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Prince Albert is the third-largest city in
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
, Canada, after
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
and Regina. It is situated near the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan. Prince Albert National Park is located north of the city and contains a wealth of lakes, forest, and wildlife. The city itself is located in a transition zone between the aspen parkland and
boreal forest Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruc ...
biomes. Prince Albert is surrounded by the
Rural Municipality of Prince Albert No. 461 The Rural Municipality of Prince Albert No. 461 (Canada 2016 Census, 2016 population: ) is a List of rural municipalities in Saskatchewan, rural municipality (RM) in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan wit ...
, of which it is the seat, but is politically separate.


History

The area was named ''kistahpinanihk'' by the
Cree The Cree ( cr, néhinaw, script=Latn, , etc.; french: link=no, Cri) are a North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations. In Canada, over 350,000 people are Cree o ...
, which translates to "sitting pretty place", "great meeting place" or "meeting place". The first trading post set up in the area was built in 1776 by Peter Pond.
James Isbister James Isbister (November 29, 1833 – October 16, 1915) was a Canadian Métis leader of the 19th century. Prominent among the Anglo-Métis of the area, he is considered to be the founder of the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Life An in ...
, an Anglo-Métis employee of the
Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business di ...
, settled on the site of the current city in 1862. He farmed there until 1866, and had been joined by a number of families who called the site Isbister's Settlement. The community received a boost in 1866 when Reverend James Nisbet, a Canada Presbyterian Church minister arrived to establish a mission for the
Cree The Cree ( cr, néhinaw, script=Latn, , etc.; french: link=no, Cri) are a North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations. In Canada, over 350,000 people are Cree o ...
. Nisbet named the mission after
Albert, Prince Consort Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel; 26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the consort of Queen Victoria from their marriage on 10 February 1840 until his death in 1861. Albert was born in the Saxon du ...
, husband of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...
, who had died in 1861, from whom the present city derives its name. In 1879 the
Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
brought out
Lucy Margaret Baker Lucy Baker (1836 – 30 May 1909) was the first female teacher and missionary in present-day Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. She pioneered the development of the western Canadian settlement. Life and career Baker was born in Summertown, Glengarr ...
to run the local mission school. During the same year, the local
Freemasons Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
established the first lodge in what is now the province of Saskatchewan: Kinistino Lodge No. 1, which still exists. "The Mission", the settlement centrally located, and "Porter Town", located to the west, were the two communities that would come together to form what is now Prince Albert. The settlement east of Prince Albert was termed Goschen before finally amalgamated, however East Prince Albert still appears on a 1924 map. In 1884, Honore Jaxon and
James Isbister James Isbister (November 29, 1833 – October 16, 1915) was a Canadian Métis leader of the 19th century. Prominent among the Anglo-Métis of the area, he is considered to be the founder of the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Life An in ...
were involved in the movement which brought Louis Riel back to Canada. Riel returned from the United States following a political exile resulting from the Red River Rebellion that had occurred in 1869–1870. Five hundred people gathered to hear Riel speak one month after his return. In the
North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (french: Rébellion du Nord-Ouest), also known as the North-West Resistance, was a Resistance movement, resistance by the Métis people (Canada), Métis people under Louis Riel and an associated uprising by First Natio ...
of the 1885,
Prince Albert Volunteers The Prince Albert Volunteers (PAV) is the name of two historical infantry units headquartered in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The unit was first raised in 1885 during the North-West Rebellion and disbanded after hostilities ceased. In the 20th cen ...
bore the heaviest casualties of the fighting at the
Battle of Duck Lake The Battle of Duck Lake (26 March 1885) was an infantry skirmish outside Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, between North-West Mounted Police forces of the Government of Canada, and the Métis militia of Louis Riel's newly established Provisional Gover ...
. Surrounding settlers took refuge with the
North-West Mounted Police The North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) was a Canadian para-military police force, established in 1873, to maintain order in the new Canadian North-West Territories (NWT) following the 1870 transfer of Rupert’s Land and North-Western Territo ...
in a hastily improvised stockade at Prince Albert, fearing an attack by Gabriel Dumont, which never came. After the Battle of Batoche, Major General
Frederick Middleton General Sir Frederick Dobson Middleton (4 November 1825 – 25 January 1898) was a British general noted for his service throughout the Empire and particularly in the North-West Rebellion in Canada. Imperial Military career Educated at Mai ...
marched to Prince Albert to relieve the town. Prince Albert, with a population of about 800 people, was incorporated as a town the same year under its first mayor, Thomas McKay. In 1904, the settlement was incorporated as the City of Prince Albert. Its government is of a council-mayor type. Prince Albert was the capital of the District of Saskatchewan, a regional administrative division of what then constituted the
North-West Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...
. The District of Saskatchewan was formed on May 8, 1882, and named Prince Albert as its capital. This ended in 1905 when Saskatchewan became a province and Regina was designated the new provincial capital. Prince Albert was one of the rival candidates to house either the
University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...
or the
Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary Saskatchewan Penitentiary is a Medium Security Facility with Maximum Security areas. It is located on a walled 20-acre (81,000 m²) parcel of land in the Rural Municipality of Prince Albert No. 461, one kilometre west of Prince Albert, Saskatch ...
. The university was built in Saskatoon and the penitentiary was built in Prince Albert in 1911. The federal constituency of Prince Albert has been represented by three prime ministers of Canada: * John Diefenbaker, 13th Prime Minister (1957–1963), became the Member of Parliament for Lake Centre in 1940, and when that riding was abolished in 1952, represented Prince Albert from 1953 until his death in 1979. * William Lyon Mackenzie King tenth Prime Minister, represented Prince Albert from 1926 to 1945. * Sir
Wilfrid Laurier Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier, ( ; ; November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadian prime mini ...
seventh Prime Minister, represented Prince Albert in the
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
provisional district (still part of
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...
) in 1896, before returning to his Quebec East riding later that year.


