Airdrie has a population of around 86,000 people, making it the 5th largest city inAlberta, afterCalgary,Edmonton,Lethbridge, andRed Deer.[7] The average age in 2023 was 35 years old.
Airdrie was first established as a railway siding in 1889 during the construction of theCalgary and Edmonton Railway, named forAirdrie,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.
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.
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]
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 the2016 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 of42.3% from its 2011 population of 43,271. With a land area of 84.57 km2 (32.65 sq mi), it had a population density of728.2/km2 (1,885.9/sq mi) in 2016.[36]
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 wereIslam (3.0%),Sikhism (2.1%) andHinduism (1.0%).
Nose Creek Regional Park hosts the annual Airdrie Festival of Lights during theChristmas 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. Airdrie is also home to Airdrie CultureFest which is an annual event that celebrates diversity and culture.[46]
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.
Airdrie is the home of several sporting franchises. Major teams include the Knights of Airdrie, a senior men's lacrosse team that plays in theRocky Mountain Lacrosse League. As well they have a Jr. B level hockey Team, theAirdrie Thunder, that competes in theHeritage 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)[53] and Nose Creek Swim Association (Calgary based),[citation needed] 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]
Airdrie is situated on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway (Highway 2), which links Calgary andEdmonton. Highway 567 provides access toCochrane to the west andIrricana to the east.
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 byAirdrie Transit.
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]
Due to its proximity to Calgary, Airdrie receives radio and television broadcasts from the city (seeMedia 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 theAirdrie 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]
^"Table I: Area and Population of Canada by Provinces, Districts and Subdistricts in 1911 and Population in 1901".Census of Canada, 1911. Vol. I. Ottawa:Government of Canada. 1912. pp. 2–39.
^"Table I: Population of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta by Districts, Townships, Cities, Towns, and Incorporated Villages in 1916, 1911, 1906, and 1901".Census of Prairie Provinces, 1916. Vol. Population and Agriculture. Ottawa:Government of Canada. 1918. pp. 77–140.
^"Table 8: Population by districts and sub-districts according to the Redistribution Act of 1914 and the amending act of 1915, compared for the census years 1921, 1911 and 1901".Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa:Government of Canada. 1922. pp. 169–215.
^"Table 7: Population of cities, towns and villages for the province of Alberta in census years 1901–26, as classed in 1926".Census of Prairie Provinces, 1926. Vol. Census of Alberta, 1926. Ottawa:Government of Canada. 1927. pp. 565–567.
^"Table 12: Population of Canada by provinces, counties or census divisions and subdivisions, 1871–1931".Census of Canada, 1931. Ottawa:Government of Canada. 1932. pp. 98–102.
^"Table 4: Population in incorporated cities, towns and villages, 1901–1936".Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1936. Vol. I: Population and Agriculture. Ottawa:Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1938. pp. 833–836.
^"Table 10: Population by census subdivisions, 1871–1941".Eighth Census of Canada, 1941. Vol. II: Population by Local Subdivisions. Ottawa:Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1944. pp. 134–141.
^"Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1926–1946".Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1946. Vol. I: Population. Ottawa:Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1949. pp. 401–414.
^"Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1871–1951".Ninth Census of Canada, 1951. Vol. I: Population, General Characteristics. Ottawa:Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1953. p. 6.73–6.83.
^"Table 6: Population by sex, for census subdivisions, 1956 and 1951".Census of Canada, 1956. Vol. Population, Counties and Subdivisions. Ottawa:Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1957. p. 6.50–6.53.
^"Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1901–1961".1961 Census of Canada. Series 1.1: Historical, 1901–1961. Vol. I: Population. Ottawa:Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1963. p. 6.77–6.83.
^"Population by specified age groups and sex, for census subdivisions, 1966".Census of Canada, 1966. Vol. Population, Specified Age Groups and Sex for Counties and Census Subdivisions, 1966. Ottawa:Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1968. p. 6.50–6.53.
^"Table 2: Population of Census Subdivisions, 1921–1971".1971 Census of Canada. Vol. I: Population, Census Subdivisions (Historical). Ottawa:Statistics Canada. 1973. p. 2.102–2.111.
^"Table 3: Population for census divisions and subdivisions, 1971 and 1976".1976 Census of Canada. Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Vol. I: Population, Geographic Distributions. Ottawa:Statistics Canada. 1977. p. 3.40–3.43.
^"Table 4: Population and Total Occupied Dwellings, for Census Divisions and Subdivisions, 1976 and 1981".1981 Census of Canada. Vol. II: Provincial series, Population, Geographic distributions (Alberta). Ottawa:Statistics Canada. 1982. p. 4.1–4.10.ISBN0-660-51095-2.
^"Table 2: Census Divisions and Subdivisions – Population and Occupied Private Dwellings, 1981 and 1986".Census Canada 1986. Vol. Population and Dwelling Counts – Provinces and Territories (Alberta). Ottawa:Statistics Canada. 1987. p. 2.1–2.10.ISBN0-660-53463-0.
^"Table 2: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 and 1991 – 100% Data".91 Census. Vol. Population and Dwelling Counts – Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. Ottawa:Statistics Canada. 1992. pp. 100–108.ISBN0-660-57115-3.
^"Table 10: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions, Census Subdivisions (Municipalities) and Designated Places, 1991 and 1996 Censuses – 100% Data".96 Census. Vol. A National Overview – Population and Dwelling Counts. Ottawa:Statistics Canada. 1997. pp. 136–146.ISBN0-660-59283-5.
.jpg)
.svg)
