Sainte Anne, Lac, lake, 21 sq mi (54.5 sq km), central Alta., Canada, west of Edmonton. It has a maximum depth of 30 ft (9 m). The village of Lac Ste Anne, on the lake's south shore, was the site of the first permanent Catholic mission (est. 1843) in Alberta. The lake has long been considered sacred by native peoples. In 1889 a pilgrimage to the mission to bathe in its waters, which are considered to have healing powers, was begun, and tens of thousands now come in late July to celebrate the feast day of Saint Anne. Alberta Beach, also on the south shore, was established as a railroad resort in 1912.
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