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Estevan

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Overview

Estevan is the eleventh-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is approximately 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of the Canada–United States border. The Souris River runs by the city. This city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5.

Facts

Rank

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia1,798 words

WBP editorial3

Energy history in everyday life

Estevan’s moniker as “The Energy City” shapes more than its skyline. Local cafés often display vintage oil‑field signage, and the rhythm of the town follows the shift patterns of nearby power plants. Visitors who linger over breakfast will hear conversations about provincial energy policy and feel the pride of a community that supplies electricity to much of southern Saskatchewan. A short walk along the waterfront reveals repurposed railway cars that now host community markets, a nod to the rail lines that once ferried coal. Understanding this industrial backdrop adds depth to the city’s modest streetscapes, turning a routine stop into a glimpse of Canada’s prairie power hub.

Cross‑border quirks

Just a kilometre or two from the U.S. border, Estevan enjoys a subtle transnational flavour. The customs‑free shopping precincts on the south side host a mix of Canadian staples and American brands, creating a retail experience that feels half‑way between two markets. Weekend bikers often chart a loop that darts into North Dakota for a quick coffee before looping back, taking advantage of the flat, wind‑swept terrain that makes the ride effortless. For those timing their visit, late summer brings the annual Canada‑U.S. agricultural fair, where local cattle and grain competitions blend prairie tradition with cross‑border camaraderie.

River‑side pause

The Souris River, though modest in size, offers an unexpected respite from the city’s industrial vibe. Early‑morning walkers can follow a gravel path that skirts the water, spotting herons and occasional beavers among the reeds. In summer, locals set up modest floating platforms for paddle‑boarding, a pastime that feels oddly serene against the backdrop of coal‑filled skylines. The river’s banks host a series of small, community‑run art installations that rotate seasonally, providing a quiet showcase of regional artisans without the fanfare of larger galleries.

Introduction

City in Saskatchewan, Canada This article is about the city in Saskatchewan, Canada. For other uses, see Estevan (disambiguation). For the rural municipality that surrounds the city, see Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5. City in Saskatchewan, CanadaEstevanCityCity of Estevan LogoNickname: The Energy CityEstevanLocation of Estevan in SaskatchewanCoordinates: 49°08′21″N 102°59′10″W / 49.13917°N 102.98611°W / 49.13917; -102.98611CountryCanadaProvinceSaskatchewanFirst settler1892Village1899Town1906CityMarch 1, 1957Government • TypeMayor–council government • MayorAnthony SernickArea • Land9.16 km2 (3.54 sq mi)Population (2021) • Total10,851 • Density1,228.9/km2 (3,183/sq mi)Forward sortation areaS4AWebsiteestevan.ca Estevan is the eleventh-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is approximately 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of the Canada–United States border. The Souris River runs by the city. This city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5.

History

[edit] The first settlers in what was to become Estevan arrived in 1892, along with the expansion of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was incorporated as a village in 1899, and later became a town in 1906. On March 1, 1957, Estevan acquired the status of a city, which, in Saskatchewan terms, is any community of 5,000 or more. The name origin is attributed to George Stephen's registered telegraphic address, Estevan. George Stephen was the first President of the Canadian Pacific Railway, from 1881 to 1888. World War I military unit[edit] Cenotaph and law courts On December 22, 1915, the 152nd (Weyburn-Estevan) Battalion, CEF was authorised and recruited men from the area before departing to Great Britain on October 3, 1916.[citation needed] 1931 riot[edit] Estevan was the site of the notorious Estevan riot in 1931. Although most of the strikers were from nearby Bienfait, the strike is associated with Estevan because it was in this city the demonstrators were met by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. After the subsequent riot, which lasted 45 minutes, three strikers lay dead. It was later proven the three miners had been killed by the RCMP. The miners had been organised by the Workers' Unity League.

