Springfield is a rural municipality (RM) in Manitoba, Canada. It stretches from urban industrial development on the eastern boundary of the City of Winnipeg, through urban, rural residential, agricultural and natural landscapes, to the Agassiz Provincial Forest on the municipality's eastern boundary. Birds Hill Provincial Park nestles into the north-western corner of Springfield.
Springfield | |
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Rural municipality | |
Rural Municipality of Springfield | |
![]() Birds Hill Provincial Park in northwestern Springfield | |
![]() ![]() Springfield | |
Coordinates: 49°55′45″N 96°41′38″W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Manitoba |
Region | Winnipeg Metro Region |
Incorporated | 1880 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Patrick Therrien |
• MLAs |
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• MPs |
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Area | |
• Rural municipality | 1,096.17 km2 (423.23 sq mi) |
• Metro | 530,679 km2 (204,896 sq mi) |
Elevation | 242 m (794 ft) |
Population (2021)[1] | |
• Rural municipality | 16,142 |
• Density | 15/km2 (38/sq mi) |
• Metro | 778,489 |
Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Postal Code | R5L, R5M, R5N, R5P, R5R, R5T |
Area codes | 204, 431 |
Website | www |
Springfield's population was 16,142 as of the 2021 census, making it the second most populous RM in the province (slightly behind the RM of Hanover) and fifth most populous municipality overall (behind the cities of Winnipeg, Brandon, and Steinbach, and RM of Hanover).[1]
Springfield was incorporated in 1880 as a result of changes made to the Rural Municipality of Springfield and Sunnyside (1873–1880).[2] The municipality received its name due to the presence of multiple natural springs found within its borders.[3] While farming is still important in the municipality, today many residents are employed in nearby Winnipeg.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Springfield had a population of 16,142 living in 5,795 of its 5,992 total private dwellings, a change of 5.2% from its 2016 population of 15,342. With a land area of 1,096.17 km2 (423.23 sq mi), it had a population density of 14.7/km2 (38.1/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
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The RM of Springfield contains many sites of historical and cultural significance such as the Sunnyside cemetery, the Springfield Hutterite colony, North Springfield school, Springfield Agricultural Society, and the Dugald rail accident site.[5]
In 1996, the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Cooks Creek was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.[6]
Springfield's administrative center is in Oakbank, the largest community in the RM. The RM is governed by a mayor and councillors representing the RM's five wards. The government has come under some scrutiny[according to whom?] for having the highest compensation to mayor and council ($242,974 total for 2015) relative to all other municipalities in the Winnipeg capital region.[7]
The RM is represented by two ridings in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly: Springfield-Ritchot (west) and Dawson Trail (east). The former Springfield electoral district included all of the RM and parts of adjacent East St. Paul.
The RM is split between two federal ridings: Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman (north) and Provencher (south). From 1914 through 1966, a federal riding was also called "Springfield" with varying boundaries not always coterminous with the municipality.[8]
Places adjacent to Rural Municipality of Springfield | ||||||||||||||||
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Division No. 12, Manitoba (Beausejour Area) | ||
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