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Weyburn
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Weyburn is the tenth-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. The city has a population of 11,019.[1] It is on the Souris River 110 kilometres (68 mi) southeast of the provincial capital of Regina and is 70 kilometres (43 mi) north from the North Dakota border in the United States. The name is reputedly a corruption of the Scottish "wee burn," referring to a small creek.[2] The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Weyburn No. 67.
Key Information
History
[edit]The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) reached the future site of Weyburn from Brandon, Manitoba in 1892 and the Soo Line from North Portal on the US border in 1893. A post office opened in 1895 and a land office in 1899 in anticipation of the land rush which soon ensued. In 1899, Knox Presbyterian Church was founded with its building constructed in 1906 in the high-pitched gable roof and arches, standing as a testimony to the faith and optimism in the Weyburn area. Weyburn was legally constituted a village in 1900, a town in 1903 and finally as a city in 1913.[3] From 1910 until 1931 the Weyburn Security Bank was headquartered in the city.[4]
Weyburn had since become an important railroad town in Saskatchewan – the Pasqua branch of the Souris, Arcola, Weyburn, Regina CPR branch; Portal Section of the CPR / Soo Line; Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Shaunavon, Lethbridge CPR section; the Brandon, Marfield, Carlyle, Lampman, Radville, Willow Bunch section of the Canadian National Railway (CNR); and the Regina, Weyburn, Radville, Estevan, Northgate CNR section have all run through Weyburn.[5][6]
Weyburn was previously home to the Souris Valley Mental Health Hospital, which was closed as a health care facility and sold in 2006, and demolished in 2009. When the mental hospital opened in 1921, it was the largest building in the British Commonwealth and was considered to be on the cutting edge of experimental treatments for people with mental disabilities. The facility had a reputation of leading the way in therapeutic programming. At its peak, the facility was home to approximately 2,500 patients. The history of the facility is explored in the documentary Weyburn: An Archaeology of Madness.[7]
Demographics
[edit]| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 113 | — |
| 1911 | 2,210 | +1855.8% |
| 1921 | 3,193 | +44.5% |
| 1931 | 5,002 | +56.7% |
| 1941 | 6,119 | +22.3% |
| 1951 | 7,148 | +16.8% |
| 1961 | 9,101 | +27.3% |
| 1971 | 8,815 | −3.1% |
| 1981 | 9,523 | +8.0% |
| 1991 | 9,673 | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 9,534 | −1.4% |
| 2006 | 9,433 | −1.1% |
| 2011 | 10,484 | +11.1% |
| 2016 | 10,870 | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 11,019 | +1.4% |
| Source: Statistics Canada | ||
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Weyburn had a population of 11,019 living in 4,655 of its 5,142 total private dwellings, a change of 1.4% from its 2016 population of 10,870. With a land area of 19.03 km2 (7.35 sq mi), it had a population density of 579.0/km2 (1,499.7/sq mi) in 2021.[8]
| 2011 | |
|---|---|
| Population | 10,484 (11.1% from 2006) |
| Land area | 18.49 km2 (7.14 sq mi) |
| Population density | 566.9/km2 (1,468/sq mi) |
| Median age | |
| Private dwellings | 4,645 (total) |
| Median household income |
Ethnicity
[edit]| Panethnic group | 2021[10] | 2016[11] | 2011[12] | 2006[13] | 2001[14] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| European[a] | 8,735 | 82.44% | 9,185 | 86.98% | 9,355 | 92.12% | 8,635 | 94.99% | 8,770 | 95.74% |
| Southeast Asian[b] | 620 | 5.85% | 420 | 3.98% | 225 | 2.22% | 25 | 0.28% | 35 | 0.38% |
| Indigenous | 425 | 4.01% | 375 | 3.55% | 310 | 3.05% | 285 | 3.14% | 235 | 2.57% |
| South Asian | 425 | 4.01% | 305 | 2.89% | 115 | 1.13% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.11% |
| African | 180 | 1.7% | 135 | 1.28% | 45 | 0.44% | 80 | 0.88% | 25 | 0.27% |
| East Asian[c] | 110 | 1.04% | 40 | 0.38% | 60 | 0.59% | 65 | 0.72% | 55 | 0.6% |
| Middle Eastern[d] | 35 | 0.33% | 45 | 0.43% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.11% | 0 | 0% |