Demographics

[edit] In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Estevan had a population of 10,851 living in 4,584 of its 5,368 total private dwellings, a change of -5.5% from its 2016 population of 11,483. With a land area of 18.3 km2 (7.1 sq mi), it had a population density of 593.0/km2 (1,535.7/sq mi) in 2021. Canada census – Estevan community profile 202120162011 Population10,851 (-5.5% from 2016)11,258 (3.8% from 2011)11,054 (9.6% from 2006) Land area18.30 km2 (7.07 sq mi)9.16 km2 (3.54 sq mi)18.85 km2 (7.28 sq mi) Population density592.9/km2 (1,536/sq mi)1,228.9/km2 (3,183/sq mi)586.6/km2 (1,519/sq mi) Median age38.8 (M: 38.4, F: 39.2)36.4 (M: 35.7, F: 37.1)36.0 (M: 34.7, F: 37.6) Private dwellings5,368 (total)  4,584 (occupied)5,237 (total)  4,789 (total)  Median household income$94,000$96,736$88,746 References: 2021 2016 2011 Population history of EstevanYearPop.±%1901181—    19111,981+994.5%19212,290+15.6%19312,936+28.2%19413,120+6.3%19513,935+26.1%19617,728+96.4%19719,150+18.4%YearPop.±%19819,174+0.3%199110,240+11.6%200110,242+0.0%200610,084−1.5%201111,054+9.6%201611,258+1.8%202110,851−3.6%Population amounts are not adjusted for boundary changes.Source: Statistics Canada Ethnicity[edit] Panethnic groups in the City of Estevan (2001−2021) Panethnic group 2021 2016 2011 2006 2001 Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % European 8,485 79.82% 9,100 80.82% 9,850 90.87% 9,410 94.81% 9,605 95.33% Southeast Asian 1,015 9.55% 985 8.75% 195 1.8% 15 0.15% 35 0.35% Indigenous 560 5.27% 630 5.6% 475 4.38% 345 3.48% 335 3.33% South Asian 170 1.6% 250 2.22% 85 0.78% 30 0.3% 10 0.1% East Asian 170 1.6% 80 0.71% 85 0.78% 20 0.2% 85 0.84% African 140 1.32% 125 1.11% 70 0.65% 60 0.6% 0 0% Middle Eastern 30 0.28% 20 0.18% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Latin American 10 0.09% 30 0.27% 0 0% 40 0.4% 0 0% Other/multiracial 45 0.42% 45 0.4% 0 0% 0 0% 10 0.1% Total responses 10,630 97.96% 11,260 98.06% 10,840 98.06% 9,925 98.42% 10,075 98.37% Total population 10,851 100% 11,483 100% 11,054 100% 10,084 100% 10,242 100% Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Arts and culture

