The city of Lethbridge covers over 122 square kilometres in the province’s southern section, near the communities of Fort MacLeod, Picture Butte, Coaldale, and Raymond. Situated along Oldman River, the city is home to over 92,000 people. Lethbridge has a number of beautiful parks, including Pavan Park, Alexander Wilderness Park, Peenaquim Park, Indian Battle Park, Bull Trail Park North, Botterill Bottom Park, Popson Park, and Cottonwood Park.
Lethbridge’s house prices, averaging around $250,000 to $450,000, make the city an affordable place to live. A mix of everything can be found in Lethbridge’s northern section, including older and newer single-family homes, condos, row houses, and industrial commercial space.Newer homes tend to be found along the city’s outskirts. Older single-family homes make up the majority of what’s on offer in the city’s central section. There are also some condo options and industrial commercial spaces available in this section. In the southern section of the city, there are older and newer single-family homes, condos, commercial space, and high-priced vacant lots.
The vacancy rate in Lethbridge has been increasing slightly over the past few years, moving from around 5% to 7%.Vacancy rates are highest for bachelor and two-bedroom apartments in the city. The increasing vacancy rate can be attributed to fewer migrant workers coming to the area for oil and gas employment, as well as the addition of new apartments in the city.Average rent costs in Lethbridge are around $650 for a bachelor apartment, $820 for a one-bedroom apartment, $930 for a two-bedroom apartment, and $1,100 for a three-bedroom (or more) apartment. The overall average rent cost in the city is about $880. Rent costs have increased slightly over the past few years, with bachelor, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units experiencing the largest increases.
Lethbridge’s major industries include manufacturing, supply chain and logistics, retail, hospitality, agriculture/agri-food, finance, and technology. Lethbridge’s location and its three major highways and CP Rail main line have made logistics and transportation an important industry in the city. Billions of dollars’ worth of goods moves through Lethbridge on its way to the nearby Canada/United States border crossing just south of the city. Lethbridge is surrounded by more than 900 farms, which produce crops such as corn, canola, potatoes, sugar beets, and pulses, as well as livestock and dairy cattle. These goods are brought to Lethbridge for processing and packaging. Lethbridge’s unemployment rate has been hovering around 11%, which is higher than the national rate.
Lethbridge Transit operates public transportation in the city in the form of 40 buses that service around a dozen routes.The buses are all accessible for people with mobility issues, wheelchairs, or strollers. Major terminals include the North Terminal, the City Centre Terminal, the College Terminal, and the University Terminal. Most routes operate seven days a week and they provide access to the majority of the city. Residents can also travel via Greyhound (long-distance bus) and the Lethbridge Airport.
Schools in the city are operated by the Lethbridge School District No. 51 and the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic School Division. Examples of schools in the city include Lakeview Elementary School, Westminster Elementary School, Dr. Gerald B. Probe Elementary School, Park Meadows Elementary School, Lethbridge Christian School, Immanuel Christian Elementary School, Wilson Middle School, Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, and Immanuel Christian High School. Private school options are also available. Lethbridge’s post-secondary options include Lethbridge College, the University of Lethbridge, Red Crow Community College, and Reeves College.
The Helen Schuler Nature Centre features indoor and outdoor exhibits, programs, and events on a variety of nature-related themes. The centre includes the Lethbridge Nature Reserve, a 196-acre park with self-guided walking trails; a wide array of wildlife, such as white-tailed deer, mule deer, coyotes, porcupines, cottontail rabbits, and over 300 species of birds; a cottonwood forest; and the 78-acre Elizabeth Hall Wetlands. The Galt Museum and Archives provides exhibits and programs on the city’s history, with topics such as music, agriculture, crafts, and the military. The museum’s collections include photographs, documents, clothing, tools and equipment, and art. Events are held throughout the year, and visitors can check out the onsite gift shop for unique items.
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