North-Central Alberta

From a certain perspective, the community of St. Albert could be considered as the first centre of French Canadian settlement in Alberta. The lands were ultimately divided into river lots and given to the local Métis in the scrip settlement.

The first French-Canadian settlers to come to the area and claim land for farming were the two Lamoureux brothers who arrived in autumn 1872.

Several years later, in 1890, settlement in the region was officially promoted by the young priest Jean-Baptiste Morin. He was recruiting settlers having been named to the position with the support of Bishop Vital Grandin and father Albert Lacombe

Nine localities in the area ( Edmonton, St. Albert, Morinville, Fort Saskatchewan or Lamoureux, Stony Plain, Beaumont, St. Pierre de Villeneuve, Rivière-qui-Barre, and Vegreville) were settled by migrants from Eastern Canada and immigrants from the northern United States.


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