Taber | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Taber | |
 Taber town centre | |
 Coat of arms  Logo | |
| Motto: "Unity, Growth, Prosperity" | |
  Taber Location of Taber in Alberta | |
| Coordinates:49°47′05″N112°09′03″W / 49.78472°N 112.15083°W /49.78472; -112.15083 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 2 |
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Taber |
| Incorporated[1] | |
| • Village | March 15, 1905 |
| • Town | July 1, 1907 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council government |
| • Mayor | Andrew Prokop |
| • Governing body | Taber Town Council
|
| • CAO | Derrin Thibault |
| • MLA | Grant Hunter (UCP) |
| Area (2021)[3] | |
| • Land | 19.32 km2 (7.46 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 815 m (2,674 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 8,862 |
| • Density | 458.6/km2 (1,188/sq mi) |
| • Municipal census (2020) | 8,711[5] |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Forward sortation area | |
| Highways | Highway 3 Highway 36 |
| Waterway | Oldman River |
| Website | www |
Taber (/ˈteɪbər/TAY-bər) is a town insouthern Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by theMunicipal District of Taber. It is approximately 51 km (32 mi) east of the City ofLethbridge at the intersection ofHighway 3 andHighway 36.
Taber is famous for itscorn due to the large amounts ofsunshine the area receives. It is therefore known as theCorn Capital of Canada and holds an annual "Cornfest" in the last week of August.
Originally, Taber was known as "Tank No. 77," and was used by therailway to fill up on water. In 1903, it is said that the firstMormon settlers from the U.S. were the ones to establish a hamlet at the Tank. After the town'spost office was built in 1907, theCPR decided to call the town "Tabor," probably afterMount Tabor in theHoly Land. However, variousletters and station heads came out printed "Taber," so the CPR changed the name to make it match the records.
An alternate version of the town's name origin is that the first part of the wordtabernacle was used byMormon settlers in the vicinity, and the next Canadian Pacific Railway station was named Elcan (nacle spelled backwards).
After time, Taber became a successfulcoal mining town. Coal mining declined in the late 1920s, but picked up in the 1930s after extensiveirrigation in the area.
During the Second World War, Japanese Canadians wereforcibly relocated to Alberta where some were compelled into forced labor, many in sugar beet cultivation, for the duration of the war.
Irrigation helped not only the coal miners, it also brought with it the production ofsugar beets. In 1950, a sugar beet processing plant (Roger's Sugar) was built, which has become a vital part of the town's economy.
A number of archaeological discoveries were made in the vicinity of Taber, including that of extinct buffalo,[7] and the so-called "Taber child" in 1961 by the head of a Geological Survey of Canada team Dr. Archie Stalker in the glacial deposits along the east bank of theOldman River.[8]
Taber experiences asemi-arid climate (Köppen climate classificationBSk). The highest temperature ever recorded in Taber was 40.6 °C (105 °F) on 17 July 1936. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −43.3 °C (−46 °F) on 23 January 1969.[9]
| Climate data for Taber, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1907–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.0 (64.4) | 24.0 (75.2) | 28.0 (82.4) | 31.1 (88.0) | 36.1 (97.0) | 39.4 (102.9) | 40.6 (105.1) | 38.5 (101.3) | 35.6 (96.1) | 31.1 (88.0) | 23.5 (74.3) | 19.0 (66.2) | 40.6 (105.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.7 (30.7) | 2.6 (36.7) | 5.6 (42.1) | 13.6 (56.5) | 18.7 (65.7) | 22.2 (72.0) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.2 (81.0) | 20.7 (69.3) | 13.6 (56.5) | 5.3 (41.5) | 0.2 (32.4) | 13.0 (55.