Grimshaw

Grimshaw a town of about 2,700 people (2016) in the Peace River Country region of Alberta, best known for being mile zero of the Mackenzie Highway.

Understand
Grimshaw developed as a community centre for a rich mixed farming district. Its economy has transformed to become a distribution centre for northern Alberta.

By virtue of being the original starting point of Highway 35, which leads to the Northwest Territories, Grimshaw is called Mile Zero of the Mackenzie Highway.

History
The name of the town was derived from Dr. M.E. Grimshaw, a pioneer doctor from Kingston, Ontario who settled in Peace River (then known as Peace River Crossing) in 1914. He practised in the area for many years and served in the local government at the county and the village levels until he retired from politics as the mayor of Peace River in 1922.

By car
Grimshaw is northwest of Edmonton,  northeast of Grande Prairie, and  west of Peace River, along Highway 2. It is about five hours drive northwest of Edmonton and two hours northeast of Grande Prairie. Highway 35 (part of the Mackenzie Highway) comes in from Northwest Territories, terminating 5 km north of Grimshaw, where Highway 35 meets Highway 2. Highway 2 connects the end of Highway 35 to Grimshaw and that 5 km section is also part of the MacKenzie Highway.

Grimshaw can be accessed via Highway 2 from Edmonton, or by travelling Highway 43 to Valleyview and then Highway 49 – the latter is a faster and shorter route.

By bus

 * Northern Express bus service from Grande Prairie and High Level is suspended as of Jan 2021.

Get around
Grimshaw has no public transit system.