Alberta · History, treaty and community

Indigenous Red Deer: Treaty 6, Nations and Community

An introduction to Red Deer: its history, the Nations whose lands it sits on, and Indigenous community life today, with sources.

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About Red Deer

Red Deer lies on the Red Deer River in central Alberta, about 150 km south of Edmonton and roughly halfway to Calgary, amid productive mixed-farming country. The river’s name reflects a mix-up: the Cree called it after the elk, but Scottish fur traders appear to have confused elk with the red deer of their homeland. The area is traditional territory of many nations and is covered by Treaty 6 and Treaty 7. Oil and gas discoveries after the Second World War made Red Deer one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada by the late 1950s, and nearby petrochemical plants keep energy important. Red Deer Polytechnic, known as Red Deer College until 2021, can grant bachelor’s degrees, and the city is a regional health-care centre and home to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. The Red Deer Native Friendship Society serves the urban Indigenous community, and the four Cree nations at Maskwacis lie to the north.

Red Deer history

Red Deer sits where many peoples have lived and travelled. The Canadian Encyclopedia names the Siksikaitsitapi, or Blackfoot Confederacy, along with the Tsuut’ina, Stoney Nakoda, Cree, Saulteaux and Métis. Treaty 6 was signed in 1876, and Treaty 7 followed in 1877. Settlers began arriving in 1882 at the spot where the Calgary–Edmonton Trail crossed the river. During the North-West Resistance of 1885, the Canadian militia built Fort Normandeau at that crossing. The North-West Mounted Police used the fort until 1893. The Calgary and Edmonton Railway was built in 1891, and it later became part of the Canadian Pacific Railway. That year the settlement moved about 7 km downstream to a site on the new line. Red Deer was incorporated as a city in 1913. A provincial training school opened in 1923 and later became the Michener Centre. Cultural landmarks followed as the city grew through the twentieth century. St. Mary’s Church dates from 1968, and the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery opened in 1973. The Fort Normandeau Interpretive Centre opened in 1985, a century after the fort was built.

Treaty and territory

Red Deer is on Treaty 6 territory and in the homeland of the Métis.

Nearby: Maskwacis · Sylvan Lake · Lacombe · Blackfalds · Innisfail · Penhold

Indigenous Red Deer today

The Red Deer Native Friendship Society began in the early 1980s. Métis families and concerned citizens opened a small gathering place for Indigenous people moving to the city. Frank Winnie chaired its first board. The society incorporated in 1984 and joined the national friendship centre movement a year later. Today it offers family preservation, traditional parenting, housing, Elders and Two Spirit programming. Housing has become a shared project with the city. The City donated a Riverside Drive property, appraised at $957,000, for $1. On National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021, council committed $730,000 toward Asooahum Crossing. Its first phase is an eight-plex of affordable housing, mainly for Indigenous residents but open to anyone in need. A second phase envisions an Indigenous cultural centre and multi-generational housing. At Red Deer Polytechnic, the Pónokaisissáhta Indigenous Student Centre opened on January 23, 2025. The school also runs an Elders Village Program with Sunchild First Nation to encourage Indigenous students into the trades. The City’s reconciliation pages recognize June 21 and Remembering the Children Day on June 11. Red Deer Polytechnic describes its campus as Treaty 7, Treaty 6 and Métis ancestral lands, the gathering place of many Indigenous Peoples.

Life in Red Deer

Red Deer counted 100,844 people in the 2021 census. The Waskasoo Park system gives the city more than 110 km of trails, both paved and natural. About 23 km stay cleared in winter, by machine only, with no chemical ice melt. That keeps winter walking, running and biking possible along the river. The Kerry Wood Nature Centre opened in 1986. History fans can visit Fort Normandeau and the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery. Big events have come to town too. In 2019 Red Deer hosted the Canada Winter Games from February 15 to March 3. It was the third Alberta city to host. More than 3,600 athletes, coaches and staff competed across 19 sports, and organizers expected over 20,000 visitors. The Games used 13 competition venues, four of them new or upgraded with host funding, and needed more than 5,000 volunteers.

Red Deer seasons and weather

Central Alberta winters are cold, with occasional chinook breaks, so a hoodie that fits easily under a coat is useful. Summers are warm and fairly sunny.

More on the region: Indigenous Alberta · all of Canada.

Keep learning in the XUSI Journal

Red Deer questions

Can a Red Deer sports team get team shirts printed?

Yes. The minimum is 10 garments, with up to 4 colours per design, and every order is quoted before printing. XUSI helps with the design, and the shirts are printed in Saskatoon and shipped to Red Deer.

If I order gifts for family in Red Deer, can they be returned?

Returns can be requested within 30 days. Orders of $90 or more ship free within Canada, and smaller orders have shipping calculated at checkout.

Could a Red Deer community group order shirts for National Indigenous Peoples Day?

Yes. Custom runs start at 10 garments, with up to 4 colours per design, and every order is quoted before printing. We include design help, print in Saskatoon and ship to Red Deer. Order well ahead of June 21 to leave room for proofs and shipping.

Are XUSI designs tied to Treaty 6, like part of Red Deer?

Yes. We are an Indigenous-owned company from Saskatoon, in Treaty 6 territory. Red Deer sits where Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 lands meet. Many of our designs carry a Cree word and the story behind it, which you can read on our meanings page.

Last reviewed September 19, 2026. Facts on this page come from the sources listed below.

Sources for this page

Indigenous clothing from XUSI

Midway between Calgary and Edmonton, Red Deer is on the delivery map for XUSI, an Indigenous-owned clothing brand from Saskatoon offering tees, hoodies and hats.

Red Deer life runs along the Waskasoo trails, so we think in layers that move. A heavyweight cotton tee and an A-frame snapback cover summer rides along the river. On crisp fall runs, a Black Oni long sleeve does the job without overheating. When the 23 km of winter-cleared trails are the only dry path, a mid-weight hoodie under a shell keeps the chill off. For hockey nights and the deep-cold weeks, our heavier hoodies layer well under a parka. A Golden Era ringer tee fits a campus day at Red Deer Polytechnic.