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −6.6 (20.1) | −3.4 (25.9) | −0.6 (30.9) | 6.6 (43.9) | 11.8 (53.2) | 15.7 (60.3) | 19.5 (67.1) | 19.1 (66.4) | 13.2 (55.8) | 7.0 (44.6) | −0.4 (31.3) | −5.2 (22.6) | 6.4 (43.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −12.4 (9.7) | −9.5 (14.9) | −6.9 (19.6) | −0.3 (31.5) | 4.8 (40.6) | 9.1 (48.4) | 11.9 (53.4) | 11.0 (51.8) | 5.6 (42.1) | 0.3 (32.5) | −6.1 (21.0) | −10.7 (12.7) | −0.3 (31.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −43.3 (−45.9) | −38 (−36) | −36.7 (−34.1) | −21.1 (−6.0) | −11.7 (10.9) | −1.1 (30.0) | 2.8 (37.0) | −0.6 (30.9) | −7.8 (18.0) | −26.5 (−15.7) | −33 (−27) | −42.2 (−44.0) | −43.3 (−45.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 16.8 (0.66) | 13.6 (0.54) | 24.1 (0.95) | 31.9 (1.26) | 47.8 (1.88) | 90.9 (3.58) | 29.0 (1.14) | 38.9 (1.53) | 36.9 (1.45) | 18.9 (0.74) | 17.3 (0.68) | 15.0 (0.59) | 381.0 (15.00) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.3 (0.01) | 0.4 (0.02) | 5.3 (0.21) | 23.1 (0.91) | 43.5 (1.71) | 90.9 (3.58) | 29.0 (1.14) | 38.5 (1.52) | 36.4 (1.43) | 12.1 (0.48) | 3.2 (0.13) | 1.3 (0.05) | 283.8 (11.17) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 16.5 (6.5) | 13.3 (5.2) | 19.1 (7.5) | 8.8 (3.5) | 4.3 (1.7) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.2 (0.1) | 0.5 (0.2) | 6.8 (2.7) | 14.1 (5.6) | 13.8 (5.4) | 97.4 (38.3) |
| Source:Environment Canada[9][10] | |||||||||||||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, the Town of Taber had a population of 8,862 living in 3,347 of its 3,481 total private dwellings, a change of5.1% from its 2016 population of 8,428. With a land area of 19.32 km2 (7.46 sq mi), it had a population density of458.7/km2 (1,188.0/sq mi) in 2021.[3]
The population of the Town of Taber according to its2020 municipal census is 8,711,[5] a3.9% change from its2015 municipal census population of 8,380.[11]
In the2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Taber recorded a population of 8,428 living in 3,159 of its 3,384 total private dwellings, a4% change from its 2011 population of 8,104. With a land area of 15.67 km2 (6.05 sq mi), it had a population density of537.8/km2 (1,393.0/sq mi) in 2016.[12]
| Panethnic group | 2021[13] | 2016[14] | 2011[15] | 2006[16] | 2001[17] | 1996[18] | 1991[19][20] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| European[a] | 7,325 | 84.34% | 7,265 | 88.38% | 7,315 | 91.27% | 6,970 | 93.68% | 7,000 | 93.27% | 6,715 | 94.58% | 5,945 | 90.83% |
| Southeast Asian[b] | 560 | 6.45% | 335 | 4.08% | 145 | 1.81% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.13% | 10 | 0.14% | 0 | 0% |
| Indigenous | 375 | 4.32% | 230 | 2.8% | 275 | 3.43% | 130 | 1.75% | 190 | 2.53% | 80 | 1.13% | 320 | 4.89% |
| East Asian[c] | 150 | 1.73% | 285 | 3.47% | 200 | 2.5% | 315 | 4.23% | 250 | 3.33% | 260 | 3.66% | 230 | 3.51% |
| South Asian | 85 | 0.98% | 55 | 0.67% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.15% |
| Latin American | 60 | 0.69% | 30 | 0.36% | 0 | 0% | 25 | 0.34% | 0 | 0% | 30 | 0.42% | 15 | 0.23% |
| African | 35 | 0.4% | 10 | 0.12% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 60 | 0.8% | 15 | 0.21% | 0 | 0% |
| Middle Eastern[d] | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.12% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Other/multiracial[e] | 85 | 0.98% | 20 | 0.24% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 25 | 0.38% |
| Total responses | 8,685 | 98% | 8,220 | 97.53% | 8,015 | 98.9% | 7,440 | 98.01% | 7,505 | 97.84% | 7,100 | 98.42% | 6,545 | 98.21% |
| Total population | 8,862 | 100% | 8,428 | 100% | 8,104 | 100% | 7,591 | 100% | 7,671 | 100% | 7,214 | 100% | 6,664 | 100% |
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||||||
Taber's economy is largely based on agriculture. Local produce includespigs,beef,sheep,poultry,sugar beets,potatoes,peas,carrots,wheat,flax,barley,corn,beans,sunflowers,oats,onions,canola andmustard.
