| Spiritwood No. 496 | |
| Official Name: | Rural Municipality of Spiritwood No. 496 |
| Settlement Type: | Rural municipality |
| Mapsize: | 200 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Saskatchewan |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Type3: | Census division |
| Subdivision Name3: | 16 |
| Subdivision Type4: | division |
| Subdivision Name4: | 6 |
| Subdivision Type5: | Federal riding |
| Subdivision Type6: | Provincial riding |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Leader Title: | Reeve |
| Leader Name: | Shirley Dauvin |
| Leader Title1: | Governing body |
| Leader Name1: | RM of Spiritwood No. 496 Council |
| Leader Title2: | Administrator |
| Leader Name2: | Colette Bussiere |
| Leader Title3: | Office location |
| Leader Name3: | Spiritwood |
| Established Title: | Formed |
| Established Title2: | Formed |
| Established Date2: | December 9, 1929 |
| Established Title3: | Name change |
| Established Title4: | Name change |
| Established Title5: | Amalgamated |
| Established Date5: | December 31, 1953 (with RM of Shell lake No. 495) |
| Area Footnotes: | (2016) |
| Area Land Km2: | 2392.86 |
| Population As Of: | 2016 |
| Population Total: | 1347 |
| Population Density Km2: | 0.6 |
| Timezone: | CST |
| Timezone Dst: | CST |
| Coordinates: | 53.498°N -107.598°W[2] |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Area Code: | 306 and 639 |
| Blank Name: | Highway(s) |
| Blank1 Name: | Railway(s) |
| Blank2 Name: | Waterway(s) |
The Rural Municipality of Spiritwood No. 496 (2016 population:) is a rural municipality (RM) in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within Census Division No. 16 and Division No. 6. Located in the north-central portion of the province, it is west of the City of Prince Albert.
The RM of Spiritwood No. 496 incorporated as a rural municipality on December 9, 1929.[3] It absorbed the RM of Shell Lake No. 495.[4] The RM of Shell Lake No. 495 was originally named the RM of Shell River No. 495 prior to November 30, 1935.[5]
The RM of Spiritwood No. 496 is adjacent to the RMs of Big River No. 555 to the north, Medstead No. 497 to the west, Meeting Lake No. 466 to the south, and Canwood No. 494 (formerly Thompson No. 494) to the south.
The following urban municipalities are surrounded by the RM.
The following unincorporated communities are within the RM.
The RM also surrounds the Witchekan Lake First Nation Reserves and Pelican Lake First Nation Reserves (191, 191A, 191B, 191C).
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the RM of Spiritwood No. 496 had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 2371.04km2, it had a population density of in 2021.[7]
In the 2016 Census of Population, the RM of Spiritwood No. 496 recorded a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of . With a land area of 2392.86km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[8]
The RM of Spiritwood No. 496 is governed by an elected municipal council and an appointed administrator that meets on the second Tuesday of every month.[1] The reeve of the RM is Shirley Dauvin while its administrator is Colette Bussiere.[1] The RM's office is located in Spiritwood.[1]