[edit] Estevan Cornet Band Museums and galleries[edit] The city of Estevan has two museums, one of which is primarily a gallery. The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum, formerly the Estevan National Exhibition Centre, was founded in 1978. The Estevan Art Gallery is a free public gallery that showcases contemporary art. The Gallery's permanent collection includes woodblock-print works by Andrew King. The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum, EAGM, also features the North-West Mounted Police Wood End Post Historical Site, NWMP Museum. This museum is in a house which is the oldest-known North-West Mounted Police Detachment Post in Saskatchewan and holds a collection related to the North-West Mounted Police and the 1874 March West from Roche Percee to Estevan. The Souris Valley Museum, SVM, is a local and regional history museum focused on human development and daily life within south-east Saskatchewan. It was founded in 2001, primarily from the collection of Stan Durr. The museum provides an engaging depiction of the social and cultural influences and economic development of south-east Saskatchewan. The collection includes the Schneller Schoolhouse, a Threshing Cook Car, a Homesteader Shack, two of Estevan's original Firetrucks, and a Heritage Mining Display. Arts council[edit] The Estevan Arts Council, founded in 1967, is a non-profit organisation that offers art classes and workshops, adjudicates art shows, hosts concerts, and provides a youth art scholarships through the work of volunteers and community donations and grants. Sports[edit] Affinity Place entrance Inside Affinity Place Affinity Place is a 2,650 seat Multi-Purpose Entertainment and Sports Facility that was built to supplement the two other ageing ice surfaces in Estevan, the Civic Auditorium and Lignite Miners Centre. It opened on 15 April 2011. Affinity Place is home to the Estevan Bruins, a junior ice hockey team playing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), and the Midget AAA Estevan Bears. Affinity Place also has a Racquetball court, swimming pool, and a gym. Right next to Affinity Place is the Estevan Curling Club. The nine-team Saskota Baseball League has two teams in Estevan, the Southeast Diamondbacks and the Estevan Tap House Wolves. A former Estevan team, the Estevan Bears, played in the Big 6 Hockey League. They won the Lincoln Trophy three straight years from 1985 to 1987. CJSL AM 1150 broadcasts many Big 6 hockey games. The Estevan Motor Speedway hosts regular stock car races in the summer. It’s the only racetrack in Canada certified by the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA). The city's only high school, Estevan Comprehensive School, offers athletics in a range of sports including football, volleyball and basketball.

Climate

[edit] Estevan has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) It falls into the NRC Plant Hardiness Zone 4a. Estevan's climate is characterized by cold, long, and dry winters with warm, short and, relatively humid summers. The mean temperature in January, the coldest month, is −13.9 °C (7.0 °F). The precipitation in winter is chiefly snow, averaging 56.0 cm (22.05 in). The spring is a short transitional season, with a mean temperature of 4.4 °C (39.9 °F) and 107.3 mm (4.22 in) of precipitation, with significant snowfall in April. The summer is usually warm (the mean average high temperature is 25.3 °C (77.5 °F) (average high in July, the warmest month, is 25.9 °C (78.6 °F) and humid (190.8 mm (7.51 in) of total precipitation). Autumn, as spring, is transitional, being warm in September and cooler in October and November. At this time of the year, the average temperature is 4.6 °C (40.3 °F) and the total precipitation is 85.9 mm (3.38 in). Estevan is the sunniest city year-round in Canada, and it is also the city with the clearest skies year round in Canada. The highest temperature ever recorded in Estevan was 43.3 °C (110 °F) on 5 July 1936, and 5 July 1937. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −46.7 °C (−52 °F) on 11 January 1916, and 16 February 1936. Climate data for Estevan Airport, elevation: 572 m (1,877 ft), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 11.4(52.5) 17.0(62.6) 26.1(79.0) 32.2(90.0) 38.7(101.7) 39.1(102.4) 43.3(109.9) 41.1(106.0) 38.3(100.9) 33.3(91.9) 22.1(71.8) 15.6(60.1) 43.3(109.9) Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −8.4(16.9) −6.2(20.8) 1.0(33.8) 11.1(52.0) 18.3(64.9) 22.7(72.9) 25.9(78.6) 26.0(78.8) 20.3(68.5) 11.2(52.2) 1.3(34.3) −6.0(21.2) 9.8(49.6) Daily mean °C (°F) −13.9(7.0) −11.8(10.8) −4.5(23.9) 4.4(39.9) 11.2(52.2) 16.3(61.3) 19.1(66.4) 18.4(65.1) 12.9(55.2) 4.8(40.6) −4.0(24.8) −11.2(11.8) 3.5(38.3) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −19.4(−2.9) −17.3(0.9) −10.0(14.0) −2.2(28.0) 4.1(39.4) 10.0(50.0) 12.3(54.1) 10.8(51.4) 5.3(41.5) −1.7(28.9) −9.3(15.3) −16.3(2.7) −2.8(27.0) Record low °C (°F) −46.7(−52.1) −46.7(−52.1) −36.7(−34.1) −25.0(−13.0) −10.6(12.9) −3.9(25.0) −0.6(30.9) −3.3(26.1) −11.1(12.0) −21.5(−6.7) −32.8(−27.0) −39.5(−39.1) −46.7(−52.1) Average precipitation mm (inches) 16.7(0.66) 14.9(0.59) 18.9(0.74) 27.3(1.07) 65.7(2.59) 84.7(3.33) 66.2(2.61) 47.4(1.87) 45.5(1.79) 29.2(1.15) 19.9(0.78) 18.4(0.72) 454.9(17.91) Average rainfall mm (inches) 0.67(0.03) 1.2(0.05) 7.1(0.28) 16.3(0.64) 52.1(2.05) 74.8(2.94) 67.5(2.66) 51.7(2.04) 35.7(1.41) 20.4(0.80) 3.7(0.15) 0.49(0.02) 331.6(13.06) Average snowfall cm (inches) 22.2(8.7) 15.3(6.0) 16.5(6.5) 7.9(3.1) 4.0(1.6) 0.05(0.02) 0.0(0.0) 0.0(0.0) 0.47(0.19) 7.7(3.0) 16.4(6.5) 20.1(7.9) 110.7(43.6) Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 10.2 8.4 8.6 9.5 11.5 14.2 10.6 9.4 9.1 7.8 8.2 11.5 118.9 Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 0.63 0.87 3.1 5.9 11.1 13.5 11.1 10.0 8.8 5.9 1.9 0.87 73.7 Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 10.8 8.4 7.1 3.2 0.97 0.03 0.0 0.0 0.37 2.4 6.8 11.4 51.6 Mean monthly sunshine hours 113.8 135.9 178.6 230.1 257.3 276.2 324.8 292.8 213.2 170.8 111.6 99.2 2,404.3 Percentage possible sunshine 42.2 47.5 48.6 56.0 54.3 57.0 66.4 65.6 56.2 50.9 40.5 38.6 52.0 Source: Environment Canada

