Airdrie, Alberta

For other uses, see Airdrie (disambiguation).

Airdrie (/ˈɛərdri/ AIR-dree) is a city in Alberta, Canada, within the Calgary Region and the Calgary Metropolitan Area, It is located north of Calgary within the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor at the intersection of Queen Elizabeth II Highway (Highway 2) and Highway 567.

Airdrie
City
City of Airdrie
Aerial view of Airdrie
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City boundaries
Airdrie Location in Alberta Show map of Alberta Airdrie Location in Canada Show map of Canada Airdrie Location in Rocky View County Show map of Rocky View County
Coordinates: 51°17′30″N 114°00′52″W
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Calgary Metropolitan Region
Municipal district	Rocky View County
Founded	1899
Incorporated[1]
• Village	September 10, 1909
• Town	May 1, 1974
• City	January 1, 1985
Government [2]
• Mayor	Peter Brown
• Governing body	Airdrie City Council Darrell Belyk Ron Chapman Alfred Jones Candice Kolson Tina Petrow Heather Spearman
• Manager	Horacio Galanti
• MP	Blake Richards (Banff—Airdrie – Cons)
• MLA	Angela Pitt ([[Airdrie East (electoral district) – United Conservative Party); Peter Guthrie Airdrie-Cochrane (electoral district) - United Conservative Party
Area  (2021)[3]
• Total	86.03 km2 (33.22 sq mi)
• Land	84.39 km2 (32.58 sq mi)
Elevation [4]	1,098 m (3,602 ft)
Population  (2021)[3]
• Total	74,100
• Density	878.1/km2 (2,274/sq mi)
• Municipal census (2024)	85,805[5]
Demonyms	Airdronian[6]
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Forward sortation areas	T4A - T4B
Area codes	403, 587, 825, 368
Highways	2
Website	airdrie.ca

The City of Airdrie is part of the Calgary census metropolitan area and a member municipality of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB). The city is surrounded by Rocky View County.

Airdrie has a population of around 86,000 people, making it the 5th largest city in Alberta, after Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Red Deer.^[7] The average age in 2023 was 35 years old.

History

Airdrie was first established as a railway siding in 1889 during the construction of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway, named for Airdrie, Scotland.^[8] Airdrie originated as a stopping point for steam trains next to Nose Creek.^[9] Only railway buildings existed until 1901 when the first farmhouse and barn was built, followed by a post office and store in that same year.^[10] The village of Airdrie was incorporated in 1909.^[11] The Nose Creek Valley Museum offers an overview of Airdrie's past and history.

Geography

The annexation of 12,640 acres of land by Airdrie from Rocky View County in 2012 is designed to accommodate anticipated growth until 2062. Airdrie's southern and Calgary's northern city boundaries are within a few kilometres of each other.

Neighbourhoods

Airdrie is divided into four civic addressing quadrants.^[12] As of the 2023, the City of Airdrie recognized the following neighbourhoods, not including rural and annexation land.^[13]

• Airdrie Meadows
• Bayside/Baysprings/Bayview
• Big Springs
• Buffalo Rub
• Canals
• Chinook Gate
• Cobblestone Creek
• Coopers Crossing
• Davy Creek
• Downtown
• East Lake Industrial
• Edgewater
• Edmonton Trail
• Fairways
• Gateway Commercial
• Highland
• Hillcrest
• Jensen
• Key Ranch
• King's Heights
• Lanark
• Luxstone
• Meadowbrook
• Midtown
• Morningside
• Old Town
• Prairie Springs
• Ravenswood
• Reunion
• Reynolds
• Ridgegate
• Sagewood
• Sawgrass Park
• Sierra Springs Commercial
• Silver Creek
• South Pointe Commercial
• Southwinds
• Stonegate
• Summerhill
• Sun Ridge
• The Village
• Thorburn
• Vantage Rise
• Waterstone
• Wildflower
• Williamstown
• Willow Brook
• Windsong
• Woodside
• Yankee Valley Crossing
• Yankee Valley Estates

Demographics

Source:^[14]

Federal census
population history

Year	Pop.	±%
1911	164	—
1916	156	−4.9%
1921	160	+2.6%
1926	191	+19.4%
1931	198	+3.7%
1936	214	+8.1%
1941	191	−10.7%
1946	198	+3.7%
1951	267	+34.8%
1956	327	+22.5%
1961	524	+60.2%
1966	778	+48.5%
1971	1,089	+40.0%
1976	1,408	+29.3%
1981	8,414	+497.6%
1986	10,390	+23.5%
1991	12,456	+19.9%
1996	15,946	+28.0%
2001	20,382	+27.8%
2006	28,927	+41.9%
2011	42,564	+47.1%
2016	61,581	+44.7%
2021	74,100	+20.3%
Source: Statistics Canada [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][3]