Royal visits

Prince Albert has welcomed the following members of Canada's Royal Family: * The Princess Margaret – 1958 and 1980 * The Duke and
Duchess of York Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the duke of York. Three of the eleven dukes of York either did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, whilst two of the dukes married twice, therefore t ...
(The Prince Andrew and Sarah) – 1989 * The Earl of Wessex (The Prince Edward) – 2003


Geography

Prince Albert is located on the White Fox Plain of the Saskatchewan River lowlands. These lowlands are located in the physiographic region of the Saskatchewan Plains Region of the Central Lowlands Province. The natural vegetation of the area consists of aspen parkland to the south and southern boreal forest to the north of the North Saskatchewan River. These two ecoregions have differing soil types: the northern forested soils are brunisolic and sandy, whereas south of the river are black chernozemic soils. The North Saskatchewan River runs through the centre of Prince Albert. The main soils of the city of Prince Albert are those of the valley complex consisting mainly of regosolic soils which produce natural vegetation which are not forest nor grassland but a complex of the two. It is here that the treeline of Saskatchewan begins, and to the north of the city begins the forested growth of Jack Pine ''(Pinus banksiana)'', as well as other
boreal forest Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruc ...
growth in the Prince Albert National Park, and Nisbet forest. The forests north of the city, especially those containing Jack Pine are infected with
Dwarf Mistletoe The genus ''Arceuthobium'', commonly called dwarf mistletoes, is a genus of 26 species of parasitic plants that parasitize members of Pinaceae and Cupressaceae in North America, Central America, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Of the 42 species that ...
and various projects have been undertaken to stop the spread of this
parasitic plant A parasitic plant is a plant that derives some or all of its nutritional requirements from another living plant. They make up about 1% of angiosperms and are found in almost every biome. All parasitic plants develop a specialized organ called th ...
. The agricultural soils around Prince Albert have some limitations and about 35% of the land is covered with sloughs or potholes. Creek systems such as the Red Deer Hill Creek and McFarlane Creek drain into the South Saskatchewan River. In the past these creeks have been known to dry up allowing farmers to cut hay, but in recent years these waterways have been overfilling due to large amounts of winter run-off and increase of the water table. The land use is divided into the southern woodland area north of Prince Albert and cropland to the south. The Quaternary glacial geology precludes the region to have been covered by the large prehistoric glacial lake called
Lake Agassiz Lake Agassiz was a large glacial lake in central North America. Fed by glacial meltwater at the end of the last glacial period, its area was larger than all of the modern Great Lakes combined. First postulated in 1823 by William H. Keating, i ...
. The ancient shoreline can be seen along the "Esker Trail" in
Narrow Hills Provincial Park Narrow Hills Provincial Park is a northern boreal forest provincial recreational park in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is located in a hilly plateau called the Cub Hills and contains several recreational facilities and over 25 a ...
which is just north-east of the city. Many different types of fossils have been found in the Prince Albert region. Along the riverbanks of the Shell River can be observed a stratum containing Quaternary bivalve mollusk shells and in 2014 the vertebrae and bone fragments of a
bison Bison are large bovines in the genus ''Bison'' (Greek: "wild ox" (bison)) within the tribe Bovini. Two extant and numerous extinct species are recognised. Of the two surviving species, the American bison, ''B. bison'', found only in North A ...
were found by local college students attending Saskatchewan Polytechnic in the Shell River area. Various areas (especially eroded river banks) have been known to reveal bison skulls and other various types of fossils. Claims have also been made of various types of marine fossils including oysters, clams, corals and other invertebrates are to be found mixed in fossil matrixes just east of the city near the small village of
Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
The bedrock geology is a part of the phanerozoic basin and belongs to the Lea Park and Milk River Formation.


