Yorkton

Yorkton. A city (2016 pop 16,343) in southeastern Saskatchewan, founded in 1882. In 2006 the city’s Ukrainian population was 5,955 (2,525 single response and 3,425 multiple response). The first Ukrainian colony of 51 families was established in the area in 1897. As the heavy influx of immigrants continued, Ukrainians began to constitute a majority of the local population. In 1904 a group of Belgian Redemptorist Fathers led by Rev Achille Delaere came to serve the Ukrainian community in Yorkton. They built a monastery (1913) and Saint Mary’s Church (1914) and set up a minor and major seminary and a printing press at the monastery. Besides books the Redemptorists published a monthly magazine, Holos spasytelia, and a theological quarterly, Lohos. Until 1957 Yorkton was the provincial house of the Ukrainian Redemptorist order. The Ukrainian Orthodox parish of the Holy Transfiguration was established in the city in 1920. Two Catholic boarding schools (eventually high schools) were founded by Bishop Nykyta Budka. The Sacred Heart Institute (est 1916, renamed Academy in 1945) for girls, was run by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate and Saint Joseph’s College (1920–72) for boys was under the Christian Brothers. In 1973 the Academy became co-educational and was renamed Sacred Heart High School. In 1998 its operation was assumed by the Yorkton Catholic School Board. In the 1980s a Ukrainian cultural center was built by the Catholic community.

Andrij Makuch

[This article was updated in 2006.]