In the 2023 Municipal Census conducted by the City of Airdrie,^[37] the City had a population of 80,649. Between April 2019 and to the end of March 2023, 2,534 new homes were added in Airdrie, an increase of 9.67 per cent for a total of 28,744 dwellings.^[37]

The population grew 14% from the last municipal census in 2019. Due to Covid-19 there were no municipal censuses done between 2020 and 2022.

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Airdrie had a population of 61,581 living in 21,661 of its 22,398 total private dwellings, a change of 42.3% from its 2011 population of 43,271. With a land area of 84.57 km² (32.65 sq mi), it had a population density of 728.2/km² (1,885.9/sq mi) in 2016.^[36]

Ethnicity

In 2021,^[38] 74.7% of residents were white/European, 20.4% were visible minorities and 4.9% were Indigenous.

Panethnic groups in the City of Airdrie (2001−2021)

Panethnic group	2021[39]		2016[40]		2011[41]		2006[42]		2001[43]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
European[a]	55,110	74.68%	50,435	82.42%	37,050	87.63%	27,035	93.89%	19,320	95.36%
South Asian	3,825	5.18%	1,840	3.01%	680	1.61%	190	0.66%	80	0.39%
Indigenous	3,630	4.92%	2,855	4.67%	1,580	3.74%	870	3.02%	425	2.1%
African	3,530	4.78%	1,755	2.87%	745	1.76%	95	0.33%	130	0.64%
Southeast Asian[b]	3,180	4.31%	1,725	2.82%	885	2.09%	135	0.47%	100	0.49%
Latin American	1,595	2.16%	825	1.35%	505	1.19%	50	0.17%	10	0.05%
East Asian[c]	1,130	1.53%	890	1.45%	540	1.28%	330	1.15%	180	0.89%
Middle Eastern[d]	980	1.33%	385	0.63%	60	0.14%	55	0.17%	20	0.1%
Other/multiracial[e]	810	1.1%	475	0.78%	235	0.56%	35	0.12%	0	0%
Total responses	73,795	99.59%	61,190	99.37%	42,280	97.71%	28,795	99.54%	20,260	99.28%
Total population	74,100	100%	61,581	100%	43,271	100%	28,927	100%	20,407	100%
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Religion

46.8% of Airdrie residents were Christians, down from 62.1% in 2011.^[44] 18.4% were Catholic, 11.3% were Protestant, and 11.8% were Christian n.o.s. 5.3% were other Christian denominations or Christian-related traditions, including 1.3% Latter Day Saints believers. 45.9% were non-religious or secular, up from 35.5% in 2011. 7.2% of the population belonged to other religions, up from 2.3% in 2011. The largest non-Christian religions were Islam (3.0%), Sikhism (2.1%) and Hinduism (1.0%).

Religion	2021[38]		2011[44]
	Population	Percent	Population	Percent
Christian	34,555	46.8%	26,275	62.1%
No religion	33,880	45.9%	15,030	35.5%
Muslim	2,250	3.0%	315	0.7%
Sikh	1,515	2.1%	205	0.5%
Hindu	710	1.0%	60	0.1%
Buddhist	215	0.3%	140	0.3%
Jewish	70	0.1%	0	-
Other	590	0.8%	245	0.6%

Arts and culture

Nose Creek Regional Park hosts the annual Airdrie Festival of Lights during the Christmas season, usually lasting for the whole month of December. Other annual festivals include the Canada Day Parade and the Airdrie Pro Rodeo. Airdrie's primary cultural venues include the Nose Creek Valley Museum and the Bert Church Live Theatre.^[45] Bert Church Live Theatre hosts the Annual Airdrie Mayor's Night of the Arts.

Attractions

• Nose Creek Regional Park includes, within its natural prairie habitat area, the bronze sculpture Iethka Grandmother's Teachings created by Don and Shirley Begg of Bronze Studio West in Cochrane, Alberta. It was donated to the city in 2023 by a local family and depicts a Stoney grandmother in 1909 teaching three of her grandchildren about uses of the local wolf willow. Created as part of Airdrie's efforts for Truth and Reconciliation, it was spurred by the archaeological evidence in this park of several teepee and hearth rings.

