Abstract: The Culture Point dataset is comprised of all the points that represent Hamlets, Localities and Townsites in Alberta. The formation of a Hamlet can occur if there are 5 or more buildings used as dwellings with a majority of which are on parcels of land smaller than 1850 square metres, has a generally accepted boundary and name and contains parcels of land that are used for non-residential purposes. Hamlet is an unincorporated community that can be designated by the council of Municipal District or Specialized Municipality within their boundaries, or by the Minister of Municipal Affairs within the boundaries of an Improvement District. Locality is an unincorporated place or an area with scattered population. Townsite is a federally administered village. The boundaries of rural classification of Locality and Townsite are often undefined.
Metadata:
File identifier:
B404C85E-718D-4743-871E-0C0F67916480
Language:
Language Code:
eng
Character set:
Character set code:
utf8
Hierarchy level:
Scope code:
dataset
Metadata author:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
Position name:
Provincial Geospatial Centre
Contact info:
Contact:
Address:
Address:
Delivery point:
14th Floor, Oxbridge Place
Delivery point:
9820 - 106 Street NW
City:
Edmonton
Administrative area:
Alberta
Postal code:
T5K 2J6
Country:
Country:
CA
Electronic mail address:
PGC.Metadata@gov.ab.ca
Hours of service:
08:15 to 16:30 Monday to Friday
Role:
Role code:
publisher
Date stamp:
2025-04-09
Metadata standard name:
NAP - Metadata
Metadata standard version:
1.2
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Vector spatial representation:
Topology level:
Topology level code:
geometryOnly
Geometric objects:
Geometric objects:
Geometric object type:
Geometric object type code:
point
Geometric object count:
1266
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Reference system:
Reference system identifier:
RS Identifier:
Code:
3400
Code Space:
EPSG
Version:
6.11(9.3.0.0)
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Data identification:
Citation:
Citation:
Title:
Hamlet, Locality and Townsite Point
Alternate title:
Culture Point
Date:
Date:
Date:
2003-09-01
Date type:
Date type code:
creation
Date:
Date:
Date:
2025-04-03
Date type:
Date type code:
publication
Date:
Date:
Date:
2025-04-03
Date type:
Date type code:
revision
Cited responsible party:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
Position name:
Provincial Geospatial Centre
Contact info:
Contact:
Address:
Address:
Delivery point:
14th Floor, Oxbridge Place
Delivery point:
9820 - 106 Street NW
City:
Edmonton
Administrative area:
Alberta
Postal code:
T5K 2J6
Country:
Country:
CA
Electronic mail address:
PGC.Metadata@gov.ab.ca
Hours of service:
08:15 to 16:30 Monday to Friday
Role:
Role code:
originator
Abstract:
The Culture Point dataset is comprised of all the points that represent Hamlets, Localities and Townsites in
Alberta. The formation of a Hamlet can occur if there are 5 or more buildings used as dwellings with a
majority of which are on parcels of land smaller than 1850 square metres, has a generally accepted boundary
and name and contains parcels of land that are used for non-residential purposes. Hamlet is an
unincorporated community that can be designated by the council of Municipal District or Specialized
Municipality within their boundaries, or by the Minister of Municipal Affairs within the boundaries of an
Improvement District. Locality is an unincorporated place or an area with scattered population. Townsite is
a federally administered village. The boundaries of rural classification of Locality and Townsite are often
undefined.
Purpose:
The Culture Point dataset provides users with GIS ready point representation of all Hamlets, Localities and
Townsites in the province of Alberta, and is suitable for indexing or analysis purposes.
Status:
Progress code:
completed
Point of contact:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
Position name:
Provincial Geospatial Centre
Contact info:
Contact:
Address:
Address:
Delivery point:
14th Floor, Oxbridge Place
Delivery point:
9820 - 106 Street NW
City:
Edmonton
Administrative area:
Alberta
Postal code:
T5K 2J6
Country:
Country:
CA
Electronic mail address:
PGC.Metadata@gov.ab.ca
Hours of service:
08:15 to 16:30 Monday to Friday
Role:
Role code:
pointOfContact
Resource maintenance:
Maintenance information:
Maintenance and update frequency:
Maintenance frequency code:
asNeeded
Descriptive keywords:
Keywords:
Keyword:
Alberta, Canada
Type:
Keyword type code:
place
Descriptive keywords:
Keywords:
Keyword:
Localities
Keyword:
Hamlets
Keyword:
Townsites
Keyword:
Municipal points
Keyword:
Culture points
Type:
Keyword type code:
theme
Resource constraints:
Legal constraints:
Use constraints:
Restriction code:
license
Other constraints:
Your use of this information will be governed by the terms of the Open Government Licence - Alberta, in
force as of the date you accessed the information, found at https://open.alberta.ca/licence
Resource constraints:
Legal constraints:
Access constraints:
Restriction code:
otherRestrictions
Other constraints:
To access the data you must agree to the terms of the Open Government Licence - Alberta found at
https://open.alberta.ca/licence
Resource constraints:
Legal constraints:
Use limitation:
Distribution Liability: Under the terms of the Open Government Licence - Alberta, the Information is
licensed as is, and the Information Provider excludes all representations, warranties, obligations, and
liabilities, whether express or implied, to the maximum extent permitted by law. The Information
Provider is not liable for any errors or omissions in the Information, and will not under any
circumstances be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or other loss,
injury or damage caused by its use or otherwise arising in connection with this licence or the
Information, even if specifically advised of the possibility of such loss, injury or damage.