Roger's Sugar is Taber's sugar beet processing plant, built in 1950. Lantic Inc., owns and operates the factory. There are several food processing companies based in the town, including aFrito-Lay factory, which produces various snack products for much of Western Canada. As well,sand andgravel are mined here. To a lesser extent, there is also a significantoil and gas component to the economy.
Cornfest is an annual summer festival held on the last full weekend in August, and includes a midway (rides, booths, and tests of skill) and a stage with performers.[21] It is the largest free family festival in Western Canada, and is organized by the Taber and District Chamber of Commerce. There are a number of corn-based activities, such as corn tasting and stuffing. Corn stuffing involves two people, one wearing an oversized coverall. One of the contestants attempts to stuff as much corn as possible into the other's coverall. Whichever team can put the most corn in the coveralls in the allotted time wins. During Cornfest, large-scale, local corn producers enter their best varieties in the 'Best Corn of the Year' award.
Taber is home to one of the Canada 150 Mosaic murals.[22] It depicts Tank 77 within a field of corn, and the tiles were painted by members of the community. The mural was unveiled in December 2016, and is housed within the Taber Health Clinic.
| Year | Liberal | Conservative | New Democratic | Green | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4% | 151 | 70% | 2,738 | 8% | 319 | 0% | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3% | 121 | 89% | 3,842 | 4% | 188 | 1% | 47 | |
| Year | United Cons. | New Democratic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 79% | 2,588 | 12% | 387 | |
| 2015 | 41% | 8,681 | 20% | 525 | |
The Town of Taber gained notoriety when it adopted a bylaw on February 23, 2015, that granted the police and bylaw officials the authority to levy fines for controversial actions including swearing, public assembly, spitting and applying graffiti on one's own private property. The bylaw also implemented a curfew.[25][26] The adoption met criticism over its appearance of being unconstitutional; violating freedoms of expression and association protected underSection Two of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.[27] The town defended its adoption stating the bylaw "is intended to consolidate existing municipal regulations and allow enforcement under a municipal bylaw rather than the Criminal Code" and citing concerns about unnecessary prosecutions clogging the court.[28] Mayor Henk De Vlieger supported the bylaw while stating that town council would review the bylaw after a six-month trial.[25]
| Taber Police Service | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1904[29] |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Legal jurisdiction | Municipal |
| Operational structure | |
| Sworn members | 19 |
| Elected officer responsible |
|
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | |
| www | |
TheTaber Police Service (TPS) is the municipal police force for the Town of Taber. Graham Abela is the currentchief of police.[30] The TPS was established in 1904.[29] As of 2023, TPS had 19 serving officers.[31]
Kindergarten through grade 12 education is administered in Taber by the Horizon School Division and Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Division. The two high schools in Taber are W.R. Myers High School and St. Mary's School.[32][33] Taber has a Christian School for kindergarten through grade 9. Other education systems include Community Adult Learning Council, ACE Place Learning Center and a Career Resource Centre.[34]
Taber andHigashiomi are sister towns.[35] In 1981, the Town of Taber andNotogawa, Japan signed the original Twinned Municipalities Agreement. When Notogawa was merged into the City of Higashiomi in 2006, the two municipalities re-signed the Twinning Agreement.
Places adjacent to Taber, Alberta | |
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