| Uranium City | |
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| — Village — | |
| Main Street on a Foggy Day | |
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Uranium City
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Census division | Division No. 18 |
| Post office Founded | N/A |
| Incorporated (Village) | N/A |
| Incorporated (Town) | N/A |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | |
| Population | |
| • Total | 89 |
| Time zone | CST |
| Forward Sortation Area | S0J |
| Area code(s) | 306 |
| NTS Map | 074N10 |
| GNBC Code | HAISA |
Uranium City is a settlement in northwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is on the northern shores of Lake Athabasca near the border of the Northwest Territories. It is 230 metres (750 ft) above sea level. The settlement is 760 kilometres (470 mi) northwest of Prince Albert, 760 km northeast of Edmonton and 48 kilometres (30 mi) south of the Northwest Territories-Saskatchewan boundary. For census purposes, it is located within the province's Division No. 18 territory.
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In 1952, the provincial government decided to establish a town to service the mines in the Beaverlodge uranium area developed by Eldorado Mining and Refining Limited, a federal crown corporation. In 1954 the local newspaper The Uranium Times noted that 52 mines were operating and 12 open pit mines were next to Beaverlodge Lake.[1] Initially, most of the residences in Uranium City were simply tents.
Two options were considered for towns in the region: small towns near the mine site or larger more centralized communities with adequate services. Not wanting to replicate some of the problems associated with small mining towns at the time in Northern Ontario, the government pushed for the second option and modeled Uranium City after the community of Arvida, Quebec. [2]
The population of Uranium City only started to grow significantly once Eldorado Resources made a deliberate initiative in 1960 to see staff housed in Uranium City instead of the Eldorado campsite.[2]
Uranium City was a thriving town until 1982, with its population approaching the 5,000 threshold required to achieve city status in the province. The closure of the mines in 1983 led to economic collapse, with most residents of the town leaving. It was later designated as a northern settlement with about 300 people remaining. After the closure of the local hospital in the spring of 2003, the population fell further to about 70 people. The current population is around 89, including a number of Métis and First Nations people.[3]
The town has a certified airport, Uranium City Airport, that features a treated gravel runway of 3930 feet length operated by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure. The airport is one of the few employers left in the community. Pronto Airways [4] still serve Uranium City, with flights from Stony Rapids Airport continuing to points south. Norcanair served the community with scheduled flights until it ceased operations in 2005.[5] Transwest Air also provided a route with Saskatoon and Regina until that company cancelled its service in November 2008.[6][7]
There is no normal road access connecting Uranium City with the rest of Canada. There is provision for a winter road which connects with Fond-du-Lac.[8] Saskatchewan Highway 962 provides travel for a short distance within the local area. A significant bridge replacement project on Highway 962 was conducted in 2001 at the Fredette River.[9]
Local telephone service is provided by SaskTel and was first available in Uranium City on 30 November 1955.[10] Current telephone numbers for international calling are of the form +1 306 498 xxxx (NPA-NXX: 306-498, CLLI: URCYSK05DS0).[11]
Canada Post continues to deliver mail to the community. The post office is located at the municipal office (Postal Code: S0J 2W0).[12]
Radio broadcasting in the community is provided by:
Television service is provided by CBKAT operating on channel 8 at a power of 15 watts. This is a rebroadcaster of CBC Television service from CBKST Saskatoon. Until 2003, the local transmitter's television programming originated from CBC North.[16]
Education in Uranium City is under the authority of Northern Lights School Division 113, a school district that covers most of northern Saskatchewan. The only remaining school in Uranium City is Ben McIntyre School, serving classes from kindergarten to Grade 9. The school opened in 1977 and is named after the first teacher in Uranium City who established the first school in the town in 1952 with 40 students in ten grades. As of September 2005, 10 students were enrolled.[17]
Secondary education was provided by CANDU High School, named after a nuclear reactor. According to travelers Vincent Chan and Tricia Holopina who visited the city in 2002, locals state that the school was opened in 1980 and closed in 1983 after only three years of service, with the building since sustaining extensive vandalism.[18][19]
The following people are associated with Uranium City by birth, residence or career:
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