Rural Municipality of Springfield

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'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).

History

The Springfield area is part of the traditional territory of Anishnaabe and Swampy Cree First Nations. In 1870, the area became part of the new province of Manitoba. In 1871, the area was covered under Treaty 1 between the British Crown and the First Nations. The treaty facilitated the settlement of southern Manitoba including agricultural settlements in the Springfield area.

Springfield was incorporated in 1880 as a result of changes made to the Rural Municipality of Springfield and Sunnyside (1873–1880). The municipality received its name due to the presence of multiple natural springs found within its borders. While farming is still important in the municipality, today many residents are employed in nearby Winnipeg.

Communities

• Anola
• Cooks Creek
• Dugald
• Glass
• Hazelridge
• Oakbank
• Ostenfeld
• Pine Ridge
• Sapton
• Vivian

Demographics

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 from its 2016 population of 15,342. With a land area of Template:Cvt, it had a population density of Template:Pop density in 2021. Template:Historical populations

Panethnic groups in the Rural Municipality of Springfield (2001−2021)

Panethnic group	2021		2016		2011		2006		2001
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
EuropeanTemplate:Efn	13,625		13,260		12,675		12,055		11,855
Indigenous	1,770		1,410		890		740		595
African	100		115		55		85		35
East AsianTemplate:Efn	75		35		20		50		20
Southeast AsianTemplate:Efn	60		120		30		0		20
South Asian	50		55		0		10		20
Middle EasternTemplate:Efn	15		20		0		0		10
Latin American	10		15		10		10		10
Other/multiracialTemplate:Efn	35		10		10		0		25
Total responses	15,750		15,030		13,715		12,950		12,560
Total population	16,142		15,342		14,069		12,990		12,602
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Attractions

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.

In 1996, the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Cooks Creek was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

Government

Municipal

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 media scrutiny for having the highest compensation to mayor and council ($242,974 total for 2015) relative to all other municipalities in the Winnipeg capital region.

Provincial

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.

Federal

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.

Further reading

• Kraushar, Aileen, et al. 1974. Springfield 1st Rural Municipality in Manitoba 1873-1973. Dugald: Dugald Women's Institute. Template:ISBN.

External links

• R.M. of Springfield (official site)
• Community Profile: Springfield Rural Municipality, Manitoba; Statistics Canada
• Map of Springfield R.M. at Statcan