| Latin American | 30 | 0.28% | 25 | 0.24% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 30 | 0.33% |
| Other/multiracial[e] | 25 | 0.24% | 40 | 0.38% | 15 | 0.15% | 0 | 0% | 15 | 0.16% |
| Total responses | 10,595 | 96.15% | 10,560 | 97.15% | 10,155 | 96.86% | 9,090 | 96.36% | 9,160 | 96.08% |
| Total population | 11,019 | 100% | 10,870 | 100% | 10,484 | 100% | 9,433 | 100% | 9,534 | 100% |
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||
Geography and climate
[edit]Weyburn is situated near the upper delta of the 700 kilometres (430 mi) long Souris River. The Souris River continues southeast through North Dakota eventually meeting the Assiniboine River in Manitoba.[15] In the 1800s, this area was known as an extension of the Greater Yellow Grass Marsh. Extensive flood control programs have created reservoirs, parks and waterfowl centres along the Souris River.[16] Between 1988 and 1995, the Rafferty-Alameda Project was constructed to alleviate spring flooding problems created by the Souris River.[17]
Climate
[edit]Weyburn has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) typical of Southern Saskatchewan.
| Climate data for Weyburn, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1916–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.5 (52.7) |
16.0 (60.8) |
23.5 (74.3) |
32.2 (90.0) |
37.5 (99.5) |
40.5 (104.9) |
42.5 (108.5) |
40.0 (104.0) |
38.0 (100.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
24.0 (75.2) |
14.5 (58.1) |
42.5 (108.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −8.2 (17.2) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
1.4 (34.5) |
11.9 (53.4) |
18.6 (65.5) |
23.2 (73.8) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.2 (79.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
11.4 (52.5) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −13.5 (7.7) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
11.7 (53.1) |
16.7 (62.1) |
19.6 (67.3) |
18.8 (65.8) |
12.5 (54.5) |
5.1 (41.2) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−11.1 (12.0) |
3.9 (39.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −18.8 (−1.8) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−8.7 (16.3) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
4.8 (40.6) |
10.1 (50.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
11.4 (52.5) |
5.5 (41.9) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−9.1 (15.6) |
−16.2 (2.8) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −42.9 (−45.2) |
−41.9 (−43.4) |
−41.1 (−42.0) |
−30.6 (−23.1) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−20.6 (−5.1) |
−34.0 (−29.2) |
−42.0 (−43.6) |
−42.9 (−45.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 19.7 (0.78) |
11.9 (0.47) |
22.2 (0.87) |
27.6 (1.09) |
56.8 (2.24) |
75.5 (2.97) |
66.1 (2.60) |
47.5 (1.87) |
33.2 (1.31) |
24.2 (0.95) |
18.5 (0.73) |
20.8 (0.82) |
423.9 (16.69) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.7 (0.03) |
0.8 (0.03) |
6.1 (0.24) |
19.2 (0.76) |
51.3 (2.02) |
75.5 (2.97) |
66.1 (2.60) |
47.5 (1.87) |
32.1 (1.26) |
16.4 (0.65) |
2.2 (0.09) |
0.5 (0.02) |
318.2 (12.53) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 19.0 (7.5) |
11.1 (4.4) |
16.1 (6.3) |
8.3 (3.3) |
5.5 (2.2) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.1 (0.4) |
7.8 (3.1) |
16.4 (6.5) |
20.3 (8.0) |
105.7 (41.6) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 98.0 | 125.4 | 150.4 | 222.7 | 268.3 | 309.4 | 353.0 | 294.5 | 192.5 | 176.0 | 117.3 | 80.1 | 2,387.7 |
| Percentage possible sunshine | 36.5 | 44.0 | 40.9 | 54.1 | 56.4 | 63.6 | 71.9 | 65.8 | 50.7 | 52.6 | 42.8 | 31.4 | 50.9 |
| Source: Environment Canada[18][19][20][21][22] | |||||||||||||
Economy
[edit]Weyburn is the largest inland grain gathering point in Canada. Well over half a million tons of grain pass through the Weyburn terminals each year. Oil and gas exploration make up the other major component of the economy.[23]
Culture
[edit]The Soo Line Historical Museum (c. 1910) is a Municipal Heritage Property under Saskatchewan's Heritage Property Act.[24]
Weyburn is also home to the world's first curling museum, the Turner Curling Museum.[25]
Education
[edit]Elementary and secondary
[edit]The public school system, South East Cornerstone School Division No. 209, operates the following schools.
