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 | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Railway Avenue | |
| Motto: "Isle of the Prairies" | |
  Colonsay Location of Colonsay in Saskatchewan  Colonsay Colonsay (Canada) | |
| Coordinates: 51°59′N 105°53′W / 51.983°N 105.883°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Rural Municipalities (R.M.) | Colonsay |
| Post office Founded | 1908-05-21 |
| Village established | 1907 |
| Town incorporated | 1910 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | James Gray[1] |
| • Federal Electoral District Blackstrap (historical riding Rosthern) M.P. | Lynne Yelich |
| • provincial electoral districts Constituency of Humboldt M.L.A. | Donna Harpauer |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.4 km2 (2.46 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 475 |
| • Density | 193.1/km2 (500/sq mi) |
| • Summer (DST) | CST |
| Website | [1] |
| [2][3][4] | |
Colonsay derived its name from the Inner Hebrides Scottish island of Colonsay.[5] 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.[6]
The ship U-Sea Colonsay is named after the local potash mine.[7][8]
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 -1.1% from its 2016 population of 451. With a land area of 2.4 km2 (0.93 sq mi), it had a population density of 185.8/km2 (481.3/sq mi) in 2021.[9]
| 2021 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 446 (-1.1% from 2016) | 475 (+11.8% from 2006) |
| Land area | 2.40 km2 (0.93 sq mi) | 2.46 km2 (0.95 sq mi) |
| Population density | 185.9/km2 (481/sq mi) | 193.1/km2 (500/sq mi) |
| Median age | 40.0 (M: 38.4, F: 43.6) | 38.8 (M: 37.6, F: 39.6) |
| Private dwellings | 199 (total) 181 (occupied) | 202 (total) |
| Median household income | $85,000 |
Climate
| Climate data for Colonsay | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 7 (45) | 9 (48) | 19 (66) | 31 (88) | 37.2 (99.0) | 40 (104) | 37 (99) | 36.1 (97.0) | 33.5 (92.3) | 27.8 (82.0) | 19.4 (66.9) | 10 (50) | 40 (104) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −10.6 (12.9) | −8.3 (17.1) | −0.9 (30.4) | 9.7 (49.5) | 18.1 (64.6) | 22.3 (72.1) | 24.7 (76.5) | 23.7 (74.7) | 17 (63) | 10.1 (50.2) | −1.9 (28.6) | −9.5 (14.9) | 7.9 (46.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −15.4 (4.3) | −12.9 (8.8) | −5.6 (21.9) | 4.1 (39.4) | 11.8 (53.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 18.6 (65.5) | 17.4 (63.3) | 11.2 (52.2) | 4.7 (40.5) | −5.9 (21.4) | −14 (7) | 2.5 (36.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −20.3 (−4.5) | −17.6 (0.3) | −10.3 (13.5) | −1.6 (29.1) | 5.4 (41.7) | 10.2 (50.4) | 12.4 (54.3) | 10.9 (51.6) | 5.4 (41.7) | −0.8 (30.6) | −10 (14) | −18.5 (−1.3) | −2.9 (26.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −44.4 (−47.9) | −39 (−38) | −36.7 (−34.1) | −24.4 (−11.9) | −7 (19) | 1 (34) | 4 (39) | −1.5 (29.3) | −5 (23) | −21 (−6) | −32 (−26) | −47 (−53) | −47 (−53) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 11.8 (0.46) | 9.8 (0.39) | 10.5 (0.41) | 21.8 (0.86) | 46.3 (1.82) | 59.1 (2.33) | 64.9 (2.56) | 47.4 (1.87) | 31.8 (1.25) | 17.9 (0.70) | 9.4 (0.37) | 13.8 (0.54) | 344.4 (13.56) |
| Source: Environment Canada[14] | |||||||||||||
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.[15] The potash mine of Colonsay was first named Noranda Mines Potash Division then separately constituted as Central Canada Potash. Central Canada Potash was acquired by Imc. Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Colonsay, IMC Potash Colonsay and is now Mosaic Potash Colonsay.[16] Potash is mined and sold to crop nutrient manufacturers for fertilizer, as well as for use as an icemelter ingredient and water softener regenerant.[17]
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. [18] the complex was built in 1978.
The Colonsay Monarchs were a team that played for the Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League as of 1951.[19][20]
See also
References
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