Climate

Prince Albert experiences a
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
( Köppen: ''Dfb''). It is close to being
subarctic The subarctic zone is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic, north of humid continental regions and covering much of Alaska, Canada, Iceland, the north of Scandinavia, Siberia, and the Cairngorms. Genera ...
(''Dfc'') with May and September mean temperatures being just above . The coldest month on average is January with an average low of , and July is the hottest month with an average high of . The highest temperature ever recorded in Prince Albert was on July 19, 1941. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on February 1, 1893. Winter lasts five months of the year with January daily means of , causing a great temperature amplitude in comparison to the mean temperature of July. The variability of the climate is further demonstrated by the brief transition zones with April recording both above and below and respectively.


Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by
Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultu ...
, Prince Albert had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. Prince Albert has one of the highest Aboriginal population ratios for any Canadian city, at 41.5%. Most of Prince Albert is Christian (74.4%) or affiliates with no religion (23.4%). The remaining 2.2% affiliate with another religion. For residents over the age of 25 years, 82.7% have a high school diploma (or equivalent), 55.3% have a post-secondary degree; and 17.3% have no certificate, diploma, or degree.


Economy

Prince Albert is situated on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River, with rich agricultural land to the south and the
boreal forest Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruc ...
to the north. Although Prince Albert is centrally located in Saskatchewan, it is the second most northerly city in the province after Meadow Lake. This physical location has led to the creation of the slogan "Gateway to the North". After being established as a mission centre, the main impetus for growth was speculation that the Transcontinental Railway would travel north from the Red River Valley along Hind's fertile belt through to
Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city an ...
. When the
Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canad ...
chose a more southerly route, Prince Albert's growth collapsed: The La Colle Falls hydroelectric power dam project was an attempt to provide affordable electricity to attract industry By 1927, the project was abandoned as the city was close to bankruptcy. In 1945, Prince Albert National Park was established, and the tourism sector helped to again revive Prince Albert's economy. The city's location has benefited the community in many ways through the years as an agriculture, forestry, tourism, mining, retail, and service centre for the immediate market and the northern communities. Prince Albert has a total trade area of 140,000 people, including an additional 12,000 that can be included if Flin Flon and The Pas are accounted for. The major contributing factor to this is the role of Prince Albert as a retail and service centre to these northern communities. There are a number of major developments that are happening around Prince Albert. Diamond exploration is currently occurring east of the City in the Fort à la Corne region and it is expected a mine may go up around 2010–2011. In addition to diamond prospects, Bio-fuels are also playing a significant role to the area. The Prince Albert region is one of the richest areas in the province for agriculture, and with the current emphasis on bio-fuel technology from the provincial and federal governments, it is expected that this economic sector will grow.
Uranium Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...
is also expected to play a bigger role in the future development of Prince Albert. There is speculation that, due to the proximity the uranium mining in northern Saskatchewan, the area could be ideal for a value-added type of business. Prince Albert is still heavily reliant on its government service sector, which accounts for about 11% of the workforce. There are three prisons, the Prince Albert Correctional Centre, Pine Grove Correctional Centre and the
Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary Saskatchewan Penitentiary is a Medium Security Facility with Maximum Security areas. It is located on a walled 20-acre (81,000 m²) parcel of land in the Rural Municipality of Prince Albert No. 461, one kilometre west of Prince Albert, Saskatch ...
. Chief Joseph Custer, Kistapinanihk 231, Northern Lights 220, Muskoday 99 and Wahpeton 94B Indian Reserves are within of the city. The
forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...
industry is also a major contributor to the economy of Prince Albert. Prince Albert currently hosts the Provincial Forestry Centre, a building that hosts significant wood and forestry related types of businesses and associations. Prince Albert Pulp Company had been the area's largest employer since it opened in 1968. The mill was closed down in 2006 by its then owner, Weyerhaeuser. The mill was subsequently sold. Paper Excellence purchased the long-closed down Prince Albert Pulp Inc. from Domtar in April 2011 with plans to operate a dissolving pulp mill producing 1000 tonnes per day employing about 250 people. The pulp mill was shut down indefinitely and 42 employees laid off on Aug. 29, 2014.


Attractions

There are three historical museums in Prince Albert. The combined The Evolution of Education Museum and
Rotary Museum of Police and Corrections The Rotary Museum of Police and Corrections is a museum in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. Overview The museum covers the history of law enforcement in early Prince Albert and Saskatchewan. The museum is located in the original guardroom o ...
are located at the tourist information centre just off of Highway #2 South. The second museum, the
Historical Society Museum The Prince Albert Historical Museum is operated by the Prince Albert Historical Society in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. It exhibits the history of the area in the city's first firehall which was constructed in 1912 and operated until 197 ...
, is located in an old Fire Hall at the north end of Central Avenue on River Street. The John G. Diefenbaker House is a historic site open to the public and is found on 249 19th Street West. The Prince Albert Heritage Museum (c. 1911) is a Municipal Heritage Property on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. Across from the Historical Society Museum is the site of Diefenbaker's constituency office that is not open to the public. Among the other heritage, historic and protected sites of Prince Albert are the Blockhouse from the 1885 Rebellion & First Presbyterian Church/School, Historic St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Honeywood (Dr. A.J. Porter) Heritage Nursery,
Keyhole Castle The Keyhole Castle is located in the East Hill neighborhood of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was built as the residence for Samuel McLeod, a former businessman, mayor of Prince Albert and federal politician. Architect Erich Wohann of ...
,
LaColle Falls Hydroelectric Dam La Colle Falls Hydroelectric Dam is a partially complete hydroelectric dam built on the Saskatchewan River near the City of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada, after Saskatoon and Regin ...
, Oldest Downtown Store,
Prince Albert Arts Centre The former Prince Albert City Hall and Prince Albert Arts Centre, now the Margo Fournier Arts Centre, is a National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada (french: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada) are places that have ...
and The Cathedral Church of St. Alban the Martyr (Anglican). Sacred Heart Cathedral (Roman Catholic) near the downtown area was built in 1914 in the Romanesque style. It contains paintings by
Berthold Imhoff Count Berthold von Imhoff (January 14, 1868 – December 14, 1939), was an artist known for his religious murals and paintings. Born in Germany in 1868, Imhoff immigrated to the United States with his family and settled in Reading, Pennsylvani ...
. The Institute for Stained Glass in Canada has documented the stained glass of six buildings in Prince Albert. Other historical points of interest include: * The St. Louis Light, a commonly visited, supposedly paranormal, phenomenon occurring south of the city. * Fort de la Corne, a short distance east from Prince Albert, is the furthest westward post of the French Empire in North America (see
New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spa ...
). * The Prince Albert Sanatorium, completed in 1930 and treated tuberculosis patients. * The Buckland Wildlife Management Unit, located within of the city.


