Lethbridge

Lethbridge is the largest city in southern Alberta. It is the 3rd biggest after Edmonton and Calgary, and the fourth largest in population following Red Deer, Calgary and Edmonton. referred to as the "Cultural Capital of Canada" for the 2004 to 2005 seasons, the city is home to venues and events used for marketing the arts. The Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge is the biggest group which is dedicated to preserving the local arts. Southern Alberta Art Gallery houses modern and contemporary art pieces; the Bowman Arts Centre has three galleries, and the University of Lethbridge Art gallery has modern exhibitions that include works from its numerous Europeans, American and Canadian art collections. Music is also an important part of the city's culture, and the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra has been existing since 1960. Its spin-off music groups are the Southern Alberta Chamber Orchestra and Lethbridge Musical Theatre. A part of University of Lethbridge's choir is Vox Musica, while the New West Theatre is the university's theatre division. The Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre consists of two theatres: the 180-seat black box Sterndale Bennet Theatre and Yates Theatre.

The city of Lethbridge has many historical attractions. Among the more popular ones is its steel trestle bridge: the Lethbridge Viaduct (also commonly called the High Level Bridge). The last battle between the Cree and the Blackfoot First nations in the year 1870 is honored at the Indian Battle Park, within the coulees of the Oldman River. Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden (south of Lethbridge) was opened in the year 1967 so as to celebrate the centennial event that was attended by Prince and Princess Takamatsu of Japan. Galt Museum and Archives is considered to be the largest museum in the Lethbridge area, and its building was utilized before as a hospital during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Other well-known structures include the water tower and the Alberta Terminals grain elevators.

Fifty percent of Lethbridge's occupations come from service and trade industries, with emphasis on finance/insurance, food processing, construction, real estate, public sector services and construction. Some national businesses are based within the city of Lethbridge. They comprise Taco Time Canada, the Canadian Freightways, Minute Muffler, and H&R Transport. During 2006, the Economic Development Lethbridge had a joint partnership along with SouthGrow Regional Initiative and Alberta SouthWest Regional Alliance to be able to create the Southern Alberta Alternative Energy Partnership. Their merger supports alternative energy, like for instance wind power, biofuel and solar power. In 2007, it was ranked as fourth amongst Canadian economic development groups for "volume of capital investment and job creation" by Site Selection magazine, and during 2007-2008, it won first place at the Economic Developers Association of Canada Awards.