| Springfield | |
| Settlement Type: | Rural municipality |
| Coordinates: | 49.9292°N -96.6939°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Manitoba |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Winnipeg Metro Region |
| Established Title: | Incorporated |
| Established Date: | 1880 |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Patrick Therrien |
| Leader Title1: | MLAs |
| Leader Name1: | |
| Leader Title2: | MPs |
| Leader Name2: | |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 1096.17 |
| Area Metro Km2: | 5306,79 |
| Elevation M: | 242 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Total: | 16,142 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CST |
| Utc Offset: | −6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −5 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal Code |
| Postal Code: | R5L, R5M, R5N, R5P, R5R, R5T |
| Area Code Type: | Area codes |
| Area Codes: | 204, 431 |
| Official Name: | Rural Municipality of Springfield |
| Population Metro: | 778,489 |
Springfield is a rural municipality (RM) in Manitoba, Canada. It stretches from urban industrial development on the eastern boundary of the city of Winnipeg, through urban, rural residential, agricultural and natural landscapes, to the Agassiz Provincial Forest on the municipality's eastern boundary. Birds Hill Provincial Park nestles into the north-western corner of Springfield.
Springfield's population was 16,142 as of the 2021 census, making it the second most populous RM in the province (slightly behind the RM of Hanover) and fifth most populous municipality overall (behind the cities of Winnipeg, Brandon, and Steinbach, and RM of Hanover).
The Springfield area is part of the traditional territory of Anishnaabe and Swampy Cree First Nations. In 1870, the area became part of the new province of Manitoba. In 1871, the area was covered under Treaty 1 between the British Crown and the First Nations. The treaty facilitated the settlement of southern Manitoba including agricultural settlements in the Springfield area.
Springfield was incorporated in 1880 as a result of changes made to the Rural Municipality of Springfield and Sunnyside (1873–1880).[1] The municipality received its name due to the presence of multiple natural springs found within its borders.[2] While farming is still important in the municipality, today many residents are employed in nearby Winnipeg.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Springfield had a population of 16,142 living in 5,795 of its 5,992 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 15,342. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[3]
| 2021[4] | 2016[5] | 2011[6] | 2006[7] | 2001[8] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European | 13,625 | 13,260 | 12,675 | 12,055 | 11,855 | ||||||
| Indigenous | 1,770 | 1,410 | 890 | 740 | 595 | ||||||
| African | 100 | 115 | 55 | 85 | 35 | ||||||
| East Asian | 75 | 35 | 20 | 50 | 20 | ||||||
| Southeast Asian | 60 | 120 | 30 | 0 | 20 | ||||||
| South Asian | 50 | 55 | 0 | 10 | 20 | ||||||
| Middle Eastern | 15 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||||||
| Latin American | 10 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 10 | ||||||
| Other/multiracial | 35 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 25 | ||||||
| Total responses | 15,750 | 15,030 | 13,715 | 12,950 | 12,560 | ||||||
| Total population | 16,142 | 15,342 | 14,069 | 12,990 | 12,602 | ||||||
The RM of Springfield contains many sites of historical and cultural significance such as the Sunnyside cemetery, the Springfield Hutterite colony, North Springfield school, Springfield Agricultural Society, and the Dugald rail accident site.[9]
In 1996, the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Cooks Creek was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.[10]
Springfield's administrative center is in Oakbank, the largest community in the RM. The RM is governed by a mayor and councillors representing the RM's five wards. The government has come under some media scrutiny for having the highest compensation to mayor and council ($242,974 total for 2015) relative to all other municipalities in the Winnipeg capital region.[11]
The RM is represented by two ridings in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly: Springfield-Ritchot (west) and Dawson Trail (east). The former Springfield electoral district included all of the RM and parts of adjacent East St. Paul.
The RM is split between two federal ridings: Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman (north) and Provencher (south). From 1914 through 1966, a federal riding was also called "Springfield" with varying boundaries not always coterminous with the municipality.[12]