Jasper is a specialized municipality and townsite in western Alberta within the Canadian Rockies. The townsite is in the Athabasca River valley and is the commercial centre of Jasper National Park.

History

Established in 1813, Jasper House was first a fur trade outpost of the North West Company, and later Hudson's Bay Company, on the York Factory Express trade route to what was then called "New Caledonia" (now British Columbia) and Fort Vancouver on the lower Columbia River. Jasper House was 35 km north of today's town of Jasper. Jasper Forest Park was established in 1907. The railway divisional point at the location of the future townsite was established by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1911 and originally named Fitzhugh after a Grand Trunk vice president (along the Grand Trunk's "alphabet" line). The Canadian Northern Railway began service to its Jasper Park station in 1912, about 700 m from GTP's Fitzhugh station. The townsite was surveyed in 1913 by H. Matheson. It was renamed Jasper after the former fur trade post. An internment camp was set up at Dominion Park in Jasper from February 1916 to August 1916. Jasper Forest Park was renamed Jasper National Park in 1930. By 1931, Jasper was accessible by road from Edmonton. In 1940, the scenic Icefields Parkway opened, connecting Jasper to Lake Louise and Banff in Banff National Park. The first step towards incorporation of Jasper occurred on August 31, 1995, when the Jasper Improvement District was formed from a portion of Improvement District No. 12 (Jasper National Park). The improvement district was subsequently incorporated as a specialized municipality under the name of the Municipality of Jasper on July 20, 2001. The incorporation order established the Jasper townsite as the Town of Jasper and the surrounding balance of the specialized municipality as a rural service area that was deemed equivalent to a municipal district. The Jasper wildfire began on July 22, 2024 and destroyed significant parts of the town.

Geography

The Municipality of Jasper is in the western portion of the province of Alberta within Jasper National Park. It borders the province of British Columbia to the west and Improvement District No. 12 to the north, east, and south. The Athabasca River, which originates from the Columbia Icefield, meanders northward through the municipality. The Miette River, Maligne River, and Snaring River all discharge into the Athabasca River within the Municipality of Jasper's limits. The Jasper townsite, which is approximately 362 km west of Edmonton, 290 km north of Banff, and 28 km east of the Yellowhead Pass, is at the intersection of Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) and Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway). It is near the confluence of the Athabasca River and Miette River. It lies between the Victoria Cross Ranges (northwest), Pyramid Mountain (north), Maligne Range (southeast) and Trident Ridge (southwest). Lakes near the Jasper townsite include Pyramid Lake, Patricia Lake, Lake Annette, Lake Edith, Lac Beauvert, Maligne Lake, and Medicine Lake.

Localities

The following localities are located within the Municipality of Jasper.

Climate

Jasper experiences a borderline Humid Continental/Subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb/Dfc). The highest temperature ever recorded in Jasper was 41.2 C on June 30, 2021. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -47.2 C on January 24, 1916. Summers in Jasper are pleasant, with daily highs usually around 21.1 °C (70 °F) and lows around 7.2 °C (45 °F). Winters are cold, though may be considered mild by Canadian standards, with daily highs around −2.2 °C (28 °F) and lows around −11.7 °C (11 °F).

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Municipality of Jasper had a population of 4,738 living in 1,674 of its 1,910 total private dwellings, a change of NaN% from its 2016 population of 4,590. With a land area of 921.9 km2, it had a population density of in 2021. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Municipality of Jasper had a population of 4,590 living in 1,576 of its 1,702 total private dwellings, a change of NaN% from its 2011 population of 4,432. With a land area of 924.06 km2, it had a population density of in 2016. The population of the Municipality of Jasper according to its 2011 municipal census is 5,236, a change of 10.3% over its 2008 municipal census population of 4,745. Jasper's 2011 population of 5,236 comprises 4,584 permanent and 652 non-permanent residents, while its 2007 census counted 4,235 permanent and 510 non-permanent residents.

Attractions

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, the Marmot Basin ski resort, and the Jasper Skytram, which carries visitors to The Whistlers' summit, are all near the townsite. Within the Jasper townsite are the heritage building of the Jasper Visitor Centre, the heritage building St. Mary & St. George Anglican Church, and the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives.

Government

Governance of Jasper is shared between the municipality and Parks Canada, an agency of the federal government.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Jasper railway station is served by Via Rail with two passenger services. The Canadian and the Jasper–Prince Rupert train both operate three times per week. Jasper Airport is located 7.2 NM north of Jasper.

Education

The Grande Yellowhead Public School Division No. 77 operates two schools in Jasper: Jasper Elementary School (K–6 English & French Immersion) and Jasper Junior Senior High School (7–12 English & French Immersion), while Greater North Central Francophone Education Region No. 2 operates a francophone school called École Desrochers for kindergarten through grade 12.

Media

Newspapers Radio Television

Sister cities

Notable people