Sunset Point

The Summer Village of Sunset Point sits on the southeast shore of Lac Ste. Anne—an area shaped by deep Indigenous history, early settlement, and generations of families who return to the lake for community and recreation. Since the early 1900’s, Alberta’s lakeshore property has been purchased for cottage use, with public beaches developed along road and rail routes accessible from larger urban centres. Traditionally, summer villages evolved from cottage resort areas where seasonal residents desired a role in local government. People from all over the world have found a haven along the shores of Lac Ste. Anne. To the south, coal mines generate power and employment. Recreational businesses have flourished because of the lake. Agriculture remains a mainstay, and the area is known for its ability to grow some of the best oat crops in Canada. Lac Ste. Anne has a long human history before it was considered a recreational destination. The lake was called Wakamne (“God’s Lake”) by the Nakota Sioux and Manitou Sakhahigan (“Lake of the Spirit”) by the Cree First Nations. As cottage areas grew along travel routes, seasonal residents sought stronger local representation—helping shape the model of summer village governance found across Alberta. The Summer Village of Sunset Point was officially established on January 21, 1959 with only 50 residents . Today, the community includes 189 properties . The lake continues to support recreation, business, and community gathering—while the wider region benefits from agriculture, tourism, and industry. The legend tells of hunters and fishers who spoke of a large creature living in the lake, said to create unpredictable currents that could capsize a canoe. Few people claimed to see it, and when priests arrived, the lake was renamed “Devil’s Lake” in reference to the reported monster. Elders of the Alexis Reserve recall stories of children peering into the lake’s once-clear waters, hoping—and fearing—they might glimpse its legendary form. In the mid-1800s, Lac Ste. Anne became a centre of settlement, learning, and farming—shaped by the Mission’s founding and the people who built community life along the lake. Father Thibault chose Devil’s Lake as a central location for a permanent mission for the Métis people, with fertile land, timber, and abundant fish and wildlife—far from Hudson’s Bay politics in Fort Edmonton. Father Thibault renamed the lake Lac Ste. Anne , honoring a promise to the patron saint, Ste. Anne. He and Father Bourassa moved into a newly built home that also served as a temporary church until 1843. Priests taught farming to encourage self-sufficiency, anticipating the decline of the buffalo. By 1859 the Mission kept cattle and horses, maintained gardens and flowerbeds, and produced crops such as wheat, barley, potatoes, cabbage, onions, and turnips—supplying much of Fort Edmonton’s food. Three Gray Nuns traveled from Montreal to the Mission—among the earliest white women to journey to Alberta. They learned Cree, started a school, helped in gardens, and even painted church windows to reduce distractions during services. In 1842 a Roman Catholic priest, Father Thibault, decided to create a permanent mission for the Métis people. Devil’s Lake offered fertile fields, tall trees for lumber, and plentiful fish and wildlife. On September 8, 1842, Father Thibault renamed the lake to Lac Ste. Anne, honoring his promise to the patron saint, Ste. Anne. He and Father Bourassa moved into a newly constructed home without doors or windows and with a dirt floor. The building also served as the church until a proper one was completed in 1843. Along with the teachings of the church, the priests taught farming and worked toward self-sufficiency for the Métis people. By 1859 the Mission had livestock and gardens, and produced crops including wheat, barley, potatoes, cabbage, onions, and turnips. The Mission supplied Fort Edmonton with the majority of its food. In 1859, three Gray Nuns arriv