Local media

[edit] Newspapers[edit] The Estevan Mercury, the newspaper in Estevan since 1903, provided weekly distribution to every household in the city free of charge until 2025, when it ceased publication. The outlet continues to provide local information through its online affiliate, Sasktoday.ca. It also had a free TMC newspaper circulated throughout southeast Saskatchewan to over 9,000 homes; the Southeast Trader Express. Pipeline News, Saskatchewan Petroleum Monthly newspaper is also based out of Estevan. Southeast Saskatchewan has a significant amount of oil production, and the Pipeline News' main office is situated locally to report on these matters. Estevan Lifestyles is a free circulation weekly publication that shares the stories of the people in the Estevan area and the southeast corner of Saskatchewan. The publication also publishes NewsBreak, a daily coffee paper geared towards lighter reading. Radio[edit] CJSL AM 1150, CHSN-FM 102.3, and CKSE-FM 106.1 all broadcast from studios on 5th Street in Estevan. The news website DiscoverEstevan.com is also run by the radio station offering local news, weather, and sports. All are owned by Golden West Broadcasting.

Notable residents

[edit] Blair Atcheynum, National Hockey League (NHL) player Dave Batters, politician Dennis Cooley, poet Kimbi Daniels, hockey player Ana Egge, folk singer/songwriter Mina Forsyth, artist Eric Grimson, computer scientist, educator Chris Henderson, musician Howard Hilstrom, politician Andrew David Irvine, playwright Tanner Jeannot, NHL player Todd Kerns, musician Ross King, author Bill Knight, politician Ed Komarnicki, politician Eli Mandel, poet Fred Mandel, session musician Punch McLean, hockey coach Gerald McLellan, Saskatchewan ombudsman Al Nicholson, hockey player Brayden Pachal, NHL player Derrick Pouliot, NHL player Arnold Richardson, curler Andy Shauf, musician Kim Thorson, lawyer and politician Blaine Thurier, musician and film producer