Arnold Viersen took Peace River—Westlock in 2021 by 23,467 votes, more than the margin in 95% of ridings
The riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) covering High Prairie is Peace River—Westlock, and Arnold Viersen (Conservative Party of Canada) represents it in the House of Commons. The Legislative Assembly of Alberta’s riding map carries non-commercial terms, so High Prairie isn’t placed in a riding here. In the census’s list of municipalities, High Prairie is a town. Who leads High Prairie’s council isn’t on an open record: there’s no open list of councils in Alberta.
What stands out in how High Prairie is governed
High spending per resident
Only a minority of Alberta’s municipalities spent more per resident in 2024 than High Prairie council: it is ahead of 70%. Council money ↓
A safe federal seat
The 2021 winner in Peace River—Westlock finished 50.2 points ahead of the runner-up (New Democratic Party), a wider lead than in 95% of Canada’s 338 ridings. How High Prairie has voted ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
High Prairie, a town in Alberta, shares the work with the province and Ottawa.
Local services, by-laws and property tax.
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
assembly.ab.ca ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
There is no county government over High Prairie; Division No. 17 is a census division, not a council.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for High Prairie, from the most recent elections.
- 1High Prairie councilTown
- 2Legislative Assembly of Alberta–
- 3House of CommonsPeace River—Westlock
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada
When High Prairie votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| High Prairie council | 20 October 2025 | 15 October 2029 |
| Legislative Assembly of Alberta | 29 May 2023 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
The council elected on 20 October 2025 serves until 15 October 2029, when High Prairie council is chosen again. It is the third Monday in October every four years, as the Local Authorities Election Act provides. Voters last chose the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on 29 May 2023 and the House of Commons on 28 April 2025. Elections Canada’s open records end with the 2021 election; its 2025 results are under terms that rule out commercial use.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta: riding not placed
Provinces and territories run schools, health care and municipal law; each riding elects one MLA.
Find your MLA on the legislature’s site
assembly.ab.ca ↗Legislatures: their own member pages
Arnold Viersen represents Peace River—Westlock in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Peace River—Westlock · Conservative Party of Canada · first elected 2015
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Conservative Party of Canada33
- Liberal Party of Canada3
- New Democratic Party1
As Wikidata records them.
In Alberta, 33 of 37 ridings are held by the Conservative Party of Canada, the party Arnold Viersen sits with.
The MP’s record
Elections Canada’s transposition of the 2021 vote onto today’s Peace River—Westlock puts the Conservative Party of Canada first at 63%; Arnold Viersen held it for the party in 2025. Arnold Viersen was first elected in 2015; the current Parliament is Arnold Viersen’s 4th.
MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026
Peace River—Westlock returned Arnold Viersen (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2021
Peace River—Westlock as it stood from 2013: the 2019 and 2021 counts, before the riding was redrawn for 2025.
Arnold Viersen won the 2021 race in Peace River—Westlock for the Conservative Party of Canada, polling 63% and beating Gail Ungstad (New Democratic Party) by 23,467 votes. Arnold Viersen already held it after the 2019 election, won with 81%. Turnout in Peace River—Westlock was 62% in 2021, against 63% nationally.
All 6 candidates in Peace River—Westlock, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold Viersen | Conservative Party of Canada | 29,486 | 63.0% |
| Gail Ungstad | New Democratic Party | 6,019 | 12.9% |
| Darryl Boisson | People's Party of Canada | 5,916 | 12.6% |
| Colin Krieger | Maverick Party | 2,573 | 5.5% |
| Leslie Penny | Liberal Party of Canada | 2,431 | 5.2% |
| Jordan Francis MacDougall | Green Party of Canada | 364 | 0.8% |
Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
High Prairie council spends more per resident than most
The 2024 financial return: spending by service and revenue by source, per resident, compared only with Alberta’s municipalities.
Spending per resident by service, 2024
What pays for it
Shares of revenue, town and province.
At 31% of spending ($1,350 a resident), electricity and gas leads the budget. In 2024 the median among Alberta’s municipalities was $3,457 a resident; High Prairie council spent $4,384. Full-time staff number 31, about 11.9 to every thousand residents. High Prairie council carried $906K of long-term debt, $347 per resident against a typical $745. At 32%, property taxes count for less of the revenue than the 44% seen across the province.
Spending per resident nearby
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity and gas | $3.5M | $1,350 | 31% |
| Recreation and culture | $2.4M | $922 | 21% |
| Other | $2.2M | $833 | 19% |
| Roads and transit | $1.3M | $515 | 12% |
| General government | $1M | $388 | 9% |
| Police, fire and protection | $727K | $279 | 6% |
| Planning and development | $254K | $97 | 2% |
Money: municipal financial and statistical data 2024, Alberta Municipal Affairs. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Alberta. Residents: Statistics Canada, 2025 estimate.
Having a say in how High Prairie is run
Check or update the federal list.
elections.ca ↗Every MP lists an office.
ourcommons.ca ↗Ridings, registration and voting dates.
elections.ab.ca ↗What this data can and can’t tell you
- Not on this page. No party tally for the council, which the open lists don’t record, and no band councils.
- Which riding. A place belongs to the riding where most of its 2021 Census residents live, plus any other with 5% or more.
- Who holds each seat. Wikidata, edited by volunteers, is the source for each MP, and it can trail a change of seat by a little.
- Election results. Elections Canada redrew the ridings in 2023 and re-tallied the 2021 ballots onto the new map from polling divisions; that estimate, and the official 2019 and 2021 counts on the old map, are what you see.
- Council money. Alberta’s 2024 municipal financial returns, per resident with Statistics Canada’s 2025 population estimate.
Questions about how High Prairie is run
Who is the MP for High Prairie?
For High Prairie, it’s Arnold Viersen (Conservative Party of Canada), who holds Peace River—Westlock.
Which party won High Prairie in the 2021 federal election?
The Conservative Party of Canada: Arnold Viersen won Peace River—Westlock in 2021 and still holds it.
Who is the MLA for High Prairie?
Every MLA of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta is on its members page, which is where to find the one for High Prairie.
Who heads the council in High Prairie?
High Prairie, a town, lists its council on its own pages; no open list names the head here.
How much does High Prairie council spend?
High Prairie council spent $11.4M in 2024 for about 2,607 residents; its largest service line was electricity and gas, at $3.5M.
Sources: MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · Money: municipal financial and statistical data 2024, Alberta Municipal Affairs. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Alberta. Residents: Statistics Canada, 2025 estimate. · Next municipal election: the province’s municipal election act · Municipality types: Statistics Canada census subdivisions · Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).