About the Community of Yorkton, SK
Yorkton is a city located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway #16 in east-central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is about 450 kilometers north-west of Winnipeg and 300 kilometers south-east of Saskatoon.
Yorkton is a city rich in heritage, culture, and agricultural traditions. We have great connections to neighboring communities and beyond via the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Number 16, Highways 10, 52 and 9. We also have two national railways (CNR and CPR) and Yorkton Regional Airport that provides access to national and international markets.
As of 2016, the census population of the city was 16,343. Yorkton has had a growth rate of 4.3% since 2011.
Yorkton was founded in 1882 and incorporated as a city in 1928. The city is bordered by the RM of Orkney No. 244 to the west and the RM of Wallace No. 243 on the east.
Yorkton Real Estate Statistics
Private House Holds – 7,524
Population in Private House Holds – 16,982
Occupied Private Dwellings – 6,950
- Owned – 4,726
- Rented – 2,224
Single Detached Houses – 4,851
Semi-Detached Homes – 215
Row Houses – 243
Apartment, Fewer Than 5 Spaces – 1,436
Apartment, Detached Duplex – 100
Yorkton Culture
Yorkton has flourishing arts and cultural opportunities for children and adults alike. Possibilities range from coffee shop open-mike nights to a presentation of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, participation in numerous festivals, organized concerts, casual indoor and outdoor performances, classes, and programs.
Gallagher Center Yorkton
The Gallagher Centre is owned and operated by the City of Yorkton and houses:
- Farrell Agencies Arena
- Nexera Flexihall – a sports fieldhouse and the home of major trade shows and banquets for up to 1,200
- Curling Rink
- National Bank Convention Place
- Leisure Water Park including wave pool, waterslide, lane pool and more
- Surrounding grounds include agricultural exhibition facilities, grandstand and racetrack
- Several related businesses
Visit Gallagher Center: http://www.gallaghercentre.com/
Godfrey Dean Art Gallery
Through workshops and diverse public programming, Godfrey Dean Art Gallery strives to fulfill its mandate to educate, entice and challenge our region within the realm of visual literacy.
Always embracing change, the Dean opens exhibits every six to eight weeks. It also welcomes local organizations and schools, and performers and musicians to contribute to the artistic climate of the gallery. The Godfrey Dean Art Gallery itself is an exhibit of imaginative thinking in a contemporary rural society.
Visit Godfrey Dean Art Gallery: http://www.deangallery.ca/
Yorkton Film Festival
The Festival began in 1947 as the Yorkton Film Council. Its mandate was to act as a volunteer distribution agency for the National Film Board (NFB). In its current form the festival continues to be dedicated to the promotion of the best screen based media content, through our annual film festival and Golden Sheaf Awards competition. In addition to the annual event, the festival is dedicated to the promotion of short video content through our year round screening and tour outreach programs.
Visit Yorkton Film Festival: http://yorktonfilm.com/
Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame
The Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame strives to preserve its motto. “Hometown Heroes”. Since 1994, the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame & Museum has inducted 70 Athletes/Builders and 16 Teams.
Vist Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame: http://saskmuseums.org/museums/detail/yorkton-sports-hall-of-fame-museum
Western Development Museum
The Yorkton WDM chronicles the stories of immigrants to Saskatchewan. From a display of an attic filled with toys to an authentic log home inside the Museum, from the giant Twin City to the Morris rod weeder, exciting exhibits will help you gain insight into the undaunted spirit of the people who came to this land. A glimpse of life in Saskatchewan over the past century is shown in the “Winning the Prairie Gamble” exhibit. Featured outdoors is an extensive agriculture display.
Visit Western Development Museum – http://www.wdm.ca/yk/visit.htm
Yorkton Arts Council
The Yorkton Arts Council (originally known as the Yorkton Art Centre) was fittingly launched into existence in October, 1965, following the Festival of the Arts, an annual event which was held in Yorkton. From our early beginnings when we offered programs in the visual and performing arts, our programs have continued to grow and expand. Today the Yorkton Arts Council presents 10 concerts in our “Stars for Saskatchewan” series along with other individual concerts.
Visit Yorkton Arts Council – http://www.yorktonarts.ca/
City of Yorkton
Municipal cultural planning can have a significant impact on a community, by ensuring that all of the community’s cultural assets are utilized to their fullest potential.
Visit City of Yorkton Culture: http://www.yorkton.ca/menucode/viewvideo2.asp?video=community-of-diversifying-cultures
Yorkton Economy
Our community has the third largest trading area in Saskatchewan and is the economic center of east-central Saskatchewan. The residents enjoy excellent schools, first-rate health care, great recreational opportunities, and quality housing that is affordable to a variety of incomes.
Yorkton has a diversified economic base with more than 1,200 businesses, which employ over 9,000 workers. Manufacturing, food processing, construction, information & cultural industries, professional, scientific & technical services, retail trade, educational, healthcare, & administrative sectors are the current strengths of Yorkton’s economy.
Yorkton is also a center for food processing with two canola oil crushing plants plus grain and meat processing. These three industries alone have over 500 employees.
The city’s labor market area covers approximately 32,600 square km’s, 5.1% of Saskatchewan’s total area. A regional labor force of 62,900 is available within this area. This represents about 6% of Saskatchewan’s total population.
Future Growth
Yorkton is in the middle of the largest and richest potash field in east-central Saskatchewan. As such, it will become the service center of several existing and potential potash mines. The majority of potash mines are serviced from communities within 62 miles.
Mosaic’s Esterhazy mine site, 90 km (56 miles) south of Yorkton, is currently undergoing a $1.6 billion expansion. The expansion project will increase the overall production at Esterhazy from 5.45M to 6.36M tonnes per year. Production from the K3 site will begin in 2016. The Potash Corporation’s mine site in the Rocanville area, 147 km (91 miles) southeast of Yorkton, is undergoing a $2.8 billion expansion and when complete will see production increase by 2.7 million tonnes annually. In addition to the expansion of existing mines, there are also active exploration programs in the region.
Yorkton Economic Stats
Trading Area
- Population within 50 KM – 32,000+
- Population within 100KM – 90,000+
- Population within 150KM – 150,000+
Regional Labour Force (Census 2016)
- Population – 62,900
- Labour Force – 41, 500
- Unemployment Rate – 4.3%