Not to be confused with Yorktown.
For other uses, see Yorkton (disambiguation).
Yorkton
City
Coordinates51°12′50″N 102°27′46″W
CountryCanada
ProvinceSaskatchewan
Incorporated villageJuly 15, 1894
Incorporated town1900
Incorporated cityFebruary 1, 1928
MayorAaron Kienle
MLADavid Chan (SKP)
Area total25.77 km²
Elevation500 m
Population total16,280
Population as of2021
Population density449.8 km²
Population metro18,905
Population density metro22.4 km²
Forward sortation areaS3N
Area codes306 / 639
WebsiteCity of Yorkton
MPCathay Wagantall (CON)
Time zoneCST (UTC−6)
Time zone (DST)CST[1] (UTC−6)
Post office establishedJanuary 1, 1884[2]

Yorkton is a city located in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is about 300 kilometres (190 mi) southeast of Saskatoon and 450 kilometres (280 mi) northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba and is the sixth-largest city in the province. Yorkton was founded in 1882 and incorporated as a city in 1928. The city is bordered by the rural municipalities of Orkney to the north, west, and south, and Wallace on the east.

History

In 1882, a group of businessmen and investors formed the York Farmers Colonization Company. Authorized to issue up to $300,000 in debentures and lenient government credit terms on land purchases encouraged company representatives to visit the District of Assiniboia of the North-West Territories with the intent to view some crown land available near the Manitoba border. They were impressed with what they saw and the group purchased portions of six townships near the Little Whitesand River (now Yorkton Creek) for the purpose of settlement and to establish a centre for trade there.[3] This centre would become known as York Colony.[4]

The company founded the settlers' colony on the banks of the Little Whitesand River where lots were given freely to settlers who purchased land from them. The colony remained at its site until 1889. It was originally located at PT SE 1/4 13-26-4 W2M.[5]

In 1889, the rail line was extended to the Yorkton area. It was at this time the colony townsite relocated alongside the new rail line.[6]

Geography

Yorkton is located in the aspen parkland ecosystem, about 300 kilometres (190 mi) southeast of Saskatoon.[7] The terrain is mainly one of agriculture and there is no forestry industry.[8] It is also in an area of black calcareous chernozemic soils.[7][8] The Yorkton area was located on the edge of an area of a maximum glacial lake.[8] The quaternary geology has left the area as a moraine plain consisting of glacial deposits.[7] The bedrock geology is the Pembina Member of Vermillion River Formation and Riding Mountain Formation. Yorkton is located in the physiographic region of the Quill Lake-Yorkton Plain region of the Saskatchewan Plains Region.[8]

Climate

Yorkton has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb), with extreme seasonal temperatures. It has warm summers and cold winters, with the average daily temperatures ranging from −17.9 °C (−0.2 °F) in January to 17.8 °C (64.0 °F) in July.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Yorkton was 40.6 °C (105 °F) on 19 July 1941.[9] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −46.1 °C (−51 °F) on 20 January 1943.[10]

Extreme weather events

  • On the evening of July 1, 2010, Yorkton received a severe thunderstorm warning. Soon after, Yorkton was experiencing pea sized hail, strong winds, lightning, and heavy rain. The rain created a flash flood. Broadway Street received the worst of the flood with local businesses being severely damaged, with one being completely destroyed.[11] The city of Yorkton declared a State of Emergency and the Canadian Red Cross helped out with the victims of the flood.[12]
  • On the weekend of June 29, 2014, Yorkton declared a State of Emergency after rain caused flash floods in south-eastern Saskatchewan.[13]

Demographics

Historical populations
YearPop.±%
1901700—
19112,309+229.9%
19215,151+123.1%
19315,027−2.4%
19415,586+11.1%
19517,074+26.6%
19619,995+41.3%
197113,430+34.4%
198115,339+14.2%
199115,315−0.2%
200115,107−1.4%
200615,038−0.5%
201115,669+4.2%
201616,343+4.3%
202116,280−0.4%

Source: Statistics Canada[14][15]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Yorkton had a population of 16,280 living in 6,974 of its 7,529 total private dwellings, a change of -0.39% from its 2016 population of 16,343. With a land area of 36.19 km2 (13.97 sq mi), it had a population density of in 2021.[16]

Ethnicity

The first settlers to the Yorkton colony were English from Eastern Ontario and Great Britain. 6 miles (9.7 km) west were Scottish settlers at the settlement of Orkney.[17] A significant number of residents are also descended from immigrants from Ukraine who came in the early 20th century.

