Taber, Alberta

Taber is a town in southern Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District of Taber. It is located approximately 51 km east of the City of Lethbridge at the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 36.

Taber is famous for its corn due to the large amounts of sunshine the area receives. It is therefore known as the Corn Capital of Canada and holds an annual "Cornfest" in the last week of August.

The Taber Police Service is the only town municipal police service in Alberta.

History
Taber was established in the late 1890s by European settlers on the banks of the lower Oldman River. Originally, Taber was known as "Tank No. 77," and was used by the railway to fill up on water. In 1903, it is said that the first Mormon settlers from the U.S.A. were the ones to establish a hamlet at the Tank. After the town's post office was built in 1907, the CPR decided to call the town "Tabor," probably after Mount Tabor in the Holy Land. However, various letters and station heads came out printed "Taber," so the CPR changed the name to make it match the records.

An alternate version of the towns name origin is that the first part of the word tabernacle was used by Mormon settlers in the vicinity, and the next Canadian Pacific Railway station was named Elcan (nacle spelled backwards).

After time, Taber became a successful coal mining town. Coal mining declined in the late 1920s, but picked up in the 1930s after extensive irrigation in the area.

During the Second World War Japanese Canadians were "evacuated" to Alberta where some were employed in sugar beet cultivation for the duration of the war.

Irrigation helped not only the coal-miners, it also brought with it the production of sugar beets. In 1950, a sugar beet processing plant (Roger's Sugar) was built, which has become a vital part of the town's economy.

A number of archaeological discoveries were made in the vicinity of Taber, including that of extinct buffalo, and the so-called "Taber child" in 1961 by the head of a Geological Survey of Canada team Dr. Archie Stalker in the glacial deposits along the east bank of the Oldman River.

On April 28, 1999, Taber gained notoriety due to the W. R. Myers High School shooting in which a 14-year-old entered W. R. Myers High School and shot two students, killing one and wounding another.

Climate
Taber experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk).

Demographics
In the 2011 Census, the Town of Taber had a population of 8,104 living in 3,086 of its 3,279 total dwellings, a 6.8% change from its 2006 population of 7,591. With a land area of 15.09 km2, it had a population density of in 2011.

The population of the Town of Taber according to its 2011 municipal census is 7,935, a 1.5% increase over its 2008 municipal census population of 7,821.

In 2006, Taber had a population of 7,591 living in 3,034 dwellings, a -1.0% increase from 2001. The town has a land area of 15.09 km2 and a population density of 503.2 /km2.

Economy
Taber's economy is largely based on agriculture. Local produce includes hogs, beef, sheep, poultry, sugar beets, potatoes, peas, carrots, wheat, flax, barley, corn, beans, oats, onions, canola and mustard. Roger's Sugar Taber's sugar beet processing plant plays a vital role in the economy. There are several food processing companies based in the town, including a Frito-Lay factory, which produces various snack products for much of Western Canada. As well, sand and gravel are mined here. To a smaller extent, there is also a significant oil and gas component to the economy.

Cornfest
Cornfest is an annual summer festival held in late August, and it includes a midway (rides, booths, and tests of skill) and a stage with performers. There are also corn-based activities, such as corn tasting and stuffing. Large-scale, local corn producers enter their best varieties in the 'Best Corn of the Year' award.

Corn stuffing involves two people, one wearing an over-sized coverall. One of the contestants attempts to stuff as much corn as possible into the other's coverall. Whichever team can put the most corn in the coveralls in the allotted time wins.

Education
Kindergarten through grade 12 education is administered in Taber by the Horizon School Division and Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Division. Taber has a Christian School for kindergarten through grade 9. Other education systems include Community Adult Learning Council, ACE Place Learning Center and a Career Resource Centre.

Sister cities
Taber and Notogawa, Japan are sister towns.

Notable residents

 * Corb Lund, country music artist
 * Devin Setoguchi, professional ice hockey player