Resource constraints:
Security constraints:
Classification:
Classification code:
unclassified
User note:
Public/Unrestricted
Classification system:
Government of Alberta Data and Information Security Classification
Handling description:
https://imtpolicy.sp.alberta.ca/standards/Pages/Data-and-Information-Security-Classification.aspx
Spatial representation type:
Spatial representation type code:
vector
Language:
Language Code:
eng
Character set:
Character set code:
utf8
Topic category:
Topic category code:
boundaries
Extent:
Extent:
Geographic element:
Geographic bounding box:
Extent type code:
true
West bound longitude:
-120.609028
East bound longitude:
-108.672067
South bound latitude:
48.908135
North bound latitude:
59.903515
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Distribution:
Distribution format:
Format:
Name:
File Geodatabase
Version:
3.0
Specification:
FGDB
File decompression technique:
ZIP
Distribution format:
Format:
Name:
Shapefile
Version:
3.0
Specification:
SHP
File decompression technique:
ZIP
Distributor:
Distributor:
Distributor contact:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Altalis Ltd.
Contact info:
Contact:
Phone:
Telephone:
Voice:
4037163490
Facsimile:
4037163494
Address:
Address:
Delivery point:
Suite 1550, 635 - 8 Avenue SW
City:
Calgary
Administrative area:
Alberta
Postal code:
T2P 3M3
Country:
Country:
CA
Electronic mail address:
support@altalis.com
Hours of service:
08:00 to 16:30 Monday to Friday
Contact instructions:
The layer is a part of the Base Features product which can be accessed and downloaded via the Open
Data option from Altalis: http://www.altalis.com/
Role:
Role code:
distributor
Transfer options:
Digital transfer options:
Online:
Online Resource:
Linkage:
URL:
https://geospatial.alberta.ca/titan/rest/services/boundaries/municipal_communities_public/MapServer
Protocol:
REST
Name:
boundaries/municipal_communities_public (Map Server)
Description:
Map service containing populated places in Alberta
Function:
Online function code:
webService
Online:
Online Resource:
Linkage:
URL:
https://geospatial.alberta.ca/portal/home/item.html?id=24c8aa099c5b470c8da41afcb72bfac4
Protocol:
HTTPS
Name:
Communities
Description:
Map service portal page with linkage to feature service and open web map service (WMS)
Function:
Online function code:
information
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Data quality:
Scope:
Scope:
Hierarchy level:
Scope code:
dataset
Lineage:
Lineage:
Statement:
Culture Point contains Hamlet, Locality and Townsite. Hamlets are defined by Orders-in-Council but not the
other two. Besides name, each Hamlet has a numeric identifier (i.e. 0709 for Fort MacKay) designated by
Alberta Municipal Affairs documented in the Municipal Codes. Urban Service Area is excluded in the
Culture Point even though the entity is listed in the same classification of 'Hamlet and Urban Service
Area' within the Municipal Codes document. Locality and Townsite are derived from the Geographical Names
System (GNS) database which captures the named features but not the precise location of each named
feature. An unique alphanumeric number is assigned to each Locality and Townsite, within their own
feature classification in alphabetical sequence. Altalis Ltd. is the designated agent of Alberta Data
Partnerships Ltd. (ADP) who provides the monthly update of Hamlet point shape file to Alberta
Environment and Protected Areas, if there are changes commencing Nov. 2005. The Hamlet shape file is
amalgamated with Locality and Townsite extracted from the GNS database to form Culture Point.
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Initial compilation as point coverage which included Settlement. There were 11 hamlets which did not
have locations identified by ADP Municipal digital file and, therefore, were not captured within the
layer. They were Gregoire Lake Estates, Heritage Pointe, Janvier South, Pelican Point, Pine Sands,
Priddis Greens, Saprae Creek, Tillicum Beach, Village at Pigeon Lake, Wedgewood, and Welling Station.
Date and time:
2003-09-01T00:00:00
Processor:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
Position name:
Provincial Geospatial Centre
Contact info:
Contact:
Address:
Address:
Electronic mail address:
pgc.metadata@gov.ab.ca
Role:
Role code:
processor
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Source data was ADP Municipal Boundary Hamlet Point Shape file which merged with locations listed or
derived centroids from GNS listing.
