To qualify as a city in Alberta, a sufficient population size (10,000 people or more) must be present and a majority of the buildings must be on parcels of land less than . A community is not always incorporated as a city even if it meets these requirements. The urban service areas of Fort McMurray and Sherwood Park are hamlets recognized as equivalents of cities, but remain unincorporated. Ten towns are also eligible for city status but remain incorporated as towns.