Sports and recreation

The city is home to the Prince Albert Raiders of the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior ...
. The Raiders, who won the Memorial Cup in 1985, play in the 3,571-seat
Art Hauser Centre The Art Hauser Centre (formerly the Communiplex) is a multi-purpose arena in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was built in 1971 and is home to the Prince Albert Raiders Ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League The Western Hockey ...
. The city is also home to the
Prince Albert Mintos The Prince Albert Mintos are a Canadian ice hockey team that plays in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL). Their home rink is the Art Hauser Centre formerly Comuniplex. The Prince Albert Mintos won the Telus Cup and Western ...
of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League. They won the
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
,
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
and 2014 Telus Cup. They also play in the Art Hauser Centre.


Government


Infrastructure

The first hospital was constructed in 1899, followed by a maternity home built in 1945 which lasted approximately twelve years.


Bridges

At present, only a single road bridge, the
Diefenbaker Bridge The Diefenbaker Bridge is a Canadian bridge that spans the North Saskatchewan River in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. It is currently the only vehicle crossing of the river in Prince Albert and within 120 km in either direction. The bridge carrie ...
, connects the north and south shore in Prince Albert; this bridge is also the only river crossing connecting southern and northern Saskatchewan in the immediate vicinity (one needs to drive many kilometers to the east or west to find another). This has long been a subject of concern in the region, especially in light of a partial closure of the bridge in August 2011 that occurred when cracks were found during an inspection.


Historic trails

In 1866, Prince Albert was established as a mission post, and a trail to Fort Carlton arose. This trail connected the growing community to the Carlton Trail, the main land transportation route in Western Canada of the 19th century. The trail followed along the current
Lily Plain Lily Plain is an area in Saskatchewan, Canada, located approximately 20 kilometres west of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Terr ...
grid road in Saskatchewan to the ferry service at Lilly Plain post office. The Qu'Appelle (Troy) – Prince Albert Trail was in use from 1883 transporting mail and freight goods from the rail depot at Qu'Appelle across the ferry at St. Louis to Prince Albert. Besides these two trails, Prince Albert was also served by the Montreal Lake–PA, Green Lake–PA, and Fort à la Corne–PA trails.


Railways


Canadian Northern and Grand Trunk Pacific

Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railroad and Steamboat Company The Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railroad and Steamboat Company (QLSRSC) was a railway that operated between Regina, Saskatchewan and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada via Craik, Saskatoon and Rosthern. Augustus Meredith Nanton was ...
(QLSRSC) arrived in Prince Albert in October 1890 as a means to link the three major cities of Saskatchewan through one railroad. For the next few years the line was seldom used, and in order to raise capital, QLSRSC leased the line out to the Canadian Pacific Railway. Canadian Pacific soon realized the economic uncertainty of the line, and the lease was cancelled after only a few years of service. By 1906, less than twenty years after the line was completed, it was sold to the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR). Canadian Northern also crossed the North Saskatchewan River, heading west towards Shellbrook. Prince Albert was slated to become a northern hub for rail service into the north, however with little economic activity in the area, no branch lines were ever extended into the north except for the Paddockwood spur, which was subsequently abandoned during the 1990s as a grain-dependent branch line.
Grand Trunk Pacific The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was a historic Canadian transcontinental railway running from Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder Bay) to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, a Pacific coast port. East of Winnipeg the line continued as the National Tra ...
(GTP) also serviced Prince Albert through a branch line that headed north from Young, through St. Louis and North into Prince Albert. Later both the CNoR and GTP were nationalized, eventually becoming the Canadian National Railway (CN).


