The
Canadian province of Alberta boasts two highly urbanized areas in
Edmonton and Calgary. Outside these two and other small-to-midsized
cities across the province, however, the majority of land in Alberta
is sparsely populated. This is a good thing for city dwellers who
love the outdoors. The Badlands to the north, the eastern oil sands,
and the Canadian Rockies on its western border all tend to serve as
great weekend getaways.
For
many Canadians, the Battle of Alberta refers to the storied rivalry
between the sporting teams of Edmonton and Calgary, both at
collegiate and professional levels in hockey, football, and recently
in lacrosse. In reality, the rivalry between Edmonton, Alberta's
capital city and Calgary, its largest city, goes beyond sports. It
can be traced back to the expansion of the Canadian Pacific Railway,
where initial plans of passing through Edmonton were scrapped in
favor of a route via Calgary in the 1880s.
By
the time of Alberta's inception and its admission to the Canadian
Confederation in 1905, both cities were already prosperous and vying
for the position of provincial capital. At present, Edmonton and
Calgary are both thriving cultural and economic centers. They
continue to attract natives and foreigners alike, making real estate
in either of the two cities a much-sought after investment.
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