Falher

Falher, Alberta, incorporated as a village in 1923 and as a town in 1955, population 1,047 (2016 census), 1,075 (2011 census). The Town of Falher is located south of Peace River. It was named for Father Constant Falher, a Roman Catholic priest.

Settlement

Father Constant Falher, with Father Jean-Baptiste Giroux, set out to settle this part of the Peace River Country with Francophone settlers from Quebec and the northeastern United States. The first group arrived in 1912 and named their community and church St. Jean Baptiste de Falher after the two priests. The district soon filled up with Francophone farmers. The trappings of their culture remain strong today and are centered at La Société Historique et Généalogique de Smoky River in nearby Donnelly.

Development and Economy

The Falher townsite was subdivided by the Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway in 1915. From 1973 to 2007, mixed farming was bolstered by alfalfa processing. Recent natural gas discoveries have also added to the economy. Beekeeping is another local industry, with Falher describing itself as the “Honey Capital of Canada.”