Fairview

Fairview, Alta, incorporated as a town in 1949, population 3162 (2011c), 3297 (2006c). The Town of Fairview is located in the Peace River country of northern Alberta, 110 km north of Grande Prairie. The name Fairview is a descriptive one, and originated as the name chosen by an early inhabitant for his new homestead.

Early settlement in the area was centered at Waterhole; however, in 1928 the railway bypassed Waterhole. Its inhabitants moved 6 km north to a new site on the railway that became Fairview. The town grew to serve as a regional centre to the surrounding agricultural area.

While agriculture is still the economic backbone of the community, increasingly oil and natural gas is also becoming an important activity. There is a large natural gas plant just south of town, as well as oil field service companies located in the town itself. The forestry sector also provides employment. The town is home to a large tree nursery, and many of the workers in sawmills and logging operations in the area live in Fairview. In 1951 Fairview College, a regional facility, opened. HISTORIC DUNVEGAN, a Hudson's Bay Company post on the Peace River, is located nearby.