Date and time:
2005-11-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
The latest MS Excel spreadsheet of the Municipal Codes is downloaded from the Alberta Municipal
Affairs website (for Hamlet) and the GNS Place name MS Excel spreadsheet from Alberta Environment
and Parks (for Locality and Townsite) is obtained from the Data Acquisition Unit. Both MS
spreadsheets are converted to dBase III format. The Culture Point table (CULPT_NAME, CULPT_CODE and
TYPE) of the Base Features (BF) Geoadministrative Areas (GA) Specification is updated according to
the Altalis Ltd. Municipal Boundary Change Tracking spreadsheet for Hamlet and the GNS Place name
database update identification for Locality and Townsite. The original source Hamlet Shape file
received from Altalis is processed and merged with the calculated locational centroids (longitude
and latitude) of the extracted Localities and Townsites from the GNS Place name database to generate
a point layer. A formatted Point Shape file, preserved with the same original Hamlet spatial
accuracy and calculated centroids of Localities and Townsites along with name normalized to
upper/lower case, is attributed according to the Base Features Geoadministrative Areas Specification
Culture Point table standard (i.e. CULPT_NAME, CULPT_CODE and TYPE). The TYPE is populated according
to the feature classification. The formatted point shape attribute values are validated against the
Municipal Codes and GNS Place name database.
Date and time:
2005-11-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Settlement points were taken out from the Culture Point layer. Polygonal representation layer of
Settlement was created.
Date and time:
2006-10-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
New Hamlet: Lac La Biche (O.C. 332/2007). Keg River (Locality) - Remove comment that goes with the name.
Date and time:
2008-06-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Eagle Hill (CULPT_CODE = 20974), Seebe (CULPT_CODE = 20975), Water Valley (CULPT_CODE = 20976) &
Westward Ho (CULPT_CODE = 20977).
Date and time:
2009-04-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Thorhild (O.C. 131/2009)
Date and time:
2009-07-21T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
New - Derwent [Code=0085] (O.C. 229/2010), New Sarepta [Code=0234] (O.C. 230/2010), [Former village
being dissolved]
Date and time:
2010-01-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
New Hamlet: Kinuso (O.C. 407/2009)
Date and time:
2010-02-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Locality: GNS location correction - Chapel Rock ,Tod Creek
Date and time:
2010-09-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Hamlet - Deletion of Shepard. Locality - Deletion of Aerial, Balmoral, Central Park, Collicutt,
Kneehill, Labuma, Stafford Village, Western Monach & Willow Creek.
Date and time:
2010-09-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Hamlet: Name change - Wabasca-Desmarais to Wabasca
Date and time:
2011-02-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Goose Lake: Location correction. Hamlet moves into NW27-61-8-5.
Date and time:
2011-06-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Locality: a. Deleted: Big Meadow/NE of High Prairie (Code=20962); Fox Lake/SE of Medicine Hat
(Code=20925) b. Modified: Big Meadow/NE of Bonnyville to Big Meadow (Code=20094); Fox Lake/ SE of
High Level to Fox Lake (Code=20298).
Date and time:
2012-08-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Bow City (5682), Cassils (5683) and New Norway (0233). Locality: Deletion - Benton Station
(Code=20085), Bow City (Code=20112), Cassils (Code=20155), Illingworth (Code=20408), Jethson
(Code=20425), Owlseye Lake (Code=20941), Puskwaskau (Code=20970), Sage Creek (Code=20726), Savage
Prairie (Code=20732), Sunnysite (Code=20795), Tsuu Tina (Code=20956), Victoria (Code=20842), Wabasca
(Code=20960), Wilson Prairie (Code=20877). Update - Anning (Code=20026) Adjust location - **Jasper
(Code=20931) classified as Hamlet. A non-Municipal Affairs designated hamlet. Consensus made by
Parks Canada and the Geographic Names Committee in 2012 identified it as Hamlet (under TYPE) but
carries the existing Locality code. Niobe (Code=20901): Correct 'W of Sexsmith to NE of Beaverlodge'
, Savanna (Code=20971): Add in 'NW of Spirit River'. New - Savanna Crowsnest Pass (Code=20978) and
Warrensville Centre (Code=20979)
Date and time:
2013-04-09T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Hamlet: Hamlet Point processed from GNS database (May 27, 2013) to replace ADP Hamlet Point Shape due
to incorrect point locations, in cases. Revised Hamlet Point shape file provided to Altalis for
future Hamlet update. Update - location adjustment Beaver Lake (0617), Bottrel (0988), Gregoire Lake
Estates (1401) and Namao (0997). New - Municipal Codes from Municipal Affairs
Date and time:
2013-05-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Location correction of Tilley
Date and time:
2014-03-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Locality Belvedere was input twice in GNS. Confirmation from the County of Barrhead, the one described
in 83J01SW is to keep and the one in 83G16NW will be removed.