• The first monument in Alberta to Philippine National Hero, José Rizal, which was inaugurated in October 2021, is also located in this Park.
• Battle of Gapyeong Victory, Korean War monument

• Nose Creek Valley Museum^[46]
• Bert Church Live Theatre^[47]
• Iron Horse Park^[48]
• Airdrie Festival of Lights^[49]
• Airdrie Pro Rodeo^[50]
• Airdrie Family Fall Fair^[51]

Sports

Airdrie is the home of several sporting franchises. Major teams include the Knights of Airdrie, a senior men's lacrosse team that plays in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League. As well they have a Jr. B level hockey Team, the Airdrie Thunder, that competes in the Heritage Junior B Hockey League, and Team Airdrie, a Jr. C level hockey team that competes in the Calgary Jr. C Hockey League. They are also home to the CFR Chemical Bisons, a AAA Midget hockey team, playing out of the AMHL (Alberta AAA Midget Hockey League).

Airdrie is home to two competitive swimming clubs, Airdrie Phoenix Swim Club (Airdrie based, Airdrie Phoenix Swim Club Home)^[52] and Nose Creek Swim Association (Calgary based),^[53] many athletes reaching provincial championships, and national competitions as well. Both clubs operate in Genesis Place.^[54]

Airdrie is also the home of the Airdrie Irish (Airdrie Irish) a SR MENS Semi Pro Alberta Football League. The Irish were formed in 2015 and play all home games at Airdrie's Genesis Place in summer months.

There is also a number of competitive junior and amateur sports with the largest being soccer, that call Airdrie home. Airdrie District Soccer Association (ADSA) has over 2000 children between the ages of 3 and 18 registered to its ever-growing program (www.airdriesoccer.com).^[55] With Airdrie being one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, it is also home to eight competitive adult soccer teams playing within the Calgary Soccer Associations competition.^[56]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Airdrie is situated on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway (Highway 2), which links Calgary and Edmonton. Highway 567 provides access to Cochrane to the west and Irricana to the east.

Airdrie is served by the Airdrie Airport, with the closest major airport being the Calgary International Airport.

Airdrie launched the InterCity Express (ICE) in the fall of 2010, connecting Airdrie and Calgary transit hubs by a two-way express bus service.^[57] Local bus service is provided by Airdrie Transit.

Education

Rocky View Schools provides public education in Airdrie, and operates 18^[58] schools in the city:

• A.E. Bowers Elementary School
• Bert Church High School
• C.W. Perry School
• Cooper's Crossing School
• Ecole Airdrie Middle School
• Ecole Edwards Elementary School
• George McDougall High School
• Heloise Lorimer School
• Heron's Crossing School
• Meadowbrook School
• Muriel Clayton Middle School
• Northcott Prairie School
• Nose Creek School
• R.J. Hawkey Elementary School
• Ralph McCall School
• RVS Community Learning Centre
• W.H. Croxford High School
• Windsong Heights School

Calgary Catholic School District operates four schools in Airdrie:

• St. Martin de Porres High School (8-12)
• Good Shepherd School (K-7)
• Our Lady Queen of Peace (K-9)
• St Veronica School (K-7)

Private schools in the city include Airdrie Koinonia Christian School, Footprints for Learning Academy and Atlas Academy.

Airdrie has one fully francophone school, operated by the FrancoSud school board: École Francophone d’Airdrie, which is a K-12 school. It was renamed L’École des Hautes-Plaines in September 2023.^[59]

Media

Due to its proximity to Calgary, Airdrie receives radio and television broadcasts from the city (see Media of Calgary). It at present has no local television broadcasters but has a radio station, Air 106.1 FM and an accompanying community internet portal, DiscoverAirdrie.com. The city has a local newspaper the Airdrie City View .^[60] A community newsletter, Here's the Scoop, was also published weekly and delivered door to door as part of a larger flyer package throughout the city until July 2020, at which time it was purchased by Airdrie City View.^[61] A quarterly magazine, AirdrieLIFE, is also available.^[62]

Sister cities

Airdrie Park in Gwacheon

• Gwacheon, South Korea since 1997^[63]
• Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland^[64]

Notable people

• Kyle McKearney, singer-songwriter
• Grant McLean, former mayor
• Jake Neighbours, National Hockey League player
• Katie Rox, singer-songwriter
• Aaron Dell, National Hockey League goalie

See also

• List of communities in Alberta
• List of cities in Alberta

Notes

1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
2. Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
3. Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
4. Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
5. Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.