Welcome to Lethbridge

Lethbridge: A Gateway to Opportunity

Located in the heart of southern Alberta, Lethbridge is a place where ideas flourish. A city since 1906, Lethbridge is a growing community of just over 100,000 residents. The city's economy has historically been agriculture-based, but has expanded into a thriving industrial, commercial, research and technology hub. Lethbridge's major employers are in the education, health care and government sectors.

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Where the Rocky Mountains meet the prairies

Lethbridge is known for its bright sunshine (more than 320 days per year), warm summers, and mild winters thanks to our semi-arid climate and Chinook winds.

The Oldman River divides the north and south sides from the west side. The Oldman River (or Náápi Otsíthaatan in the Blackfoot Language) runs through Blackfoot Confederacy territory and was named after Napi ('the Old Man'), who is the creator of the Earth and all its living inhabitants to the Niitsitapi people. The river valley's coulees are home to one of North America's largest urban park systems and Lethbridge boasts over 240km of trails where you can enjoy walks, runs and bike rides throughout the city.

Home to over 100,000 people, Lethbridge is a place where ideas grow and enjoys a flourishing arts scene and active social scene. In Lethbridge, you can fully appreciate Alberta’s big sky, take in the stunning scenery of the prairies and the Coulees, and enjoy spectacular sunrises and glowing sunsets. Look west and you will see vast prairies and the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, which are only a short drive away (unbelievable skiing, boarding, biking, hiking and camping opportunities await). Lethbridge offers a diverse range of dining, shopping, and services, all largely within a 20 minute drive.

With both a college and a university, Lethbridge is a varsity town. This means there is plenty to do both on campus and off. Listen to a band, go for coffee, watch a movie, check out festival square or go to a play in Galt Gardens, sing at an open mic or check out a comedy show. There’s truly something for everyone.

Lethbridge City Hall
Festival Square in Downtown Lethbridge
Lethbridge High Level Bridge
Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
Lethbridge Canola Fields

 

Why Lethbridge?

Why consider Lethbridge as the destination for the next step in your career? Explore why Lethbridge is a central hub for services, culture, and community in southern Alberta

 

Continued investment in Lethbridge on a municipal, provincial, and federal level all contribute to the growing amenities and infrastructure that will keep our city competitive with other cities throughout the world. Over the past 3 years, Lethbridge has seen a new Science and Education facility built at the University of Lethbridge, a multi-purpose recreation centre for residents, and the completion of a new downtown transit building. Work is currently underway on transforming Exhibition Park into a world-class Agri-Food hub for the region, an undertaking that will add jobs to the city and benefit the region as a destination for tourism and conferences.

Lethbridge is committed to education from preschool and kindergarten through to our college and university. Within the Lethbridge Public and Catholic School systems, there are seventeen elementary schools, five junior high schools, three high schools, and one integrated occupational school. Lethbridge Christian school also operates from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and a Francophone public community school serves Lethbridge and area from pre-school to grade 12. Many Lethbridge schools have programming in place to meet the needs of children with learning disabilities.


Lethbridge School District No. 51

High quality learning experiences for students are provided through a broad range of educational programs in eighteen schools and a number of outreach programs. The District educates 8,200 students within the city of Lethbridge and employs 531 teachers and 477 support staff.

Palliser Regional Schools:

Palliser serves the Lethbridge county, including 40 schools, 3 outreach programs, and six alternative Christian programs (located in Calgary) with 4,000 students and approximately 400 employees.

Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate Regional Divisions No. 4

The Holy Spirit Catholic School Division operates a total of 13 schools (ECS to grade 12) in five communities including Coaldale, Lethbridge, Picture Butte, Pincher Creek and Taber. Total student enrollment is 4,300. Holy Spirit employs
approximately 265 teachers and 250 support staff.

Post-Secondary Education

Lethbridge is a smart city with a highly trained workforce, fostering the development of new ideas. With both a college and university, our population has tremendous opportunity to learn and train for employment and businesses in a 'campus community' can benefit from access to highly skilled, qualified employees.

Lethbridge College is home to a Trades & Technologies Facility, the largest project in the College's history. At 165,270 square feet, it's nearly the size of three football fields. The facility allows for a total of 2,300 students to be enrolled and experience hands-on training in skilled trades and existing and emerging technologies.