Date and time:
2014-05-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Reload SDE layer. Hamlet name Hobbema should be Maskwacis
Date and time:
2014-08-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Hamlet Minburn - New (O.C. 152/2015 June 24, 2015). Hamlet Point processed from SDW delivered Hamlet
Point Shape file (Dec. 1, 2015) which replaces the Hamlet Point that was processed from GNS data
base (May 15, 2013) and amalgamated into the Culture Point layer.
Date and time:
2015-12-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
New Hamlet - Galahad (O.C. 259/2015 Nov. 17, 2015). Strome (O.C. 260/2015 January 1, 2016).
Date and time:
2016-02-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Willingdon - former Village dissolve (O.C. 240/2017 July 12; Code = 0352). Botha - former Village
dissolve (O.C. 239/2017 July 12, 2017; Code = 0038).
Date and time:
2017-09-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Locality: Iron River removed (Status change to Hamlet). Hamlet: a. Cochrane Lake - Location moved b.
Iron River - New (Status change from Locality. CULPT_CODE = 6570)
Date and time:
2018-02-13T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Dissolution of Grande Cache re-designated as a hamlet (O.C. 361/2018 Nov 27; Code = 0131)
Date and time:
2019-02-04T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Status Change The Village of Ferintosh (O.C. 190/2019 Oct 08, 2019). The Village of Ferintosh
dissolves and becomes a hamlet in Camrose County. Dissolution Removed the Hamlet of Mackay Removed
the Hamlet of Pinedale
Date and time:
2020-01-06T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Update - Town of Granum - Dissolve Town of Granum into MD of Willow Creek (O.C. 17/2020. Feb 1. 2020)
- Village of Gadsby - Dissolve Village of Gadsby into County of Stettler (O.C. 16/2020. Feb 1. 2020)
- Gaoline Alley - Add new hamelet for Gasoline Alley
Date and time:
2020-04-08T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Update - Village of Hythe(O.C. 168/2021) dissolved and become hamlets
Date and time:
2021-01-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Update - Village of Cereal(O.C. 384/2020), Dewberry(O.C. 385/2020), and Wabamun(O.C. 386/2020)
dissolved and become Hamlets
Date and time:
2021-01-11T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Correction - Correct hamlet location for the hamlet of Wabamun
Date and time:
2021-02-08T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Update - Village of Hythe(O.C. 168/2021) dissolved and become Hamlets
Date and time:
2021-07-05T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Corrections - Added point type "Hamlet" to Hythe
Date and time:
2021-07-14T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Hamlets were updated as per the latest Municipal Codes Document. The Hamlet of Ribstone is now listed
as a locality. Hamlet points were aligned to the centroid of Hamlet polygons.
Date and time:
2024-08-01T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Update - the village of Caroline became a hamlet by amalgamating with Clearwater County (O.C.
358/2024); the village of Halkirk became a hamlet by dissolving into the County of Paintearth No.18.
(O.C. 362/2024)
Date and time:
2025-02-03T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Updated spelling of Rose Lynn to Roselynn.
Date and time:
2025-03-05T00:00:00
Process step:
Process step:
Description:
Name change: the locality called Morley has changed to Mînî Thnî as per the Canadian Geographical
Names Database.
Classification change: At the request of Municipal Affairs, Waterton Park is changing from a Hamlet to
a Locality.
Date and time:
2025-04-03T00:00:00
Source:
Source:
Source citation:
Citation:
Title:
GNS Place name Database
Date:
missing
Cited responsible party:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
Contact info:
Contact:
Address:
Address:
Delivery point:
Edmonton, Alberta
Role:
Role code:
publisher
Cited responsible party:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
Contact info:
missing
Role:
Role code:
originator
Other citation details:
GNS Place name Database is part of the GNS Database maintained by Alberta Environment and
Protected Areas, Government of Alberta.
Source extent:
missing
Source:
Source:
Source citation:
Citation:
Title:
Hamletpt.shp
Date:
missing
Cited responsible party:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Altalis Ltd.
Contact info:
missing
Role:
Role code:
originator
Cited responsible party:
Responsible party:
Organisation name:
Altalis Ltd. and Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta
Contact info:
Contact:
Address:
Address:
Delivery point:
Calgary, Alberta (Altalis Ltd.) and Edmonton, Alberta (Alberta Environment and
Protected Areas)
Role:
Role code:
publisher
Other citation details:
Hamletpt.shp is part of a zip file delivered to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas,
Government of Alberta monthly that contains l municipality types maintained by Altalis.
Source extent:
missing
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Maintenance information:
Maintenance and update frequency:
Maintenance frequency code:
asNeeded
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