Canadian National and Canadian Pacific

For years the
Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canad ...
and
Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...
dominated the city of Prince Albert, operating on both sides of 15th Street. The Canadian Pacific Railway branched off at Lanigan moving north up to Hagen, then under trackage rights with CN, and curved towards the northeast end of Prince Albert. This was CPR's principal northern site, with many of the branch lines feeding back to Prince Albert. These branch lines almost entirely served lumber mills and grain elevators as principal commodities. In 1991 CPR decided to shut down rail line operations in Prince Albert and the surrounding area. CPR sold the Meadow Lake line to CN, and abandoned the Meath Park branch up to
Choiceland Choiceland is a town located in Saskatchewan, Canada. Choiceland is located an hour or so from Prince Albert, a larger Saskatchewan city. Choiceland is home to William Mason Public School, which offers schooling for grades kindergarten throu ...
. Many small CN branch lines extended past Prince Albert hauling primarily grain, but proved ineffective due to larger and more accessible grain elevators. As a result, many were abandoned through the 1990s. Lines that have been abandoned include the Paddockwood Spur (CN), CPR to Meath Park, CPR to Lanigan, CN to Shellbrook, and CN to St. Louis. As grain storage and sorting technology improved over the years, a state of the art Inland elevator was built, located north of Prince Albert. This facility was owned by Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, later succeeded by Viterra. The smaller elevator located in the CN yards — owned by United Grain Growers, later acquired by Agricore United which was also succeeded by Viterra — operated in Prince Albert until Viterra announced its cease of operations on April 1, 2008. Today, only the Inland terminal owned by
Viterra Viterra began as a Canadian grain handling business, the nation's largest grain handler, with its historic formative roots in prairie grain-handling cooperatives, among them the iconic Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. Viterra Inc grew into a global agr ...
, located in White Star, continues to operate. In December 1997, CN announced the branch line was up for sale due to lack of productivity. The engines primarily used by CN at the time were GMD1s for short haul and yard shunting, and
EMD SD40-2W The EMD SD40-2 is a C-C diesel-electric locomotive built by EMD from 1972 to 1989. The SD40-2 was introduced in January 1972 as part of EMD's '' Dash 2'' series, competing against the GE U30C and the ALCO Century 630. Although higher-horsepowe ...
/ EMD SD40-2s for long-haul trips. CP utilized switchers due in part to the light rail on many of their branch lines. These switchers were manufactured by Montreal Locomotive Works (Bombardier) and were designated as RS-23.


Carlton Trail Railway

OmniTRAX, an American shortline railway company, bought the former CN line and named it
Carlton Trail Railway The Carlton Trail Railway is a shortline railway with its headquarters in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. It is operated by OmniTRAX, an American transportation company in Denver, Colorado. Carlton Trail has been operating on ex-Canadian National ...
(CTRW or CTR). Currently,
Carlton Trail Railway The Carlton Trail Railway is a shortline railway with its headquarters in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. It is operated by OmniTRAX, an American transportation company in Denver, Colorado. Carlton Trail has been operating on ex-Canadian National ...
resides in the old CN yard, storing tank cars for CN, transporting grain, and refurbishing diesel engines for other OmniTRAX lines. Carlton Trail has recently discussed abandoning several parts of the shortline due to increasing costs and poor track condition. The Railroad bridge in Prince Albert had the ability to turn in on itself to allow ferry ships to pass through. In 2001 CTRW announced the abandonment of the Birch Hills branch line, but the City of Prince Albert intervened, citing the possibility of an ethanol plant. In 2008 Carlton Trail announced the Meadow Lake line would be abandoned by April 1, 2009. Carlton Trail primarily operates EMD
GP10 The EMD GP10 is a diesel-electric locomotive that is the result of rebuilding a GP7, GP9 or GP18. The Illinois Central Railroad had three separate rebuild programs to upgrade their old EMD GPs and GPs that they had purchased from equipment de ...
s for switching and long-haul transport.


