Raymond, Alberta, is a charming town nestled in southern Alberta, Canada, within the County of Warner No. 5. Located south of Lethbridge at the junction of Highway 52 and Highway 845, Raymond is a community known for its annual rodeo, rich sports history, and significant connection to the Japanese experience in Alberta. Recently, Raymond has gained recognition as one of the first communities in Alberta to become a net-zero solar-powered community, thanks to the installation of solar panels on most town buildings.
Raymond was founded in 1901 by mining magnate and industrialist Jesse Knight, who named the town after his son, Raymond. Knight's plans to build a sugar factory based on locally grown sugar beets attracted 1,500 settlers in just a few years. Raymond was incorporated as a village in the North-West Territories (NWT) on May 30, 1902, and became a town in the NWT just 13 months later on July 1, 1903.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Raymond, Alberta, had a population of 4,199 living in 1,330 of its 1,383 total private dwellings. This represents a change of 13.1% from its 2016 population of 3,713. With a land area of 7.63 km2 (2.95 sq mi), Raymond had a population density of 550.3/km2 (1,425.3/sq mi) in 2021. The town's population according to its 2019 municipal census is 4,241, a 5.1% change from its 2017 municipal census population of 4,037.
As of 2006, approximately 3.0% of Raymond's population were visible minorities. Of these minorities, 50 people identified themselves as Japanese, 40 as Black, and 10 as South Asian.
Raymond, Alberta, is home to Canada's first organized rodeo event, the Raymond Stampede, which has been held annually since 1902. The event is part of Raymond's Heritage Days celebration, which takes place between June 30 and July 1 every summer. Other attractions include the Raymond Judo Club, the first judo club in Alberta, and the Raymond Aquatic Centre, which attracts up to 500 visitors a day during the summer. The Raymond Buddhist Church, one of the oldest buildings in Raymond, and the Raymond Community Centre, which houses the Raymond Public Library and the Broadway Theatre, are also must-see attractions.
Raymond, Alberta, has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) and is part of the Palliser's Triangle. The town is known for its windy conditions, due to the Rocky Mountains to the west.
