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Rural Addressing

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Address Signs

If you have inquiries about your address as listed on official County documents such as tax notices or if your address sign is damaged, faded, or needs to be replaced, please get in touch with us at 780-523-5955.

Before contacting our office, please make sure you have the following information:

  • Legal land, including plan/lot/block if it exists
  • What is your contact information, including your address
  • Is there a residence on the property
  • How many accesses are there, and which one you are using

Rural Addressing

Rural Addressing is a standardized system that assigns an address to rural properties throughout the County. Your rural address helps emergency services personnel, such as fire, ambulance, or police, find your property quickly in an emergency. 

Understanding your Rural Address

Rural Addressing is a standardized system, which assigns an address to rural properties throughout the County. Like an urban address, your rural address helps emergency services personnel, such as fire, ambulance, or police, find your property quickly in an emergency.

In rural areas each address is assigned based on your driveway, or approach into your property from the Township/Range Road network. In the hamlets each address is assigned based on the location of the lot/parcel along the hamlet roads.

Understanding your rural/civic addressing can help in a variety of ways, for example, many utility companies require a rural address prior to new installations. Addresses can also be used for ordering goods online or for deliveries to your home (instead of using your mailing address).

However, it’s important to note that the address is tied to the property not the person. Don’t take your sign with you if/when you move!

Your Property Assessment & Tax Notice will be the authoritative source of information for your property’s address. If you believe there is an error in your address, contact us immediately.

Elements of a Rural Address

Reference Road: a township road or range road the address refers to.

If the approach connects to a township road, the Reference Road will be the closest range grid to the EAST.

If the approach connects to a range road, the Reference Road will be the closest township grid to the SOUTH.

Interval Number: 100 metre(m) intervals of 16 segments, total of 32 addresses for both sides of the road.

Even numbers are on the WEST and NORTH side of the road.

Odd numbers are on the EAST and SOUTH side of the road.

Approach Intersection: The road where the approach connects to. This road is the primary access to the property.

Rural Addressing Layout

Private Communities

Private communities, from a Rural Addressing perspective, is a Single Address. Each lot in the community is given an Apartment Number that prefixes the shared Single Address.

E.g.: #4 74316 RGE RD 173

Public Communities

Public Communities, from a Rural Addressing perspective, is considered an urban community. The roads will be given a unique name, the addresses will be assigned as if the community is situated in an urban area, AKA civic address.

E.g.

  • Community Name: Community Estates
  • Access Road: Community Estates Road
  • Civic Address: 5 Community Estates Road

Forced Road Allowances

While many roads in Big Lakes County form part of the survey grid road system, other roads are irregular and follow rivers, streams or the topography of the land. These roads are usually assigned an auxiliary township road number or range road number based on the alignment of the road.

E.g.: Range Road 223A

Do you have a question about rural addressing or replacing a sign?

If your address sign is damaged, faded, or needs to be replaced, please contact our Public Works department at 780-523-5955. Inquires about a new address or if your address is incorrectly printed on official County documents such as Tax Notices, please contact our GIS department at 780-523-5955.

Before contacting our office, please make sure you have the following information:

  • Legal land, including plan/lot/block if it exists
  • What is your contact information, including your address
  • Is there a residence on the property
  • How many accesses are there, and which one are you using