- Assiniboia Park Elementary School
- Legacy Park Elementary School
- Weyburn Comprehensive High School
- Haig School (now closed)
- Queen Elizabeth School (now closed)
- Souris School (now closed)
It also operated Weyburn Junior High School from 1966 to 2016, which was closed in favour of relocating students to Weyburn Comprehensive High School.[26]
Haig School, Queen Elizabeth School, and Souris School are being closed in favour of relocating students to Legacy Park Elementary School in September 2021.[27]
The separate school system, Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division No. 140, operates St. Michael School.
Post-secondary
[edit]Southeast College offers technical, trade and non-degree programs, as well as distance learning from the University of Regina and University of Saskatchewan.
Other
[edit]The Weyburn Public Library is a branch of the Southeast Regional Library system.[28]
Infrastructure
[edit]
Transportation
[edit]Weyburn is at the junction of highways 13, 35, and 39. The Weyburn Airport is northeast of the city.
Utilities
[edit]Electricity is provided by SaskPower and natural gas is provided by SaskEnergy. The city maintains its own water treatment plant[30] and waste management system. The city's water is sourced from Nickle Lake.[31] Telephone and internet services are provided by both SaskTel and Access Communications.
Health care
[edit]The Weyburn General Hospital is operated by the SunCountry Health Region.[32]
Public safety
[edit]The Weyburn Police Service and local RCMP detachment provide law enforcement for the city.[33] Fire protection services are provided by the Weyburn Fire Department.[34]
Sports and recreation
[edit]Weyburn is the home of the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and the Weyburn Beavers of the Western Canadian Baseball League, a collegiate summer baseball league in Canada's prairie provinces. In addition, Weyburn is home to Saskatchewan's largest amateur wrestling club.
Local media
[edit]- Golden West Broadcasting operates three radio stations that serve Weyburn and the surrounding area; full service classic hits station CFSL 1190 AM, hot adult contemporary station CKRC-FM 103.5, and country music station CHWY-FM 106.7. All three stations, and the cluster's news website Discover Weyburn, are based out of studios on 305 Souris Avenue in downtown Weyburn.
- Glacier Media Group publishes three newspapers for Weyburn and area: the Weyburn Review, Weyburn and Area Booster, and Weyburn This Week.[35]
Notable people
[edit]- Tenille Arts - country music singer
- Pat Binns - former premier of Prince Edward Island
- Neil Cameron - politician, academic, journalist
- Graham DeLaet - professional golfer
- Shirley Douglas - actress
- Tommy Douglas - politician, recipient of The Greatest Canadian award in 2004
- Larry Giroux, played in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Kansas City Scouts, and St. Louis Blues
- Brett Jones - professional football player
- Guy Gavriel Kay - writer
- Trenna Keating – actress
- Brendon LaBatte - professional football player
- W. O. Mitchell - writer
- John Saywell - Canadian historian
- Dave "Tiger" Williams - former professional hockey player
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
- ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
- ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
- ^ Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
- ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.
