The Rural Municipality of East St. Paul, Manitoba, is a vibrant community located north-east of Winnipeg. Formed on November 3, 1915, it is part of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Area and is the most densely-populated rural municipality in Manitoba.
The Rural Municipality of St. Paul was established in 1880, with offices located on the west side of the Red River. The river acted as a barrier within the municipality, making business inconvenient for those on the east side. However, the community spirit grew as more families settled in the area, leading to the establishment of schools and businesses.
On November 3, 1915, the Rural Municipalities of East St. Paul and West St. Paul officially received royal assent. The first meeting of the RM of East St. Paul took place on January 4, 1916, in a room in secretary-treasurer Walter Gorham’s house at 2051 Roseneath Avenue.
The Rural Municipality of East St. Paul encompasses 41 square kilometres and includes the communities of Birds Hill, North Hill, Glengarry, River East Estates, Whidbey Harbour, Pritchard Farm Estates, and Silverfox Estates. The Red River Floodway diverts part of the Red River's flow around Winnipeg and through East St. Paul. The Trans Canada Trail and the Duff Roblin Parkway Trail also pass through East St. Paul.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, East St. Paul had a population of 9,725 living in 3,464 of its 3,504 total private dwellings, a change of 3.8% from its 2016 population of 9,372.
An underground carbonate aquifer provides water services to the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul. Water is pumped via two well sites, one at Oasis Rd. just east of the Floodway, the other at Wenzel Street.
The Rural Municipality of East St. Paul offers a variety of recreational activities. Hyland Park, established in the early 20th century, was a popular destination for tourists. Today, the municipality offers curling, outdoor and indoor ice hockey, summer pickleball, other fitness programs, and there is an outdoor recreation complex for skateboarding, soccer and baseball fields.
In 2016, East St. Paul, along with neighbouring municipalities West St. Paul and St.Clements, were jointly awarded an Honourable Mention in the Organization of the Year category for their success in improving public participation and communication from the International Association of Public Participation.