Panethnic groups in the City of Yorkton (2001−2021)
Panethnic group2021[18]2016[19]2011[20]2006[21]2001[22]
Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%Pop.%
European[a]11,49572.2%12,72579.93%13,06585.48%12,75086.44%12,94087.31%
Indigenous2,05512.91%1,90011.93%1,70011.12%1,71511.63%1,65511.17%
Southeast Asian[b]1,1207.04%6253.93%2401.57%100.07%100.07%
South Asian6353.99%2501.57%00%400.27%250.17%
African3452.17%2451.54%1551.01%1100.75%300.2%
East Asian[c]1200.75%1050.66%950.62%850.58%1400.94%
Middle Eastern[d]500.31%500.31%00%250.17%200.13%
Latin American400.25%100.06%00%150.1%00%
Other/multiracial[e]600.38%200.13%00%00%00%
Total responses15,92097.79%15,92097.41%15,28597.55%14,75098.08%14,82098.1%
Total population16,280100%16,343100%15,669100%15,038100%15,107100%
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses
Major ethnic groups in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, 2021
Ethnic group[23]PopulationPercent
Ukrainian4,8054,805%
English3,8703870%
German3,5403540%
Scottish2,1852185%
First Nations/Métis2,0552180%
Irish1,6101610%
Polish1,4051405%
Scandinavian1,3501350%
French1,0601060%
Filipino1,0301030%
Total respondent population15,925100%

Attractions

The Yorkton Gallagher Centre is an entertainment complex constructed in 1977 by the civic government and the Yorkton Exhibition Association. The centre includes an arena, curling rink, conference rooms and an indoor swimming pool.[24] Until 2005, the facility was called the Parkland Agriplex. In the early 1900s an older Agriplex building was located on the fair grounds adjacent to the Gallagher Centre.[25]

Yorkton is home to a branch of the Saskatchewan Western Development Museum, which houses a number of exhibits depicting pioneer life in the town and on the surrounding prairie. The museum includes an early pioneer log home and an extensive outdoor exhibit of agricultural machinery, including early tractors and steam engines.[17]

Located on several buildings in downtown Yorkton are murals depicting historic personalities.

Historic sites

See also: List of historic places in Saskatchewan

A number of heritage buildings are located within the city. Yorkton Tower Theatre is a single screen movie theatre built in the 1950s.[26] Army Navy and Air Force Veterans Building, Dulmage Farmstead, Hudson's Bay Company Store, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Yorkton Armoury, Yorkton Court House, 29 Myrtle Avenue, 81 Second Avenue North, Old Land Titles Building[27] and Yorkton Organic Milling Ltd are also listed historic places.

Yorkton Film Festival

Main article: Yorkton Film Festival

Film Festivals have been an enduring part of life in Yorkton since the projector spun to life in October 1947. At that time the Yorkton International Documentary Film Festival was born. The international component was dropped in 1977, deciding to focus on Canadian short film instead. The festival renamed itself the Yorkton Short Film Festival also in 1977. In 2009 it became the Yorkton Film Festival.[28]

Sports

The city of Yorkton hosted the 1999 Royal Bank Cup (Junior "A" ice hockey National Championship), the 2006 World Junior A Challenge (an international Junior "A" ice hockey tournament) and the 2009 Canada Cup of Curling.

Teams

The Yorkton Terriers are a team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The Yorkton Rawtec Maulers are a Midget AAA ice hockey team and they are a member of the SMAAAHL. The teams play their games in the 2,300 seat Westland Arena in the Yorkton Gallagher Centre[29][30]

Yorkton Cardinals were a baseball team playing in the Western Canadian Baseball League.[31]

The Yorkton Bulldogs are a retired box lacrosse team formed in 2003. They are a member of the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League.[32]

Government

Municipal

The current mayor as of 2024 is Aaron Kienle. He is serving with councillors Dustin Brears, Stephanie Ortynsky, Quinn Haider, Randy Goulden, Greg Litvanyi, and Darcy Zaharia.[33]

Provincial

The city is located in the Provincial Electoral District of Yorkton.[34] This riding is served in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan by Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Ottenbreit.[35]

Federal

The federal constituency of Yorkton—Melville[36] is represented in the House of Commons of Canada by Cathay Wagantall of the Conservative Party of Canada.

From 1968 to 1993, Yorkton was represented federally by New Democratic Party MP Lorne Nystrom who at his first election win was the youngest person to be elected to the Canadian Parliament.

