Rural Municipality of Torch River No. 488

The Rural Municipality of Torch River No. 488 (2016 population: 1,471) is a rural municipality (RM) in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within Census Division No. 14 and SARM Division No. 4. Located in the northeast-central portion of the province, it is north of the Town of Nipawin.

Torch River No. 488
Rural municipality
Rural Municipality of Torch River No. 488
Location of the RM of Torch River No. 488 in Saskatchewan
Coordinates: 53.405°N 104.329°W / 53.405; -104.329[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Saskatchewan
Census division	14
SARM division	4
Formed[2]	January 1, 1950
Government [3]
• Reeve	Jerry Kindrat
• Governing body	RM of Torch River No. 488 Council
• Administrator	David Yorke
• Office location	White Fox
Area  (2016)[4]
• Land	5,178.9 km2 (1,999.6 sq mi)
Population  (2016)[4]
• Total	1,471
• Density	0.3/km2 (0.8/sq mi)
Time zone	CST
• Summer (DST)	CST
Area codes	306 and 639

History

The RM of Torch River No. 488 incorporated as a rural municipality on January 1, 1950.^[2]

Geography

Communities and localities

The following urban municipalities are surrounded by the RM.

Towns

• Choiceland

Villages

• Love
• Smeaton
• White Fox

The following unincorporated communities are within the RM.

Organized hamlets^[5]

• Garrick
• Snowden

Localities

• Carroll Cove
• Cherry Ridge
• Claytonville
• Pruden's Point
• Shipman
• Torch River

Demographics

Population history
(1981–2016)

Year	Pop.	±%
1981	2,440	—
1986	2,292	−6.1%
1991	2,022	−11.8%
1996	1,827	−9.6%
2001	1,723	−5.7%
2006	1,559	−9.5%
2011	1,468	−5.8%
2016	1,471	+0.2%
Source: Statistics Canada via Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics[6][7]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the RM of Torch River No. 488 had a population of 1,219 living in 543 of its 663 total private dwellings, a change of -17.1% from its 2016 population of 1,471. With a land area of 5,145.75 km² (1,986.79 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.2/km² (0.6/sq mi) in 2021.^[8]

In the 2016 Census of Population, the RM of Torch River No. 488 recorded a population of 1,471 living in 622 of its 740 total private dwellings, a 0.2% change from its 2011 population of 1,468. With a land area of 5,178.9 km² (1,999.6 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.3/km² (0.7/sq mi) in 2016.^[4]

Government

The RM of Torch River No. 488 is governed by an elected municipal council and an appointed administrator that meets on the second Monday of every month.^[3] The reeve of the RM is Jerry Kindrat while its administrator is David Yorke.^[3] The RM's office is located in White Fox.^[3]

Transportation

• Highway 35—serves White Fox
• Highway 55—serves White Fox, Garrick, Choiceland, Smeaton and Shipman
• Highway 6—serves Choiceland
• Highway 691—serves Snowden
• Highway 106—serves Smeaton
• Highway 790 --

See also

• List of rural municipalities in Saskatchewan