Beaumont Paris of the Prairies

Beaumont may be best known for its rich Francophone heritage, but the picturesque city just south of Edmonton is also gaining a reputation as the safest one in Alberta and one of its most prosperous.

With its history as a French-Canadian colonial town, it’s easy to imagine being in the French countryside driving down to Beaumont. But don’t let its idyllic nature fool you, as this small town of just over 20,000 people continues to grow and has become a favourite for young families to settle in.

The 2021 Statistics Canada Census reports a population of 20,888, a 19.7 per cent increase over last federal census result of 17,457 in 2016. And of this, about a quarter of the population fall in the 0- to 14-years age group.

“We are a very young community, we have lots of young families settling here because they find plenty of opportunities to make a life for themselves here,” says Kendra Raymond, the City of Beaumont’s Director, Planning & Development.

“We’re also one of the safest communities in Alberta, where families can still enjoy a free-range lifestyle for their children,” she tells Edmonton New Home + Condo Guide.

Beaumont came out tops in a Macleans magazine feature that took a recent comparison of data collected by Statistics Canada, and looked at the level of crime in Canadian communities with a population of more than 10,000.

The analysis compared factors such as the five-year average of each community’s Crime Severity Index, a measure that uses the number of crimes and their seriousness in proportion to the total population. Beaumont’s five-year average of 41 incidents annually per 100,000 people is the lowest in the province, compared to the Alberta average of 111 and the national average of 73.

“Creating a family-friendly, safe city is a top priority for the local government and mayor of the city. Beaumont is an ideal place to relocate with your family if safety is your number one priority,” Raymond says.

Growing city

Beaumont, which was designated a city in January 2019, is the third fastest growing city in the province and number one in the Edmonton Metro region with annualized five-year growth rate of 4.1 per cent. Located in Leduc County within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, it sits at the vital intersection of Highway 625 and Highway 814 and is just a kilometre outside of the southern boundary of Edmonton.

It is close to a multitude of employment hubs like the Edmonton International Airport, which is just nine kilometres east, as well as the Nisku Industrial Park, one of the largest busines parks in western Canada.

Francophone heritage

The city was founded in in 1895 by French-Canadian colonists attracted by the region’s rich farmland. Beaumont’s downtown core still resembles a French village with unique architecture and red brick walkways. Its name is derived from the “beautiful hill” on which the historic landmark of St. Vital Church is located within the centre of the city.

“We’re officially a bilingual city,” Raymond says.

Beaumont remains determined to maintaining and reviving its Francophone heritage with its efforts to preserve a few buildings from its founding. It has also implemented design guidelines to emphasize its Francophone heritage, including abundant French place names and buildings constructed with steep gable roofs, considered to be in the French style.

Beaumont today

Today, new residents have fallen in love with the city because its outdoor lifestyle is as alluring as the scenery. The town has over 250 acres of parklands, a dozen baseball diamonds, over a dozen soccer fields, outdoor rinks, inline rinks volleyball courts outdoor basketball courts and winding paths between most of them, finding these active areas is as much fun as playing in them.

Growing its recreational amenities is something the City has focused on, Raymond says. At the heart of those efforts is the Beaumont Sport and Recreation Centre (BSRC). It is a multi-use facility located in the heart of Beaumont. Featuring a NHL sized arena, hard court gymnasium, turf field house, aquatics centre, two-lane walking track, various multi-purpose spaces, The Arch Climbing Centre and a fitness centre expansion.
There were two projects that opened this spring. The multi-purpose field and the West Recreation Site with five ball diamonds and an off-leash dog park.

The new multi-purpose field with artificial turf and soccer pitch has given the Beaumont high school football team a home. “They now have a place to play home games,” Raymond says.

And with over 100 unique service and volunteer community organizations, clubs and groups, Beaumont’s bustling with activity. The Aqua-Fit recreational facility is a major – and indeed, vital – facility for Beaumont families.
“Family sports activities is something that is important to us and is encouraged,” Raymond adds.

Entertainment galore

There is a lively entertainment scene including the Beaumont Blues & Roots Festival (BBRF), one of only a few all-Canadian blues festivals in Canada. There is also the wildly popular Beaumont Days that celebrates everything about the town. It used to be called the Town and Country Daze but has since been renamed and was once again celebrated this June.

There are a number of shopping opportunities in and around town too, including the Montalet Shopping Centre. If you’re looking for something more unique, the Southwest Edmonton area is just 10 minutes away, as is the massive Southgate Centre.

One of its best-known restaurants in town is Chartier, a Quebec French style restaurant in the centre of downtown Beaumont. Check out its very own Beaumont Smoked Meat Sandwich with its smoked and slow-cooked brisket on a soft white roll (gluten-free options available) with house-made pickled cucumbers.

New communities

New residential opportunities are coming up as well, and Raymond says at least eight new communities are in various stages of development.
Le Reve is one of these. Developed by Redco Developments, Le Reve is part of the 21 quarter sections of land annexed by Beaumont in 2017.
Of these lands, Le Reve consists of four quarter sections and is planned to accommodate almost 75 acres of commercial land along 50 Street. This is supplemented by residential development planned for the remainder of the plan area, consisting of a population of about 12,000 people residing minutes away.

Dansereau Meadows from Anthem Properties is also popular. The appealing 157-acre community is on the northwest edge of Beaumont, with quick access to South Edmonton, Nisku and Leduc for work and play.

Raymond says Beaumont residents can enjoy the small-town charm and the convenience of a big city.