Infrastructure

Health care

Yorkton established its first hospital in 1902, and this was followed by a maternity care home which lasted a couple of decades.[7] The original hospital was converted into a residential apartment, which in 2014 suffered a large fire which engulfed the entire building.[37] The current hospital, the Yorkton Regional Health Centre, is located on Bradbrooke Drive and is part of the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Transportation

Air

During the Second World War an airport was built 2.8 nautical miles (5.2 km; 3.2 mi) north of Yorkton for the Royal Canadian Air Force's No. 11 Service Flying Training School. It is now operated as the Yorkton Municipal Airport .[38][39]

Roads

Yorkton is located at the intersection of Hwy 52, Hwy 10, Hwy 9 and The Yellowhead which is part of the Trans-Canada Highway[40]

Rail

Yorkton is served by Canadian National Railway (JCT Yorkton Sub, Sk. (CN)) branch line and Canadian Pacific Railway (Yorkton IMS, Sk (CPRS)) mainline track.[41]

Transit

Yorkton Transit runs two routes, covering the majority of the city.

Education

Tertiary institutions

Parkland College has campuses in Yorkton.

High schools

Sacred Heart High School was founded by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, and the school celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1991.[42] Yorkton Regional High School opened November 10, 1967 offering grades 9 to 12.[43]

Elementary schools

There are four separate Catholic elementary schools. St. Alphonsus Elementary School provides pre-kindergarten through Grade 8.[42] St. Mary's Elementary School offers pre-kindergarten classes to grade 8.[42] St. Michael's Elementary School offers both English and French immersion from Kindergarten to grade 8.[42] St. Paul's Elementary School also belongs to the Christ the Teacher Catholic School Division, and provides Kindergarten to Grade 8 classes.[42]

The public elementary schools are also four in total. Columbia Elementary School has an approximate enrolment of 340 students and offers pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8.[44] Dr. Brass Elementary School is named after the dentist, Dr. David James Brass and offers pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8.[45] M.C. Knoll Elementary School opened in August 1998, and is named after Milton Clifford Knoll.[46] Yorkdale Central School is also a part of Good Spirit School Division No. 204 and offers Kindergarten to Grade 8.[47][48]

Military

The 64th (Yorkton) Field Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery is garrisoned at the Yorkton Armouries.[49][50]

During World War II the Yorkton airport was home to No. 23 Elementary Flying Training School and No. 11 Service Flying Training School – both schools being a part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Among the present users is a Gliding Centre, operated for the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.

The Royal Canadian Air Force Station Yorkton (ADC ID: C-51) was a Long Range Radar (LRR) and Ground Air Transmitter Receiver (GATR) facility of the Pinetree Line. The site was SAGE compatible from day one. The facility which was in use during the Cold War was renamed CFS Yorkton (Canadian Forces Station) in 1967. The station located near Yorkton was operational from 1963 to 1986.

Media

Newspapers

Weeklies
  • The Yorkton News Review (defunct) [51]
  • Yorkton This Week [52]

Radio

FrequencyCall signBrandingFormatOwnerNotes
AM 540CBK (AM)CBC Radio Onepublic broadcastingCanadian Broadcasting CorporationClear-channel station broadcasting from Watrous
AM 940CJGXGX94country musicHarvard Broadcasting
FM 91.7CBK-FM-3CBC Musicpublic broadcastingCanadian Broadcasting CorporationRebroadcaster for CBK-FM
FM 92.9CJLR-FM-5MBC RadioFirst Nations community radioMissinipi Broadcasting CorporationRebroadcaster for CJLR-FM
FM 94.1CFGW-FMCruz FMadult hitsHarvard Broadcasting
FM 98.5CJJC-FM98.5 The RockChristian musicDennis M. Dyck

[53]

Television

Cable television services are supplied by Access Communications. Access is a Saskatchewan-owned not-for-profit co-operative established in 1974. It also supplies home phone and Internet service to the community.[54]

SaskTel provides maxTV and maxTV stream services on both DSL and Fiber. SaskTel is a Crown Corporation owned by the provincial government to serve the people of Saskatchewan with telephone, Internet, and TV services. Current internet speeds are up to 50/10 on DSL and up to 1000/500 on fiber. Business is up to 5000/5000 in select markets.

The only terrestrial television station serving Yorkton is CICC-TV channel 10, a CTV affiliate station.

Yorkton was previously served by CKOS-TV channel 5, a private CBC Television outlet; formerly a sister station of CICC, it became an owned-and-operated repeater of CBKT in 2002, before closing down with the rest of CBC's repeater network in 2012.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
  2. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
  3. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
  4. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
  5. ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.

