Tucked into the Peace Country of northern Alberta, Beaverlodge sits along Highway 43 roughly 43 kilometres west of Grande Prairie and just 48 kilometres from the British Columbia border. The town takes its name from the Beaverlodge River, a waterway the Beaver First Nation referred to as Uz-i-pa, meaning “temporary lodge.” European-Canadian settlers began arriving in the area as early as 1909, establishing what would grow into a small but resilient northern community. During the Cold War era, a Canadian Forces radar station was constructed about five miles northeast of town in 1953, built as part of the NORAD agreement with the United States. American military personnel operated the facility until the mid-1960s, when the Royal Canadian Air Force took over. The station remained in service until April 1, 1988, and its buildings were demolished in the mid-1990s after the Cold War threat diminished.
Beaverlodge recorded a population of 2,271 in the 2021 census, a decline from the 2,465 residents counted in 2016, which itself reflected modest growth from 2,365 in 2011. The town covers a land area of 5.38 square kilometres, supporting a population density of around 422 people per square kilometre. Visitors passing through on Highway 43 are often drawn to the town’s park, where a Giant Beaver statue unveiled in 2004 stands as a memorable local landmark. The community is also home to the Beaverlodge Blades, a junior hockey team playing in the North West Junior Hockey League since 2000, with games held at the Beaverlodge Arena. Amenities in town include a public library, an indoor swimming pool, and play parks, while Beaverlodge Regional High School serves students from several surrounding communities including Wembley, Hythe, and Valhalla.