References
[edit]- ^ Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics (9 February 2022). "2021 Census of Population geographic summary, Weyburn, City (CY) [Census subdivision], Saskatchewan". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Where 'Weyburn' the name originates". City of Weyburn. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ McLennon, David (2006). "Weyburn". Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Great Plains Research Center. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Weyburn Security Bank". Canada's Historic Places – a Federal Provincial and Territorial Collaboration. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "About Radville". The Town of Radville, Saskatchewan. Radville Economic Development Committee. 2002–2004. Archived from the original on 12 November 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ Adamson, J (5 November 2003). "Canadian Maps: May 1948 Waghorn's Guide. Post Offices in Man. Sask. Alta. and West Ontario". Online Historical Map Digitization Project. Rootsweb. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
- ^ "Weyburn: An Archaeology of Madness". Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com. 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 October 2022). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (27 October 2021). "Census Profile, 2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (27 November 2015). "NHS Profile". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (20 August 2019). "2006 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2 July 2019). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ "Saskatchewan Road Map RV Travel Guide: #6 Canada / United States Border to Regina". Mile By Mile Media. 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
- ^ "Canadian Rural Partnership — Rural Development – Public – Private Partnerships in Rural and Northern Canada Study – Appendix C – List of Projects". Government of Canada. 26 September 2005. Archived from the original on 12 November 2007. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
- ^ "Water Control – Saskatchewan Dams and Reservoirs". Saskatchewan Watershed Authority. Archived from the original on 1 January 2007. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
- ^ Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010, accessed 16 July 2016
- ^ "Daily Data Report for January 2009". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- ^ "Daily Data Report for February 1996". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- ^ "Weyburn". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- ^ "Weyburn Airport". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- ^ "Weyburn... The Opportunity City!" (PDF). City of Weyburn. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ Soo Line Historical Museum. Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ^ "Turner Curling Museum". City of Weyburn. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ Greg Nikkel (1 June 2016). "Farewell held for Weyburn Jr. High". Weyburn Review. Glacier Community Media. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ South East Cornerstone Public School Division (19 June 2019). "Board Highlights (June 2019)". Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ "Weyburn Public Library Branch". Southeast Regional Library. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ http://weyburn.ca/water-tower/ Weyburn water tower, retrieved 23 June 2017
- ^ "Water Treatment Plant". City of Weyburn. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Refuse Collection and Disposal". City of Weyburn. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Weyburn General Hospital". SunCountry Health Region. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Weyburn Police Service". City of Weyburn. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Weyburn Fire Department". City of Weyburn. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ "Readerlink". Glacier Media Group. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Weyburn, Saskatchewan at Wikimedia Commons
Weyburn
View on GrokipediaGeography and climate
Location and topography
Weyburn is situated on the Souris River in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada, at coordinates 49°40′N 103°51′W.[1] The city lies at an elevation of 586 meters above sea level.[1] It is positioned 110 kilometers southeast of Regina, the provincial capital, approximately 150 kilometers southeast of Moose Jaw, and 75 kilometers north of the Canada–United States border at Fortuna, North Dakota.[10] The topography surrounding Weyburn consists of flat to gently rolling prairies characteristic of the Missouri Coteau region, a glacial upland featuring hummocky terrain with undulating hills, potholes, and expansive agricultural plains.[11] This landscape, shaped by glacial deposits, supports broad areas of grassland and farmland.[12] Weyburn is encompassed by the Rural Municipality of Weyburn No. 67, a rural administrative area that includes surrounding farmlands and smaller settlements. Nearby communities include Yellow Grass, approximately 25 kilometers northwest, and McTaggart, about 20 kilometers south.[13][14]Climate
