Estevan

Estevan

 Estevan, Sask, incorporated as a city in 1957, population 11 054 (2011c), 10 084 (2006c). The City of Estevan is located on the SOURIS RIVER, 210 km southeast of Regina and 16 km north of the US border. Estevan is the sunshine capital of Canada, averaging more hours of sunshine per year than any other Canadian city (2499.9 hours).

The townsite was surveyed in 1892 where the Soo Line of the Canadian Pacific Railway crossed the river, and grew steadily from that date, largely because of its dual role as a trading and energy centre. The large lignite coal deposits in the area were quickly recognized as a valuable source of fuel for the treeless plains, and coal mining developed rapidly. It has remained significant and the construction of the coal-fuelled Boundary Dam generating station of the Saskatchewan Power Corporation during the late 1950s confirmed the city's position as the "energy capital" of Saskatchewan. A second power station, Shand, was built between 1988 and 1992. Boundary Dam and Shand are Saskatchewan's largest and third largest electric generating stations, respectively. The controversial Rafferty and Alameda dams were built in part for the Shand power station. They are also used for irrigation and flood control. Oil was discovered in the 1950s and the oil industry plays an important role in the local economy.