The University of Lethbridge recently opened a new $280-million facility known as the Science Commons, constructed a new central utility plant and undertook the revitalization of University Hall. Science Commons is a place of innovation where research developed in the lab will move beyond the classroom to support industry.

In summer of 2021, both Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge collaborated on a new type of accreditation for nursing graduates who split time at both institutions. The Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta Program (NESA), launched in 2002 and revised in 2020, will recognize the ongoing collaboration between the two post-secondary institutions in Lethbridge.

Lethbridge offers a diverse selection of housing options and styles for residents. Buying a home in Lethbridge, or getting more value for the cost of a home are two huge benefits in our region. There are numerous neighbourhoods throughout the city which cater to every lifestyle, ranging from historic properties and upscale condominiums to stylish duplexes and town houses, with numerous alternatives available in both the new and resale home market. The selection and outstanding value of housing in Lethbridge definitely adds to the appeal of the city. You will find new designs in exclusive neighbourhoods, including Sunridge, the first "Built Green" community in Canada, as well as other developments like Riverstone, The Canyons, Six Mile, Southridge and Arbour Ridge.

Newer subdivisions and more mature neighbourhoods offer safe and comfortable surroundings close to all amenities and are ideal for families of every size. If you are seeking a low maintenance option, there are also a number of maintenance-free developments suitable for those preferring an adults only environment.

In 2021 the average resale home prices in Alberta large and mid sized cities were:

Calgary - $492,684
Fort McMurray - $393,618
Edmonton - $389,765
Red Deer - $337,505
Lethbridge - $320,991

A mid-sized city with a population of over 101,000 people, Lethbridge is located in the Southern part of Alberta, Canada. With an average of 320 days of sunshine per year and one of the warmest winters in the western provinces, there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy all that this city and region has to offer. The geographic location also ensures close proximity to world class ski resorts in the Canadian Rockies, majestic national parks and the U.S. border. With plenty of sunshine, short commute times and access to a range of quality opportunities in the areas of education, recreation as well as arts and culture you'll find that Lethbridge offers a desirable work/life balance you can enjoy.

Recreation Facilities:
  • The ATB Centre is a multi-purpose leisure recreation facility intended to promote active lifestyles that contribute to the personal well-being and quality of life for everyone in our community. It features two NHL-sized ice surfaces, a 10-sheet curling facility, a 256,000 square foot aquatics facility with waterslides, an adventure/lazy river, lap pool, surf simulator and whirlpool. It also includes a multi-sport field house, fitness centre, indoor track, gymnasiums, child minding area, indoor playground, locker rooms and commercial space.
  • Henderson Lake Pool which received a $10.3 million renovation in 2016 is located in Henderson Park. It includes a spray park, rock climbing wall, diving board, picnic area and two waterslides. It is unlike any other outdoor pool facility in the entire province and is garnering interest from other communities in Alberta in how they may follow suit.
  • Lethbridge has numerous golf courses, pools, 70 parks with over 200 kilometers of trails for everyone from the avid hiker, runner or cyclist to more family friendly walking paths. The city of Lethbridge has a Lethbridge Park app which displays trails and paths throughout the city.
Climate:

It's easy to see that southern Alberta gets its fair share of sunshine. On any given day, the wide blue sky dominates the landscape. Visitors from other parts of the world often comment about our big wide sky and wide open spaces. A steady westerly breeze keeps the air fresh and the sky clear. Any change in wind direction is usually associated with a change in the weather. Lethbridge is not all dry prairie as we get just enough moisture to green the coulees (the Oldman River Valley) and allow for thick urban forests of poplar, elm and birch to grow.

Arts, Culture, & Festivals:

Residents of Lethbridge and area enjoy a wide variety of performing and visual arts, cultural events and attractions, and festivals in venues across the city. Below are just a few of the many organizations and festivities in the vibrant local arts and culture community.

Some annual events in Lethbridge include:

In the Region:

Located within an hour and a half from the city centre, Lethbridge residents have access to:

  • World class ski resorts in Castle Mountain Resort
  • Waterton Lakes National Park
  • Many historical sights, including Frank Slide and Writing On Stone Provincial Park