Edmonton is Alberta's capital city, located in the centre of the Alberta Capital Region on the North Saskatchewan River. With a metro population of over 1.1 million, Edmonton is the second largest city in Alberta and the sixth largest metropolitan area in Canada. The city of Edmonton covers an area of over 680 square kilometres (264 square miles) while the Edmonton Capital Region includes a metro area of over 9,400 square kilometres (3,636 square miles).

35 municipalities make up the Edmonton Capital Region, including the cities of Edmonton, St. Albert, Spruce Grove, Leduc and Fort Saskatchewan; the surrounding counties of Strathcona County (including Sherwood Park), Leduc County, Parkland County and Sturgeon County; and the towns of Beaumont, Bon Accord, Bruderheim, Calmar, Devon, Gibbons, Legal, Morinville, Redwater and Stony Plain. The Greater Edmonton Area also includes a number of smaller villages and reserves, including Wabamun, Seba Beach and Kapasiwin among many others.

The city of Edmonton is the governmental, cultural and educational heart of the Alberta Capital Region, the northern anchor of the Calgary-Edmonton corridor, and home to most of the region's residents.

 

Edmonton Neighbourhoods

At the core of the city is Edmonton's Downtown, consisting of the city's Commercial Core, the Arts District, Rice Howard Way, Jasper-West, McKay Avenue, the Warehouse District, and the Government Grandin area. The Arts District is the cultural heart of the city, including most of Edmonton's primary cultural building including the Citadel Theatre, City Hall and The Art Gallery of Alberta. The Government Grandin area is home to many city and provincial government buildings including the Alberta Legislature, while the Warehouse District contains older brick warehouse leftover from when this area was the city's prime industrial core: many of these heritage buildings are being restored, renovated and converted into trendy loft and condominium spaces.

Surrounding Edmonton's Downtown are older urban neighbourhoods including Oliver, Westmount, Glenora, Boyle Street, McCauly, Bonnie Doon, Cloverdale, Parkdale and Riverdale. Each of these communities has its own unique personality, from Oliver's high-density high-rise apartments and condominiums to the Scottish mansions of Glenora and the older, character homes in Westmount and Riverdale.

Across the river from Downtown Edmonton is Strathcona, considered by many to be the trendiest and most vibrant area of the city. Home to the popular and bustling Whyte Avenue which offers some of the city's best nightlife, Strathcona is a major cultural hotspot, hosting festivals throughout the year and set apart by its many locally owned and operated restaurant, cafes, businesses and boutiques. Nearby is the French-Canadian inspired neighbourhood of Garneau and the main campus of the University of Alberta.

Beyond this urban core can be found the more mature suburban areas of Edmonton, including Rundle Heights, Sherbrooke, Allendale and Empire Park among dozens of others. These higher density suburbs offer a variety of housing choices including single family homes, townhouse complexes and walk-up apartment and condominiums.

Radiating out from these communities are the newer suburbs, areas like Millwoods, Clareview, Callingwood, Terwillegar and Castle Downs. Edmonton continues to expand its borders, offering newer communities beyond the Anthony Henday ring road including Summerside, Windermere, The Hamptons, Ellerslie and Rutherford. Many of these outermost suburban communities include small recreational lakes.