Editing Strathcona County (section)

== History ==
In [[Treaty 6]], the First Nations ceded their title to the land that would become Strathcona County. Local governance began in 1893 when the [[North-West Territories|North-West Territorial Legislature]] established an area east of Edmonton as ''Statute Labour District No.&nbsp;2''.<ref name=SCLGtimeline>{{cite web | url=https://www.strathcona.ca/council-county/history-and-heritage/themes/municipal-government/local-government-timeline/ | title=Local government timeline | publisher=Strathcona County | date=March 3, 2021 | accessdate=October 19, 2021}}</ref> It then grew in size over the following decade and was renamed ''Local Improvement District (LID) No.&nbsp;517'' in 1913.<ref name=SCLGtimeline/> In 1918, ''LID No.&nbsp;517'' became a [[List of municipal districts in Alberta|municipal district]] under the name of the ''Municipal District (MD) of Clover Bar No.&nbsp;517''.<ref name=SCLGtimeline/> At the same time, the neighbouring LID No.&nbsp;518 to the south became the ''MD of Strathcona No.&nbsp;518''.<ref name=SCLGtimeline/>

{{Gallery
| title        = Predecessor municipalities (1918-1943)
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| File: Alberta Historical MD of Clover Bar No 517.svg
 | Boundaries of the M.D. of Clover Bar No. 517
| File: Alberta Historical MD of Strathcona No 518.svg
 | Boundaries of the M.D. of Strathcona No. 518
}}

The ''MD of Clover Bar No.&nbsp;517'' and the ''MD of Strathcona No.&nbsp;518'' [[Merger (politics)|amalgamated]] on March 1, 1943, into a larger municipal district under the name of the ''MD of Strathcona No.&nbsp;517''.<ref name=AMAProfile1>{{cite web | url=http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/cfml/MunicipalProfiles/basicReport/HIST/0302.pdf | publisher=[[Alberta Municipal Affairs]] | title=Location and History Profile – Strathcona County | date=October 15, 2021 | access-date=October 19, 2021}}</ref> It was subsequently renumbered as the ''MD of Strathcona No.&nbsp;83'' in 1945.<ref name=SCLGtimeline/> Upon further amalgamating with the ''Clover Bar School Division No. 13'',<ref name=SCLGtimeline/> the ''MD of Strathcona No.&nbsp;83'' incorporated as a [[County#Alberta|county]] under the name of the ''County of Strathcona No.&nbsp;20'' on January 1, 1962.<ref name=AMAProfile1/> Its county status reverted to municipal district status in 1995 when the ''County Act'' was repealed by the provincial legislature though its name remained ''County of Strathcona No.&nbsp;20''.<ref name=SCLGtimeline/> Its name was officially changed to ''Strathcona County'' on April 26, 1995.<ref name=AMAProfile1/> Shortly thereafter, Strathcona County's status was changed from municipal district to specialized municipality on January 1, 1996.<ref name=AMAProfile1/>

The purpose of Strathcona County's change to specialized municipality status was to provide "for the unique needs of a municipality that includes both a large urban centre and a significant rural territory and population."<ref name=AMAProfile1/> The status change specifically designated Strathcona County's large urban centre, [[Sherwood Park]], as an urban service area deemed equivalent to a city.<ref name=strathcona>{{cite web | url=http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/cfml/pdf_search/pdf/SMUN/0302/Strathcona_County_OC_761_95_1996_No9.pdf | publisher=Province of Alberta | title=Order in Council (O.C.) 761/95 | date=December 6, 1995 | access-date=October 19, 2021}}</ref> Its remaining rural territory was specifically designated a rural service area deemed equivalent to a municipal district.<ref name=strathcona/>