Balcarres (⫽bəlˈkɛərrɪs⫽ bel-KAIR-is); 2006 population 598) is a town located in southern Saskatchewan, Canada along Highway 10 and Highway 22, approximately 85 kilometres (53 mi) northeast of Regina. Highways 619 and 310 are nearby highways to this community. The town is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northeast of the Fishing Lakes.

Neighbouring communities include Fort Qu'Appelle to the west, to the southeast Abernethy, and to the north Ituna. The File Hills First Nations of Little Black Bear, Peepeekisis, Okanese, and Star Blanket are also located to the northeast.

History

Balcarres post office was established in the North-West Territories on 1 April 1884. The name originates from the first postmaster, Balcarres Crawford, at the neighbouring community of Indian Head, North-West Territories (now, since 1905, Saskatchewan).

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Balcarres had a population of 616 living in 257 of its 271 total private dwellings, a change of 4.9% from its 2016 population of 587. With a land area of 1.62 km (0.63 sq mi), it had a population density of 380.2/km (984.8/sq mi) in 2021.

Amenities

The town is home to several businesses including a grocery store, inn, pharmacy, bank, and restaurants. Terminal 22, a large inland grain terminal, is located west of town along the Canadian National Railway rail line.

Balcarres has a hospital and senior citizens home called the Balcarres Integrated Care Centre or BICC, and an elementary and high school, which educates children from the communities of Balcarres, Abernethy, and the File Hills Indian reserves. There is a United, an Anglican and a Baptist church.

Notable people

• Walter Deiter, chief of the National Indian Brotherhood
• James Garfield Gardiner, premier of Saskatchewan and minister in the Canadian Cabinet
• Mandy Meyer, guitar player for Asia and Krokus
• Kenneth Moore, ice hockey player in the 1932 Winter Olympics.
• Noel Starblanket, chief of the National Indian Brotherhood
• Doug Trapp, ice hockey player
• Jerry Walker, ice hockey player

See also

• List of towns in Saskatchewan