Ste. Anne, also known as Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes, is a charming town nestled in the heart of Manitoba, Canada. Located approximately 42 km southeast of Winnipeg, this quaint town is home to a population of 2,114 as of 2016. Ste. Anne is renowned for its location on the Seine River and its historical significance as the heart of the Old Dawson Trail. The town is enveloped by the Rural Municipality of Ste. Anne, offering a serene and picturesque setting.
Ste. Anne, originally known as "La Pointe-des-Chênes" or "The Point of the Oak Trees", holds the distinction of being the first parish established in the area in 1856. This was during the time when the territory was a part of Rupert's Land. The early settlers, French-speaking Habitants from Canada East, arrived in search of fertile farmland. The first 198 families in the community engaged in their first major industry, supplying lumber for the construction of the St. Boniface Cathedral. The Hudson's Bay Company also had a significant presence in the community during the 1800s. Ste. Anne served as a stopover for weary travelers on their journey to Winnipeg, along the famed Dawson Trail.
In June 1959, Ste. Anne experienced the worst flood in its history, leading to the evacuation of the Ste. Anne Hospital. To prevent future floods, the Seine River diversion project was completed in 1960.
Ste. Anne is situated just east of the longitudinal centre of Canada, near the geographical centre of North America, and approximately 80 kilometres north of the border with the United States. The town is surrounded by rich agricultural land to the west, and the boreal forest to the east. The Seine River runs through the middle of town, offering a picturesque and naturalistic look. The closest urban area with over 500,000 people is Winnipeg, approximately 40 kilometres west of Ste. Anne.
Ste. Anne experiences an extreme continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). Summers are short and warm, with only three months (June to August) when the average high temperature exceeds 25 °C. Winters are extremely long and bitterly cold, with snow cover generally from November to March. The weather is characterized by an abundance of sunshine throughout the year.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Ste. Anne had a population of 2,891 living in 1,151 of its 1,204 total private dwellings, a change of 36.8% from its 2016 population of 2,114. With a land area of 4.14 km2, it had a population density of 698.3/km2 in 2021.
Ste. Anne is located 40 kilometres from Winnipeg, a distance covered by a four-lane divided highway (Highway 12 and the Trans-Canada Highway). Highway 12 connects Ste. Anne with the United States border, as well as the Trans-Canada Highway. Two secondary roads, Provincial Roads 207 and 210 pass through town as Avenue Centrale Avenue. PR 207 is a part of the Old Dawson Trail, one of the earliest roads that linked Manitoba with Northwestern Ontario. Winnipeg's James Armstrong Richardson International Airport is 60 kilometres, or less than a one-hour drive, from Ste. Anne.
The largest employers in Ste. Anne are in the health and education services sector. The town boasts a senior's care home that houses 150 residents. The Ste. Anne Hospital serves the town and the surrounding area, providing emergency medical services 24-hours a day. A medical clinic in the town also has ten doctors on staff, and an onsite pharmacy. The Seine River School Division #14 has its administration building in Ste. Anne. Most other businesses in Ste. Anne provide retail goods and services to the town's residents and those in the surrounding community.
Homes in Ste. Anne range from mobile homes to houses. Ste. Anne also has apartment buildings, including a 28-unit apartment project for those with lower-incomes and those with mental health-care needs. The project, led by the Ste. Anne Knights of Columbus Council, was supported by funding from the Canada-Manitoba Affordable Housing Initiative, and by land donated by the town.
Ste. Anne has a public library constructed from a donated residence, whose character is still evident in the architecture of the building. The town has a volunteer fire department that serves the surrounding municipality and the municipality of Taché. The town has its own municipal police force, the Sainte-Anne Police Service.
Ste. Anne plays host to Dawson Trail Days held during the September long weekend. It is a celebration of the area's heritage and the history of the Dawson trail. Many activities are planned each year, and the event serves as a windup for local residents after an enjoyable summer.
Ste. Anne features a splash pad that opened in 2016 in the Parc des Redemptoristes, a skateboard park that opened in 2016 on Arena Road, and numerous soccer and baseball fields. The Parc des Redemptoristes is situated beside the Seine River in the center of town.
The Mayor of Ste. Anne is Yvan St. Vincent. Other members include Councillors Cornie Klassen, Jason Einarson, Jeremy Wiens, Lyle Davis and Chief Administrative Officer, Marc Darker.
