Slave Lake serves as a local centre for the area. The administrative office for the Sawridge First Nation is also located in the town.
History
The first European known to visit the area of the present-day Town of Slave Lake was the British explorer David Thompson, who arrived in 1799. Following his brief visit, other British agents established several fur trading posts around Slave Lake, including a Hudson's Bay Company post at the mouth of the lake.
A settlement developed around the post and became known as Sawridge. It was renamed as Slave Lake in 1923. After a flood in the 1930s destroyed much of the town, it was relocated and rebuilt at its current location on higher ground. It was incorporated as a town in 1965.[6]
The Town of Slave Lake was inundated by a flood of Sawridge Creek in July 1988.[7]
On May 15, 2011, large parts of the town were affected by wildfires in the area. Winds pushed the flames into town, destroying many houses and businesses. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued, but highways had been closed and residents were urged to seek refuge at beaches, large parking lots, and open spaces.[8][9] Highway 2 had been closed at the outset of the fire, but eventually re-opened for evacuation.[10] Full evacuation of all residents was ordered for Slave Lake.[11]
On May 16, 2011, provincial officials said that 40% of the town had been destroyed or damaged by the fires, including the town hall, the library, a radio station, a mall, and a significant number of homes and other buildings. No injuries or deaths were reported.[12][13][14][15] On May 17, 2011, Mayor Karina Pillay-Kinnee indicated one-third of the town had been destroyed by the wildfire.[16] On May 20, 2011, a firefighting helicopter crashed into the Lesser Slave Lake near Canyon Creek; its pilot died at the scene. It crashed about 30 m (98 ft) off shore into water that was 1.5 m (4.9 ft) deep.[17]
On July 6, Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited the town to offer encouragement to residents and support for rebuilding efforts.[18]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Slave Lake had a population of 6,836 living in 2,405 of its 2,681 total private dwellings, a change of 2.8% from its 2016 population of 6,651. With a land area of 14.31 km2 (5.53 sq mi), it had a population density of 477.7/km2 (1,237.3/sq mi) in 2021.[3]
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Slave Lake recorded a population of 6,651 living in 2,329 of its 2,762 total private dwellings, a -1.9% change from its 2011 population of 6,782. With a land area of 14.44 km2 (5.58 sq mi), it had a population density of 460.6/km2 (1,192.9/sq mi) in 2016.[26]
The population of the Town of Slave Lake according to its 2007 municipal census was 7,031.[27]
^"Table 9: Population by census subdivisions, 1966 by sex, and 1961". 1966 Census of Canada. Western Provinces. Vol. Population: Divisions and Subdivisions. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1967.
^"Table 3: Population for census divisions and subdivisions, 1971 and 1976". 1976 Census of Canada. Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Vol. Population: Geographic Distributions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1977.
^"Table 2: Census Subdivisions in Alphabetical Order, Showing Population Rank, Canada, 1981". 1981 Census of Canada. Vol. Census subdivisions in decreasing population order. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1982. ISBN0-660-51563-6.
^"Table 2: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 and 1991 – 100% Data". 91 Census. Vol. Population and Dwelling Counts – Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1992. pp. 100–108. ISBN0-660-57115-3.