Highway

Prince Albert is located on SK 2, SK 3, SK 11, SK 55, and SK 302. Prince Albert demarks the change of name for SK 2. The stretch of Highway 2 from Moose Jaw to Prince Albert was designated in 2005 as Veterans Memorial Highway. The renaming coincided with Veterans Week 2005. of Saskatchewan Highway 2 contribute to the
CanAm Highway CanAm Highway is an international highway that connects Mexico to Canada through the United States. It travels along U.S. Route 85 (US 85) and Interstate 25 (I-25), passing through six U.S. states (Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Sou ...
between Prince Albert and La Ronge. The
CanAm highway CanAm Highway is an international highway that connects Mexico to Canada through the United States. It travels along U.S. Route 85 (US 85) and Interstate 25 (I-25), passing through six U.S. states (Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Sou ...
south of Prince Albert is designated on SK 3 between Melfort and Prince Albert. SK 11 connects Saskatchewan's three largest cities: Regina,
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
and Prince Albert. On June 20, 2001, the entire length of SK 11 was re-named the Louis Riel Trail at a ceremony which took place at the Duck Lake Regional Interpretive Centre. The Louis Riel Trail connects major sites of the 1885
North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (french: Rébellion du Nord-Ouest), also known as the North-West Resistance, was a Resistance movement, resistance by the Métis people (Canada), Métis people under Louis Riel and an associated uprising by First Natio ...
.


Transit

Prince Albert Transit Prince Albert Transit provides local city bus service in the City of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. Services There are six scheduled bus routes with the downtown transfer point located at Central Avenue and 14th Street. Like many small t ...
is the local city bus service with
Saskatchewan Transportation Company The Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) was a Crown corporation in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan responsible for operating intercity bus routes in the province from 1946 to 2017. Created in 1946 by an Order in Council giving the com ...
formerly providing intercity service for passengers and freight throughout Saskatchewan, with connecting service to national bus routes.


Air transport

Glass Field Airport has regular flights to Saskatoon and Regina and serves as an access point to communities and mining operations north of Prince Albert. Many residents of Prince Albert commute to Saskatoon for flights to further destinations.


Education

Anglican Bishop John McLean opened Emmanuel College on November 1, 1879, the first university of the District of Saskatchewan. A federal act later incorporated Emmanuel College into the University of Saskatchewan. Emmanuel College moved to
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
in 1907 to become a part of the provincial
University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...
, following the inception of Saskatchewan as a province in 1905. The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division operates 33 schools and the Prince Albert Catholic School Division operates nine schools. The city has five high schools. St. Mary High School, and Rivier Academy (private, co-ed) are part of the
Prince Albert Catholic School Division The Prince Albert Roman Catholic School Division is the host of nine schools in the Prince Albert urban area. It offers education in both French immersion and English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English m ...
, while Carlton Comprehensive High School (largest high school in Saskatchewan), Wesmor (Acronym of the rural elementary schools Wildrose, East Central, Spruce Home, Meath Park, Osborne, and Redwing), and P.A.C.I (Prince Albert Collegiate Institute) are in the
Saskatchewan Rivers School Division The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division #119 comprises 33 schools in the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan area, and is the third largest school division in the province. This division has over 9500 students enrolled, with 365 support personnel, 475 tea ...
. École Valois offers preschool to grade 12 and is the only Francophone school in Prince Albert. Post-secondary schools found in Prince Albert include the Woodland campus of Saskatchewan Polytechnic (formerly Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology) and extension campuses for both the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan. Prince Albert also has the First Nations University of Canada (Northern Campus), Gabriel Dumont Institute,
Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) is a First Nations-operated post-secondary institution offering training and educational programs in Saskatchewan, Canada. Campus As of 2021, SIIT has three campuses, nine Career Centres ...
(SIIT), and Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP).


Media


Prince Albertans


See also

*
List of communities in Saskatchewan Communities in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada include incorporated municipalities, unincorporated communities and First Nations communities. Types of incorporated municipalities include urban municipalities, rural municipalities and nor ...
* List of cities in Saskatchewan


Notes


References


Sources

*


External links

* * {{Authority control 1776 establishments in the British Empire Cities in Saskatchewan Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Populated places established in 1776