It was originally named "Lakeview" but renamed by the Canadian Pacific Railway Land Department in 1907; the first train to the town was in 1910.

Provost Public School has a student population of about 400 and is part of the Buffalo Trail Regional Division No.

St. Thomas Aquinas School has approximately 246 students and is part of the East Central Alberta Catholic Schools Regional Division No.

The local newspaper that covers the town is The Provost News.

[8] The East Central Alberta Review also regularly covers the town and its surrounding areas.