Weyburn experiences a humid continental climate classified as Dfb in the Köppen-Geiger system, featuring cold, dry winters and warm, humid summers typical of southern Saskatchewan prairies.[15] The city's temperature extremes include a record high of 42.5°C on July 24, 2007, and a record low of -42.2°C on January 25, 1969.[16] The average annual temperature, based on 1981–2010 normals, is approximately 2.6°C.[17] Annual precipitation averages 424 mm, with snowfall totaling 105.7 cm in depth.[18][19] June is the wettest month at around 75 mm, while February is the driest with about 12 mm.[20] Climate normals from 1981–2010 provide the following monthly averages for temperature and precipitation:| Month | Mean Temp (°C) | Precip (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| January | -17.2 | 16.8 |
| February | -13.0 | 12.5 |
| March | -5.9 | 20.1 |
| April | 4.5 | 25.6 |
| May | 11.5 | 54.2 |
| June | 16.5 | 77.8 |
| July | 19.2 | 67.5 |
| August | 18.2 | 54.9 |
| September | 12.2 | 38.7 |
| October | 5.1 | 23.9 |
| November | -5.7 | 16.4 |
| December | -14.2 | 18.2 |
History
Early settlement and incorporation
The area now known as Weyburn is part of the traditional territory of the Cree and Saulteaux peoples, covered under Treaty 4, which was signed on September 15, 1874, at Qu'Appelle (now Fort Qu'Appelle), Saskatchewan, between the British Crown and various First Nations bands in southern Saskatchewan.[24][25] European settlement in the region began with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in 1892, when the main line from Brandon, Manitoba, reached the site, followed by the Soo Line branch from the U.S. border at North Portal in 1893 or 1894, establishing Weyburn as an important rail junction and divisional point for grain shipping and freight.[26][27] The naming of Weyburn remains subject to two primary theories: one attributes it to a Scottish expression "wee burn," meaning a small stream, reportedly uttered by a Scottish railway worker upon seeing the nearby Souris River; the other suggests it was named by CPR contractor Thomas Watson after his brother-in-law, Weyburn Armstrong of Ontario.[28][27] The first post office opened on August 1, 1895, under postmaster William Hunt, serving early homesteaders in the area.[25] Settlement accelerated during the homestead era of the late 1890s and early 1900s, with the railway facilitating a land boom as American and European immigrants arrived to claim quarter-sections under the Dominion Lands Act. Early infrastructure included the establishment of a station house and freight shed by 1899, followed by the opening of the first hotels, such as the Waverley (later King George) in 1899 and the Royal Hotel, whose construction began in August 1900 but was initially ruined by flooding before being rebuilt.[28][29] The community was incorporated as a village in 1902, reflecting rapid growth; it became a town on August 5, 1903, and achieved city status on September 1, 1913.[1][30] This period saw the population surge from 113 in 1901 to 2,210 by 1911, driven by the influx of settlers attracted to the fertile prairies and rail access.[31][32]20th and 21st century developments
In the 1920s, Weyburn experienced significant growth in its agricultural infrastructure, with expansions in grain handling facilities that established the city as a key inland terminal on the prairies.[33] The construction of multiple grain elevators during this period, including those operated by major companies like the Pool and Federal Grain, supported the region's wheat production and solidified Weyburn's role in the Canadian grain trade.[34] By the mid-20th century, these developments had grown to include over 20 elevators in and around the city, handling substantial volumes of grain and contributing to economic stability amid fluctuating markets.[34] A notable institutional milestone occurred in 1921 with the opening of the Souris Valley Mental Health Hospital, originally known as the Saskatchewan Hospital, which became one of the largest psychiatric facilities in the British Commonwealth at the time.[35] The hospital provided essential mental health care to patients across Saskatchewan and beyond, admitting over 5,700 individuals by the late 1930s and pioneering treatments, though it later faced criticism for experimental practices like LSD therapy in the 1950s.[36] It operated until 2006, when it closed due to shifts toward community-based care, and was fully demolished in 2009 to make way for the modern Souris Valley Regional Care Centre.[35] The 1930s brought severe challenges to Weyburn and the surrounding southeast Saskatchewan prairies during the Dust Bowl era, characterized by prolonged drought, high winds, and devastating soil erosion that destroyed crops and livestock.