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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Bezanson, Alberta

Bezanson is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the County of Grande Prairie No. 1. It is located approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Grande Prairie on Highway 43, west of the Smoky River.

History

Born near Halifax, Nova Scotia September 1, 1878, A. M. Bezanson (Ancel Maynard) had come to the Peace River Country in 1906. On returning to Edmonton he published a pamphlet, 'The Peace River Trail', in May 1907 in an effort to increase interest in the area. He settled near the junction of the Wapiti, Smoky, and Simonette rivers in 1908 and started a settlement there. Bezanson was established in 1910, when it was expected that the Grande Prairie-Grande Cache Railway would pass through the region. The settlement grew until 1914, when it was found that the railway would pass to the north through Rycroft. The townsite was moved to be near the highway. A campsite and historical markers are at the original townsite 6 miles (9.7 km) to the southeast.

A ferry was opened in 1915 across the Smoky River. The first bridge over the river was built in 1949, near where the highway from Grande Prairie to Edmonton passed through the settlement. It was detoured in 2001, with the twinning of Highway 43 and the opening of the new Smoky River bridge.

Geography

The nearby Kleskun Hills are the northernmost badlands in Canada and contain one of the few unbroken areas of the original prairie.

Demographics

Population history
of Bezanson
YearPop.±%
195165—    
195673+12.3%
196168−6.8%
196667−1.5%
197154−19.4%
197665+20.4%
198187+33.8%
198662−28.7%
199168+9.7%
1991A70+2.9%
199672+2.9%
200181+12.5%
2006137+69.1%
2011121−11.7%
2016107−11.6%
2021133+24.3%
Source: Statistics Canada

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Bezanson had a population of 133 living in 58 of its 63 total private dwellings, a change of 24.3% from its 2016 population of 107. With a land area of 1.11 km (0.43 sq mi), it had a population density of 119.8/km (310.3/sq mi) in 2021.

As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Bezanson had a population of 107 living in 50 of its 55 total private dwellings, a change of -11.6% from its 2011 population of 121. With a land area of 1.11 km (0.43 sq mi), it had a population density of 96.4/km (249.7/sq mi) in 2016.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  2. ^ "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  3. ^ Discover the Peace Country. "Bezason". Retrieved February 4, 2008.
  4. ^ Ninth Census of Canada, 1951 (PDF). Vol. SP-7 (Population: Unincorporated villages and hamlets). Dominion Bureau of Statistics. March 31, 1954. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  5. ^ Census of Canada, 1956 (PDF). Vol. Population of unincorporated villages and settlements. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. October 25, 1957. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  6. ^ 1961 Census of Canada: Population (PDF). Series SP: Unincorporated Villages. Vol. Bulletin SP—4. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. April 18, 1963. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  7. ^ Census of Canada 1966: Population (PDF). Special Bulletin: Unincorporated Places. Vol. Bulletin S–3. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1968. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  8. ^ 1971 Census of Canada: Population (PDF). Special Bulletin: Unincorporated Settlements. Vol. Bulletin SP—1. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1973. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  9. ^ "Geographical Identification and Population for Unincorporated Places of 25 persons and over, 1971 and 1976". 1976 Census of Canada (PDF). Supplementary Bulletins: Geographic and Demographic (Population of Unincorporated Places—Canada). Vol. Bulletin 8SG.1. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1978. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  10. ^ 1981 Census of Canada (PDF). Place name reference list. Vol. Western provinces and the Territories. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1983. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  11. ^ 1986 Census of Canada (PDF). Population. Vol. Unincorporated Places. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1988. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  12. ^ 91 Census (PDF). Population and Dwelling Counts. Vol. Unincorporated Places. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1993. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  13. ^ 96 Census (PDF). A National Overivew: Population and Dwelling Counts. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1997. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  14. ^ "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Divisions, 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. August 15, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  15. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. July 20, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  16. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  17. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.