Nestled at the junction of highways No. 5 and 9 in east central Saskatchewan, Canora is a charming town with a rich history and vibrant culture. Home to approximately 3,500 residents, Canora is part of the Canora-Pelly electoral district and is centrally located on the corners of four adjacent rural municipalities, including the RM of Good Lake.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Canora had a population of 2,092 living in 981 of its 1,123 total private dwellings. This represented a change of 3.4% from its 2016 population of 2,024. With a land area of 7.35 km2 (2.84 sq mi), it had a population density of 284.6/km2 (737.2/sq mi) in 2021. As of 2016, 53% of the town’s residents are either from Ukraine or of Ukrainian descent, with the language still widely spoken in the community.
The area around Canora was first settled by Europeans in the late 19th century by Doukhobors, Romanians, and Ukrainians. The first ranchers arrived in the area in 1884, and by 1886, the land was officially surveyed by the Dominion government. The first Ukrainian block settlement in Saskatchewan was established in 1897 when 150 families arrived in the Canora District from Western Ukraine.
In 1904, the Canadian Northern Railway laid tracks through the area, and a post office was opened, a school district established, and a town site was surveyed. By 1905, Canora was incorporated as a hamlet on the site of the train station, which now serves as the town's museum and tourist information centre. In 1908, Canora became a village, and by 1910, with a growing population of around 400, Canora had officially achieved the status of a town.
Doukhobors in Canora were key to the town's development. Under the auspices of the Doukhobor Trading Company, they undertook an ambitious building program on Second Avenue East, where they established several communally-run enterprises from 1907 to 1918.5.
Canora boasts several community parks, walking trails, a junior Olympic-sized outdoor swimming pool, Civic Centre, the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre, Sports Service Centre, Sports Grounds, a golf course/activity centre, a tennis court and a skate park.
Known as the "Heart of Good Spirit Country," Canora is in close proximity to several lakes and parks, including Crystal Lake, Good Spirit Lake and Duck Mountain Provincial Park. The area is home to Saskatchewan's greatest number of golf courses per-capita and boasts one of the highest tee traffic counts in the province.
The Lesia statue is a 25-foot, 4,000 lb statue that honours the descendants of the Ukrainian and Eastern European settlers who made Canora their home. Created in 1979 by Canora residents Nicholas and Orest Lewchuk, the statue features a woman dressed in traditional Ukrainian costume, offering visitors "bread-salt" — a loaf of braided bread, called Kolach along with salt.
Canora's Ukrainian Heritage Museum explores all aspects of Ukrainian culture including history, arts folklore. Displays include exhibits of early settlers' artifacts from the area, books by renowned Ukrainian writers, Ukrainian regional costumes and embroideries, as well as traditional Ukrainian arts and crafts, culinary arts and festive events.
Canora's Visitor Information Centre and the CN Station House Museum is located in the oldest Class 3 railway station still operating in Saskatchewan. It was erected in 1904 and its exhibits include displays of CN Rail memorabilia, pioneer artifacts, local art and souvenirs.
Canora is home to Canada's Only Toy & Autograph Museum. The museum features a one-of-a-kind collection of over 1,000 toys and autographed photos including Stephen Harper as well as Laurel and Hardy.
A Municipal Heritage Property and Ukrainian Orthodox church that was originally constructed in 1928. The heritage value of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church resides in its connection with the congregation.
Is a cairn dedicated to Canora's first hospital. Mary Waddell of Peterborough, Ont., donated $25,000 to the Presbyterian Church for construction of a hospital in her husband's name.
Canora boasts more than 150 km of trails, including over 144 km of marked and groomed snowmobile trails and more than 10 km of walking, cycling, jogging and cross-country ski trails.
Canora was judged to have the best-tasting municipal water in Canada at the 13th annual international water tasting competition held in 2003 in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, U.S.
The Nicholas Lewchuk Property is a Municipal Heritage Property that features a house, a ferris wheel, an airplane swing and two midway trailers.
Canora hosts two week-long festivals that celebrate both winter and summer. Canora in Bloom is the town's week-long annual summer festival that takes place in July. The Winter Lights Festival is Canora's week-long annual winter festival.
Canora is located at the junction of east-west Saskatchewan Highway 5 and north-south Saskatchewan Highway 9. The town also serves as a hub for two freight lines of the Canadian National Railway. The downtown Canora railway station is served by Via Rail passenger service as a stop on the Winnipeg–Churchill train. The Canora Airport is a grass landing strip located adjacent to the town with no permanent terminal facilities.
