County Living

The County of Newell is a rural municipality located central to Calgary, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge with less than 190 kilometers of separation between each city. The County is a growing transportation hub with the TransCanada Highway #1 and Highway #36 intersecting within our boundaries. CP Rail’s mainline runs through the County on its track from Montreal to Vancouver, and our geographical position provides ease of access to the oil sands to the north and the United States to the south, creating an ideal trade location for businesses.

The population of the Newell region, inclusive of our urban counterparts, is over 25,000. The largest urban communities in the region are the City of Brooks and the Town of Bassano. We have positive working relationships with these urban neighbours, which improves the quality of services provided to all Newell residents.

The County is home to the Eastern Irrigation District (EID), which provides an extensive water supply, storage, and drainage network throughout the region. Water diverted from the Bow River at the Bassano Dam provides for irrigated agriculture, industrial, household, and livestock use, as well as many recreational opportunities and enhanced environmental conditions.

The County has a dynamic and diverse economy driven by three pillars: Agriculture, Oil and Gas, and Tourism. There are approximately 500 primary agricultural producers in the County, and approximately 1,500 non-agricultural business enterprises.

For demographics and other statistics, visit the Alberta Regional Dashboard

Community Information

Discover Life in the County of Newell!

Looking for a place that has it all? The County of Newell is home to top-tier recreation, health, emergency, education, and cultural amenities—all wrapped up in the warmth of small-town spirit. Here, you’ll find a strong sense of belonging, a stable atmosphere where people thrive, and a cost of living that lets you enjoy more for less.

For community information and entertainment and recreation within the County, visit:

	Are you an entrepreneur or investor? Find business supports, investment opportunities, and in-depth community profiles for all municipalities within the Region. Find our more at Brooks Newell Region
	Would you like to know more about education, groups, volunteer opportunities, sports, events, and more in the region? Visit > Grasslands Regional Family and Community Support Services. We're stronger together.
	From the iconic Canadian Badlands to the sparkling waters of Lake Newell, and the legendary Bow and Red Deer Rivers, this region’s story stretches back to prehistoric times at Dinosaur Provincial Park and unfolds through the bold spirit of pioneers and railroad builders. The Brooks Newell Region is better explored > Brooks Region Tourism
	Serving Brooks and Bassano, The Newell Housing Foundation provides quality, affordable, and safe homes in a supportive environment to meet the needs of our seniors' lifestyle.

County Location

The County of Newell is readily accessible to Canada's major east-west transport route (Highway 1 - Trans Canada), north via Highway 36 to connect the County to northern Alberta oilsands, and south via Highway 36 or Highway 875 to the U.S. border and I-15 - a major north-south trade route terminating at Los Angeles/San Diego.

Distance to Canadian Destinations

City	KM	Miles
Medicine Hat, AB	107	67
Lethbridge, AB	153	96
Calgary, AB	187	117
Edmonton, AB	472	294
Regina, SK	569	306
Saskatoon, SK	489	306
Vancouver, BC	1147	717

Distance to U.S. Destinations

City	KM	Miles
Sweetgrass, MT (U.S. border)	202	125
Great Falls, MT	392	245
Wild Horse, MT	251	156
Seattle, WA	1201	751
Spokane, WA	755	472
Los Angeles, CA	2395	1497
Denver, CO	1625	1016
Houston, TX	3435	2134

Canada/US Border Crossings

There are two primary Canada/U.S. border crossings south of the County of Newell:

Coutts, Alberta/Sweetgrass, Montana (open 24 hours, seven days a week) - southwest U.S. via I-15
- Open 24 hours, seven days a week
Wild Horse, Alberta/Montana - Eastern U.S. via Highway 41 south of Medicine Hat
- Open 8:00am to 5:00pm, Oct 1 - May 14; and 8:00am to 9:00pm from May 15 to Sept 30, 7 days a week

The City of Brooks is a trucking centre with 14 transportation and hauling companies that service local industry and are fully equipped to haul all products and goods to major freight centres and ports across Canada and the U.S.

Rail

CP Rail's main line (Montreal to Vancouver) runs northwest to southeast through Bassano, Brooks, and Tilley, with the closest rail yard in Medicine Hat. From Calgary, there are lines heading north to Edmonton and south to the Canada/U.S. border at Coutts.

Air Service

The Brooks Airport (2800 foot runway, paved) is a part of the Alberta airport network with the airport serving the agricultural application, flight training, and air charters.
The Bassano Airport (2950 foot runway, paved) is located 1 km north of the Town of Bassano.
The Calgary International Airport (two hours west of the County) is a hub for most major airlines.

Local Municipalities

The County of Newell is mainly a rural community. However, we service eight hamlets within our boundaries.

Other municipalities within County borders include:

County Living

Community Information

County Location

Canada/US Border Crossings

Local Municipalities

City of Brooks

Town of Bassano

Village of Duchess

Village of Rosemary

Official Website of the County of Newell