Lloydminster is a city straddling the border between East Central Alberta region of Alberta and the West Central Saskatchewan region of Saskatchewan. A geographic anomaly, it is one of only two settlements in Canada to operate a single municipal entity across two provinces. (The other, Flin Flon, is a small Manitoba mining village with one tiny portion in Saskatchewan.)

Understand

Lloydminster City Hall

The city was founded in 1903, at a time when modern-day Alberta and Saskatchewan were still part of the Northwest Territories. The provinces were created later with a boundary at 110° west longitude, right down 50th Avenue (Meridian Ave.). By 2021 the city had 31,600 people; principal local industries include agriculture and oil refining.

The flags of Saskatchewan and Alberta flanking the flag of Canada in Lloydminster

Due to differing sales tax structures (Alberta has no provincial sales tax) and time zones (Alberta observes Mountain Daylight Savings Time seasonally, Saskatchewan keeps Central Standard Time year-round), Lloydminster and its immediate trading area are part of Alberta's time zone and its businesses follow Alberta's sales tax rules. A 163-bed hospital in Saskatchewan serves both provinces; the city's Lakeland College campus is in Alberta and the local airport (YLL  ^IATA) moved from Saskatchewan to Alberta in 1981.

Saskatchewan addresses may be identified by their postal codes (which have a leading 'S') and telephone area codes (usually 1 306, sometimes 1 639).

Get in

By car

Lloydminster is on Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) at roughly the halfway point between Saskatoon and Edmonton. The highway is divided for most of this route (except for the portion within Lloydminster itself). A second highway, Highway 17, runs north-south through the city, but is primarily only a local route.

By bus

• Rider Express, toll-free: 1-833-583-3636. Operates a route between Edmonton and Regina with stops including in Vegreville, Vermilion, Lloydminster, North Battleford, Saskatoon, and Davidson. Travel time to Lloydminster from Edmonton is 3.5 hours, from North Battleford is 1.75 hours, from Saskatoon is 3-3.25 hours, and from Regina is 6.25 hours. (updated Apr 2022)

By plane

Airport

1 Lloydminster Municipal Airport (YLL  ^IATA), 8301 75 Street, ☏ 1 780-875-9215. M-F 7AM-6:30PM. A local airport with one 1700-m asphalt runway. (updated May 2022)

Flights available from Calgary (1.25 hours),

Airlines

• WestJet, toll-free: 1-877-952-0100. Canada's second largest airline services with hubs in Calgary and Toronto. It operates across Canada and services international destinations. (updated Apr 2022)

Other airports

• Edmonton and Saskatoon offer the closest international airports to Lloydminster.

Get around

The Old Post Office

Lloydminster has no public transit.

• Viper Taxi 1 306-825-5558
• Lloyd Taxi 1 306-825-3333
• Courtesy Cabs 1 306-825-8885
• Lloydminster Handivan Society, ☏ 1 780-205-1666. M-F 7:30AM-7:30PM, Sa Su holidays 9AM-9PM. Accessible vehicles. Rides must be booked 24 hours in advance. Service is also available to non-residents. Attendants ride free. (updated Jan 2018)

See

• 1 Lloydminster Cultural & Science Centre, 4207 44 Street, ☏ 1 780-874-3720. Temporarily closed – new location under construction. A public art gallery, wildlife taxidermy display, and interactive heavy oil science centre. (updated Mar 2021)
• 2 Border Markers, Highway 16/44 St & 50 Ave. Located at City Hall on the intersection of Hwy 16 & 17. Lloydminster, Canada's only city on a provincial border, is home to the world's largest border markers. To signify the provincial boundary and 4th meridian which marks the border, these four 100 ft (30 m) high giant survey markers were erected. All shaped like the survey stakes used during the original survey of the border between Alberta & Saskatchewan. They represent four themes: Oil & Gas, the Barr Colonists, Agriculture and First Nations & Métis. The gap between the steel pillars of each monument is the actual border. (updated Feb 2021)

Do

• 1 Bud Miller All Seasons Park, 59th Avenue. A 200 acres (81 hectares) playground for having a picnic, playing in the 540 m² (5,800 ft²) spray park (10AM-8PM summer only), walking the trails or playing sports. Baseball diamonds, beach volleyball, bike trails, cross country skiing, ice skating, indoor pool, lawn bowling, mini golf, trout fishing lake, tennis courts. (updated Jan 2018)
• 2 Gold Horse Casino, 3910 41 St, ☏ 1 306-825-3777, [email protected]. Su-Th noon-midnight, F Sa noon-2AM. (updated Mar 2021)

Buy

• 1 LloydMall, 5211 44 Street, ☏ 1 780-875-6996. M Tu Sa 10AM-6PM, W-F 10AM-9PM, Su holidays noon-5PM. (updated Jan 2018)
• 2 Harvest to Home Market, 4102 70 Ave, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-4PM. A local food market, café & catering company. Fresh, local products from many small, local vendors. Almost everything they serve is made from scratch. No preservatives used in their food, honey and maple syrup sweeten most of their products. (updated Jan 2018)

Eat

• 1 Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant, 10-5405 44 St, ☏ 1 780-875-3388. M-Sa 10AM-9PM. Greek, Canadian, vegetarian friendly. (updated Jan 2018)
• 2 Tasty K's, 5008 39 St, ☏ 1 780-872-7713. M-Sa 11AM-8PM. Sandwiches, soups, donairs. (updated Jan 2018)
• 3 The Root Community Emporium, 4901 50 Ave, ☏ 1 306-825-5885. Tu-F 10AM-11PM (kitchen open until 10PM); Sa 9AM-11PM. Vegetarian friendly, vegan options. Live music events weekly. Lunch $10-18, dinner mains $16-26. (updated Jan 2018)

Sleep

• 1 Meridian Inn & Suites, 8150 45 St, ☏ 1 780-875-3030, [email protected]. Free Wi-Fi Internet and Continental breakfast. All guestrooms features compact refrigerator, microwave, in room coffee & 39” flat screen HDTV. Some rooms have a kitchenette and separate lounge and eating area. From $86. (updated Jan 2018)
• 2 Good Knight Inn, 4729 44 St, ☏ 1 306-825-0124. 37 clean and comfortable, climate controlled units, free Wi-Fi Internet, cable TV and kitchenettes in some units. Pets are welcome. From $80. (updated Jan 2018)
• 3 Royal Hotel Lloydminster, 5620 44 St, ☏ 1 780-875-6113, toll-free: 1-800-661-7221. free Wi-Fi, and a 24-hour fitness centre. On-site restaurant and lounge, free breakfast, business centre, free parking, pet-friendly rooms. From $86. (updated Jan 2018)

Cope

• 1 Lloydminster Hospital, 3820 43 Ave, ☏ 1 306-820-6000. (updated Mar 2021)

Go next

• Edmonton and Saskatoon are 2½-3 hours' distant on the Yellowhead Highway.

Routes through Lloydminster

Edmonton ← Vermilion ←	W  E	→ Maidstone → Saskatoon
END ← Jct W E ←	N  S	→ Jct W E → Macklin