[37] These conditions, exacerbated by the Great Depression, led to widespread farm abandonment, economic hardship, and migration as dust storms buried fields and homes under layers of topsoil, reducing agricultural output to near zero in many areas.[38] Post-World War II recovery accelerated in the 1950s with the discovery of the Weyburn Oil Field in 1954, which marked a pivotal shift toward energy production and triggered a population surge from approximately 7,000 to over 10,000 residents by the decade's end.[27] The field's estimated 1.4 billion barrels of recoverable oil transformed Weyburn into a hub for petroleum extraction, drawing workers and investment that diversified the local economy beyond agriculture.[39] Building on this oil legacy, the late 1990s and early 2000s saw the launch of the Weyburn-Midale CO2 Monitoring and Storage Project in 2000, the world's first commercial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative integrated with enhanced oil recovery.[40] Spearheaded by EnCana (now Cenovus Energy) in partnership with international governments and researchers, the project injected millions of tonnes of CO2 from a North Dakota coal gasification plant into the depleting Weyburn reservoir, extending field life by an estimated 25 years while sequestering emissions.[41] Monitoring continues as of 2025, with studies confirming the CO2's long-term stability and providing global benchmarks for CCS technology.[42] Weyburn faced another natural disaster in 2011 when the Souris River flood, driven by record snowmelt and heavy rains, prompted a state of emergency on June 17, submerging homes, basements, and infrastructure across the city.[43] The event, part of a basin-wide catastrophe affecting Saskatchewan and neighboring regions, caused over 400 evacuations in Weyburn and Estevan combined, with damages mitigated through dikes and emergency pumping but highlighting vulnerabilities in river management.[43] In recent years, Weyburn has pursued diversification through emerging resource sectors, including lithium exploration announcements in 2024 that attracted nearly $6 million in subsurface mineral bids for southeast Saskatchewan sites near the city.[44] Companies like Arizona Lithium advanced drilling on the Prairie Lithium Brine Project, confirming brine resources in the Duperow Formation and positioning Weyburn as a potential hub for critical minerals production.[45] Enbridge announced the Seven Stars Energy Project in 2024, a 200-megawatt wind farm southeast of Weyburn expected to generate clean power for over 100,000 homes and create local jobs during construction, with permit applications filed in 2025.[46] This population growth, fueled by these opportunities, has spurred housing initiatives like the Weyburn Builds Incentive Program, launched to encourage new construction and renovations through 75% property tax reductions for the first three years on qualifying projects.[47]Demographics
Population trends
Weyburn's population has shown steady growth since its early settlement, reflecting broader patterns of prairie development and resource-based expansion. In 1901, the community recorded a modest population of 113 residents, primarily drawn from initial waves of American immigrants from the Midwest and Great Plains states seeking agricultural opportunities in the newly accessible Canadian frontier.[25][48] By 1916, this had surged to 3,050, fueled by rail connectivity and homesteading incentives that attracted further migration.[25] The mid-20th century marked a pivotal acceleration, driven by the discovery of the Weyburn oil field in the 1950s, which acted as a catalyst for significant influxes of workers and families, boosting the local economy and demographics. Subsequent oil booms, particularly in the 2000s tied to the Bakken formation, combined with ongoing provincial inter-migration, sustained this momentum. More recently, immigration from Southeast Asia has contributed to diversification and growth, with the foreign-born population reaching 1,200 by 2021.[25][4] According to the 2021 Census of Population by Statistics Canada, Weyburn's city population stood at 11,019, reflecting a 1.4% increase from 10,870 in 2016, with the census agglomeration reaching 12,247.[49][50] Current estimates place the city population at approximately 11,800 as of mid-2025, based on ongoing trends.[51] The Weyburn census agglomeration spans 828 km², yielding a population density of about 14.8 persons per km² as of 2021.[50]| Year | Population (City) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 113 | Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan[25] |
| 1916 | 3,050 | Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan[25] |
| 2016 | 10,870 | Statistics Canada[52] |
| 2021 | 11,019 | Statistics Canada[49] |
| 2025 (est.) | 11,800 | Statistics Canada CA estimates and trends[51] |