For other places named Colonsay, see Colonsay (disambiguation).
Colonsay
Town
CountryCanada
ProvinceSaskatchewan
Rural Municipalities (R.M.)Colonsay No. 342
MayorJames Gray[1]
Federal Electoral District Blackstrap (historical riding Rosthern) MPLynne Yelich
provincial electoral districts Constituency of Humboldt MLADonna Harpauer
Post office Founded1908-05-21
Village established1907
Town incorporated1910
Area total2.46 sq mi
Population as of2011
Population total475
Population density193.1 km²
Time zone (DST)CST
Coordinates51°59′N 105°53′W
Website[1]

Colonsay /kəˈlɒnziː/ is a town in the Rural Municipality of Colonsay No. 342, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Colonsay is located on Highway 16 (the Yellowhead Highway part of the Trans-Canada Highway) running east–west in central Saskatchewan near the intersection with Highway 2.

Colonsay derived its name from the Inner Hebrides Scottish island of Colonsay.[2] All the streets in the village are also named after islands located along the west coast of Scotland.

History

Colonsay experienced a record setting 167-day-long frost-free period in 1978, which was, to the dismay of a number of residents, still not a long enough growing season for yams or sweet potatoes.[3]

The ship U-Sea Colonsay is named after the local potash mine.[4][5]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Colonsay had a population of 446 living in 181 of its 199 total private dwellings, a change of -1.11% from its 2016 population of 451. With a land area of 2.4 km2 (0.93 sq mi), it had a population density of in 2021.[6]

Climate

Economy

The main economy of the area is agriculture featuring grain crops such as wheat, canola, barley, oats, rye, as well as lentils and peas. Livestock raised in the vicinity are cattle, hogs, sheep, and buffalo.[7] The potash mine of Colonsay was first named Noranda Mines Potash Division[8] then separately constituted as Central Canada Potash.[9][10][11] Central Canada Potash was acquired by Imc. Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Colonsay, IMC Potash Colonsay[12] and is now Mosaic Potash Colonsay.[13][14] Potash is mined and sold to crop nutrient manufacturers for fertilizer, as well as for use as an icemelter ingredient and water softener regenerant.[15]

Sports

Colonsay & District Sports Centre was re-opened in 2006 following fund raising efforts by the community as well as funding initiatives such as the Green Municipal Investment Fund, a joint venture of the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The Sports Centre has a new heating system as well as ice-cube heat which will allow a longer artificial ice season for skaters, curlers and ice hockey players. The Sports Centre was closed in 2004 due to safety concerns with the refrigeration system. The original ice plant was improperly installed and designed. [16] the complex was built in 1978.

The Colonsay Monarchs were a team that played for the Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League as of 1951.[17][18]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Municipal Directory System". Archived from the original on 2016-01-15. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
  2. ^ "Colonsay Home", archived from the original on 2007-07-28, retrieved 2007-08-01
  3. ^ Welcome to Weyburn's Community Atlas "WEYBURN ON THE WEB" produced by the students of St. Dominic ; Savio Elementary School (2006–2007), "Canadian Communities Atlas", archived from the original on 2007-09-27, retrieved 2007-08-01
  4. ^ "U-SEA COLONSAY Sets Sail". iStockAnalyist. October 24, 2011. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
  5. ^ Wagler, Jenny (Nov 8, 2011). "North Van to see new jobs from potash trade". Business in Vancouver (BIV). Archived 2024-02-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  6. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  7. ^ Saskatchewan Government Sask Biz (2004), "Colonsay Geography The Town of Colonsay is located in Central ...", archived from the original on 2007-09-27, retrieved 2007-08-01
  8. ^ "Noranda Mines Ltd. announced Tuesday its wholly owned subsidiary,...". UPI Archive: Financial. United Press International. 29 June 1982.
  9. ^ "STRIKES, SETTLEMENTS Workers ratify 2-year contract". The Globe and Mail. Thomson Canada Limited. 14 April 1984. p. B3. Factiva glob000020011125dg4e02ild
  10. ^ "Noranda Unit to Halt Output at Potash Mine". Wall Street Journal. 30 June 1982. p. 46. ISSN 00999660
  11. ^ "Noranda Potash Unit Suspends $8 Million Compaction Project". Wall Street Journal. 7 January 1975. p. 31. ISSN 00999660
  12. ^ "Potash poised to take on global competition". Saskatchewan Mining Journal. Saskatoon, Canada: Sunrise Publishing Ltd. June-July 2002. ISSN 17136822
  13. ^ McCready, Peter (ed.) (February 2007). "Mineral resource map of Saskatchewan" (Mining Journal special publication). Saskatchewan: A Mining Journal supplement. London, UK: Mining Communications Ltd. Retrieved 2024-10-16. – via University Library | University of Saskatchewan.
  14. ^ Walker, Simon (May 2014). "A new world order?". E&MJ - Engineering & Mining Journal. 215 (5): 58ff.
  15. ^ "IMC GLOBAL INC, Form 10-K, Annual Report, Filing Date Mar 12, 2004". secdatabase.com. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  16. ^ The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (2006), "Rural Councillor Back Issues Colonsay's Arena: A Community Effort and Environmentally Responsible Example", retrieved 2007-08-01
  17. ^ "Hrynkiw—One-Name Family History Study", 2006–2007, archived from the original on 2007-09-29, retrieved 2007-08-01
  18. ^ Western Canada Baseball (2007 [2003]), "1951", archived 2006-11-08 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2007-08-01

Further reading

  • Book Title Colonsay memoirs, 1905–1955. Author Colonsay, Saskatchewan. High School
  • Book Title Milestones and memories : Colonsay and Meacham Districts, 1905–1980. Published Colonsay, Sask. : R.M. 342 Celebrate Saskatchewan 1980 Committees, 1980