Weyburn, Saskatchewan – Canada

April 22, 2024

Weyburn, Saskatchewan

A vibrant City Welcoming Growth and Opportunities

An enviable place to call home in the heart of the Prairies

With its strategic location, top-notch recreational offerings, and urban amenities, Weyburn is an idyllic prairie community with much to offer. Currently home to 11,000 residents, the city is experiencing consistent growth, while continuously building on its reputation as an attractive place to live, work and enjoy life.

Positioned at the crossroads of three major highways, with a rail connection through the Kansas City Rail line, Weyburn is just an hour away from both the US border and the provincial capital of Regina, making it a key hub in southeast Saskatchewan.

City Manager, Mathew Warren

As a family-centric city, Weyburn proudly promotes a friendly and inclusive atmosphere. “We are very focused on what we provide to our community and its members,” shares City Manager, Mathew Warren.

“Our vision is ‘A Community for All’. We’re very open to anyone who wants to live here, or to learn more about Weyburn.”

Recreation, Culture and Events

Weyburn takes pride in its rich history, evidenced by the preservation efforts at the Weyburn Area Heritage Village. This living museum, featuring buildings from the 1900s to the 1940s, offers visitors a unique opportunity to step back in time and experience the town’s evolution. “There are many homes within the village that are family homes that people have donated back to the city. There’s a barber shop there. We have old RCMP barracks there,” describes Warren.

“It is a great opportunity for people to learn what happened in Weyburn in the past.”

The Weyburn Oil and Gas Show is a major event that happens every second year in the city. Warren recounts, “We’re very fortunate to have that major show that comes to our community. We draw people from all over the place to attend. They have massive exhibits there in both the curling rink and in our arenas.”

Another popular event is the Weyburn Fair, put on by the Weyburn Agricultural Society in July each year, drawing large crowds to witness the rodeo, take in the exhibits, and delight in the carnival.

Sports is another source of pride, with notable teams like the Weyburn Redwings representing a rich part of the city’s history. “That club started with us in 1961. They’ve won many major events in Junior A Hockey throughout their time. It’s still a very strong drawing card for people to enjoy during the winter months,” Warren portrays.

He adds that Weyburn is also proud to be the home of the AAA women’s hockey team, the Richardson Pioneer Gold Wings. “They’ve hosted major events, including the Esso Cup a few years back. They’re also a big drawing card for the community.” During the summer months, it’s all about baseball with the Weyburn Beavers, again bringing people together to watch their team play.

With facilities such as the Credit Union Sparks Centre, which boasts a half FIFA soccer field, a large play area for children, and an indoor track, the city is set up to support active recreation for all ages, during all seasons. Conveniently located within the Center is the Weyburn Art Gallery, a state-of-the-art facility. “The arts are very strong in this community,” Warren depicts.

“When that facility was built, the focus was not just to make it into another sports venue, but to make it into a multi-use venue that sports, culture, and recreation can all mold into one.”

Jubilee Park, featuring tennis courts, an outdoor rink, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and pathways, brings plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities for residents and is often bustling with activity. For water lovers, nearby Weyburn Leisure Center offers both indoor and outdoor pools, a rare gem for a small community.

Incentives and Revitalization

Two years ago, the city introduced a commercial incentive program to support existing businesses and diversify the economic landscape of the community. Divided into several facets, the program includes incentives for facade and site improvements, as Warren describes, “We’re trying to make sure we beautify our current businesses and make sure they are welcoming to people coming through the community.”

On the business attraction side, the city is incentivizing new construction through free taxation for up to 5 years. In addition, tax abatement opportunities are available for those who take over a property that has been vacant for 12 months and bring a new enterprise to the community.

“What we’re trying to do is bring in new businesses,” Warren maintains. “A focus for us is looking at assembly or manufacturing. There’s an opportunity, with where we’re located, to be a place that provides more opportunity that way. But also, there’s an opportunity for more retail, we’re always looking for that. Our focus is to have people show up here, shop local, and stay in the community.”

Warren reports that the incentive program has sparked transformation throughout the city, adding, “We’re starting to see a little more revitalization of our downtown, especially through the facade and site improvements. We’re starting to see a little more on our vacant properties. We haven’t seen a boom yet on our new construction, but we see that being a key focus moving forward. And we’re open to anyone who wants to come here and build their businesses.”

Collaborative Community Initiatives

Weyburn thrives on collaboration, evident through its partnerships with the Weyburn Chamber, and Weyburn Economic Development, who both work closely with the city on incentive programs and downtown revitalization efforts.

Warren notes, “It’s really important for us to have those partnerships because those are the voices of the community. Those are the people who can bring back information to help assist us as a municipality, to help this place grow.”

He highlights Weyburn Regional Economic Development’s “Why Not Weyburn?” program, which is focused on attracting new people into the community, targeting young professionals, retirees, and families, in the Toronto and Vancouver areas who might be drawn to the slower pace, and lower cost of living that Weyburn can offer.

Mentioning another valued partner, the Regional Municipality (RM) of Weyburn, Warren asserts, “We want to focus on development for both our municipality and within the district, and any new business is welcome. I know our council and the council through the RM are welcoming to any new businesses who want to see what Southeast Saskatchewan has to offer.”

Groups like the Weyburn Oil Women, Weyburn Kinsmen, Weyburn Agricultural Society, and Weyburn Young Fellows actively assist the efforts of the community through various initiatives. The construction of a new hospital in the city wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated support from the Weyburn and Area Hospital Foundation.

“Those are people who are born and raised here, or people who have moved to this community, and they believe in giving back,” Warren remarks. “When you live in small-town Saskatchewan, really the key is that we’re in this together, and we want to support each other. Through all the groups I’ve mentioned, and many groups I have not mentioned, there’s a focus that way.”

Housing and Infrastructure Initiatives

As a growing community, Weyburn is working to bring affordable housing options to the city through programs like Weyburn Builds, whose focus is on infill development and revitalization of older areas, as well as creating more opportunities for new construction.

“We have many residential properties available to be built on right now. The concern is that we don’t have those new home builds happening. The cost to build is quite high,” Warren admits. “We’re currently reviewing our Weyburn Builds program, and we’re looking at maybe creating more incentives to assist those people who want to build homes in our community.”

Infrastructure improvements, particularly in roadways, sidewalks, and water treatment, take center stage as Weyburn positions itself for continued growth. “Through our budget this year Council has made a targeted effort to look at key infrastructure initiatives such as our above-ground infrastructure including roadways and sidewalks. So, we’re looking at doing some major paving projects this year.” Water treatment is also on the agenda as Weyburn looks to the future, along with continued downtown revitalization efforts. “At the end of 2023, the City of Weyburn provided a new strategic plan and a new direction on where we want to go as a community,” Warren shares.

“They want to focus on how we can strengthen our downtown core. We are right now looking at having a new theater built. That’s one of the key aspects of what’s going to happen in that area.”

Looking Ahead

As Warren looks to the future of Weyburn, he says the top priorities include ongoing infrastructure projects, along with community building, and business attraction and growth. He concludes, “We want to make sure that we’re hitting all the marks and that we’re collaborating and working as closely as we can to grow the community and make it a great place for people to live and move forward.”