berta ' s ▁largest ▁and ▁smallest ▁villages ▁are ▁St ir ling ▁and ▁G ads by ▁with ▁populations ▁of ▁ 1 , 2 1 5 ▁and ▁ 4 0 ▁respectively . ▁ ▁When ▁a ▁village ' s ▁population ▁reaches ▁or ▁exceed s ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁people , ▁the ▁council ▁may ▁request ▁a ▁change ▁to ▁town ▁status , ▁but ▁the ▁change ▁in ▁incorpor ated ▁status ▁is ▁not ▁mand atory . ▁Vill ages ▁with ▁populations ▁less ▁than ▁ 3 0 0 , ▁whether ▁their ▁populations ▁have ▁decl ined ▁below ▁ 3 0 0 ▁or ▁they ▁were ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁villages ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁minimum ▁ 3 0 0 ▁population ▁requirement , ▁are ▁permitted ▁to ▁retain ▁village ▁status . ▁ ▁Village ▁govern ance ▁is ▁delivered ▁by ▁ 3 6 1   elect ed ▁village ▁officials ▁( 8 7 ▁may ors ▁and ▁ 2 7 4 ▁coun c ill ors ) ▁throughout ▁the ▁province . ▁ ▁The ▁highest ▁frequencies ▁of ▁villages ▁in ▁Al berta ▁are ▁found ▁along ▁existing ▁and ▁former ▁rail ▁lines ▁in ▁the ▁east ▁central ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁province . ▁ ▁Administration ▁ ▁P urs u ant ▁to ▁Part ▁ 5 , ▁Division ▁ 1 ▁of ▁the ▁Municipal ▁Government ▁Act ▁( M GA ), ▁each ▁municipality ▁created ▁under ▁the ▁authority ▁of ▁the ▁M GA ▁is ▁govern ed ▁by ▁a ▁council . ▁As ▁a ▁requirement ▁of ▁the ▁M GA , ▁a ▁village ▁council ▁consists ▁of ▁three ▁coun c ill ors ▁by ▁default , ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁village ' s ▁chief ▁elected ▁official ▁(