References

  1. ^ "Time zones & daylight saving time". National Research Council Canada. 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  2. ^ "Item 16460 Library and Archives Canada". Library And Archives Canada. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  3. ^ Lefebvre Prince, Terri (2012-05-09). "A river ran through it". Yorkton This Week. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  4. ^ "York Farmers' Colonization Company". Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  5. ^ "York Farmers Colonization Company guide and record". University of Alberta. 2012-05-09. Archived from the original on July 24, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  6. ^ "Tourism Yorkton History". Tourism Yorkton. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved 2014-07-19.
  7. ^ Thorpe, J. (1999). "Natural Vegetation". Atlas of Saskatchewan Celebrating the Millennium. Millennium ed. Kai-iu Fung; Bill Barry; Wilson, Michael (eds.). Saskatchewan: University of Saskatchewan. pp. 130–131, 84–85, 63, 56. ISBN 0-88880-387-7.
  8. ^ Coupland, R.T. (1969). "Natural Vegetation of Saskatchewan". Atlas of Saskatchewan. J.H. Richards, K.I. Fung (ed.). Saskatoon, SK, CA: University of Saskatchewan. pp. 51, 76–77, 70–71.
  9. ^ "July 1941". Environment Canada. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  10. ^ "Canadian Climate Normals (1981–2010)". Environment Canada. 25 September 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  11. ^ "Flood emergency declared in Yorkton, Sask.". CBC. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  12. ^ "Flooding prompts evacuations in Yorkton, Sask". CTV NEWS. 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  13. ^ "Monsoon déjà vu". Yorkton This Week. July 2, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.[dead link]
  14. ^ "Population of the Prairie Provinces, 1901, 1906, 1911 and 1916 (Yorkton p.98)". 2011. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  15. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities)". 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  16. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  17. ^ "Tourism – Yorkton". Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
  18. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-10-26). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  19. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2021-10-27). "Census Profile, 2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  20. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2015-11-27). "NHS Profile". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  21. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-08-20). "2006 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  22. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-07-02). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  23. ^ "NHS Profile, Yorkton, CY, Saskatchewan, 2021 (The sum of the ancestries in this table is greater than the total population estimate because a person may report more than one ancestry (ethnic origin) in the National Household Survey.)". 2021. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  24. ^ "The Yorkton Gallagher Centre". Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  25. ^ "The Yorkton Exhibition Association (History)". Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  26. ^ "Tower Theatre". Cinema Treasures. 2000–2008. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
  27. ^ "Old Land Titles Building". Retrieved 2014-07-26.
  28. ^ "Golden Sheaf Awards". Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  29. ^ "Yorkton Terriers". 2009. Archived from the original on May 3, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  30. ^ "Yorkton Harvest". 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  31. ^ "Yorkton Cardinals". 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  32. ^ "Yorkton Bulldogs". Versus Technologies Inc.. 2005–2009. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  33. ^ "Results - Yorkton Elections". Yorkton Elections. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  34. ^ "Directory of Communities by Saskatchewan Electoral District". Elections Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  35. ^ "Greg Ottenbreit MLA website". Greg Ottenbreit MLA. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  36. ^ "Canada's Federal Electoral Districts". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  37. ^ "Yorkton apartment building goes up in flames". 3 December 2014.
  38. ^
  39. ^ Aircraft Movement Statistics: Airports Without Air Traffic Control Towers (TP 577) Archived October 29, 2008 at the Wayback Machine Movements from Statistics Canada.
  40. ^ Barry, Bill (2003). People Places contemporary Saskatchewan Place Names. Regina, Saskatchewan: People Places Publishing Ltd. p. 275. ISBN 1-894022-92-0.
  41. ^ "CN network map (Search by station)". Retrieved 2014-08-02.
  42. ^ "Christ the Teacher Catholic Schools". Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  43. ^ "Yorkton Regional High School – "Raiders in search of The Great Pumpkin"". Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  44. ^ "Columbia School". Good Spirit School Division. Archived from the original on January 7, 2007. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  45. ^ "Dr. Brass Elementary School". Good Spirit School Division. Archived from the original on June 11, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  46. ^ "M.C. Knoll Knights". Good Spirit School Division. Archived from the original on June 10, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  47. ^ "Yorkdale Central School". Good Spirit School Division. 2009. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  48. ^ "Good Spirit School Division Schools List". Archived from the original on March 22, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  49. ^ "Yorkton Armouries". Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  50. ^ "Canada's Historic Places (Yorkton Armoury)". Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  51. ^ "To our readers of the Yorkton News Review". Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  52. ^ "Yorkton News, Events & Classifieds". Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  53. ^ "Radio and TV Station Lists". CRTC. Archived from the original on April 8, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  54. ^ "My Access". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.

Further reading