroleum (oil) reserves and its farming. Farmers in the area mostly grow grains and raise livestock like cattle.
Bonnyville is located near the edge of the Athabasca Tar Sands. This is one of Canada's biggest oil reserves. Because of this, large oil companies like Imperial Oil and Canadian Natural Resources Limited have invested a lot of money to get oil from this area.
Besides traditional farming, there's also an increase in game farming. This means raising animals like deer or elk. People are also growing special crops. Bonnyville is also home to one of Alberta's largest tree nurseries. This nursery, called the Bonnyville Tree Nursery, covers a huge area of about 52,000 square feet.
Bonnyville's location is also important for business. It sits between the markets of St. Paul and Cold Lake. This helps a lot with trade and sales. The nearby air force base in Cold Lake also brings a lot of activity to the region.
Fun Places to Visit in Bonnyville
In 2007, Bonnyville celebrated its 100th birthday. To mark this special year, the town built the Centennial Centre. This is a big building for learning and recreation. It connects to the R. J. Lalonde Arena and the Bonnyville & District Agriplex. The building cost more than first expected. This led to a small tax increase for people living in the town and the surrounding area.
Sports Teams in Bonnyville
Bonnyville has its own junior hockey team called the Bonnyville Pontiacs. They play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. There is also a senior hockey team, the Bonnyville Senior Pontiacs. Both teams play their games at the R. J. Lalonde Arena. This arena is part of the Bonnyville & District Centennial Centre.
Learning in Bonnyville: Schools
Bonnyville has several schools. They are run by two main school districts: Lakeland Catholic School District No. 150 and Northern Lights School Division No. 69. There is also a French school.
- Lakeland Catholic School District No. 150
- École Notre Dame Elementary School: This school offers classes from kindergarten to grade 4. Students can learn in English or French.
- École Dr. Bernard Brosseau School: This school teaches students from grade 5 to grade 8. It also offers both English and French programs.
- École Notre Dame High School: Students from grade 9 to grade 12 attend this high school. They also have a great handball team!
- Northern Lights School Division No. 69
- Duclos School: This school provides classes from kindergarten to grade 4.
- H.E. Bourgoin School: Students in grades 5 through 8 go to this school.
- Bonnyville Centralized High School: This high school is for students in grades 9 through 12.
- Bonnyville Outreach School: This school offers programs for students in grades 9 through 12.
Conseil scolaire Centre-Est
- École des Beaux-Lacs: This is a French school. It offers classes from kindergarten all the way to grade 12.
Bonnyville in the News and on the Radio
Bonnyville has its own TV station, CKSA-TV-2. It is a rebroadcaster of Citytv from Lloydminster.
You can also listen to two FM radio stations in Bonnyville:
- Hot 101.3 FM (CJEG-FM): This station plays popular music. It is owned by Stingray Digital.
- Country 99 (CFNA-FM): This station plays country music at 99.7 FM. It is owned by Vista Radio.
Bonnyville also has local newspapers:
- The Bonnyville Nouvelle: This newspaper recently became a regional paper. It is now called Lakeland This Week. It shares news from Bonnyville, St. Paul, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, and Elk Point.
- Respect: This newspaper started in 2018. It is owned by local people. It is a regional newspaper made "for seniors (and seniors-to-be)."
Famous People from Bonnyville
Many interesting people have come from Bonnyville, including:
- Théodore Arcand: A diplomat, who works with other countries.
- Tanner Boser: A mixed martial artist.
- Denis Ducharme: A former politician in the province.
- Tyler Ennis: A former professional hockey player.
- Justin Fontaine: A professional hockey player.
- Ernie Isley: A former provincial politician and mayor of the town.
- Jon Kalinski: A professional hockey player.
- Eugenia "Genia" Leskiw: A Canadian politician.
- Mike Plume: A country music singer and songwriter.
